6.5x47 Revisited

[Dailey3]

Thought I'd post some info for anyone that may have or considering a 6.5x47 for PRS.

As the story begins my first PRS rifle build was chambered in 6.5x47. The thought was it was easy to do load development for and meets the criteria for PRS distance. Just like they said, gun was super easy to build a load then off to the races.
Gun build:
Impact Action
Barrel - 24" Stuteville chambered Bartlein 1-8 twist M24 contour .167 freebore
MDT ACC Chassis
Nightforce 7 x 35 ATACR optic
Gemtech Suppressor
Total gun weight 22lbs.

Load Data:
Berger 140gr Hybrid
CCI 450 Primer / 39.3 gr H4350
Lapua brass
Seating depth .020 jump
Velocity 2730 / ES 16
100yd groups - .240's

I shot a couple PRS shoots with this gun my first year and started learning the game. Biggest thing I needed was practice positional shooting. So one day at the range a buddy shows up with his 223 trainer rifle. He let me shoot it - I was hooked. So here I learned recoil impulse from these rifles and how it can make things easy or difficult. What I didn't like was the recoil impulse from the load I was shooting and even noticed the gun torque when free recoiling. I didn't try a brake, after shooting suppressed I'm just going to stay with it.

To make a long story longer, my 6.5x47 took the back seat and I went down the 6 Dasher road. Now I have a couple Dashers and love them! So what to do with this 6.5x47 barrel??? I had lots of brass, H4350 and some 123gr bullets. Then I thought if I can get the recoil impulse light like the Dasher and the velocity up then I may have a great practice rifle.

So here is what I worked up due to having a surplus of
Same rifle as listed above..

Load work up:
Lapua 123gr
Fed 205 (Blue box) primers
40.7 gr H4350 (compressed, but will settle with a electric tooth brush, then no crunch, no press signs)
Lapua brass
Seating Depth .001" jam
Velocity 2930 / ES 14
100yd groups - .410's

Ok, so its not a bragging bug hole group. But for PRS rifle not too bad.. After picking the load work up straight to shooting and positional shooting. Dialed up the gun at first test distances 530, 600 and 700 yards. Center of targets looking good. Now what I really wanted to see what was the recoil impulse was like while shooting dang near free recoiling the rifle. It was really nice. I could see the bullet in flight sometimes but the biggest thing my reticle stayed on target and I could see impact on the plate with the gun on a bag with no rear support (like a trip-pod).
Then later tested in 15mph cross winds at same distances, dope was perfect and the gun stayed still. Now I just need to verify long range target dope and waterline confirmation.

Basically what I am sharing is now I have a load work up for the application I want and I like it, to the point I will test it in competition.

 

[dstoenner]

I have a load for my 6x47L. It is 55 Sierra blitzking. 20 gn IMR SR4759. At 100 it almost same poi as my match load.

i used the same set for my 260 but with a 87 Sierra varmint

great for diagnosing your position and form

david

 

[CharlieNC]

The 123 Scenar is a great shooting bullet.

 

[Dailey3]

I have a load for my 6x47L. It is 55 Sierra blitzking. 20 gn IMR SR4759. At 100 it almost same poi as my match load.

i used the same set for my 260 but with a 87 Sierra varmint

great for diagnosing your position and form

david

What kind of velocity are you seeing out of that with the 55gr? That has got to be a fire breather!

 

[Ranger188]

David, share some of those 55g numbers.
That would be a great coyote load in my 6x47

 

[Laurie]

When I had an F-Class 6.5X47L some years ago I settled on the 123gn Scenar after trying various bullet models and weights and stuck with it for the rest of the barrel's life. It really is a superb partner to this cartridge and performs out to 1,000. Not a match these days for the sevens in F, although it can still embarrass them in 'quiet' wind conditions. Have a look too at Viht N150 as an alternative to the 4350s.

When I shot the 123 Scenar, it was in a class of its own for 120-130gn 6.5mm match bullets, but other good alternatives have since appeared including the redesigned 123 MK from Sierra and the Berger 130gn OTM Tactical.

 

[Longrange57]

Out to 600 yards don't discount the 120 scenar! It is the most accurate bullet I have shot through a 28 inch Bartlein in my 6.5 x 47.

 

[dstoenner]

What kind of velocity are you seeing out of that with the 55gr? That has got to be a fire breather!

I really don’t know because I wasn’t going to take them beyond 100 yards. Probably around 2300. IMR SR 4759 was a black powder substitute in pistol cartridges. It is no longer made and i have about 6 lbs left but at 20 to 26 gn loads it is going to last a loooooong time. I would be concerned about not enough velocity to mushroom. I don’t hunt anymore so have nothing to compare it too.

But giving you a load that goes bang, will hold 1 moa at 100 and give a little recoil so you have something better than dry fire. This is it

 

[Dailey3]

When I had an F-Class 6.5X47L some years ago I settled on the 123gn Scenar after trying various bullet models and weights and stuck with it for the rest of the barrel's life. It really is a superb partner to this cartridge and performs out to 1,000. Not a match these days for the sevens in F, although it can still embarrass them in 'quiet' wind conditions. Have a look too at Viht N150 as an alternative to the 4350s.

When I shot the 123 Scenar, it was in a class of its own for 120-130gn 6.5mm match bullets, but other good alternatives have since appeared including the redesigned 123 MK from Sierra and the Berger 130gn OTM Tactical.

What primer did you see the VVN150 agree with? Thanks for the info

 

[Dailey3]

Thought I'd post some info for anyone that may have or considering a 6.5x47 for PRS.

As the story begins my first PRS rifle build was chambered in 6.5x47. The thought was it was easy to do load development for and meets the criteria for PRS distance. Just like they said, gun was super easy to build a load then off to the races.
Gun build:
Impact Action
Barrel - 24" Stuteville chambered Bartlein 1-8 twist M24 contour .167 freebore
MDT ACC Chassis
Nightforce 7 x 35 ATACR optic
Gemtech Suppressor
Total gun weight 22lbs.

Load Data:
Berger 140gr Hybrid
CCI 450 Primer / 39.3 gr H4350
Lapua brass
Seating depth .020 jump
Velocity 2730 / ES 16
100yd groups - .240's

I shot a couple PRS shoots with this gun my first year and started learning the game. Biggest thing I needed was practice positional shooting. So one day at the range a buddy shows up with his 223 trainer rifle. He let me shoot it - I was hooked. So here I learned recoil impulse from these rifles and how it can make things easy or difficult. What I didn't like was the recoil impulse from the load I was shooting and even noticed the gun torque when free recoiling. I didn't try a brake, after shooting suppressed I'm just going to stay with it.

To make a long story longer, my 6.5x47 took the back seat and I went down the 6 Dasher road. Now I have a couple Dashers and love them! So what to do with this 6.5x47 barrel??? I had lots of brass, H4350 and some 123gr bullets. Then I thought if I can get the recoil impulse light like the Dasher and the velocity up then I may have a great practice rifle.

So here is what I worked up due to having a surplus of
Same rifle as listed above..

Load work up:
Lapua 123gr
Fed 205 (Blue box) primers
40.7 gr H4350 (compressed, but will settle with a electric tooth brush, then no crunch, no press signs)
Lapua brass
Seating Depth .001" jam
Velocity 2930 / ES 14
100yd groups - .410's

Ok, so its not a bragging bug hole group. But for PRS rifle not too bad.. After picking the load work up straight to shooting and positional shooting. Dialed up the gun at first test distances 530, 600 and 700 yards. Center of targets looking good. Now what I really wanted to see what was the recoil impulse was like while shooting dang near free recoiling the rifle. It was really nice. I could see the bullet in flight sometimes but the biggest thing my reticle stayed on target and I could see impact on the plate with the gun on a bag with no rear support (like a trip-pod).
Then later tested in 15mph cross winds at same distances, dope was perfect and the gun stayed still. Now I just need to verify long range target dope and waterline confirmation.

Basically what I am sharing is now I have a load work up for the application I want and I like it, to the point I will test it in competition.

Additional Load comparison shows what I'm not loosing due to the velocity increase versus the decrease in BC (local area altitude and atmospherics):

140gr Berger Hybrid, 2720, 1000yd dope = 8.4 Mil elevation / 1.7 Mil (10mph wind) TOF 1.45 and velocity at target of 1563

123gr Lapua Scenar, 2930, 1000yd dope = 7.7 Mil elevation / 1.9 Mil (10 mph wind) TOF 1.41 and velocity at target of 1537

 

[Laurie]

What primer did you see the VVN150 agree with? Thanks for the info

Rem 7 1/2BR, a primer I still use in 7mm-08 with reformed 308 Palma cases. I have a major reloading gear / components distributor around a half hour drive from my home that stocked the Rem BRs for many years at what now seem incredibly low prices. Luckily I bought a lot! That outfit now stocks the Russian Muroms whose latest version of the KVB-223 is an excellent SR model.

American primers have been virtually unobtainable in the UK for some time now and even when they (CCIs mostly including the 'BR' variants) were last available prices doubled then trebled over a period of only two or three years.