Welcome to the States! Glad Gunwerks appreciates your content and you guys got to collaborate! When you first started using your gunwerks stock awhile back I hoped that you'd link up with those guys one day.
The one thing I miss when I was stationed at Camp Pendleton Ca was the wide open spaces to hunt in the western half of the country. I'm back home in North Carolina now. As much as I love being home, I miss the wide open west.
So jealous Thomas! 😩 Very informative and great video. I have followed Gunwerks for years and they seem like a really nice crew. Aaron is certainly no exception and rather seems like a genuinely nice guy.
Thanks. Yes the hospitality was a bit overwhelming for a Norwegian, I get a bit stressed by that. Gunwerks is one of those companies that really DO something with their space and influence the wider market, so very interesting for me to observe.
Glad you got to experience the New Mexico Pronghorn hunt. It is wide space without much stalking cover and with animals that are fast, shy, with good eyesight, it can be a long range shot challenge. You did very well and the cartridge and rifle were perfect for the purpose. Well Done and Congrats!
I was surprised at how wary the animals were, even at ranges well past 500 they drifted away or took off trotting if they saw humans. But it was an interesting experience, very different from all my previous hunting.
@@THLR .....ALOT of hunting pressure on leased land to hold many hunts make animals VERY wary, especially to vehicles when they can drive where they please & not have to stay on designated roads.
Around January 25 I should see the sun over the mountains. Might catch a glimpse sooner if I'm not home. Saw it last week, was out on an island with no mountains obscuring the horizon.
It is. If you feel the need for a 7mm RM class cartridge, there's no reason not to. Once supply has caught up and it's actually possible to get components...
Hi Thomas, I am sure you already tried the 6.5 prc from Blaser?! What do you think about the 6.5 prc compared to the 7mm prc. I am hunting in the Dolomites and in the southern part of Germany. Until last year I had a 270 wsm for the mountain hunting. This year I wanted to try the 6.5 prc and I really enjoy less recoil. I am not an expert in long range shooting, but I enjoy hunting with this caliber. I am shooting the hornady precision hunter. Would be I interested in your 6.5 prc experience. Thanks Alex
I'll have to take the long way in answering that... A good cartridge for longer ranges is heavily influenced by bullet shape and expressed as Ballistic Coefficiency and the number is referenced to G1 or G7. In both cases, a higher number is better. G1 is most common and good enough for this text. Your 6.5 PRC uses bullets with a G1 region 0.5-0.6. That is very good. When the G1 number falls towards 0.4 windcalls gets unnecessarily difficult, 0.3 is unsuitable and only when you climb up towards 0.7-0.8 will you notice any practical difference from your 6.5 PRC. Very few bullets reach that number, mostly the heaviest 7mm/30 or 338 cal.
So to improve performance on your 6.5 PRC in terms of error budget/hitting the target, you will need to shoot roughly 180gr in 7mm, 225gr in 30 or 300gr in 338, and even then you mostly notice the improved performance at ranges farther than 500m. All of these come at a significant recoil penalty compared to your 6.5 PRC. In other words, it is really difficult to make something better than the 6.5PRC. I have not used the PRC, but shot several barrels 6,5x284 which is the ballistic twin in terms of trajectory/V0/powder/recoil. The only reason I stopped using it is lack of factory ammunition and me getting fedup with reloading. If I had to choose THE most versatile cartridge (especially with increased use of copper bullets) it would be 6.5 PRC.
@@THLR Thanks for your detailed answers, which reflects my , of course compared to yours, limited experience. The shoots I did for hunting had only been between 240-395m with the 6.5 prc (G1 BC. 623) but compared to the 270wsm with the 115grain styra arms copper bullet I made the experience that I can better concentrate on my own efficiency than the external factors. Anyway thanks again for your comments.
Congratulations on your hunt I took my first animal in Wyoming! It was an antilope; it's a wonderful experience! If you ever come back white tail hunting in arkansas where I live is fun!
For me it was a "perception changing" experience. I had read about the open landscapes, but I had no real reference to understand what those proportions would be IRL. Must be very different from Arkansas, my impression of that state is "mountain jungle" ? Glad you have experienced the west too, it is nice to see and hunt other places than home. Also found the pronghorn to be superb eating, right on the top of good venison I've eaten.
Awesome! Good job. I hunted pronghorn this fall for the first time. I only spent a morning but tried to get close to a herd. They hung out at 600 yards away and I didn't feel comfortable with that distance with my grendel 6.5 so I didn't shoot.
Good decision! The Grendel is a surprisingly efficient killer (I have used it with 123gr Amax), but bullet expansion would be unrealiable at that range, especially with a lung shot. Wish you all the best for the season, have fun with your Grendel!
Thanks, I ended up building a 7mm prc out of old savage and practicing all summer at 500 to 1000 yds. Took it pronghorn hunting in montana and connected at 385 yds! Thanks again. Great vids
Great video and adventure thomas! I hope blaser release a barrel in 7mm prc and that you are the first one to buy one ,should be some interesting content for your channel, match or semi contour
Absolutely awesome and what an opportunity for you to go and do all that champion great hunt to.. can't wit to build a 7prc looks like an awesome cartridge
IThanks. Yes, it's really a good cartridge if you are in the market for a 7mm RM level wallop. 7mm is a bit awkward to work with in Norway, so I'm on the fence for now. Once supply catches up, this cartridge has the potential to become a big one if it is backed the same way as the Creedmoor was.
Hi Thomas, even if this Is not my kind of hunt, I prefer to hunt where distances are shorter, the video is very interesting as usual. I was at the range as officer today, so I saw the video only few minutes ago, Bye Stefano.
Thank you very much Stefano, I appreciate how polite you are. I must say this was also very different from my "normal" hunting. (last deer I shot was 20m)
Thanks! I buy my music from Premiumbeats. It's not the cheapest subscription service by far, but it's fairly easy to find music there (full lenght and shorts). I just turn the subscription on/off when I need to expand my library.
Thanks Kyle, hope you found it useful. It was surprisingly difficult to film; you have to respect people's privacy and they did not sign up for a film session and my activity just can't detract from their tuition. Kinda stressed me out when I realized what sort of situation I put myself in. But ended well enough, I felt that I showed a little of what New Mexico is and hopefully I didn't intrude on the other participants. Been kind of flooded with work; I've recently "won" an extra water intake in my basement so that has definitively taken some attention. Hopefully it's all sorted now. Best of luck to your upcoming season, just tied mine up and will be skiing next week.
@@jagerschmidti6250 yes. It involves a bit of paperwork, but more and more silencers in use in the States- to the point of the market getting saturated.
Thomas, My heart bleeds a Little when i saw your Kipplauf Stock. If you are interrestid i will cut the epoxy or What ever it is away and make a piece of wallnut on your handle, maybe it feels better in your hands and looks much more better. What do you think?
You were in New Mexico?!?! I would've loved to meet you! I'm glad to see you were able to go for Pronghorn; I unfortunately didn't get a tag for them this year.
Short visit yes, up in the northeastern corner. The tags here was over-the-counter from the fish&wildlife office in Raton. Not sure when or if I'll be going back to the States, but if I do I'll definitely set aside more time for sightseeing and meeting people.
No it's the Arcteryx Remige sun hoody, no longer in production. I've started wearing sun hoodies over my wool, nice to block insects and sun without adding heat.
Okay we dying for more videos!! More hiking mountain long range shooting. Maybe fix a meal for us too ! Some Norwegian cuisine!!😎 yea I’m asking a lot!😁😊. Shooting and eating. My two favorite things in the world!!!
Thanks! I cannot precisely remember, but range was something above 700 and the Hornady 7mm 180gr bullet with an incredible G1 Bc approaching 0,8 made the wind hold a lot less than what I'm used to. Somewhere between 0,5 and 1 MOA where I normally would be double???
Thanks Anthony. No, I have not. Allthough the 7 PRC really is a great cartridge design (no reason not to get it if you are looking for 7mm RM level puch), but 7mm is a bit awkward to work with in Norway as 6,5mm is so dominant. It is on the to-do list, but components will reach Norway no sooner than next spring and I have both hunting trips and camera lenses higher up on my priority list.
@@steffenschmidt5339 I wouldn't call it work. On an irregular basis, various companies ask for my opinion and I give it. Some also invite me to visit and comment on their product development. Most of those companies now have successful to very successful products in "my" niche. Some of those product have been heavily influenced by the discussions, others just a hint. But none of those visits have resulted in "nothing". But it's not possible to motivate me with money, if I have no interest in the project presented, I decline. (Sometimes rudely if the conditions are slave terms). So I call it "not work" because I'm just talking about my hobby and giving opinions based on my experience.
Thanks Stefan. Yes, great trip only wish I had more time for sightseeing. You're smack in the center of the culture that so greatly affected our own "cowboy youth".
Happy to see you enjoying hunting in the US. I found it interesting that the cow decoy really seemed to work well. I may have missed the info…..what was the weight of the bullet you were shooting from the 7PRC? Thank you for sharing this with us.
I saw all the guides bringing cow decoys, I'm guessing it works simply because there is real cows there and we try to blend in between them. There was only a short picture showing the ammo box, it's factory Hornady Match 7 PRC 180gr ELD M and it did 2840fps from a 20". Pretty awesome in terms of winddrift, and in my experience that V0 is a sweetspot for avoiding excessive carcass damage. With my 300NM the ELD M was closer to V0 3000fps and the carcasses did not look good.
I'm on the fence. For the travelling hunter (especially asian mountains) it'll be daft not to expand your error budget as much as possible. Shooting the heavy 7mm's gives you the least winddrift for the least recoil. In a short barrel, the V0 is around 850 msec with 180gr, which in my opinion is a sweetspot between reach and carcass damage. I had terrible problems with my 300 NM, it was just too hard on the deer. So in that regard I found it a better cartridge (based on a sample of 1). But it will be a speciality cartridge and I'm not going to buy one until I have an actual need. Considering the actual ranges I mostly hunt, the 8.5x55 Blaser would probably be a smarter choice if I wanted more knockdown (especially with copper)
I don't know. I suspect it would be more effective if we had moved slower, as it was the pronghorns flushed at a very long range despite us being partially hidden by terrain. But all the guides had these blinds, so I figure there's something to it.
@@THLR Nice antelope. Gunwerks does a nice job and considering he started in his garage, its remarkable. I live a couple hundred miles northwest in MT. I really do enjoy your videos. Take care. J.
Two different beasts. The R8 is a true "quick-change" Lego rifle, the Nexus let's you easily change the barrel (like on a Schultz, Sauer or new CZ). Bolt operation is also fundamentally different, I don't think anyone has matched the efficiency of Blaser's straight-pull. And a few days shooting doesn't let me form a proper opinion, I have years & thousands of shot with the Blaser system (more later...)
But when you compare the Nexus to other bolt rifles, working the bolt and feeding ammunition is very smooth. I'm no fan of the Arca rail (I wouldn't use it) but otherwise the stock is designed very well in terms of recoil management - very "dead" rifle with no surprises or torque. It shoots as I would expect a precise rifle to shoot. I like the Nexus stock better than my Clymr from action-back and the Clymr better than the Nexus action-front. (Allthough I must say I also saw the Skuhl stock, and it is THE coolest stock. Modern design and materials hidden below a rather plain looking wood veneer. That combined with Nexus would be my dream build.) As far as action house, action nut, barrel change goes... not at all sceptic, in Europe we have used similar solutions for decades and decades and always in the high-end rifles. Will I change my R8 for Nexus? No, I already have an R8 and the Nexus would be an expense + 25% import tax that would basically do the same job as my current setup. Sorry, not much help.
Part 3 of 3. But many rifle manufacturer in Europe now seems to conclude "switchbarrel or die!". So I believe concepts like Nexus/Blaser is the future expansion market for boltaction rifles. I also believe that modern cartridges like Creedmoor and PRC variations will continue to displace the older cartridges in future generations.
@@THLR thanks a lot thomas! exsaustive explanation ! PS, WOULD BE AWESOME that gunwerks releases one of theyr stock for an r8, maybe your quick chat will the will help! ;) cheers from italy!
Taktilt så kjennes kikkerten helt rett ut. Bildet i dagslys var også som det skal være, ratt ok osv. Utover det så kan jeg ikke si så mye, 3 dagers bruk. Positivt førsteinntrykk, men dette var også en prototype.
If I was in Europe, I’d prefer to have the 7mm Blaser Mag over the PRC. But the PRC does have a better twist rate for heavy for caliber bullets. That being said, a plain old 7x64 Brenneke gets my vote for a European 7mm.
@@THLR The Gunwerks guys are big 7mm fans, and you saw first hand why. But, people have been hunting pronghorn at reasonable distance, and not 600 yards, for a very long time. The 270 Win is very flat shooting, as well as the 243 Win. These have been calibers of choice for pronghorn. I know you shoot the 300 NM, but that thing is devastating on small game. I prefer the 30-‘06 or the 300 H&H for a .30 caliber. In my humble opinion, the most practical option for anything from pronghorn to mule deer, is a 270 Win, shooting the Barnes 129 grain LRX. I get a velocity of 3,080 ft/sec, and can maintain a velocity over 2,200 ft/sec at 460 yards (1,403 foot pounds of energy). I use 60.5 grains of H4831SC. Don’t believe the 1,800 ft/sec minimum speed for expansion on these bullets, it’s bullshit. Monoliths need speed to expand. More than the manufacturers are willing to admit at times. For me the 270 Win solves two problems. 1) Brass (Norma), ammo and high quality reloading components are readily available. 2) I have a copper load I can use where lead isn’t allowed (Red stag in Scotland?). If I started from scratch today, I might prefer the 6.5 PRC, especially since brass is now available from companies, other than Hornady. If the trend continues towards outlawing lead, and going to copper, the 6.5 PRC offers the velocity needed for expansion out to 450 yards. I hope you enjoy the wide open spaces of my country. I’ve been to Sweden, but not Norway. My Norwegian friends say it’s like Alaska, but with people lol. Have a very Merry Christmas! Love your films. Your cinematography is amazing.
@@falba1492 thanks Frank and best wishes for the holidays to you as well. Your post resonates very well with me, and reflects much of what I see with the scottish professional hunters. A lot of them use the 270 and copper bullets due company rules and most seems to prefer 110gr as they need the extra velocity "which makes them devastating" whereas the heavier bullets are not popular due lesser effect. I have not enough experience with copper bullets myself, but 270 is right at the very top of my list for copper bullets. Simply because of availability and the high V0! With copper, all bc values seems to lump into the G1 0,4'ish so V0 will be more important for the terminal effect than for example with two different lead bullets where a light one can go below G1 0,4 and the heavier one can surpass G1 0,6 and thus negate a lower V0.
@@THLR The mandates of copper in Europe, are a lot more drastic than in the US. Hunters will have to start rethinking some of their favorite calibers, in order to get the MV’s (VO) necessary for proper expansion of these monolithics. I was told in Briton, there will also be an energy requirement for game as well. It’s going to turn into a balancing act between availability of components, and an effective caliber for what you hunt. I can see something like the lighter recoiling 25-‘06, possibly becoming more popular for deer, if energy requirements are also going to be mandated. For me, and my hunting conditions, the 270 Win is the best all around option, using copper. I use the 129 gr. LRX, because I hunt boar. I take shoulder shots, so as not to loose them in the heavy sawgrass. But I can get the 110 gr. TTSX going at about 3,500 ft/sec. The dirty secret about copper is VO. I never take a shot below 2,200 ft/sec, but honestly 2,400 is most effective. The best expanding bullet I have found so far, is the LRX from Barnes. I use it in several calibers. Much better than the TTSX, and way better than the TSX. I just purchased the new CX from Hornady, for my 375 H&H, but I have not used it yet. My go-to in that caliber in copper is the 250 grain TTSX. I use the 175 LRX in my 300 H&H. You might try that in your 300 NM. It’s a spectacular hunting bullet. I use cup and core for shooting steel at long ranges, and a combination of, Partitions, bonded lead, and copper bullets for hunting. These premium hunting bullets are too expensive for just target shooting, but you do have to practice. Copper bullets are going to change the hunting world, and I’m not sure it’s always going to be for the best. I’m very interested in seeing your solution to these new regulations. Anything you have to say on the subject will be appreciated. If you go with the 270 Win, I have a few reloading tips. You may or may not just get a new barrel for your Blaser, but the Winchester M70 is one hell of a rifle. Make sure you get a 24” barrel, and not a 22” for velocity. A 26” honestly puts you in magnum territory, without the recoil. Do a little reading on Jack O’Connor, the godfather of the 270 Winchester. Wonderful and honest writer.
Sorry, UA-cam didn't give me warning of this. A proper copper mandate will be a big problem in Europe, production capacity just isn't on par with demand. Which will make shooting very expensive and kill recruitment for a few years.
It was a great experience Jim. Just wish I had more time to travel around, could spend a lifetime there and not see enough landscapes or meet enough people. One of my most successful "adventure trips".
It was good at least to see class and decorum contrasting the typical American Yahooing and showboating/acting. Thanks Thomas - made it watchable. Certainly aptly shows the differences and stark contrast between respectful European style vs the brash "We killed summink, yehaw" American style. There, I said it. Hate mail onslaught begins...
No that should not generate hate mail. If so happens, we both suffer from the same prejudice and you can forward the hate to me 🙉. I believe the media images we see in Europe is skewed in disfavor of the US hunters. I HAVE MET the type described and I have met hunters with ethics that boil my piss, but the vast majority (rifle or bow) have been ok and also skilled/knowledgeable with regards to their local game. I have also seen a fair amount of horrible shooting in European hunting films (french and Spanish films especially, bring on the hate!) that would give you an appointment in court had it been Norway. I'm not willing to call them bad apples, but some hunters definitely suffer from poor training and poor understanding of the damage potential their actions have.
.....I personally REALLY APPRECIATE what you just said - Thank You - you are SO correct - it is disgusting & sad to see reactions of so many totally sick-minded individuals during & after harvesting an animal......they must be products of addiction-problem parents.
It's difficult to take in the abstract of it. I did not really understand until I had feet on the ground, and I found it somewhat intimidating. Much more than a mountain usually does.
Sure is a huge caliber for such a little animal. All these 7PRC hunts trying to push this round. Seems like a caliber to solve a problem that didn’t exist
I'll agree that the 7 PRC doesn't solve a "problem", but it is a good round. If you balance error margin for windcall, lack of torque in rifle, moderate recoil and ability to spot impact... the few rounds will match it. I have used 338 LM and 300 NM and had to pay a hefty recoil/torque penalty for the same winddrift. The 6,5mms isn't quite on par with the best 7mms
Hope you enjoyed,.....AND - driving is NOT the ONLY way to hunt pronghorn there is a way of actually hunting pronghorn instead of driving around, if a hunter chooses to do so, .... driving around is the way most so-called hunting is done when the "hunter" wants to hurry up & fill a tag so he can go home & that works for the outfitter/guide aswell, because they want to get the next paying hunter tagged-out, ....... after all, bow hunters get them by stalking drainages' & ambushing water holes.....it's alot of walking/hiking, but, that's what true hunting is all about, not to mention, just camping out on the prairie - the weather is beautiful that time of year in pronghorn season - great for camping.
Yes I saw that the outfitter was definetively financially motivated to run the hunters through the properties as fast as possible. I was under the impression that this operation was 150 hunters per season, divided over a sizeable guide team and most seemed to be done in one day. Driving north, I also saw how the landscapes changed. Entering Wyoming especially, it was the kind of landscapes I would have loved to hunt on foot. As it was, this film was a partial failure to me. I was more concerned about ending the hunt and not hold people up that I didn't do proper camera work and I didn't set up my expensive 600mm lens bought especially to capture better images of the animals. So yeah, it was a very different and good experience, the hospitality was overwhelming, but I would have preferred to spend more time. In that regard the gamsjagd in Austria was more successful and I had a better film focus.
@@THLR I would like to invite you back to do another pronghorn hunt & we could hunt for a week or 2, how ever long you prefer, you would have WAY MORE hands on experience & make your own decisions with all the hiking & camping out you prefer & it would cost you SO VERY LITTLE in comparison that you would not believe.
@@ericrumpel3105 I'd like to take you up on that. Not next year (budget), but 2024. If we're camping, I need to learn some astrophotography and get a better twilight lens. What state should I look at regulations/ climate?
Those fences work well for cattle, not so much for pronghorns. The distance walked is not so different than the distance walked from a parked car on your typical European hunt. If you are happy to just shoot any animal, sure this require little physical effort ( just like a hochsitz) and it will be a very easy hunt, game population considered.
.....the way alot, if not most, of these kind of "hunts" work is there are a bunch of guys in vehicles on the other side of the horizon driving/chasing pronghorns toward the area the hunter being driven around is at, they remain out of sight safely on the other side of hills & horizon. This is what helps to speed the "hunt" up for the next "hunter" waiting in line & precisely why the animals are SO spooky. Let's not forget, in many places there are many guys whom harvest pronghorn with bows/arrows.
Who knew the Windows XP wallpaper was such a great hunting spot.
🤣🤣😍 funniest comment in the history of this channel!
🤣 true
Welcome to the States! Glad Gunwerks appreciates your content and you guys got to collaborate! When you first started using your gunwerks stock awhile back I hoped that you'd link up with those guys one day.
Thanks! It was a most excellent adventure. Just wish I had more time to travel and see more of the landscapes and historic sites.
Good ol' Northern NM. Now you are making me miss my home state! I am so glad you made it out and had a great hunt!
It was great, really was. This was the northeastern corner, roughly one hour west of Raton.
@@THLR Yessir. I was originally from the south eastern corner of NM.
The one thing I miss when I was stationed at Camp Pendleton Ca was the wide open spaces to hunt in the western half of the country. I'm back home in North Carolina now. As much as I love being home, I miss the wide open west.
We drove north to Wyoming after and I must say I loved the landscapes. Just wish I had time to explore more.
Great hunt Thomas, thanks for taking us along.
Thanks, glad you liked it. It was certainly a departure from the usual episodes.
So jealous Thomas! 😩
Very informative and great video. I have followed Gunwerks for years and they seem like a really nice crew. Aaron is certainly no exception and rather seems like a genuinely nice guy.
Thanks. Yes the hospitality was a bit overwhelming for a Norwegian, I get a bit stressed by that. Gunwerks is one of those companies that really DO something with their space and influence the wider market, so very interesting for me to observe.
Hello Thomas. I look forward to finally seeing your US visit! Best wishes from the EC.
Thanks, hope you enjoyed!
Glad you got to experience the New Mexico Pronghorn hunt. It is wide space without much stalking cover and with animals that are fast, shy, with good eyesight, it can be a long range shot challenge. You did very well and the cartridge and rifle were perfect for the purpose. Well Done and Congrats!
I was surprised at how wary the animals were, even at ranges well past 500 they drifted away or took off trotting if they saw humans. But it was an interesting experience, very different from all my previous hunting.
@@THLR .....ALOT of hunting pressure on leased land to hold many hunts make animals VERY wary, especially to vehicles when they can drive where they please & not have to stay on designated roads.
Congratulation, Thomas! What a movie, what a hunt! All the best from Austria! Klaus
Thanks you Klaus, very generous of you! I'm expecting to be back in Austria next year to film more scenery and hunt more chamois!
@@THLR Choose the eastern part of austria and go for wildboars🐗🐗🐗💪🏻
What a great looking range to practise on! Well done on the hunt Thomas, nice pronghorn 😎😎 The 7mm PRC looks the business
It was the Jeff and Janelle (?) Cooper rifle range, so historic grounds for a Scandinavian gunwriter. All in all a very good experience.
Really cool adventure! as a swede it looks a bit strange with these endless grasslands and no trees.
I was unable to grasp the scale by abstract. And this was not even the most open, there was spaces then pioneers just avoided due to the scale.
@@THLR sounds cool :D
A fabulous adventure video. It changed my life !
Thanks & good luck with the changes!
@@THLR no joke there.
@@SLFYSH keyword: stoic
Always enjoyable and instructional too. Thank you for being available to chat as well. I wish you ”lighter days" my friend 🙏 G 🦉
Around January 25 I should see the sun over the mountains. Might catch a glimpse sooner if I'm not home. Saw it last week, was out on an island with no mountains obscuring the horizon.
Nice episode, thanks! This 7mm looks very tempting..
It is. If you feel the need for a 7mm RM class cartridge, there's no reason not to. Once supply has caught up and it's actually possible to get components...
Nice shot well done looked like a great trip great video ...
Thanks, yes very nice experience
Hi Thomas, I am sure you already tried the 6.5 prc from Blaser?! What do you think about the 6.5 prc compared to the 7mm prc. I am hunting in the Dolomites and in the southern part of Germany. Until last year I had a 270 wsm for the mountain hunting. This year I wanted to try the 6.5 prc and I really enjoy less recoil. I am not an expert in long range shooting, but I enjoy hunting with this caliber. I am shooting the hornady precision hunter. Would be I interested in your 6.5 prc experience. Thanks Alex
I'll have to take the long way in answering that... A good cartridge for longer ranges is heavily influenced by bullet shape and expressed as Ballistic Coefficiency and the number is referenced to G1 or G7. In both cases, a higher number is better. G1 is most common and good enough for this text. Your 6.5 PRC uses bullets with a G1 region 0.5-0.6. That is very good. When the G1 number falls towards 0.4 windcalls gets unnecessarily difficult, 0.3 is unsuitable and only when you climb up towards 0.7-0.8 will you notice any practical difference from your 6.5 PRC. Very few bullets reach that number, mostly the heaviest 7mm/30 or 338 cal.
So to improve performance on your 6.5 PRC in terms of error budget/hitting the target, you will need to shoot roughly 180gr in 7mm, 225gr in 30 or 300gr in 338, and even then you mostly notice the improved performance at ranges farther than 500m. All of these come at a significant recoil penalty compared to your 6.5 PRC. In other words, it is really difficult to make something better than the 6.5PRC. I have not used the PRC, but shot several barrels 6,5x284 which is the ballistic twin in terms of trajectory/V0/powder/recoil. The only reason I stopped using it is lack of factory ammunition and me getting fedup with reloading. If I had to choose THE most versatile cartridge (especially with increased use of copper bullets) it would be 6.5 PRC.
@@THLR Thanks for your detailed answers, which reflects my , of course compared to yours, limited experience. The shoots I did for hunting had only been between 240-395m with the 6.5 prc (G1 BC. 623) but compared to the 270wsm with the 115grain styra arms copper bullet I made the experience that I can better concentrate on my own efficiency than the external factors. Anyway thanks again for your comments.
Congratulations on your hunt I took my first animal in Wyoming! It was an antilope; it's a wonderful experience! If you ever come back white tail hunting in arkansas where I live is fun!
For me it was a "perception changing" experience. I had read about the open landscapes, but I had no real reference to understand what those proportions would be IRL. Must be very different from Arkansas, my impression of that state is "mountain jungle" ? Glad you have experienced the west too, it is nice to see and hunt other places than home. Also found the pronghorn to be superb eating, right on the top of good venison I've eaten.
Awesome! Good job. I hunted pronghorn this fall for the first time. I only spent a morning but tried to get close to a herd. They hung out at 600 yards away and I didn't feel comfortable with that distance with my grendel 6.5 so I didn't shoot.
Good decision! The Grendel is a surprisingly efficient killer (I have used it with 123gr Amax), but bullet expansion would be unrealiable at that range, especially with a lung shot. Wish you all the best for the season, have fun with your Grendel!
Thanks, I ended up building a 7mm prc out of old savage and practicing all summer at 500 to 1000 yds. Took it pronghorn hunting in montana and connected at 385 yds! Thanks again. Great vids
this was the best UA-cam episode I've ever seen!
😵💫
Great video and adventure thomas! I hope blaser release a barrel in 7mm prc and that you are the first one to buy one ,should be some interesting content for your channel, match or semi contour
I want a 7 PRC, but I'm not sure I will get one. 7mm is a big hassle in Norway and prices of everything is currently skyrocketing.
Look for 7mm Blaser Magnum. Very good.
Absolutely awesome and what an opportunity for you to go and do all that champion great hunt to.. can't wit to build a 7prc looks like an awesome cartridge
IThanks. Yes, it's really a good cartridge if you are in the market for a 7mm RM level wallop. 7mm is a bit awkward to work with in Norway, so I'm on the fence for now. Once supply catches up, this cartridge has the potential to become a big one if it is backed the same way as the Creedmoor was.
@@THLR 100% agree
Hi Thomas, even if this Is not my kind of hunt, I prefer to hunt where distances are shorter, the video is very interesting as usual. I was at the range as officer today, so I saw the video only few minutes ago, Bye Stefano.
Thank you very much Stefano, I appreciate how polite you are. I must say this was also very different from my "normal" hunting. (last deer I shot was 20m)
Meget bra Thomas. Artig å se en helt annerledes jakt enn her hjemme i Norge/Skottland
Veldig annerledes og et godt minne å pakke i bagasjen. Vel verdt turen.
Fantastic video sir! I need to learn how to make great videos from you :) and the music... oh man! where do you get the music?
Thanks! I buy my music from Premiumbeats. It's not the cheapest subscription service by far, but it's fairly easy to find music there (full lenght and shorts). I just turn the subscription on/off when I need to expand my library.
Congrats, Thomas! I hope you get a chance to come back and explore more of the West.
Thanks Randy! I will, allthough I think my lifespan isn't long enough to see it all.
Great video! You really captured the experience well. Pleasure to meet you.
Thanks Kyle, hope you found it useful. It was surprisingly difficult to film; you have to respect people's privacy and they did not sign up for a film session and my activity just can't detract from their tuition. Kinda stressed me out when I realized what sort of situation I put myself in. But ended well enough, I felt that I showed a little of what New Mexico is and hopefully I didn't intrude on the other participants. Been kind of flooded with work; I've recently "won" an extra water intake in my basement so that has definitively taken some attention. Hopefully it's all sorted now. Best of luck to your upcoming season, just tied mine up and will be skiing next week.
TOMMY!!! Great to hear you were in the states. Nice shooting and hope you had a good time.
Thanks, yes had a great time. So much to see! Best wishes for the holidays!
Awesome Stuff Thomas!
My Goodness! You have to walk a lot for using That Paper from inside your car🤓
Thanks, but did not understand the paper reference 🤔
Looks to me like toilet paper
The silencer is legal there? Never seen that in the states👍
@@jagerschmidti6250 yes. It involves a bit of paperwork, but more and more silencers in use in the States- to the point of the market getting saturated.
Thomas,
My heart bleeds a Little when i saw your Kipplauf Stock. If you are interrestid i will cut the epoxy or What ever it is away and make a piece of wallnut on your handle, maybe it feels better in your hands and looks much more better.
What do you think?
Fantastisk bra, igjen! Gratulerer med felling!
Takk skal du ha Sondre, var gjevt å få være med på dette.
great vid as usual! hell of a shot too!
Thanks. It didn't feel like much, I had been shooting the very rifle over two days before the hunt.
You were in New Mexico?!?! I would've loved to meet you! I'm glad to see you were able to go for Pronghorn; I unfortunately didn't get a tag for them this year.
Short visit yes, up in the northeastern corner. The tags here was over-the-counter from the fish&wildlife office in Raton. Not sure when or if I'll be going back to the States, but if I do I'll definitely set aside more time for sightseeing and meeting people.
Nice video again! Is that the Norrøna flex2 parka your wearing? How do you like it been thinking about that one for some time
No it's the Arcteryx Remige sun hoody, no longer in production. I've started wearing sun hoodies over my wool, nice to block insects and sun without adding heat.
Okay we dying for more videos!! More hiking mountain long range shooting. Maybe fix a meal for us too ! Some Norwegian cuisine!!😎 yea I’m asking a lot!😁😊. Shooting and eating. My two favorite things in the world!!!
Too busy right now, have material but too much happening in life.
Long range + strong winds makes for VERY challenging shooting. Great job! What was finally the range and the wind hold?
Thanks! I cannot precisely remember, but range was something above 700 and the Hornady 7mm 180gr bullet with an incredible G1 Bc approaching 0,8 made the wind hold a lot less than what I'm used to. Somewhere between 0,5 and 1 MOA where I normally would be double???
Excellent as always. Have you ordered your PRC...... ? looks great.
Thanks Anthony. No, I have not. Allthough the 7 PRC really is a great cartridge design (no reason not to get it if you are looking for 7mm RM level puch), but 7mm is a bit awkward to work with in Norway as 6,5mm is so dominant. It is on the to-do list, but components will reach Norway no sooner than next spring and I have both hunting trips and camera lenses higher up on my priority list.
As always a mega awesome film - is it correct understood that you have designet the scope??
Thanks. No, I have nothing to do with scope design, I have only given my input towards the reticle and "how to kill with more versatility"
@@THLR Thanks - may i ask, do you work for Gunwerks?
@@steffenschmidt5339 I wouldn't call it work. On an irregular basis, various companies ask for my opinion and I give it. Some also invite me to visit and comment on their product development. Most of those companies now have successful to very successful products in "my" niche. Some of those product have been heavily influenced by the discussions, others just a hint. But none of those visits have resulted in "nothing". But it's not possible to motivate me with money, if I have no interest in the project presented, I decline. (Sometimes rudely if the conditions are slave terms). So I call it "not work" because I'm just talking about my hobby and giving opinions based on my experience.
But is was the best UA-cam video ever!
😍 perfect!
Great hunt and video, a bit jealous to be honest😊
Thanks Stefan. Yes, great trip only wish I had more time for sightseeing. You're smack in the center of the culture that so greatly affected our own "cowboy youth".
Question! What in other episodes I see you use a range book, What brand is it?
Kahles Rangebook, you can order it anywhere you can buy Kahles.
Happy to see you enjoying hunting in the US.
I found it interesting that the cow decoy really seemed to work well.
I may have missed the info…..what was the weight of the bullet you were shooting from the 7PRC?
Thank you for sharing this with us.
I saw all the guides bringing cow decoys, I'm guessing it works simply because there is real cows there and we try to blend in between them. There was only a short picture showing the ammo box, it's factory Hornady Match 7 PRC 180gr ELD M and it did 2840fps from a 20". Pretty awesome in terms of winddrift, and in my experience that V0 is a sweetspot for avoiding excessive carcass damage. With my 300NM the ELD M was closer to V0 3000fps and the carcasses did not look good.
@@THLR 2840fps out of 20” remarkable especially w a 180gr projectile.
Thank you Thomas
So, is the R8 receiving a 7PRC barrel, or is not answering any new questions? Great movie as always
I'm on the fence. For the travelling hunter (especially asian mountains) it'll be daft not to expand your error budget as much as possible. Shooting the heavy 7mm's gives you the least winddrift for the least recoil. In a short barrel, the V0 is around 850 msec with 180gr, which in my opinion is a sweetspot between reach and carcass damage. I had terrible problems with my 300 NM, it was just too hard on the deer. So in that regard I found it a better cartridge (based on a sample of 1). But it will be a speciality cartridge and I'm not going to buy one until I have an actual need. Considering the actual ranges I mostly hunt, the 8.5x55 Blaser would probably be a smarter choice if I wanted more knockdown (especially with copper)
Awesome! Well done Thomas!
Thanks Nico. Saving up money for SA now. Full midlife crisis now, will see as much of the world as I can :D
My offer stands👍🏻👍🏻
You are the man !🫡
Lucky SOB for sure 🙌
I've never seen a cow blind used before. Does it work? Looks pretty funny. J.
I don't know. I suspect it would be more effective if we had moved slower, as it was the pronghorns flushed at a very long range despite us being partially hidden by terrain. But all the guides had these blinds, so I figure there's something to it.
@@THLR Nice antelope. Gunwerks does a nice job and considering he started in his garage, its remarkable. I live a couple hundred miles northwest in MT. I really do enjoy your videos. Take care. J.
@@johnfrederikson2002 it is quite the success story, I believe 70 people make a living off Gunwerks now.
thomas, how did you like the nexus rifle? compared to the r8?
Two different beasts. The R8 is a true "quick-change" Lego rifle, the Nexus let's you easily change the barrel (like on a Schultz, Sauer or new CZ). Bolt operation is also fundamentally different, I don't think anyone has matched the efficiency of Blaser's straight-pull. And a few days shooting doesn't let me form a proper opinion, I have years & thousands of shot with the Blaser system (more later...)
But when you compare the Nexus to other bolt rifles, working the bolt and feeding ammunition is very smooth. I'm no fan of the Arca rail (I wouldn't use it) but otherwise the stock is designed very well in terms of recoil management - very "dead" rifle with no surprises or torque. It shoots as I would expect a precise rifle to shoot. I like the Nexus stock better than my Clymr from action-back and the Clymr better than the Nexus action-front. (Allthough I must say I also saw the Skuhl stock, and it is THE coolest stock. Modern design and materials hidden below a rather plain looking wood veneer. That combined with Nexus would be my dream build.) As far as action house, action nut, barrel change goes... not at all sceptic, in Europe we have used similar solutions for decades and decades and always in the high-end rifles. Will I change my R8 for Nexus? No, I already have an R8 and the Nexus would be an expense + 25% import tax that would basically do the same job as my current setup. Sorry, not much help.
Part 3 of 3. But many rifle manufacturer in Europe now seems to conclude "switchbarrel or die!". So I believe concepts like Nexus/Blaser is the future expansion market for boltaction rifles. I also believe that modern cartridges like Creedmoor and PRC variations will continue to displace the older cartridges in future generations.
@@THLR thanks a lot thomas! exsaustive explanation ! PS, WOULD BE AWESOME that gunwerks releases one of theyr stock for an r8, maybe your quick chat will the will help! ;) cheers from italy!
Good shooting.
Thanks! But not that much to it, "dead" rifle and super high Bc on the bullet.
Great to see you shooting somewhere not pissing with rain and blowing a thousand bastards 👍😁
Looking back, that was one of the things I liked best 🤣
Annerledes, Funket veldig Bra. Hvordan likte du Revic optikken?
Taktilt så kjennes kikkerten helt rett ut. Bildet i dagslys var også som det skal være, ratt ok osv. Utover det så kan jeg ikke si så mye, 3 dagers bruk. Positivt førsteinntrykk, men dette var også en prototype.
The main thing is that you had fun and want to go again lol because it's addictive
I noticed. Very, very different from home.
it is so flat that you can see your dog running away for 3 days
3 days was North Dakota. Here you'll see it right up to Christmas...
Prettige feestdagen allemaal!
Thank you, best wishes for the new year!
Super . Pozdrowienia z Polski .👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thank you!😃
If I was in Europe, I’d prefer to have the 7mm Blaser Mag over the PRC. But the PRC does have a better twist rate for heavy for caliber bullets. That being said, a plain old 7x64 Brenneke gets my vote for a European 7mm.
I've been looking at 7mm Blaser a lot, but even here brass, dies and ammunition makes it a "difficult" cartridge to work with.
@@THLR The Gunwerks guys are big 7mm fans, and you saw first hand why. But, people have been hunting pronghorn at reasonable distance, and not 600 yards, for a very long time. The 270 Win is very flat shooting, as well as the 243 Win. These have been calibers of choice for pronghorn.
I know you shoot the 300 NM, but that thing is devastating on small game. I prefer the 30-‘06 or the 300 H&H for a .30 caliber.
In my humble opinion, the most practical option for anything from pronghorn to mule deer, is a 270 Win, shooting the Barnes 129 grain LRX. I get a velocity of 3,080 ft/sec, and can maintain a velocity over 2,200 ft/sec at 460 yards (1,403 foot pounds of energy). I use 60.5 grains of H4831SC. Don’t believe the 1,800 ft/sec minimum speed for expansion on these bullets, it’s bullshit. Monoliths need speed to expand. More than the manufacturers are willing to admit at times.
For me the 270 Win solves two problems. 1) Brass (Norma), ammo and high quality reloading components are readily available. 2) I have a copper load I can use where lead isn’t allowed (Red stag in Scotland?).
If I started from scratch today, I might prefer the 6.5 PRC, especially since brass is now available from companies, other than Hornady. If the trend continues towards outlawing lead, and going to copper, the 6.5 PRC offers the velocity needed for expansion out to 450 yards.
I hope you enjoy the wide open spaces of my country. I’ve been to Sweden, but not Norway. My Norwegian friends say it’s like Alaska, but with people lol.
Have a very Merry Christmas! Love your films. Your cinematography is amazing.
@@falba1492 thanks Frank and best wishes for the holidays to you as well. Your post resonates very well with me, and reflects much of what I see with the scottish professional hunters. A lot of them use the 270 and copper bullets due company rules and most seems to prefer 110gr as they need the extra velocity "which makes them devastating" whereas the heavier bullets are not popular due lesser effect. I have not enough experience with copper bullets myself, but 270 is right at the very top of my list for copper bullets. Simply because of availability and the high V0! With copper, all bc values seems to lump into the G1 0,4'ish so V0 will be more important for the terminal effect than for example with two different lead bullets where a light one can go below G1 0,4 and the heavier one can surpass G1 0,6 and thus negate a lower V0.
@@THLR The mandates of copper in Europe, are a lot more drastic than in the US. Hunters will have to start rethinking some of their favorite calibers, in order to get the MV’s (VO) necessary for proper expansion of these monolithics. I was told in Briton, there will also be an energy requirement for game as well.
It’s going to turn into a balancing act between availability of components, and an effective caliber for what you hunt. I can see something like the lighter recoiling 25-‘06, possibly becoming more popular for deer, if energy requirements are also going to be mandated.
For me, and my hunting conditions, the 270 Win is the best all around option, using copper. I use the 129 gr. LRX, because I hunt boar. I take shoulder shots, so as not to loose them in the heavy sawgrass. But I can get the 110 gr. TTSX going at about 3,500 ft/sec.
The dirty secret about copper is VO. I never take a shot below 2,200 ft/sec, but honestly 2,400 is most effective. The best expanding bullet I have found so far, is the LRX from Barnes. I use it in several calibers. Much better than the TTSX, and way better than the TSX. I just purchased the new CX from Hornady, for my 375 H&H, but I have not used it yet. My go-to in that caliber in copper is the 250 grain TTSX. I use the 175 LRX in my 300 H&H. You might try that in your 300 NM. It’s a spectacular hunting bullet.
I use cup and core for shooting steel at long ranges, and a combination of, Partitions, bonded lead, and copper bullets for hunting. These premium hunting bullets are too expensive for just target shooting, but you do have to practice. Copper bullets are going to change the hunting world, and I’m not sure it’s always going to be for the best.
I’m very interested in seeing your solution to these new regulations. Anything you have to say on the subject will be appreciated. If you go with the 270 Win, I have a few reloading tips. You may or may not just get a new barrel for your Blaser, but the Winchester M70 is one hell of a rifle. Make sure you get a 24” barrel, and not a 22” for velocity. A 26” honestly puts you in magnum territory, without the recoil. Do a little reading on Jack O’Connor, the godfather of the 270 Winchester. Wonderful and honest writer.
Sorry, UA-cam didn't give me warning of this. A proper copper mandate will be a big problem in Europe, production capacity just isn't on par with demand. Which will make shooting very expensive and kill recruitment for a few years.
👍🔥🔥🔥
Thanks!
Hello Thomas welcome to the United States, I'm glad to see that you made it to the Western States.
It was a great experience Jim. Just wish I had more time to travel around, could spend a lifetime there and not see enough landscapes or meet enough people. One of my most successful "adventure trips".
👍👍
Thanks!
@@THLR Awesome film - thank you Thomas.
It was good at least to see class and decorum contrasting the typical American Yahooing and showboating/acting. Thanks Thomas - made it watchable. Certainly aptly shows the differences and stark contrast between respectful European style vs the brash "We killed summink, yehaw" American style.
There, I said it. Hate mail onslaught begins...
No that should not generate hate mail. If so happens, we both suffer from the same prejudice and you can forward the hate to me 🙉. I believe the media images we see in Europe is skewed in disfavor of the US hunters. I HAVE MET the type described and I have met hunters with ethics that boil my piss, but the vast majority (rifle or bow) have been ok and also skilled/knowledgeable with regards to their local game. I have also seen a fair amount of horrible shooting in European hunting films (french and Spanish films especially, bring on the hate!) that would give you an appointment in court had it been Norway. I'm not willing to call them bad apples, but some hunters definitely suffer from poor training and poor understanding of the damage potential their actions have.
.....I personally REALLY APPRECIATE what you just said - Thank You - you are SO correct - it is disgusting & sad to see reactions of so many totally sick-minded individuals during & after harvesting an animal......they must be products of addiction-problem parents.
😁👍
Thanks!
Can understand now why its called big sky country
It's difficult to take in the abstract of it. I did not really understand until I had feet on the ground, and I found it somewhat intimidating. Much more than a mountain usually does.
Sure is a huge caliber for such a little animal. All these 7PRC hunts trying to push this round. Seems like a caliber to solve a problem that didn’t exist
I'll agree that the 7 PRC doesn't solve a "problem", but it is a good round. If you balance error margin for windcall, lack of torque in rifle, moderate recoil and ability to spot impact... the few rounds will match it. I have used 338 LM and 300 NM and had to pay a hefty recoil/torque penalty for the same winddrift. The 6,5mms isn't quite on par with the best 7mms
Huge... It's a 7mm
I thought this was a hunting VR game
Not quite so...
Det der så artig ut
Ja det var en fin opplevelse, veldig annerledes!
Hope you enjoyed,.....AND - driving is NOT the ONLY way to hunt pronghorn there is a way of actually hunting pronghorn instead of driving around, if a hunter chooses to do so, .... driving around is the way most so-called hunting is done when the "hunter" wants to hurry up & fill a tag so he can go home & that works for the outfitter/guide aswell, because they want to get the next paying hunter tagged-out, ....... after all, bow hunters get them by stalking drainages' & ambushing water holes.....it's alot of walking/hiking, but, that's what true hunting is all about, not to mention, just camping out on the prairie - the weather is beautiful that time of year in pronghorn season - great for camping.
Yes I saw that the outfitter was definetively financially motivated to run the hunters through the properties as fast as possible. I was under the impression that this operation was 150 hunters per season, divided over a sizeable guide team and most seemed to be done in one day. Driving north, I also saw how the landscapes changed. Entering Wyoming especially, it was the kind of landscapes I would have loved to hunt on foot. As it was, this film was a partial failure to me. I was more concerned about ending the hunt and not hold people up that I didn't do proper camera work and I didn't set up my expensive 600mm lens bought especially to capture better images of the animals. So yeah, it was a very different and good experience, the hospitality was overwhelming, but I would have preferred to spend more time. In that regard the gamsjagd in Austria was more successful and I had a better film focus.
@@THLR I would like to invite you back to do another pronghorn hunt & we could hunt for a week or 2, how ever long you prefer, you would have WAY MORE hands on experience & make your own decisions with all the hiking & camping out you prefer & it would cost you SO VERY LITTLE in comparison that you would not believe.
@@ericrumpel3105 I'd like to take you up on that. Not next year (budget), but 2024. If we're camping, I need to learn some astrophotography and get a better twilight lens. What state should I look at regulations/ climate?
This is not hunting but just shooting. Those pronghorn are contain inside a gate on a private property.
Those fences work well for cattle, not so much for pronghorns. The distance walked is not so different than the distance walked from a parked car on your typical European hunt. If you are happy to just shoot any animal, sure this require little physical effort ( just like a hochsitz) and it will be a very easy hunt, game population considered.
.....the way alot, if not most, of these kind of "hunts" work is there are a bunch of guys in vehicles on the other side of the horizon driving/chasing pronghorns toward the area the hunter being driven around is at, they remain out of sight safely on the other side of hills & horizon. This is what helps to speed the "hunt" up for the next "hunter" waiting in line & precisely why the animals are SO spooky. Let's not forget, in many places there are many guys whom harvest pronghorn with bows/arrows.