New from Federal: 7mm Backcountry Cartridge

Just when you think hunting ammo can’t get any better, Federal Premium changes the game by introducing the new 7mm Backcountry. The new round features the patented Peak Alloy case technology to create a high-strength case that results in the fastest production 7mm rifle cartridge in the world. Designed for rifles with shorter barrels and suppressors, the 7mm Backcountry can push the projectile at more than 3,000 feet-per-second out of a 20-inch barrel with 170-grain bullets.

Per Federal’s press release:

"Traditional ammunition typically uses brass cases with muzzle-velocity data advertised on its box that is generated using an industry-standard 24-inch factory test barrel,” explained Brad Abramowski, Federal’s Centerfire Rifle Ammunition Engineer. “And although we still spotlight 7mm Backcountry’s astounding speed for a 24-inch barrel on the front of every box, we also detail the velocity data from 20-inch barrels on the back of the box. This is because hunters are trending toward using shorter-barrel rifles with suppressors. They want a rifle with a shorter barrel to make it more manageable while on the hunt, but they also want to achieve that blistering speed goal of 3,000 feet-per-second for flat-shooting performance.”

For example, Federal’s 155-grain Terminal Ascent bullet, the lightest bullet Federal will initially offer in 7mm Backcountry, has an astonishing 24-inch barrel muzzle velocity of 3,300 fps. And, its 20-inch barrel data comes in at 3,150 fps. Through a 16.5-inch barrel, it can still clock an impressive 3,000 fps. Federal’s load, with the heaviest bullet being offered and with the highest ballistic coefficient (the Berger Elite Hunter 195-grain bullet), produces a 24-inch barrel muzzle velocity of 3,000 fps. Its 20-inch barrel velocity still comes in at 2,850 fps. These remarkable numbers are currently unreachable, even in 7mm PRC.

With more and more hunters embracing hunting with a suppressor, Federal is staying ahead of the curve with the 7mm Backcountry.

The Federal product team constantly analyzes current market trends. Over the past several years, the market has been moving toward shorter barrels and suppressors.

“We acknowledge that hunters are moving away from magnum cartridges in long barrels to short, light, compact rifles with suppressors,” said Holm. “And that move makes sense. Shorter-barreled firearms make everything easier when traveling with UTVs or other vehicles, hiking in a thick forest setting, maneuvering in hunting blinds, and you name it. However, shooters lose velocity when barrels are shortened, so there is a trade-off. Innovation was needed to deliver the advantages of hunting with shorter barrels while maintaining high velocities for flatter-shooting trajectory and projectile energy.”

Suppressors are quickly gaining popularity within the hunting market for reasons that don’t require explanation.

“We now hunt in modern times, so suppressors are everywhere, and rightfully so,” explained Holm. “However, cartridges and rifles haven’t kept pace with this trend. Installing an 8-inch suppressor on a 24-inch barrel results in an awkward and impractical platform. To counter this, many shooters are selecting rifles chambered in cartridges like 7mm PRC with 20-inch barrels to make room for their suppressor. But, in the process, they lose the magnum velocities, energy, and trajectories their cartridge supplied initially.”

Federal also followed the modern 7mm projectile trend for its new high-tech hunting cartridge. “There is a plethora of 7mm hunting cartridges in the current market,” continued Holm. “This is because of the excellent ballistic performance bullets with high ballistic coefficients and heavy weights already existing in the .284-caliber. So, choosing 7mm made the most sense compared to other calibers. In that caliber, 7mm PRC is the king, so we set out to beat it, and we did that. Due to its safe higher chamber pressures, a 7mm Backcountry 170-grain Terminal Ascent shot through a 24-inch barrel gives you a muzzle velocity of around 3,150 fps, whereas a 7mm PRC with the same bullet generates about 2,950 fps. Through a 20-inch barrel, 7mm Backcountry shoots approximately 3,000 fps while the 7mm PRC is only 2,850 fps.”

To read the press release in its entirety, visit here.

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