I have 3 rifles chambered 6.5x47 Lapua. Pretty much only use Berger 130gr VLD's but will be testing some locally custom made CopperHead 130gr VLD's when I pick them up. All my load development starts at 0.002" off the lands, about 0.0015" neck tension and loads start at 36.0gr AR2208 (Varget) then progress to find the first accuracy node up to 38gr. In all rifles it has been around the 37.5gr mark. All load development is done at 200 metres or yards depending on the range used and the best conditions available. CCI BR4 Primers. Wilson In-Line Dies. Concentricity is maintained at less than 0.001" more like 0.0005".
Stolle Grizzly II, 1:8" Twist 28.5" Pac-Nor NBRSA Profile Barrel, Kelbly M1 Stock and Jewell 1.5oz BR Trigger. PTG Reamer Print#18103, 0.250" Freebore, 0.286" neck. Lapua Cases turned to 0.010" neck thickness, loaded round 0.284", Wilson 0.281" bushing or 0.282" inverted.
The load settled on as the most accurate is 37.4gr and will shot sub 0.1MOA. Best is a 0.088" 4 shot group at 200 yards but on average it shoots 0.2" at 200 yards. I have tested loads as high as 38.6gr Varget but the groups are nowhere as tight consistantly. Velocity averages at 2,860fps, ES 8 and SD 2.46.
All cases are weight sorted as are bullets. Meplat trimmed and pointed using a Widden Pointing Die.
I shoot 500m (547 yards) competition benchrest, my wind and mirage reading skills are not the best and need a lot more improvement but my smallest record 5 shot group has been 1.182" @ 500m
Second rifle is built on a customised Remighton 700 SA Stainless, 26.5" Krieger #17 Profile HV 1:8" twist 0.292" neck PTG but I don't have the Reamer diagram but pretty much the same 0.250" freebore. Jewell 1.5oz BR Trigger. Accurate load is 37.6gr Varget, 0.002" off the lands, CCI BR4 Primers. Not as accurate as the Stolle but around 0.15MOA, velocities are a tad higher and nudge the 2,900fps mark. I feel that the Krieger Barrel is a little tighter bore. Requires a little more tweaking of the load as I feel it can be improved, perhaps neck tension &/or seating depth. This is my 300 metre outfit.
Third is built on a Tikka T3 trued action, lightened factory set trigger with set mode around 2.0ozs. 27.0" Pac-Nor 1:8" twist HV Profile. PTG #17736 Reamer, 0.294" Neck, 0.127" freebore set up for 123gr Lapua Scenar but used very few of these so the freebore is being lengthened. Same basic load setups and a work in progress as it is really a practise rifle for testing but with the above loads it performs much the same.
I have tried Reloader 15 powder but it just didn't perform for me, AR2209 (H4350) I consider too slow a powder for this case size and 140gr Bullets I consider too heavy and not consistant enough accuracy wise for the distances I shoot in benchrest. I do not believe in hot loads.
