Rifle · SAAMI
7mm Backcountry
Hornady and FN America's 2022 precision cartridge developed for SOCOM sniper applications and commercial long-range hunting.
- Caliber
- 0.284″ · 7.214 mm
- Introduced
- 2025
- Case
- Rimless
- Parent
- .30-06 Springfield
- Primary use
- Military, Hunting, Long Range
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 2025
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Hornady / FN America
- Manufacturer
- Federal Premium
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Limited
- Case capacity
- 73 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:8
- Primer
- Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rimless
- Max pressure
- 80,000 psi, SAAMI transducer
- Eff. range
- 700 yd
- Max range
- 6250 yd
- Recoil
- 22–32 ft·lb
Introduced by Federal Premium
Ballistics
Published velocity/energy data isn't available for 7mm Backcountry. Parent case: .30-06 Springfield.
Performance
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
SAAMI · verified| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 7.21 | 0.284 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 8.05 | 0.317 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 11.65 | 0.459 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 30° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 11.93 | 0.470 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 11.99 | 0.472 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.25 | 0.049 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 6.94 | 0.273 | ≈ |
| Case length | 61.39 | 2.417 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 84.84 | 3.340 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. 7mm Backcountry is highlighted below.
Factory loads
Being verified
Advertised FPS, energy, and BC are withheld until loads clear verification.
Suitable powders
6 reloading powders listed for 7mm Backcountry, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Developed jointly by Hornady and FN America beginning around 2019, announced commercially in 2022. The cartridge was developed in parallel with military requirements for a precision sniper round to replace .308 Winchester in certain applications. The rebated-rim design fits on a standard bolt face while providing significantly more case capacity than 7mm Rem Mag. Both Hornady and Federal produce factory ammunition.
FAQs
- What twist rate does 7mm Backcountry use?
- 7mm Backcountry typically uses a 1:8 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is 7mm Backcountry?
- 7mm Backcountry uses a 0.284″ (7.214 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is 7mm Backcountry still in production?
- 7mm Backcountry is active; typical availability is limited.
- What is 7mm Backcountry used for?
- 7mm Backcountry is primarily used for military, hunting, long range.
- What is 7mm Backcountry based on?
- 7mm Backcountry is derived from the .30-06 Springfield case.
- What are the best powders for 7mm Backcountry?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for 7mm Backcountry include N170, Reloader 26, LRT, 24N41, among 6 suitable options.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 14 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →
