The 153.5 will seat similarly to the 140 VLD. Give them a try. I think you'll like them.
My new 6.5x47 Borden
- Thread starter Evan
- Start date
So I found out some very interesting information in the past week.
I have a bunch of CCI400 from my grandpa. Given the situation, I thought I'd try to conserve my CCI450 and work up a load with the CCI400 in my 6.5x47. I have been able to work up some great loads with the CCI400 in my 22BR and my 20 Vartarg, so why not in the 6.5?
I loaded from 38 up to 38.4gns of RL-17 under 147 ELDs and also iterated through seating depths of -0.030, -0.060, and -0.090 to see if anything looked good. Went out to 350yards with my shotmarker and YIKES! Groups were in the 2"+ range! I was pretty confused. Came home, inspected everything, looked at the shotmarker data and found it: my at target ES had jumped to 50-70fps.
This is a kind of long way to say: regular small rifle primers can't ignite the 6.5x47 reliably. I didn't notice hang fires, but if they weren't severe and only resulted in massive velocity swings, then how would I have? I'm a little bummed, but I have plenty of 450s to burn out this barrel and probably another one after it. It just would be nice to have more supplies available for this rifle.
I have a bunch of CCI400 from my grandpa. Given the situation, I thought I'd try to conserve my CCI450 and work up a load with the CCI400 in my 6.5x47. I have been able to work up some great loads with the CCI400 in my 22BR and my 20 Vartarg, so why not in the 6.5?
I loaded from 38 up to 38.4gns of RL-17 under 147 ELDs and also iterated through seating depths of -0.030, -0.060, and -0.090 to see if anything looked good. Went out to 350yards with my shotmarker and YIKES! Groups were in the 2"+ range! I was pretty confused. Came home, inspected everything, looked at the shotmarker data and found it: my at target ES had jumped to 50-70fps.
This is a kind of long way to say: regular small rifle primers can't ignite the 6.5x47 reliably. I didn't notice hang fires, but if they weren't severe and only resulted in massive velocity swings, then how would I have? I'm a little bummed, but I have plenty of 450s to burn out this barrel and probably another one after it. It just would be nice to have more supplies available for this rifle.
Here's a little update at 1200 rounds down the tube:
Transition from the neck into the throat:
The leade:
Just in front of the leade:
And then 7 inches down the barrel from the bolt face to where it looks almost like new:
Still tweaking and trying some things, but the barrel has definitely lost it's edge. It's shooting 6-7 inches at 1000 in LG and upwards of 10 inches in HG. Not saying that is all barrel, but it is feeling noticeably less accurate.
Transition from the neck into the throat:
The leade:
Just in front of the leade:
And then 7 inches down the barrel from the bolt face to where it looks almost like new:
Still tweaking and trying some things, but the barrel has definitely lost it's edge. It's shooting 6-7 inches at 1000 in LG and upwards of 10 inches in HG. Not saying that is all barrel, but it is feeling noticeably less accurate.
tclaunch
Silver $$ Contributor
I found out way back when the case was first introduced that the Rem 7 1/2 primer, was best suited from my tests using 4 brands of primers.
Shooting today has confirmed for me that this barrel is done. I've spent the past 500 rounds trying to get the magic back and it's just not there. 2-3 inch groups at 500 yards when my 20 Vartarg was shooting 1.2 inches. Conditions were good and this is right around the seating depth that has intermittently shot well in the past couple hundred rounds.
EDIT: The numbers written on the target are the non-zeroed Base to Ogive measurements with my Hornady comparator. I use a dial caliper and it's just easier to run with the non-zeroed number.
So I'm calling it. Time of death was ~800 rounds and now at 1300, I've been wasting time and valuable components. I have another 6.5x47, 4 groove Krieger ready to go. This one will be run low and slow and we'll see how long it goes. 153.5 at 2780-2820fps using RL16 toasted the barrel in 800 rounds under normal 1k BR, LG and HG conditions. I'm hoping there's a great node somewhere down around 2680-2700 that will get me better barrel life on the second barrel. Not really feeling the love for the 6.5x47. It never shot as small as my 22BR on good days and it died faster than my 22BR, which is the opposite of what I was hoping for.
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For those who may be interested, here's the post on the 20 Vartarg results (along with a couple 30-06 groups that are 2.5" too, which just further emphasizes how done this barrel is):
My 20 Vartarg custom
Jerry and I were out shooting last weekend and I snapped a picture of my 20 Vartarg with the 55gn Bergers next to his 300 Norma Mag with the big Bergers. Thought everyone here might get a kick out of the difference! Once weather gets a bit better and I can verify, I'll have some more load info...
forum.accurateshooter.com
Sandstorm
Gold $$ Contributor
I too used to love the 123's @ 600 yds...
have moved to other calibers but they will work well with the right load.
I have some lighter bullets to shoot in this next barrel. The 153.5 shot pretty good; 3" at 1000 in practice, and repeatably 4" at matches, but it really burned the barrel out fast. There's a lesson in here somewhere
. Probably something about no free lunches and 6.5x284 performance will have 6.5x284 barrel life, regardless of how small a case you're using to get it.
Sandstorm
Gold $$ Contributor
Think your on to something there my friend...lol
You may have to work a little bit more but the 123gr bullets really did work well for me.
If I had been thinking, I would have picked some up last year but it wasn't even on my radar. I was thinking I'd be giving the heavy bullets more of a try and have more barrel life than I ended up with.
I'm on Tom's list for the next time he makes some. Do you have a newer or older lot of H4350? My lot is from last year and I'm pressuring out at 39.5 or so and it seems like a lot of folks can go well above 40gns with the slower, older lots.
Sandstorm
Gold $$ Contributor
You spinning on a new barrel right...Im thinking its a bit too early to tell where this one's going to pressure out.
I use Varget in mine..never could get H4350 to work worth a beans. Its a Krieger 4 grove at 28 inches 1.250 no taper. I think if I remember right 1.4 MOA at 600 with the 123s
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Just started an older freshly opened lot and haven't gone to pressure yet. I'll check my lot numbers tomorrow.
The lot I just quit was getting 2800+ on 39.3 grains, new lot getting 2740+ on the same charge and 2770 @ 39.6
H4895 got some decent accuracy at 2930 but was getting pressure
AR Comp would easily get to 2950 but was getting pressure and case fill was poor on both.
Tested some Varget but the H4350 accuracy was much better across a wider node but I think I could run up to 2900 without pressure.
Lots of possibilities not enough time or barrels LOL
My improved case might make RL 16 a better fit, I've got aplenty and may try it.
Sandstorm
Gold $$ Contributor
Yea..that looks might nice @ 600 yds...Id be sold also. I wish I could have gotten it to work in my barrel..lol
Varget did and Im not going to change anytime soon.
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