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6.5 x 47 / 136 Scenars and RL-16

ShootDots

ShootDots

Last weekend I took my 6.5 x 47 Lapua out to a 500 Yard F-Open match. The load I was using was 136 Scenars at 2835f.p.s. driven by 36.5grs of VV N540. My load was developed while temps were in the mid-60's. It shot "about" 0.750" pretty consistently at 300 yards. I am shooting a 30" Krieger 4 groove conventional rifling, 1-8.5 twist. Well at the match it was 28 degrees in the morning. My first match showed A LOT more vertical than I cared for and my scores suffered. So, out goes N540 and now I am trying to develop a load with the 136's using RL-16. Tuesday of this week I loaded up the RL-16 from 39.6 to 40.8 (same load development charges I would have used had I used H4350). My first shots at 39.6 clocked at, now get this: 2855f.p.s.! I was astounded. I figured that I was going to get a stiff bolt lift etc.. all the signs of pressure>>>but no, the cases came out as easily as they went in! Well, as I climbed up the charge ladder, so did the velocity! At 40.8 I was moving those 136's out at an unbelievable 2960 and still NO pressure signs whatsoever! I was shooting in a 12+m.p.h. wind and the rifle still shot well. I am going to go back out to tweak the load but I settled on 40.6grs going 2945+! If I had not seen it I would NEVER have believed what I was seeing! This has just moved up to "game changer status" in my opinion! My chronograph is a CED MII with infra-red screens. This is incredible!
 
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Time for me to grab some R-16:) Ihave not shot the 136's, do they have a similar bearing surface? I have a ton of the 139's, hoping to use them and work up to your numbers.
 
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I've read a lot more than I've written on this forum, I recognize many of those who know what they are talking about. Of course there are those that don't also!
 
johnfred1965 said:
I mostly shoot for fun, I need to start showing up to some matches and put faces to all these names!
Click to expand...

Match shooting is something that so many people miss out on. The challange, along side other skilled practitioners, adds something to it. At least for me. I enjoy reading the forums, and reaching out to others for advice, etc. but actually shaking hands, putting yourself out there to see how you stacked up is another level of enjoyment. And, admittedly, makes me self-reflect on my own skills, training and equipment. It's also an excellent opportunity to tell lies and BS, two of my personal favorite things to do...

For anyone out there thinking, "I just need to do X and then I'll go shoot a match." Stop. Find a local match. Get in the car and go shoot. You have no idea how you are or what you need until you lay on the firing line and put holes in paper among your peers and see how you stack up. It's worth it, go.
 
Ben,

I have 4# of rl16 and 275 136s. I have been kicking around trying the rl16 with 142s, as well as the Dasher. My 6.5x47l load is 42gr of h4350. That's good for 2835fps with a 142 out of a 8 twist 4 groove Kreiger. I noticed I got about 40-45fps more with the 136s than with 142s and like 60fps more than a 140BH. What has me wondering how they would perform at distance is the HUGE hollow point. They look to me like they were pre-trimmed for pointing.

Have you shot them at 600 or 1k yet?

Chris
 
FatBoy said:
Ben,

I have 4# of rl16 and 275 136s. I have been kicking around trying the rl16 with 142s, as well as the Dasher. My 6.5x47l load is 42gr of h4350. That's good for 2835fps with a 142 out of a 8 twist 4 groove Kreiger. I noticed I got about 40-45fps more with the 136s than with 142s and like 60fps more than a 140BH. What has me wondering how they would perform at distance is the HUGE hollow point. They look to me like they were pre-trimmed for pointing.

Have you shot them at 600 or 1k yet?

Chris
Click to expand...
No Chris I have only shot them at 500 yard matches. They DO have a large open meplat, that I thought would be ready made for pointing. Yet, knowing that, I still have not bought the pointing stem from Hoover>>>too lazy I guess! If I get my load tweaked the way I want, I will buy the pointing stem and take that baby out to 1000 yards after the Berger S.W. Nationals. (I wish I had not waited to sign up>>>now it's overbooked and I am out!) Pointing those 136's should add about 25-30 points of B.C. would be my guess. Then they would be bumping up against the .575-.600 B.C. range>>>not bad for a 136gr excellent bullet.
 
ShootDots said:
Last weekend I took my 6.5 x 47 Lapua out to a 500 Yard F-Open match. The load I was using was 136 Scenars at 2835f.p.s. driven by 36.5grs of VV N540. My load was developed while temps were in the mid-60's. It shot "about" 0.750" pretty consistently at 300 yards. I am shooting a 30" Krieger 4 groove conventional rifling, 1-8.5 twist. Well at the match it was 28 degrees in the morning. My first match showed A LOT more vertical than I cared for and my scores suffered. So, out goes N540 and now I am trying to develop a load with the 136's using RL-16. Tuesday of this week I loaded up the RL-16 from 39.6 to 40.8 (same load development charges I would have used had I used H4350). My first shots at 39.6 clocked at, now get this: 2855f.p.s.! I was astounded. I figured that I was going to get a stiff bolt lift etc.. all the signs of pressure>>>but no, the cases came out as easily as they went in! Well, as I climbed up the charge ladder, so did the velocity! At 40.8 I was moving those 136's out at an unbelievable 2960 and still NO pressure signs whatsoever! I was shooting in a 12+m.p.h. wind and the rifle still shot well. I am going to go back out to tweak the load but I settled on 40.6grs going 2945+! If I had not seen it I would NEVER have believed what I was seeing! This has just moved up to "game changer status" in my opinion! My chronograph is a CED MII with infra-red screens. This is incredible!
Click to expand...
ShootDots,
I have some 136gr scenars stashed somwhere in my loading room what freebore do you recomend for these my 47 has only 110 freebore im thinking of throatting my barrel.

Cheers Trev.
 
Nude nut said:
ShootDots,
I have some 136gr scenars stashed somwhere in my loading room what freebore do you recomend for these my 47 has only 110 freebore im thinking of throatting my barrel.

Cheers Trev.
Click to expand...
Mine was originally cut at .167. But it has worn down to "about" .180 now..
 
Benjamin, one reason for the relatively poor performance in the match with your original load may be an ignition issue in sub-zero temperatures with the small primer / flash-hole 6.5X47L case. I've no direct evidence relating to the smaller case / charge '47L, but found that 308 Win 'Palma' brass can see a large deterioration with some powders at temperatures of 3-deg C (37 F) and below. A very reliable Viht N140 load saw 100 yard groups more than double in size, likewise MV ES values. Reshooting the load later in the year on a day in the 50s returned the usual good performance.

That's a separate issue from Re16 performance in its own right of course. I keep seeing promising reports of this powder here and elsewhere from our US cousins, but we don't see this grade in Europe unfortunately even though it is manufactured by Bofors in Sweden for Alliant.
 
Laurie said:
Benjamin, one reason for the relatively poor performance in the match with your original load may be an ignition issue in sub-zero temperatures with the small primer / flash-hole 6.5X47L case. I've no direct evidence relating to the smaller case / charge '47L, but found that 308 Win 'Palma' brass can see a large deterioration with some powders at temperatures of 3-deg C (37 F) and below. A very reliable Viht N140 load saw 100 yard groups more than double in size, likewise MV ES values. Reshooting the load later in the year on a day in the 50s returned the usual good performance.

That's a separate issue from Re16 performance in its own right of course. I keep seeing promising reports of this powder here and elsewhere from our US cousins, but we don't see this grade in Europe unfortunately even though it is manufactured by Bofors in Sweden for Alliant.
Click to expand...
Hello Laurie! On the last match we were at 50+ degrees and the rifle settled down. The wind had picked up, but that's ok if I miss a wind call and the bullet lands on the waterline, which it did on the 3rd match. But I can't abide vertical because of temp swings. It may very well have been the primers>>>OR it may have been the powder itself, I don't know. However, the RL-16 was such a pleasant surprise that one way or the other, I will use that powder! Thanks for your valued input! I appreciate it.
 
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