I'm going to be building two identical 6.5x47L's, on Savage actions. One for me, and one for my dad. I've decided on a 28" barrel, but don't know if I should get a varmint type contour, or a full bull (1" at the muzzle) contour. I was leaning towards the full bull contour just for the extra weight, as these rifles will be used for casual bench/steel shooting. What is the recoil like, shooting 130/140gr bullets? My last savage build was a 12 lb. 6br and I love shooting it because the recoil is so mild. How would the 6.5 lapua compare? Perhaps more importantly, should I go with an 8, or 8.5" twist?
6.5x47 Lapua questions.
- Thread starter MDM
- Start date
I'm shooting 6.5 x 47 Lapua in both my silhouette rifles. The hunter is 9# and the Standard is 10#1 oz. I don't have a problem with recoil shooting 142 gr. bullets in either one...however I am only shooting them at around 2670 fps. I have in the past used 8" twist barrels as have most of my fellow silhouette friends but my new barrel is a 8.5". I don't expect a problem with bullet stabilization since I tested some in another gun with 8.5 twist down to 2500 fps.
My main concern really, is being able to see my hits on steel at 500yds and beyond. I figuring if I go the full bull route, the gun will weight in around 13-14+ lbs. I can see my hits with my 12lb 6br, shooting 107's easily enough, so I thought I may be able to do the same with the 6.5x47 shooting the 123's or 130's if I added a couple pounds of extra weight. I don't really want a suppressor.
I shoot a Krieger 1-8.5 ROT and get get accuracy using the Sierra 123 gr. HPBT as well as the 130 gr. Berger or Norma bullets in 130 gr. With a standard chamber you won't have any problem keeping the seating depth such that the top of the BT will be even with the bottom of the neck. If you intend to shoot the 140 gr. bullet you'll need to 'throat it' such that the base of the bullet doesn't extend to far down into the powder area! Recoil? Don't worry! It's a dream to shoot!
Erik Cortina
Team Lapua Brux Borden Captain
Recoil won't be an issue. If you plan to run the 140 grain class bullets, you need about a .175" freebore.
You won't be dissapointed, let us know how they shoot!
You won't be dissapointed, let us know how they shoot!
i use a 1-8 broughton 5c with 130 bergers and it is fantastic! you could probably get away with a 1-8.5 but myself and all my friends use 1-8 and get excellent accuracy.
try 40-41.5gr of h4350 behind a 130 berger jammed .010 or .030 off the lands.
i have used 139gr lapuas and went away from them bacause i think they are slightly too heavy for the case. try re17 if you are set on 140gr bullets.
ive shot my rifle out to 1200m in competition and bullets are still stable and supersonic.
try 40-41.5gr of h4350 behind a 130 berger jammed .010 or .030 off the lands.
i have used 139gr lapuas and went away from them bacause i think they are slightly too heavy for the case. try re17 if you are set on 140gr bullets.
ive shot my rifle out to 1200m in competition and bullets are still stable and supersonic.
MDM, I think you will be just fine with a heavy varmint contour. I know you want some extra weight, but you still need the rifle to balance and having all that extra weight hanging two feet out at the end of the barrel isn't going to make it balance well. You can always add weight to the stock via a hole or holes drilled behind the butt plate.
I do think you should reconsider McGowen as your manufacturer of choice. I have heard, and witnessed, many mixed reviews on their barrels. Some having good, accurate barrels, others having nothing but fouling issues and fliers after just a few rounds or just not achieving the level of accuracy you would expect from a custom barrel.
I have a Pac-Nor on my Steven's and it's an honest tack-driver. It cleans easily and has never shot a flier that wasn't my fault in some way. All I have ever heard of Pac-Nor is good, and even the Moderator has one on his Savage that is scary accurate and cleans with just a few wet patches. (http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek036.html) They make Savage Pre-Fit barrels and last I checked (about a month ago) they were 7 weeks out. They are a small 7 person operation and make every barrel to order. I highly doubt you will be disappointed if you were to go with Pac-Nor.
Or you could go a bit different route and order 2 matching blanks from a supplier like Bruno, as they carry a large selection of Shilen Stainless barrels at very good prices, I paid $236 for my stainless match .223 barrel about a month ago, and received it in just a few days. Then you just need to have them chambered by a smith and screw them on.
The major benefit to having a blank chambered by a smith of your choice is having more control over your reamer specs, as you can order your own reamer or the smith may even split the cost with you. If you order your own reamer, you can specify whatever free-bore you like or have it ground to match a dummy round that you load. You will never get a reamer matched to your ammo if you just use whatever reamer McGowen has on hand. Not to mention that McGowen's reamer has probably cut it's share of chambers and probably isn't the sharpest, and if it is, it's probably a bit under-size from sharpening a bunch of times.
Having your own reamer that is brand new will help insure you get a nicely cut chamber and that both barrels will be able to share brass (as long as you get the headspace VERY close with the jam nut) and if you ever need another barrel you can have an identical chamber cut with your reamer.
Either way, I would think twice before I spent the money with McGowen. I would hate to see you end up like my buddy and have an expensive custom barrel that won't shoot as good as a factory tube and fouls twice as fast. You may get a couple of good shooters, but it's not a chance i would take when there are so many good barrel makers out there.
I do think you should reconsider McGowen as your manufacturer of choice. I have heard, and witnessed, many mixed reviews on their barrels. Some having good, accurate barrels, others having nothing but fouling issues and fliers after just a few rounds or just not achieving the level of accuracy you would expect from a custom barrel.
I have a Pac-Nor on my Steven's and it's an honest tack-driver. It cleans easily and has never shot a flier that wasn't my fault in some way. All I have ever heard of Pac-Nor is good, and even the Moderator has one on his Savage that is scary accurate and cleans with just a few wet patches. (http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek036.html) They make Savage Pre-Fit barrels and last I checked (about a month ago) they were 7 weeks out. They are a small 7 person operation and make every barrel to order. I highly doubt you will be disappointed if you were to go with Pac-Nor.
Or you could go a bit different route and order 2 matching blanks from a supplier like Bruno, as they carry a large selection of Shilen Stainless barrels at very good prices, I paid $236 for my stainless match .223 barrel about a month ago, and received it in just a few days. Then you just need to have them chambered by a smith and screw them on.
The major benefit to having a blank chambered by a smith of your choice is having more control over your reamer specs, as you can order your own reamer or the smith may even split the cost with you. If you order your own reamer, you can specify whatever free-bore you like or have it ground to match a dummy round that you load. You will never get a reamer matched to your ammo if you just use whatever reamer McGowen has on hand. Not to mention that McGowen's reamer has probably cut it's share of chambers and probably isn't the sharpest, and if it is, it's probably a bit under-size from sharpening a bunch of times.
Having your own reamer that is brand new will help insure you get a nicely cut chamber and that both barrels will be able to share brass (as long as you get the headspace VERY close with the jam nut) and if you ever need another barrel you can have an identical chamber cut with your reamer.
Either way, I would think twice before I spent the money with McGowen. I would hate to see you end up like my buddy and have an expensive custom barrel that won't shoot as good as a factory tube and fouls twice as fast. You may get a couple of good shooters, but it's not a chance i would take when there are so many good barrel makers out there.
Erik Cortina
Team Lapua Brux Borden Captain
AusFclass said:
I shoot 139 Scenars over 2900 fps. with my 6.5x47 Lapua out of a Krieger 1:8" twist 4 groove using Reloader 17.
You will be better off with a 1:8" twist.
yes xm3 i was running 2920fps with varget and 139gr lapuas.BUT my rifle liked the berger 130s more. the 139 lapuas have nearly identical BC to the 130 bergers so i just dint see the point.
re17 does change the game. re17 is harder to get over here so i prefer to do without it rather than work up a load and run out of powder.
last serious prize shoot i entered i scored 300-23 out of 300-30. we shoot mostly 10 shot matches. so im happy to stick with the 130s ;D
re17 does change the game. re17 is harder to get over here so i prefer to do without it rather than work up a load and run out of powder.
last serious prize shoot i entered i scored 300-23 out of 300-30. we shoot mostly 10 shot matches. so im happy to stick with the 130s ;D
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