Rifle · Wildcat
7mm Practical
The .338 Lapua Magnum case necked to 7mm, optimized for extreme long-range and ELR competition.
- Caliber
- 0.2839″ · 7.21 mm
- Introduced
- 2012
- Case
- Belted
- Parent
- .300 Winchester Magnum
- Primary use
- target, competition
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 2012
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Dave Tooley / various
- Manufacturer
- Various wildcatters
- Standard
- Wildcat
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Specialty
- Case capacity
- 60 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:9
- Primer
- Large Rifle Magnum
- Case type
- Belted
- Max pressure
- 62,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 1000 yd
- Recoil
- 25–35 ft·lb
Ballistics
Published velocity/energy data isn't available for 7mm Practical. Parent case: .338 Lapua Magnum.
Performance
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
reloading data · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 7.21 | 0.284 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 8.00 | 0.315 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 12.47 | 0.491 | ~ |
| Shoulder angle | 30° | — | · |
| Base ⌀ | 13.03 | 0.513 | ~ |
| Rim ⌀ | 13.51 | 0.532 | ~ |
| Belt ⌀ | 13.51 | 0.532 | ~ |
| Rim thickness | 1.27 | 0.050 | ~ |
| Neck length | 7.34 | 0.289 | ≈ |
| Case length | 66.93 | 2.635 | · |
| Overall length | 92.00 | 3.622 | ~ |
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 Practical is highlighted below.
Factory loads
Being verified
Advertised FPS, energy, and BC are withheld until loads clear verification.
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 in the early 2010s by long-range competition shooters seeking a 7mm cartridge that could push 180–195 grain bullets at 3,100+ fps from the proven .338 Lapua case. Gained traction in ELR (extreme long-range) competition and F-Open shooting. Custom chambering only; no factory ammunition.
FAQs
- What twist rate does 7mm Practical use?
- 7mm Practical typically uses a 1:9 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is 7mm Practical?
- 7mm Practical uses a 0.2839″ (7.21 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is 7mm Practical still in production?
- 7mm Practical is active; typical availability is specialty.
- What is 7mm Practical used for?
- 7mm Practical is primarily used for target, competition.
- What is 7mm Practical based on?
- 7mm Practical is derived from the .338 Lapua Magnum case.
Sources & provenance
- Secondary 7mm Practical - Ballistic Studies Knowledgebase · parent_cartridge
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 20 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →