The United States Department of Defense (DoD) awarded Hornady a contract to supply .300 PRC ammunition for military use, a cartridge developed by the company and introduced earlier this year. The announcement comes of the heels of last week’s news that Barrett has secured three contracts from the U.S. military, including one for MRADs chambered for the round.
The DoD decision was made after a rigorous evaluation in which the cartridge outperformed the .300 Norma Mag. and other loads in testing beyond 2,000 yards. The ammunition is slated for use in the military’s long-range sniper program.
“We’re thrilled to be able to do our part to support our military members by providing a superior cartridge that will enhance their capabilities on the battlefield,” said Scott Javins, Hornady Law Enforcement & Military Product manager. “Over a 10-year development process, we packed all of our knowledge and experience into designing the .300 PRC as a cartridge that will not only win matches and bring home that trophy elk, but also meet the needs of the best-of-the-best within the Department of Defense. This contract confirms that we’ve met or exceeded their requirements for a new small arms ammunition solution for extended-range engagements.”
To create the .300 PRC, Hornady started with the .375 Ruger cartridge case, then built it from the ground up to launch long, heavy-for-caliber, aerodynamic bullets over extended distances. It’s designed for maximum efficiency with common, temperature-stable, magnum-speed rifle powders.
Precise information on the load (or bullet) ordered were not included in the announcement. The .300 PRC is currently available to civilians in two different versions, though. Hornady’s Match version has 225-grain ELD bullets and the company also offers a Precision Hunter load topped with 212-grain ELD-X bullets. Both feature the Heat Shield Tip, which resists drag-inducing bullet tip deformation from aerodynamic heating.
