6.5x47 Lapua barrel length

[tonyb]

Hello all, just getting ready to finish by build. I know I will probably get four different answers, but I will still listen. I am using a brux heavy varmint barrel, Defiance action, and manners stock. Weight is obviously not a concern. Going to be shooting mostly 123 to 130 gr. bullets. Main use will be mid to long range target shooting. Figuring somewhere between 26 and 29 inches should work well. 29 is going to be my maximum working length.

Thanks in advance,

Tony.

 

[ShootDots]

28" has worked very well for me... I am going to try a 30" barrel next to see if I get enough extra velocity to warrant the additional length.. However, you will not lack with 28"..

 

[Patch700]

Interestingly enough I have a 6.5x47 (8twist) finished at 26" that will push 139 scenars to 2850 on the high node but not yet showing much in the way of pressure (Dave Kiff reamer with .293" neck and .170" fb) .... This however was with VV N-550 .

Do I think I would've gained velocity by going to 30"?... I'm not convinced I would with respect to the 25 or so fps per inch that they will tell you it should be on paper.

 

[bblackwell]

28". I know there's a lot of people out there running 30" barrels with great results, but I always go as short as possible for a stiffer barrel and less barrel whip. There's a reason you always hear people say they set their barrel back and it "shot just as good or better".

 

[C. Collins]

28", 38 gr. Varget and a 123 amax, CCI 450

 

[Erik Cortina]

Go 29". You will not gain speed but will drop pressure, which translates into better brass life.

 

[AusFclass]

If you start longer once your throat wears you will still have enough usable barrel length after a re chamber.

 

[stgw77]

I would choose 28" length for the start and after 1.000-1.300 round I would rechamber (shorten) it to 26".

 

[Mega]

29" then take what you get at the first re-chamber.

Check the bore with a scope if you can and see if the whole 29" is usable.

 

[tonyb]

thanks to everyone for the input.

Tony.

 

[Eric Leonard]

mine is a Stiller Tac 30 with 28.25 8 twist Bartlien #17 HV ,shooting 130 VLD and 42 gr H4350 CCI450 at 3,000 fps shoots lights out,,shot very well with 38 gs Varget and 123 Scenars at 3100 very accurate also,

have long freebore and the 130`s are loaded at 2.815

 

[AR Shooter]

28" has worked very well for me... I am going to try a 30" barrel next to see if I get enough extra velocity to warrant the additional length.. However, you will not lack with 28"..

+1 on 28". Be interested in what you find out with the 30" once you get there.

 

[Hydenseek]

Mine is a little different....

37.5 varget
130 Berger vld jammed

22" 8.5 twist Kreiger rem varmint

2812 fps

 

[bartman007]

I'm running a 30" Krieger 1:8, and get the 140's running at roughly 2930 fps.

With the heavy profile, it is handling well on the rest.

 

[sirius27c]

I'm also considering this caliber, wish I had gone this route on my original build on the 6mm platform. I leaning toward 29", but saw a comment below about re-barreling at 1000-1300 rounds. From everything I've read, this caliber should shoot well for closer to 10,000 rounds than 1000, it's one of the more powder efficient cartridges available. I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm thinking it's something the OP would like to factor in when he's choosing barrel length. Thoughts?

 

[fdshuster]

I have a Krieger 8 twist in the shop now being fitted to one of my switch-barrels. .294" chamber neck with .110" freebore. Will be my first venture into the 6.5 caliber. Finish over-all-length will be 26", or 27 3/4" with the Harrell's brake. Have a large selection of 100 count box's of Bergers & SMK's, from 120 to 142 gr. to try. Both H4350 and IMR 4350 powder.

sirius27c: I'm curious: where did you get the 10,000 round number for "shooting well"? My 8 twist 6BR's with a steady diet of 105 gr. Bergers and 30 grs. of Varget seldom get much more than 2000 rounds fired before they must be replaced. Even at that I've seen some deterioration of groups sizes beginning around 1500 to 1600 rounds. The 6.5x47L will be using about 10 grains more powder with a bore diameter only .021" larger. 308's with 43 to 45 grs. of powder and using the 168 to 175 gr. bullets have a history of lasting for around 4000 rounds before they are toast.

 

[ChrisNZ]

The general wisdom (which matches my gunsmith's experience) is that you might expect 2500rnd barrel life using sensible but firm loads. If you wring their neck with hot loads, obviously a fair bit less.

 

[Steve Blair]

sirius27c: I'm curious: where did you get the 10,000 round number for "shooting well"? My 8 twist 6BR's with a steady diet of 105 gr. Bergers and 30 grs. of Varget seldom get much more than 2000 rounds fired before they must be replaced. Even at that I've seen some deterioration of groups sizes beginning around 1500 to 1600 rounds. The 6.5x47L will be using about 10 grains more powder with a bore diameter only .021" larger. 308's with 43 to 45 grs. of powder and using the 168 to 175 gr. bullets have a history of lasting for around 4000 rounds before they are toast.

[br]
Frank, your experience is the same as mine. Ten thousand round accurate barrel life is only possible with .22 rf or very low charges of mild cartridges. I burn out two to three barrels per year, currently in three chamberings. The Shehane goes ~1600-1700, the .300 WSM ~1500 and 6BR ~1800-2200. [br]
Erik Cortina has a lot of experience with 6.5x47L, maybe he will contribute some here.

 

[Erik Cortina]

6.5x47 has a barrel life of about 2,000 - 2,500 rounds. Forum member CSS has a barrel with 2,600 rounds through it and he recently shot two 20 shot cleans at 1,000 yards, but he told me barrel fouls real bad and loses its accuracy after 40 shots or so.