My New 6.5x47

[tunacan]

I finished up my 6.5X47 Lapua recently and I thought I would share the details.

Here are the specs

PTG 6.5x47 .294 neck .140 FB reamer
Trued 700 Action
Brux Barrel - Modified Rem varmint contour - 26", .800 at the muzzle
PTG 1 piece fluted bolt.
PTG .200" lug
PTG Aluminum BM
Manners EH1 Stock - Pillar bedded
Jewell Trigger
RWS Brake
TPS Rings
Vortex HSLR 4-16x44
Bolt, barrel and lug have been nitrided

Weight without scope is 8.5 lbs on the nuts. Its a sweet little gun. Balances well with no recoil. It shoots ok too

Testing seating depths with 37.2 grains of Varget/130 Bergers/CCI 450s. 2877 FPS average. SDs and ES were very very good
Best groups were .040" and .050" off the lands. The top 2 groups were .020 and .030" off the lands. All groups shot in 15-20 mph wind

Testing RL17/130 Bergers/CCI 450s at 400 yards. 2950ish FPS with single digit spreads and SDs. This load didn't shoot well at 100 yards (just under 1" groups), but I small groups at 100 don't necessarily translate at distance.

 

[ShootDots]

Beautiful rifle!! AND it looks like a real shooter!! Great job!!

 

[stubbicatt]

Nice looking rifle. Congratulations. I read the description, and wondered what an "aluminum BM" was? I have given up on trying to figure it out, as it makes me a little... uncomfortable.

(just teasing a little.. hope no offense is taken)

Sure am interested in following your load development program. I have yet to fire my 6.5x47, just waiting for a loooong day so that I can do the "shoot one, clean" regimen.

Sigh.

 

[hogpatrol]

Nice looking rifle. Congratulations. I read the description, and wondered what an "aluminum BM" was? I have given up on trying to figure it out, as it makes me a little... uncomfortable.

(just teasing a little.. hope no offense is taken)

Sure am interested in following your load development program. I have yet to fire my 6.5x47, just waiting for a loooong day so that I can do the "shoot one, clean" regimen.

Sigh.

Sweet!!! That caliber is one easy one to work with.

BM=Bottom Metal

 

[tunacan]

Nice looking rifle. Congratulations. I read the description, and wondered what an "aluminum BM" was? I have given up on trying to figure it out, as it makes me a little... uncomfortable.

(just teasing a little.. hope no offense is taken)

Sure am interested in following your load development program. I have yet to fire my 6.5x47, just waiting for a loooong day so that I can do the "shoot one, clean" regimen.

Sigh.

For my load development I run a ladder test. The reason I do the ladder vs an OCW round robin is because I wasn't getting very clear answers with my OCW round robin tests with certain powders. For instance RL17 and 130 Bergers didn't shoot too well for me at 100 and the evidence wasn't conclusive enough to choose a charge.

Several of my charge weights were single digit ES and SDs, but they were shooting 1" groups at 100. I ran a ladder test at 300 and got very clear evidence of where my accuracy nodes were.

My groups that shot 1" at 100 and very well may have been discredited as the incorrect charge were actually the accuracy node for that powder/bullet combo.

The picture of the groups above at 400 yards is roughly a 1.5-2" group. That same group shoots 1" at 100....go figure.

I took that same load out to 1000 last weekend. I zeroed at 100 and verfied my elevation at 500. I then ripped off 3 shots at 700. That same crappy load at a 100 yards shot a 3 shot 3" group at 700. It literally stacked two on top of each other and the 3rd was 3" above those.


Here is a break down of my process.

For instance Varget and 130 Bergers.

I load them .005 into the lands and start low and work up.

I load one bullet in increments of .3 grains

35 grains
35.3
35.6
35.9
36.2
36.5
36.8
37.1
37.4
37.7
38

I shoot these at 300 yards and document where each shot falls on the target on a piece of paper I have at the bench.

I have a tight cluster from 36.8-37.4 grains.

I then shot 5 shot groups from 36.8-37.4 loaded in .2 grain increments.

37.2 had really really good numbers so I went with that charge.

I then fine tune my charge with seating depth.

At 37.2 grains I loaded 3 rounds for each seating depth. I start at .0010 into the lands and then seat each 3 round series .0010 deeper than the previous series until I'm jumping .120"

My gun with Varget/130 Bergers likes .040 through .050" jump.

I settled on .045" jump and its a freaking hammer......at any range.

Sorry to ramble. Let me know if I left anything out

 

[stubbicatt]

That was a thorough posting on load development. Thanks.

.05" jump? Really? I've never tried to jump bullets that far.

 

[schumi]

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