Hunting loads for the 6.5 x 47

[p-man]

Does anyone have any load data they wish to share using Barnes 100 TTSX and 120 TTSX - I have a 21" barrel and 9-twist working up loads for youngsters and the occasional adult

 

[JackT]

Worked up some initial loads for Sierra 120 and 130 Pro Hunters and Barnes 130 TSX with RL 15. Started at 36.1 grains and they all shot so well I stoped right there (.25 inch groups). Very pleased with my first attempt at reloading 6.5 x 47. Packed it up and flew to Cody, Wyoming and shot an antelope doe through the heart at 370 yards. Pretty tough critter, took about 45 seconds for it to finally fall down. Can`t wAit to go back next year.

 

[mr45man]

I would do a simple ladder test with Varget,RL 15 or 17.
I have 4 and they all will shoot 1/4 or better with 123/130 gr bullets with the powders mentioned .
Sorry, don't have experience with barnes bullets in 6.5.
John H.

 

[MrMajestic]

I would agree with Varget and RL15. If we had your H2O capacity and seating depth we could run it through QuickLoad. I'm thinking with the 21" tube you would be better off with the faster powders for the 6X47L.

 

[p-man]

There are alot of you shooting 108 grain stuff - what powders are you using? Anyone using IMR-4064?

 

[Eric Leonard]

I loaded some 100 NBT with IMR8208XBR and was getting one raged hole at 100 yards at 3225 fps from a 28 inch barrel,,

 

[p-man]

These are my limited results so far. My rifle is a Rem Mod 7 SS action with a bolt bushing job by Greg Tannel and a Shilen select match FW countour 9-twist 21-in barrel. All the other smartwork was done by Garland Gilbreath of Triple-G in Stephens, TX. The chambering was done with the Nosler 120BT as the intended ideal bullet, seated out so that rear bearing surface edge sits evenly with neck/shoulder junction of the case neck and the bullet offsetting the lands by 15 thousandths. It's in a Rem laminated stock that I pillowed and bedded - the barrel is fully floated at this time. My objective is to build the most efficient deer rifle that I can for the young hunters coming up in my family (I'm 63 and have grands that will be shooting in a couple of more years - I am also now working up a similar 250Sav for the same purpose). BTW, efficient defined here as the most velocity for the least RECOIL with acceptable accuracy.

Lapua brass, all first time firing - CCI 450 primers - loaded long as stated above, OAL is 2.775 +or- a couple of thou. I am loading hunting ammo so I do not do much neck turning or sorting components for consistency, etc. I drop powder with an RCBS 1500 combo that so far is good for about +or- .2 grains but I average (luckily) +or- .1 as per my balance scale when I verify my drops - my 30-year old balance scale, I've checked with a jewelers scale and it's pretty amazingly close for what it is but it only measures to .1 grain so I could be blissfully ignorant of what my real accuracy is.

I load and shoot 5-shot groups and record velocities with my Magneto speed for shot#1 and shot#5 and average the two readings for that loading. My group measure is only for shots #2,3,4. Since the barrel is pencil-thin, and I let it cool between strings, I also still do a light cleaning in between with the foam and patches but no brushing. Super clean at the end of the day or 20 rounds which ever comes first. That's just me and what I like to do

I'm sure you long rangers are cringing right now but remember that I'll never shoot competition and am just looking for good efficient, reasonably accurate hunting loads which translate to me as a repeatable group average of 3/4in - give or take a little for conditions and my shaky self. I use both full-length rests as well as a front steady rest with a rear bag support.

Round count is 38. First groups were a little wild but those were also still in the break-in part of the round count. Some of my own load results:

Nosler 120BT - 35.0 R-15 - 2549fps - group approx 1.50"
Nosler 120BT - 35.3 R-15 - 2563fps - group approx 1.50"
Nosler 120BT - 35.5 R-15 - 2578fps - group approx 1.50"
Nosler 120BT - 36.0 R-15 - 2667fps - group 0.67"

Nosler 120BT - 36.5 Varget - 2762fps - group 1.10"
Nosler 120BT - 36.8 Varget - 2779fps - group 0.91"
Nosler 120BT - 37.1 Varget - 2792fps - group 0.72"

My thoughts so far: results are predictable - given the slightly slower twist, velocity brings better accuracy. Starting loads were safe but anemic plus my load density was probably a little less than most due to the shallow bullet seating depth I'm using with the deeper throat. I am extremely satisfied with the later velocities given the short barrel.

I'll keep posting my results here and would urge others to share their related load data especially with hunting bullets. I've posted over in the RELOADING forum, that I would like to see load data with 108gr Scenars just so I can get some ideas for early loads with lighter stuff. I will still work the 120BT's for all they're worth but I'm going to start on both Barnes 120TTSX and 100TTSX next.

Sorry to be so long-winded but we shooter/loaders tend to be detail-oriented and I'm just heading off all the possible questions that I could answer now that were sure to come

Thanks again to all you long-range shooters who've shot thousands of rounds and share your experience and knowledge with the rest of us.

 

[Tentman]

Hello - P-Man I'm pretty interested in your results, I have a Mauser Kurz actioned 6.5x47 that was completely restored (and rechambered obviously, I don't think the 6.5x7 would have even been a twinkle in 1923 when my rifle originally left the Mauser "sporting rifles" shop) with a new barrel in the original profile - very light and 21.6". The rifle in in an original stock with quite a low comb,the whole outfit is very light so I'm still getting to grips with shooting it well. The rifle was going to be a 6.5 wildcat that Kevin (from this forum) developed for me, but the rifle had to go back to the smith and I was having problems with brass forming so we rechambered it to a "conventional" chamber. Because its an old action I use Quickload to try and estimate pressures, which I think wise not to exceed 52,000 psi.

I'm using Lapua brass with Federal SR Match primers. I have 49 grains of H2O to the top of the neck. I'm loading to a 2.637 COAL.

I've tried Hornady Amaxs in 120 and 123 with Re-17, both at 41 grains after working up. Velocity was 2751 with the 120's, 2793 with the 123's, which gave quite promising accuracy, I also tried up to 42 grains AR2209 (usually very close to H4350, supposedly the same but I do find there is variation). I use this rifle for mountain hunting here, Red Deer and Tahr, so I really wanted a bit stouter bullet. I tried Nosler 125 partitions (thats what I had) and with 41.5 of AR2209 I got 2754 fps and reasonable accuracy - groups of around 1.5" , usually 3 or 4 tight ones and one shot that opened it out to the 1.5. This was probably me, as I mentioned its quite a tough rifle to shoot well.

I'm sure with further load development and some more practise I can get it under the "magic" inch (although for hunting here thats not really so important, I've already shot Tahr and deer with it).

Cheers
Foster

 

[hogpatrol]

I have a #3 8.5 twist Brux/6.5-47 and best accuracy is in the 2850 range shooting 130s. Those speeds seem slow for the 120s. If no pressure signs, a bump up in powder weight may bring better accuracy.

 

[GaryCrow]

My rifle has an 8.5 twist Bartlein 5R finished at 22" on a borden action in a mcmillan hunter's edge stock. I had my reamer made with the 100 TTSX in mind and had Jon Beanland put it all together. My hunting load is a 100 TTSX in front of 40.0 gr. Varget and a CCI 450 primer. The COL is 2.595" which is .060" off the lands in my rifle. Velocity is 3080 fps across my chronograph. I didn't get it all put together until right before deer season so the load isn't tweaked, but it shoots good so I loaded some up and went hunting. The groups I was getting were right at 1" at 200 yds, I just got it zeroed and went hunting. I've only killed one deer with it so far, a medium sized doe, and the results were predictable. Really nice, light kicking load that's deadly on deer. It seems pretty mild for my rifle, I expect I could squeeze another 100 fps out of it without much trouble.

 

[Changeling]

HI Gary, what's the BC and sectional density of those Barnes 100 TTSX bullets?

 

[p-man]

Changeling,

From the Barnes website:

WGT. 100gr
LGTH. 1.156
S.D. .205
B.C. .359

 

[dryhumor]

Haven't spent much time with the Barnes, but I do have a couple of Berger loads. Mine is a 22 inch 8 twist Model 7 with a Pacnor pencil barrel.

39gr IMR4350
Berger 130gr
CCI BR4

34.2 Varget
Berger 140gr
CCI 450

 

[JCardenas]

P-man,

I run 37.1g's of varget true mine with a 123 sst. It shots better than .5 moa. I have worked up to 38.5 but 37.1 was running 2820 and really good accuracy. Rl 15 and rl17 did equally well. This load is plenty for the antelope we hunt and has done well on deer as well.

 

[p-man]

Hog patrol, I'm still working loads - what I have listed is what I've shot - I'll by shooting heavier load soon - another reason for the slower loads is the deep throat which allows my bullets to be seated way out. As I shoot more, I'll update.

Thanks all for sharing your data