Help deciding between 6.5x47 and 6.5cm

[turbo54]

A barrel blank is ~$325
Chambering, crowning & threading is ~$350
A nice muzzle brake is ~$125
Cerakote and shipping home to you is ~$125.

These are middle of the road prices, and comes in at $900+
I stand by my statement a good turnkey barrel runs ~$1k. I could have my local basement gunsmith do it for $150 in labor, but I choose instead to compete with nationally recognized top-flite gunsmiths with a pedigree.

To your remarks on actual brass costs for PRS:

You're right, 350pcs isn't enough to shoot out a 6.5mm pipe. Its more like 750. I can generally recover ~75% of my brass at PRS matches - sometimes more, sometimes less, but 75% is a solid number. That said, we're talking ~$750 for x47 vs. ~$500 for a Creed, for a difference of $250.

Considering you'll spend an EASY $500+ on expenses ($250 match fee, $200+ lodging, $150+ gas, and $50+++ on food) shooting a PRS match, I STILL say the extra $15 per match in lost brass value is no reason at all to choose one cartridge over another.

Now, I'm not arguing the merit of one cartridge over another, I'm just saying if one appeals to you over the other EXCEPT for the 25¢ a pop brass price difference, you should put the costs of this hobby/sport into perspective...

 

[Raptor]

I have not had a 6.5x47 but my buddy shoots one and its very accurate. With that being said it will not produce the velocity that the 260 or Creedmoor will. I have shot the barrels out of 3 260s and one 260imp. I have had a love hate relationship with 260s and decided to go with a Creedmoor this time. Just doing load testing now but have flat been impressed with the velocity out of this rifle. Its as fast or faster than any 260 I have had.

 

[turbo54]

I've certainly chased velocity. I've pushed the 308, the 260... went to a 284 for BC and yet "good" speed...tried a 6mm for outright speed.

Theres no arguing the x47 lacks case capacity compared to creedmoors and 260s. Some people hotrod the hell out of x47s and say they'll run right with the bigger cartridges.

Maybe they will, but I came to the x47 because its famous for extreme accuracy and easy loading. I've found this to be true with mine. The first 5 groups out of the barrel, all different charges, each "one holed" at 100 yards.

I get 2800-2820 from a 140 hybrid. When I compare ballistics to a creed or a 260 even at 2900 (which hopefully we can ALL agree is on the fringes of sanity from them), I just don't see the big deal; its not even a full .1 mrad in a 10mph FV wind @ 1000.

 

[jonbearman]

What boutique are you paying the fit a barrel at 350.00? One of the best in the nation and there are quite a few know sid Goodling and he only charges .250.00 the last I checked. I get the point you are making but 350.00?

 

[offgrid]

With all due respect, choosing a caliber based on the potential of loosing a few pieces of brass at a match is silly. Shot a PRS in NM last month, came home with 7 less pieces of 6.5x47 brass. In the scheme of things loosing a few pieces of brass no big deal, it's a couple cups of coffee.

6.5x47 vs 6.5Creedmoor? From having shot both, easy decision 6.5x47.

 

[rpierce]

jonbearman: there is a "famous" benchrest smith out there that charges 495 bucks to chamber. Also 400 bucks to pillar bed. But what your poster meant I think is 350 to chamber and thread for the muzzle brake.

 

[M14AMU]

The ONLY thing wrong with the 6.5x47L is......IT JUST NEEDS SHOOTING!!

 

[Patch700]

If you enjoy toying with new cartridges take a look at Jason Baney's article in this weeks bulletin.

7x47 Lapua , with the long barrel he was getting not bad numbers... Now take that 47 case and blow it out and 40 the shoulder (A long dasher) and things could get interesting when competing with 140 class 6.5 bullets at 2900 fps.

 

[Laurie]

Now take that 47 case and blow it out and 40 the shoulder (A long dasher) and things could get interesting when competing with 140 class 6.5 bullets at 2900 fps. [Patch700]

........... and you've still got less capacity than a 7mm-08, never mind an '08AI. You can easily get the small primer brass and run at getting on for 65,000 psi with the 7-08 / 7-08AI by simply resizing 308 Win Palma brass in a 7-08 FLS die and if necessary use a slight neck-turn to thin the neck back down.

What Jason is doing makes a lot of sense for his use of the AI rifle feeding from the magazine where he needs to keep COALs down to 2.9" or thereabouts. Talk of a 7mm Long Dasher only makes sense in a single-shot rifle, and you can do that more easily with the 7-08 and the throat cut to suit a COAL ~3.00" with the 168/180 Berger VLD, 180 Hybrid or whatever you fancy. Not that the 7X47L Improved wouldn't be a nice project, but it's an expensive way of going around things.

 

[Patch700]

Now take that 47 case and blow it out and 40 the shoulder (A long dasher) and things could get interesting when competing with 140 class 6.5 bullets at 2900 fps. [Patch700]

........... and you've still got less capacity than a 7mm-08, never mind an '08AI. You can easily get the small primer brass and run at getting on for 65,000 psi with the 7-08 / 7-08AI by simply resizing 308 Win Palma brass in a 7-08 FLS die and if necessary use a slight neck-turn to thin the neck back down.

What Jason is doing makes a lot of sense for his use of the AI rifle feeding from the magazine where he needs to keep COALs down to 2.9" or thereabouts. Talk of a 7mm Long Dasher only makes sense in a single-shot rifle, and you can do that more easily with the 7-08 and the throat cut to suit a COAL ~3.00" with the 168/180 Berger VLD, 180 Hybrid or whatever you fancy. Not that the 7X47L Improved wouldn't be a nice project, but it's an expensive way of going around things.

Great point Laurie , indeed if a person was single feeding with an appropriate action a 7-08 imp. using Palma brass and stepping on the gas would be another interesting way of getting there.