H4895 in 6.5x47 Lapua

[Islander]

Would anyone care to share their load data? Or give some sort of starting point? Thanks

Ron

Hi
I have been shooting 6.5x47 for three years longest range I have is 500 yds. 37 gr. Varget with 130 berger target shoots 1in five rounds sometimes when things are calm and the light is right. Always in 2in. H4350 works just as well better with the heavier 139 scnenar N550 Also works very well but more expensive. the slower powders I have listed all between 40 & 42 gr. CCI BR4 primers Kelblys bench gun. With nightforce 36 power scope.
Regards
Bob

 

[CTK]

I built this gun to do both hunting and target shooting. I do have some Berger 130 VLDs hunting bullets, are they as finicky as people say they are?

H4895 works perfectly in my son's 7/08. Not sure why would not work in the 6.5x47

I am going to say yes on the HVLD finicky question. I am going to try again this year but gave up on them last year and went with 120 Nosler BT's for hunting. The HVLD shot well with some powders but was hard for me to get perfectly dialed in. I am getting ridiculously small groups with the BT's and Varget. I had the rifle built with the idea of shooting high BC VLD's or similar and ended up hunting with a traditional bullet. I think that my reloading and shooting skills have become more consistent. I am going to try the 130 HVLD one more time. I also briefly tried the 135 Berger Classic Hunter. Got little groups with it but hit pressure at a lower than anticipated velocity. If I could get the 135 CH accurately moving at anywhere close to 2800 fps. out of a 23" barrel, I would be thrilled. I am not sure it will happen in my rifle. Get a tic over 2900 fps and bugholes with the 120BT and Varget. No obvious pressure signs but am probably pretty hot at 38.3gr. Varget. I know people push this cartridge very hot but I hope I am on the safe side of "warm". This is a hunting rifle with a 2b contour Bartlein barrel. Below is at 100y. 38.3gr gave me better speed and remained consistently under .25" ctc. Probably should call this as good as I had a right to hope for, but still want to play with the Berger's some more.

 

[RonS]

CTK, that is a great looking group for a hunting bullet, I don’t think I would change a thing. I tried the Berger 130gr VLD Hunting bullets with the H4895 but my results were not what I expected. The Sierra MK 120’s and the Nosler 125gr Partitions work great with H4895 in my 22” barrel.

RonS

 

[Clancy]

H4895 works perfectly in my son's 7/08. Not sure why would not work in the 6.5x47

I am going to say yes on the HVLD finicky question. I am going to try again this year but gave up on them last year and went with 120 Nosler BT's for hunting. The HVLD shot well with some powders but was hard for me to get perfectly dialed in. I am getting ridiculously small groups with the BT's and Varget. I had the rifle built with the idea of shooting high BC VLD's or similar and ended up hunting with a traditional bullet. I think that my reloading and shooting skills have become more consistent. I am going to try the 130 HVLD one more time. I also briefly tried the 135 Berger Classic Hunter. Got little groups with it but hit pressure at a lower than anticipated velocity. If I could get the 135 CH accurately moving at anywhere close to 2800 fps. out of a 23" barrel, I would be thrilled. I am not sure it will happen in my rifle. Get a tic over 2900 fps and bugholes with the 120BT and Varget. No obvious pressure signs but am probably pretty hot at 38.3gr. Varget. I know people push this cartridge very hot but I hope I am on the safe side of "warm". This is a hunting rifle with a 2b contour Bartlein barrel. Below is at 100y. 38.3gr gave me better speed and remained consistently under .25" ctc. Probably should call this as good as I had a right to hope for, but still want to play with the Berger's some more.

View attachment 1062287

Glad to see the Beanland is doing well. Mine will be dropped off for a rebarrel soon. I may try a Bartlein this time, though the Brux has been a lazer. I’d guess I’ve got 3-400 more “good” rounds left in it.

Jon is building me another with a proof barrel at the moment. The old 6.5 will become a 6mm.

 

[CTK]

Glad to see the Beanland is doing well. Mine will be dropped off for a rebarrel soon. I may try a Bartlein this time, though the Brux has been a lazer. I’d guess I’ve got 3-400 more “good” rounds left in it.

Jon is building me another with a proof barrel at the moment. The old 6.5 will become a 6mm.

I have come to realize that the gunsmith makes much more difference than the individual brand of custom barrel maker. Krieger, Hawk Hill, and a few others will not make a stainless 7mm barrel in traditional lighter sporting contours. I think that Brux will in addition to Bartlein. Krieger will not do a stainless 7mm barrel with a contour equivalent to a Bartlein #3, much less a 2b.
I will do a 280ai for me and possibly something for my son next year with Jon. Have put off the 280ai for over a year. I really have not needed a bigger gun than the 6.5x47 for the last few hunting seasons.

 

[CTK]

Hi
I have been shooting 6.5x47 for three years longest range I have is 500 yds. 37 gr. Varget with 130 berger target shoots 1in five rounds sometimes when things are calm and the light is right. Always in 2in. H4350 works just as well better with the heavier 139 scnenar N550 Also works very well but more expensive. the slower powders I have listed all between 40 & 42 gr. CCI BR4 primers Kelblys bench gun. With nightforce 36 power scope.
Regards
Bob

I am surprised that there is a 500y range anywhere near Marathon. 2” groups at 500y yards is beyond my skill set, much less 1”. You could take an ethical shot at a Key Deer at over 1000y with that kind of shooting.

 

[Mega]

I am surprised that there is a 500y range anywhere near Marathon. 2” groups at 500y yards is beyond my skill set, much less 1”. You could take an ethical shot at a Key Deer at over 1000y with that kind of shooting.

I think he is pulling your leg...

If he can shoot less than 2" groups all the time at 500 yards then he had better enter some competition shoots and clean all the big names up... Average ... Hmm

 

[Islander]

I think he is pulling your leg...

If he can shoot less than 2" groups all the time at 500 yards then he had better enter some competition shoots and clean all the big names up... Average ... Hmm

Hi
I did not think that was all that great ? I have not shot in a rifle match except for muzzleloaders. I can probaly get the range officer to verify my average is about 2in. @ 500 yds. I shoot once a month I have shot more than 5 in the last year that were 1in. A kelblys rifle chamberd in 6.5x47 Lapua When I first got this rifle I did not have the local range local being a hundred mile drive each way. I went to Manatee range up the state 1st time out shooting factory ammo I did not have reloading dies yet. I was shooting 123 gr. bullets @ 300 yds I had shot 4 in one ragged hole and I looked thru the scope and a dam wasp had landed on my target and was eating the edge of the hole I had just made. My fifth shot took the wasp and still group was under 3/4 in. I think I have a picture of the target on this computer with the wasp guts splattered around the hole. That rifle will shoot I have shot moa groups @my local range with a 45-90 black powder rifle there at 500 yds. with a soule sight no optics. That would be 5in for 5 rounds I did that only once. They stopped black powder rifles at that range and I have since sold that one.
Regards
Bob

 

[Clancy]

Hi
I did not think that was all that great ? I have not shot in a rifle match except for muzzleloaders. I can probaly get the range officer to verify my average is about 2in. @ 500 yds. I shoot once a month I have shot more than 5 in the last year that were 1in. A kelblys rifle chamberd in 6.5x47 Lapua When I first got this rifle I did not have the local range local being a hundred mile drive each way. I went to Manatee range up the state 1st time out shooting factory ammo I did not have reloading dies yet. I was shooting 123 gr. bullets @ 300 yds I had shot 4 in one ragged hole and I looked thru the scope and a dam wasp had landed on my target and was eating the edge of the hole I had just made. My fifth shot took the wasp and still group was under 3/4 in. I think I have a picture of the target on this computer with the wasp guts splattered around the hole. That rifle will shoot I have shot moa groups @my local range with a 45-90 black powder rifle there at 500 yds. with a soule sight no optics. That would be 5in for 5 rounds I did that only once. They stopped black powder rifles at that range and I have since sold that one.
Regards
Bob

I won’t say I doubt you myself. A great deal of my shooting is at 635 yards. That’s just where the berm is. My 6.5x47 hunting rifle has shot a lot of inch and half, some sub-1” stuff and a ton of 2” groups. We absolutely never have “good” weather.

While I know these aren’t world record quality, I think they’re quite good for a #5 barrel, 15X Scope and a Harris bipod.

I have the utmost respect for top end shooters, and have learned a lot from them. That being said, it’s not so different from bass fishing, where maybe we are just seeing the best from a group that has expendable time and income.

I’d love to have a dedicated bench rig and weekends off, but the truth is I’ve got too many guns anyway and I spend weekends with my daughter, plain and simple.

 

[Islander]

I am surprised that there is a 500y range anywhere near Marathon. 2” groups at 500y yards is beyond my skill set, much less 1”. You could take an ethical shot at a Key Deer at over 1000y with that kind of shooting.

Hi
Yes there is now a range in Homested when I joined it was called longshot now it is called Homested training center great range they have 3or 4 pistol ranges and lots of matches IDPA etc. The 500 yd rifle range and 100 yd range. Nice place. I used to have to drive to Manatee spend the night shoot drive back long dam trip and expensive. I would be carful about talking about shooting key deer the black helicopters will be circling your house. The key deer were very small when I was young they adapted to the food source. Now there is plenty of people and plenty of food they look no different than the deer I hunt in north florida. I saw one in a yard I thought it was fake it was a full size buck with a good rack 8 point. Then he stuck his tongue out licked his lip I about shit.
Regards
Bob

 

[CTK]

Hi
Yes there is now a range in Homested when I joined it was called longshot now it is called Homested training center great range they have 3or 4 pistol ranges and lots of matches IDPA etc. The 500 yd rifle range and 100 yd range. Nice place. I used to have to drive to Manatee spend the night shoot drive back long dam trip and expensive. I would be carful about talking about shooting key deer the black helicopters will be circling your house. The key deer were very small when I was young they adapted to the food source. Now there is plenty of people and plenty of food they look no different than the deer I hunt in north florida. I saw one in a yard I thought it was fake it was a full size buck with a good rack 8 point. Then he stuck his tongue out licked his lip I about shit.
Regards
Bob

I saw the key deer when went to Sea Camp on Big Pine Key in the early 80’s. They were small then. I would be willing to drive to shoot at a range if I had Bonefish within a few miles.