7x47L - Let's talk about your experiences.

[Cloudrepair]

I have been following this thread because I'm interested also.
I got one by accident ( brain fart) I thought I was chambering a 6.5x47 and I had grabbed a 7mm barrel well at the point I found out what I did I just switched to a 7x47LAI.
I made up one round and fired it to see if all looked good and all was very good but stopped at that point.
I haven't turned it in to something else yet because I like it.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

The best cure I find is to try it for yourself and then if it's a waste of money you'll think twice next time

Some people, just KNOW that, the x47 Lapua Case, just DOESN'T Hold, enough Powder, to Drive any of, the Longer, Higher BC,.. 7mm Bullets, FAST enough, to make it, worthwhile,.. Yeah,. it's just,.. "Common Sense" !
There ARE, Better choices ! There's, a Lot of serious, Experience, on THIS Site !
But Do, what makes,.. you,.. Happy

 

[Fuj]

I don't think anyone has asked what he plans to do with it, but maybe I missed that part. Lol! It's a sweet cartridge. It really is.

Mike.....Very first post. Statement was made to build a "very precise cartridge
for 800 to 1000 yards." Last part of the post was about using 150 to 162 gr
bullets.......I based my comment post off of that information.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Mike.....Very first post. Statement was made to build a "very precise cartridge
for 800 to 1000 yards." Last part of the post was about using 150 to 162 gr
bullets.......I based my comment post off of that information.

Yes, then there are better choices. He and I conversed a bit, not sure if it was before or after he posted here but I did say that 600 was about it's useful limit. Not that it couldn't win at longer ranges but all the stars would have to align just right for 800 to 1000. If conditions are good, it might do fine, similar to a 7mm-08, but not consistently the best choice for that distance. Agreed. It'll run out of hp and bc before it can compete with the bigger cartridges and bc's. But I think it has a small accuracy edge if you can capitalize on it. That's a big IF, though. Just gotta look at the speeds and numbers to figure that out, honestly.

I've seen sub inch groups at 600 with a 30BR too but just not consistently.

 

[Dimner]

Mike.....Very first post. Statement was made to build a "very precise cartridge
for 800 to 1000 yards." Last part of the post was about using 150 to 162 gr
bullets.......I based my comment post off of that information.

yes very true. I can say I have tempered my expectations distance wise. So now looking at 300-600 is fine with me. I probably will do a bit of playing around at 800 yards if I can find a place to shoot that far. So i do appreciate the info on what the reasonable ranges for this cartridge is. However, I'm still going to play around with the 150-165gr bullets at those distances.

Some people, just KNOW that, the x47 Lapua Case, just DOESN'T Hold, enough Powder, to Drive any of, the Longer, Higher BC Bullets, FAST enough, to make it, worthwhile,.. Yeah,. it's just,.. "Common Sense" !
There ARE, Better choices ! There's, a Lot of serious, Experience, on THIS Site !
But Do, what makes,.. you,.. Happy

That's the thing, I do not care to use any of the longer length, heavier thus higher BC bullets. If that were my criteria, I would be looking at one of those 7mm cartridges with 60-90gr H20 internal capacity. I want a 7mm that is completely opposite of that.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

yes very true. I can say I have tempered my expectations distance wise. So now looking at 300-600 is fine with me. I probably will do a bit of playing around at 800 yards if I can find a place to shoot that far. So i do appreciate the info on what the reasonable ranges for this cartridge is. However, I'm still going to play around with the 150-165gr bullets at those distances.


That's the thing, I do not care to use any of the longer length, heavier thus higher BC bullets. If that were my criteria, I would be looking at one of those 7mm cartridges with 60-90gr H20 internal capacity. I want a 7mm that is completely opposite of that.

I'd also spend some time comparing the numbers in a ballistics program running a little lighter bullets, faster. I think the mid weights get overlooked sometimes and we tend to just skip right to the heavies and highest possible bc. I don't think that's always the best answer but you just have to run the numbers and then compare accuracy. An over exaggeration is a ppc. They shine with light bullets. Just because you could put a fast twist bbl on one doesn't mean it'll shine with heavies. Some times there is just no replacement for displacement. There are always trade offs. Just gotta work with them and find the best compromise is all.

 

[Evan]

I'd also spend some time comparing the numbers in a ballistics program running a little lighter bullets, faster. I think the mid weights get overlooked sometimes and we tend to just skip right to the heavies and highest possible bc. I don't think that's always the best answer but you just have to run the numbers and then compare accuracy. An over exaggeration is a ppc. They shine with light bullets. Just because you could put a fast twist bbl on one doesn't mean it'll shine with heavies. Some times there is just no replacement for displacement. There are always trade offs. Just gotta work with them and find the best compromise is all.

There is also that intangible quality that makes some bullets great that can’t be attributed to vld or hybrid design or their weight or BC. I think the 30 cal 185gn Juggernaut is a good example. Folks tried the 210 and the 208gn and found them to not perform as consistently in a 308. The 200.20x does well but can be finicky. The 185gn Jug is the safe fallback that is very competitive; it performs beyond what the ballistics tables suggest. Some bullets are consistently better than heavier or even similar bullets in the same class when you look at broad results across competition.

 

[Fuj]

Evan sums it up pretty good in several areas. First and foremost is
the blatant lack of "Match" bullets in 7mm for smaller cases. It has
always amazed me that as long as to 7BR has been around, no one
really had interest in making bullets for it......If i could magically get
my hands on a 120gr, short boat tail, tangent ogive, non VLD bullet,
I would recommend a 7x47 in a heart beat....But it is what it is......

 

[std7mag]

@Fuj,

Case capacity wise how would a 7mm WSSM compare to the 7-47 or 7mm-08?
Granted the bolt head would have to be changed.

I had often thought the 7mm-08AI, if throated properly would be a good candidate for the 160gr class bullet.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Evan sums it up pretty good in several areas. First and foremost is
the blatant lack of "Match" bullets in 7mm for smaller cases. It has
always amazed me that as long as to 7BR has been around, no one
really had interest in making bullets for it......If i could magically get
my hands on a 120gr, short boat tail, tangent ogive, non VLD bullet,
I would recommend a 7x47 in a heart beat....But it is what it is......

There ARE,. LOTS of Great, very ACCURATE, Bullet choices, in 6.5 mm from, 120 to 142 grains in, Sierra's, Berger's and,.. Hornady ELD-M's !
Love shooting, the 130 gr. ELD-M's clocking OVER, 2,800 FPS in My Braked, 6.5 Creedmoor !
Haven't tried, the 123 gr. Sierra MK's yet, but I've read good things about them,.. out to 600 yds.
The 6.5x47L and the 6.5 Creed., Both HAVE, very Balanced Powder Chg's vs those, Bullet Weights.
For Accuracy out to, 600 yds it would Be hard to Beat either One of, those 2, 6.5's ,.. IMO
YUP,. I'm a bit,.. Old School,.. and, Opinionated

 

[Evan]

Evan sums it up pretty good in several areas. First and foremost is
the blatant lack of "Match" bullets in 7mm for smaller cases. It has
always amazed me that as long as to 7BR has been around, no one
really had interest in making bullets for it......If i could magically get
my hands on a 120gr, short boat tail, tangent ogive, non VLD bullet,
I would recommend a 7x47 in a heart beat....But it is what it is......

I think the 7x47 shooting a 180 hybrid might really surprise everyone, even if it were “handicapped” at 2650fps (I think it’d make it into the 2700-2750 range though). That will still be significantly supersonic at 1000yds and the consistency of the x47 case would likely result in very repeatable, confidence inspiring results. Berger is going to make more 180s due to the considerable competition market for them. The lighter bullets won’t get the same priority.

 

[ATFIV]

Berger 7mm 140 vld works very well in the smaller cases

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Evan sums it up pretty good in several areas. First and foremost is
the blatant lack of "Match" bullets in 7mm for smaller cases. It has
always amazed me that as long as to 7BR has been around, no one
really had interest in making bullets for it......If i could magically get
my hands on a 120gr, short boat tail, tangent ogive, non VLD bullet,
I would recommend a 7x47 in a heart beat....But it is what it is......

Lack of good bullets is why people don't do more experimenting with 7mm's, particularly light to mid weight range bullets. We're just very limited in that regard. I seem to remember Bart talking about making some 7mm's a few years back but not sure what ever happened to that. Maybe he'll reply. @BartsBullets .

I've seen some Speer 110 TNT's shoot unbelievably well but I wouldn't build a rifle around that bullet either. Sierra and Hornady both make 120's as well as I think Nosler, but same deal, if I'm talking accuracy being the main objective.

Step up the 140's, and it gets a little better but still not much as the market to date is driven by big bc numbers when most people talk 7mm stuff.

All that said, we don't need a wide selection. We just need the RIGHT one! Build it and they will come!

Probably different by now but there was a time when Berger would make just about anything if you committed to buy 10,000 of them. Not that many if you split the order up a time or so between others.

 

[Dimner]

I think the 7x47 shooting a 180 hybrid might really surprise everyone, even if it were “handicapped” at 2650fps (I think it’d make it into the 2700-2750 range though). That will still be significantly supersonic at 1000yds and the consistency of the x47 case would likely result in very repeatable, confidence inspiring results. Berger is going to make more 180s due to the considerable competition market for them. The lighter bullets won’t get the same priority.

Heck I'm happy with my 30-06 178gr at 2650 fps! (24 inch barrel). An 180gr 7mm into the 2700s would be excellent.

 

[Tangent]

Some people, just KNOW that, the x47 Lapua Case, just DOESN'T Hold, enough Powder, to Drive any of, the Longer, Higher BC Bullets, FAST enough, to make it, worthwhile,.. Yeah,. it's just,.. "Common Sense" !
There ARE, Better choices ! There's, a Lot of serious, Experience, on THIS Site !
But Do, what makes,.. you,.. Happy

I think you missed the wink at the end

 

[X Count]

Thank you Mike!

I get the feeling that the answer is, almost no one has any experience with the 7x47L

Or is the answer that a majority of people talk shooters out of a 7x47L?

I'm not competing. Sierra, Barnes, and Hornady class bullets are just fine for me and they have a large array of 7mm bullets.

I'm kinda shocked that so many people are against 7x47L but love the 6.5 version.

7BR
(this is the gap)
7mm08
284

6BR (and a million variants)
6x47L
6 creed

6.5 Grendel
6.5x47L
6.5 creedmoor


Random thought time:
It seems like alot of threads on these forums are a guy asking a question for info on XYZ and then people without experience on XYZ try and talk them out of XYZ. Sorry, I just re-read that comment, it comes off pissy. I have not had my coffee. I'm just frustrated. I do not want a 7BR. I do not want a 7/08. So what is the in-between? Do I constantly have bad ideas? Or is this forum a place where people try and talk a guy out of what they are looking to do?

If it's a gap you want to fill and a toy you want to play with them go for it. With that list your not a one gun guy so do whatever blows your hair back!

This is the internet and you have asked for opinions so have that coffee and relax!

Eric Cortina had / has one from memory so might be worth investigating that rabbit hole.

 

[Fuj]

@Fuj,

Case capacity wise how would a 7mm WSSM compare to the 7-47 or 7mm-08?
Granted the bolt head would have to be changed.

I had often thought the 7mm-08AI, if throated properly would be a good candidate for the 160gr class bullet.

Kenny....Not up on the WSSM other then it's the larger bolt face and
i prefer to stay with the .473, and why all my cats are based on the .284
Winchester......New SA284 cat version is going to get it's claws sharpened
at Anderson Creek shortly......And try some 150 SMK's in your AI.

 

[flatlander]

I've built myself numerous rifles on the 6.5x47 case, but all have been either 6.5s or 6s. When it came to trying a 7mm for 1000yd prone matches, I went with the straight 284 Win, with S175MKs & either Berger or JLK 180VLDs. The only way I could push 180s over 2800fps out of 30" 284 bbls without loosening primer pockets was to use RL17, and while it gives good velocity & fine accuracy, barrels just don't seem to last very long with it. So it seems a bit unrealistic to me to try any of the 180s in the much smaller x47 case, especially since I've had good results with both 6x47 & 6.5x47 at 1000yds. But when it comes to hunting deer, I think a 7x47 with a good 140gr bullet would be dandy, especially if used at 400-500yds.

I had heard so many guys talking about how much they thought of the 7-08 that I eventually gave in to temptation and spec'd a reamer that has the same blown-out case as the Ackley Improved, but with a 30* shoulder, and built myself a rifle for it on a trued M700 & a 26" Krieger 1-9tw sendero contour bbl. I don't get a lot of velocity out of it, relative to my 284s, but it's more pleasant to shoot than either the 284 or 280AI, and gives fine accuracy. The one bullet that seems ideal for this round when it comes to shooting at 600 or beyond with AICS magazine-fed rounds is the Sierra 160TMK, but they don't seem at all interested in making another run of them - at least, not since Sierra was bought by another company several years ago. In the same way that I find my 7-08 Imp 30* with 160s more pleasant to shoot than a straight 284 with 180s, it's no stretch to think of the 7x47 with 140s as more pleasant to shoot than the 7-08 Imp 30*. You just have to be willing to accept the performance available out of the smaller case.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I've built myself numerous rifles on the 6.5x47 case, but all have been either 6.5s or 6s. When it came to trying a 7mm for 1000yd prone matches, I went with the straight 284 Win, with S175MKs & either Berger or JLK 180VLDs. The only way I could push 180s over 2800fps out of 30" 284 bbls without loosening primer pockets was to use RL17, and while it gives good velocity & fine accuracy, barrels just don't seem to last very long with it. So it seems a bit unrealistic to me to try any of the 180s in the much smaller x47 case, especially since I've had good results with both 6x47 & 6.5x47 at 1000yds. But when it comes to hunting deer, I think a 7x47 with a good 140gr bullet would be dandy, especially if used at 400-500yds.

I had heard so many guys talking about how much they thought of the 7-08 that I eventually gave in to temptation and spec'd a reamer that has the same blown-out case as the Ackley Improved, but with a 30* shoulder, and built myself a rifle for it on a trued M700 & a 26" Krieger 1-9tw sendero contour bbl. I don't get a lot of velocity out of it, relative to my 284s, but it's more pleasant to shoot than either the 284 or 280AI, and gives fine accuracy. The one bullet that seems ideal for this round when it comes to shooting at 600 or beyond with AICS magazine-fed rounds is the Sierra 160TMK, but they don't seem at all interested in making another run of them - at least, not since Sierra was bought by another company several years ago. In the same way that I find my 7-08 Imp 30* with 160s more pleasant to shoot than a straight 284 with 180s, it's no stretch to think of the 7x47 with 140s as more pleasant to shoot than the 7-08 Imp 30*. You just have to be willing to accept the performance available out of the smaller case.

I've got some of those Sierra 140's on backorder. I'll get em when I get em, I guess but I hope it's before deer season. Anxious to try them in my 7mm-08 that I mentioned earlier. May try them in my 280 AI too but it's an absolute hamer with Berger HVLD 168's already. It just shoots way better than it should, for what it is..just a hunting rifle but shoots them in the low to mid .3's with regularity. That'll be tough to beat for a hunting rifle, regardless of the bullet. Zero complaints with that Berger 168 either, on deer size critters.

 

[Dimner]

I've got some of those Sierra 140's on backorder. I'll get em when I get em, I guess but I hope it's before deer season. Anxious to try them in my 7mm-08 that I mentioned earlier. May try them in my 280 AI too but it's an absolute hamer with Berger HVLD 168's already. It just shoots way better than it should, for what it is..just a hunting rifle but shoots them in the low to mid .3's with regularity. That'll be tough to beat for a hunting rifle, regardless of the bullet. Zero complaints with that Berger 168 either, on deer size critters.

Looks like the "GameChanger" 140s are in stock. Not sure if those are worth a try

Sierra GameChanger Polymer Tipped GameKing Bullets | MidwayUSA

Introducing the Sierra GameChanger hunting bullet: the perfect combination of Sierra’s legendary match accuracy coupled with deadly penetration. Sierra re-engineered their legendary MatchKing bullet into a hollow point design.

www.midwayusa.com