6.5 Lapua and 140 Amax

[MDM]

Going to be testing the 140 amax out as soon as we get a day of nice weather. I was worried I wouldnt' have enough case capacity due to the fact that I thought I had a short throat. I had read that the 123 amax had the same ogive as the 140. Turns out its not. My COL for the 140 amax to touch the lands is 2.760", so I think I will have enough room for 40-42 grains of 4350 or R17. I loaded up a round of each powder at 40 grains .010 OTL and had no compression. I will be happy with anything 2800 fps and above with accuracy. Can't wait to try them out. I'll report back when I get a chance to test them out.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Going to be testing the 140 amax out as soon as we get a day of nice weather. I was worried I wouldnt' have enough case capacity due to the fact that I thought I had a short throat. I had read that the 123 amax had the same ogive as the 140. Turns out its not. My COL for the 140 amax to touch the lands is 2.760", so I think I will have enough room for 40-42 grains of 4350 or R17. I loaded up a round of each powder at 40 grains .010 OTL and had no compression. I will be happy with anything 2800 fps and above with accuracy. Can't wait to try them out. I'll report back when I get a chance to test them out.

MDM, take a look at this thread, you might want to give N550 a try as well.
http://www.accurateshooter.com/forum/index.php/topic,3761569.msg35933604.html#msg35933604

 

[MDM]

Saw that. Nice shooting...and to think someone told me not to even try the 140's in the 6.5 Lapua because they won't shoot.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Saw that. Nice shooting...and to think someone told me not to even try the 140's in the 6.5 Lapua because they won't shoot.

Yeah, I know what you mean. The 6.5x47 Lapua is a very efficient cartridge, many people are surprised to see what it can do... and yet other can't believe it!

 

[GSSP]

Give heed to Erik's advice. I did and I love Rel 17 and 140 Partitions. I settled on 41.6 gr with Fed 205M for 2860 fps and sub 3/4 MOA 5-shot groups. I tried H4350 but couldn't get past 2714 @ 40.4 gr. H4831sc is just too bulky, I know, I tried it.

Alan

 

[MDM]

I just shot 2 rounds over the chrony, just out of curiostity. I can't do any real testing till next weekend.

40g H4350 140 amax - 2721
40g R17 - 2818

No pressure signs on either,virgin brass too. I will definately get the velocity I want with R17. We'll see if I run into pressure with 4350 as I approach 2800.

 

[MDM]

Tested some loads today in two identical guns. Both Savage actions with 27" McGowen barrels, chambers are cut the same with a .003" difference in distance to the lands. 40g of Re17. Sub .4 moa with both. Weird thing is one rifle showed no pressure at all and the other one showed pressure with a sticky and even heavy bolt. Both rifles were with virgin brass and headspaced the same. The only difference was one was a brand new barrel and the other had 100 rnds thru it. I was even having sticky bolt at 38.5g Re17. Not sure why one shows pressure and the other does not.

The rifle that was showing pressure was even showing it with 37g Varget and 123 amax. Brass and primers looked fine, just that darn sticky bolt lift.

I don't know how fast I was going because the chrony was set up under a covered deck and would not register. It took me 9.25 MOA to get to 560 yards. When I shot one round over the chrony and 40g last week, it showed 2818, so that is what I used in my ballistic calc, but that ended up being way too much elevation.

 

[GSSP]

In my Pierce action and 26" Broughton 5C, 1:8 twist, I was able to push 140 VLD's up to 3021 fps with 43.5 gr BUT I did get a bit of sticky bolt lift. I am more than happy to run my loads around 2865 fps with 41.6 gr and 140 Partitions.

Alan

 

[MDM]

Tested the 140 amax with Reloader 17 yesterday and ran into a problem, but a good problem - all of the 3 shot groups could be covered with a dime with anything from 40-41g.

40g avg 2807
40.3 avg 2830
40.6 avg 2879
40.9 avg 2902
41.5 - one shot was 2949 and a slight ejector smudge but primers were still good and bolt was not sticky, probably nothing since all was virgin brass but I decided to test from 40-41g because I would like to save a little barrel life and I have no need to run that fast.

I loaded about 10 rounds at 40.9g to shoot at an 8" steel plate I had at 560yds. Once I rung that a few times, I shot a 3 shot group on paper at 560yds that measured 1.9" not sure but I think that is about .34 MOA. I will move on to five shot groups next time and just go with the load that gives me the best ES and SD since they all shot very well at 100yds.
I'm just wondering if my loads will change in the summer heat since its only about mid 50s now.

On another note, the identical rifle that was giving pressure signs the day before, well, it must have cured itself. No pressure yesterday at all. It must have just needed some runds through it as it was a brand new barrel. Seemed to act the way it should once I got 50 rounds thru it or so. It hammers the 140s just as well.

 

[shooter65]

what was the oal length of a loaded round?

 

[MDM]

2.750 with .010 jump to the lands. No compression of the powder at 40.9g.

 

[shooter65]

will have to give them a try.

thanks

 

[MDM]

I think I finalized my tactical loads with the 140 amax today. 27" McGowen Bull 40.5g H4350 .015 jump COAL 2.745" If anyone could run a simulation in QL for me on this I would appreciate it, wondering what the predicted pressure is. Primers and bolt lift good, but a slight ejector mark that I'm attributing to virgin brass. All 4 shot groups.

13 shot string. AVG. Velocity 2766. ES 17 SD 6.4
2760
2760
2766
2760
2766
2760
2772
2766
2777
2777
2766
2772
2760
I should have pushed it up to 41g to see what happened, I'd like to get to 2800, but I would like to see what QL says my pressure is at.

 

[flatlander]

MDM - Those last velocities looked pretty realistic, based on what I've seen out of a couple of my 6.5x47s. I shoot Berger 130 VLDs & 140 LRBTs with RL17 out of a 28" Krieger & 30" Bartlein. Getting a little over 2900fps with the 130s & just over 2800 with 140s. Both bbls. will handle hotter loads, but the lower velocities are where the accuracy's at in my bbls., from 600yds. out to 1000. Also, the bearing surface length of both Bergers is considerably shorter than your Hornady 140's, so you may well be running more pressure than I am. Expect to see more pressure with RL17 when you start shooting those loads in temps of 70*F and warmer.

 

[MDM]

My last post with pics was with H4350, not R17. I decided to abandon R17 for the more temp stable H4350 since I will be shoot in temps of 40 - 90 deg.

 

[o2fish]

MDM
QuickLoad Predicted 64207 psi Max at 2.745 coal, and 40.5 of H4350, with the 140 Amax
Regards
Scott

 

[MDM]

Thanks a ton. If you don't mind, could you tell me what it says for 41g? Does it give velocity estimates

 

[o2fish]

MDM Here Ya Go

The velocity estimate for 40.5gr was 2817 fps. The 41.0gr estimate is 2849 fps and max pressure is 66860 psi.
Note: Max Average Pressure Allowed is 63091 psi
Scott

 

[MDM]

Thanks. My vel. for 40.5 was 2766, so I wonder if that means my pressure is lower than QL advertises too. I don't think going up to 40.8 - 41g will hurt anything.

 

[Rem06]

whats wrong with the 40.5gr group? i am running 40.3 H4350 140vld@2850 26"bbl

velocity is fine, accuracy is final! stolen from a friend. If you want faster why not get a 6.5x284 or 260Ai? Is that 50-100fps worth detonation?
your call?
QL can be altered to actual measurements you do,it is a glorified reloading manual, your gun will tell you what it wants and be happy. try seating a primer in a fired case to see if your pocket streatched before going any farther!