6.5 - 47 Lapua load advice please!

[DHuffman]

Here's the situation, I have 2 new barrels #1 is a CBI 26" SS Varmint contour 1:8 twist #2 is a Shilen Select Match SS 28" bull 1:8 twist also. The 26" is going on my youngest son's Model 10 and the 28" is going on a Model 10 I have. I'm planning on installing both this weekend and breaking them both in.

Anyway I'm looking for a suggestion for a good "middle" node load to do barrel break in and scope zeroing on both rifles. Just a good, well below book max, don't have to worry about pressure load that has a decent chance of shooting well in these barrels.

For powder I have Varget, H4350, Reloder 17, IMR 4350 and access to others. For primers I have a plenty of Remington 7 1/2's and for bullets I have a few hundred Hornady 140 gr. BTHP that I've never used and would like to use for this.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated & thanks.

 

[Willow]

H4350, CCI Benchrest primers and Berger 130gr VLD. Hard to beat that combo IMO. 39.2gr of H4350 with that combination worked very well for me. 2920fps out of a 26" Maddco barrel. No pressure signs and I got a comfortable 25 firings from my brass.

 

[Motoman006]

Depends what bullet you have handy
With the Berger 140 vld everyone seems to be in between 40-41
Mine included

With the 130vld I think some guys are pushing as much as 41-42 grains

H4350

Varget is lower like 37gr with the 140gr I have not tried this but read slot of guys in the range

Every gun and barrel will be different tho, work up charges when breaking in the barrel and watch for pressure

 

[DHuffman]

Thanks for the replies. I'm planning on using the Berger 130 H VLDs eventually but would like to use the Hornady 140 BTHPs I have on hand to get rid of them for the initial barrel break in & zeroing.

 

[robhen]

I won a 600 yard shoot with my 6.5-47 last week end shooting berger 140 hybrids and cci 450 and 37.5 of varget. I won the score part. Work up to that load. I have gone as high as 39.2 grains of varget but my groups are better with the lower load. bieng 80 years young with not as good eyes as some I thought I had alot of luck. Good luck have fun with your boys.

 

[DHuffman]

I won a 600 yard shoot with my 6.5-47 last week end shooting berger 140 hybrids and cci 450 and 37.5 of varget. I won the score part. Work up to that load. I have gone as high as 39.2 grains of varget but my groups are better with the lower load. bieng 80 years young with not as good eyes as some I thought I had alot of luck. Good luck have fun with your boys.

Thanks! That's kind of what I'm looking for, a lower load to zero and break in with. Do you have a suggestion for a safe starting weight without starting at the beginning book load?

 

[Motoman006]

On my cbi barrel I loaded 38.5 h4350 to zero and break in
Varget would prolly be fine at 37gr
Then the last 5 zero // break in loads I jumped 39, 39.5 40 40.5 and 41 to test and see for pressures this is with h4350

 

[kyreloader]

With your 140s about 10-15 thousand off the lands, 37g of Varget and 39g of H4350 would be good places to load for break-in and zeros.

For final loads, 37.5-37.7 of Varget and 40-40.5g of H4350 is likely where you will end up. That has been my story in 4 different 6.5x47 barrels that I have/have had.

 

[MDM]

I've chambered 10 of them now. Every one with the same reamer and Bartlien blanks and every one of them have shot 40.5 H4350 with any 140 I've tried, but mostly 140 Hybrids 10-15 off. 37ish varget for a 140 works too.

 

[DHuffman]

Thanks again guys exactly what I was looking for!

 

[DHuffman]

You guys were dead on with the 37.5g Varget and the 140's. I have to admit when I looked in the Berger manual it said 35 was the max and it kind of punked me out.

I started @ 35.5 and worked up in .3 increments and found a decent little node @ 36.3-36.5 then I loaded up another set from 36.6 out to 37.8 in .3's, 37.2 were tight 37.5 were 3 into 1 hole and 37.8 were 3 into 1 hole. I'll post up the pics tonight.

I think I'll load some up @ 37.5 and start @ the lands and come off .003 at a time back to about -.021 and see what it likes. The rounds I shot this morning were @ -.005 if I remember right.

 

[dbramley]

What is the barrel length? And did you happen to catch a velocity?

Thx,
Dan

 

[DHuffman]

What is the barrel length? And did you happen to catch a velocity?

Thx,
Dan

28" Shilen Select Match, no chrono but should be 2750-2800 I'm thinking.

Shot it again this evening and shot it out to 500 according to the Strelok Pro app velocity was 2825 based on hits @ known distance with weather factored in. I was shooting groups for seating depth. -.009 shot a .280 @ 100, -.012 was looking good till I yanked the third one outta the group and the rest were .7-1 MOA. I shot from -.003 through -.021 in .003 increments.