Range Report; Bushing size and Sinclair expander mandrel use; 6.5x47L

[GSSP]

I've just about got'er worked out and thought I'd share my results of three different Redding neck bushing sizes and the use of/or not of the Sinclair .263" expander mandrel prior to bullet seating, as suggested by Sinclair.

I took possession of my new Tactical rifle on 24 Dec. Santa thought I had a very good year! It actully sucked (lost my job in March, wife's kidney transplant cancelled 16 hour prior and the she almost died 5 days later in an unrelated surgery and my mom died two weeks later) but the year ended nicely. It's a Surgeon 591 SA, Krieger 26" 1:8.5, 6.5mm MTU contour, AICS stock, NF 5.5-22x50mm NP-R1 reticle in 6.5x47L.

Of the 130 VLD's, 123 MK and 123 Scenars, the 130's run the best with 40.1 gr H4350. This verfied via 1000 yd Jason Baney ladder. Lapua cases primed with Fed 205m, sized in Redding Type S FL busing dies setting shoulder back .0005" and seated with Redding BR seater. Started out using .288 neck bushings. Best seating is .10 thou into the lands.

Just back from the range where I ran a test that mostly focused on the CED M2 chrono #'s. I ran 6 different groups of 6 to insure basic SD's #'s from the chrono.

.287 bushing w/o expander = 27 ES, 10.5 SD, 2838 FPS
.287 bushing w/ expander = 57 ES, 18.1 SD, 2837 FPS
.288 bushing w/o expander = 73 ES, 23.5 SD, 2828 FPS
.288 bushing w/ expander = 30 ES, 11.2 SD, 2836 FPS
.289 bushing w/o expander = 18 ES, 7 SD, 2853 FPS
.288 bushing w/ expander = 29 ES, 9 SD, 2850 FPS

Seems to me that for enquiring minds, the best is with the .289" bushing. Expand or not to expand is too close to call without a much large number of bullets over the sky screens.

As of the end of my testing today I have 490 rounds down the tube. I checked my throat erosion about 70 rounds ago and it had extened out .29" thus that is when I retested for seatling depth two days ago at the range.

Alan

Oh yeah, last test should be primer tests; CCI 450 and Rem 7-1/2's compared to the Fed 205m's I've been using.

 

[robbin]

Hi Alan,
You are tougher than I am my friend... That said, let's talk 6.5X47Lapua, my favorite round. You didn't mention group size, while you ES and SD are important, so is group size. I strongly suggest you try RL-17. I prefer heavier bullets. I've found Berger 140s to shoot the best in my 1:8 28 inch heart tube. I use CCI 450 pimers because they work fine, thou I've heard good things about the Fed 205. Bushings, I use the .288, thou I've tried 287 and 289, but I've got a 290 neck so I spring back to 289. That said, I've gotten better groups since I went to the .288 bushing. This weekend my best 4 shot group was .383 MOA or 2.4 inches at 600 yards. Shot poorly at 800 but it was the shooter, not the gun or load. I've got about 600 rounds down the tube, but have no way to check the throat. I'm seated well into the lands, but my neck tension is light enough to allow the bolt to do the final seathing for me. I never use an expander. Let me know what you finally end up with for your best load ...


Robbin

 

[robbin]

Hi Alan,
One more thing, my new encore with a custom barrell from Match grade machine comes in thursday. They used my 6.5X47Lapua reamer that was used to make my bench gun. Now I'll have a TC Encore that I can hunt with the exact round I've built for my bench gun.

Robbin

 

[GSSP]

Robbin,

Thanks for replying back. I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't run this bushing/expander thing to ground.

My groups typically run in the .3 to .5 MOA range for 5 shots. This time, I shot 6 shot groups to insure I had an extra round to get a bit better chrono numbers and just in case my chrono malf'd as it did on saturday where between a bad sun angle and a low battery I had 3 of 30 bad/zero numbers. Trying to keep apples to apples, I measured the best 5 of each group. They are as follows.

.62"
.78"
.785"
.245"
.610"
.615"

I will admit I did not feel "in the groove" today. The temps were higher than I've seen all winter and I was getting some mirage in the 50's and low 60's at 22x. I love to do load work up during the winter. I have a spot, a kind of bowl that I can get upto 400 yds in and set up to shoot so the wind is always around 11 to 2; coming or going.

Reloader 17; someday! The rumors of fast throat wear is scaring me awary from that one for now. But I have a pretty good pipeline of Varget and H4350 so focused on that along with a good batch of the Fed 205m primers. Again, I won't be able to live with myself if I don't try the other two primers.

My neck is .294" and my loaded rounds hit .290".

I started with the 140 VLD but my .104" throat put the bullet into the case more than I would prefer. Now that I've burned the throat out .29" it may work better. Oh, but I just bought 900 130 VLD's. Maybe the 140's will have to wait.

Beside group size I really wanted to focus on ES/SD so that my 1000 vertical is not blowing my performance at that range.

You say you have no way of checking the throat. Did you keep the original bullet you checked your throat with? If so, you can use the same bullet, as I do, to check the throat wear.

I will run a more extensive and long range test to compare the expanded vs non expanded cases in the near future but for now I have to focus on loading up for a match this Saturday that will stretch out to 1K.

Alan

 

[robbin]

Keeping the first bullet is a good idea, but I didn't. If you aren't going to shoot 140s, then I doubt you would see the benefit from RL-17. With the lighter bullets, certainly the 120s, VARGET would be my first choice.

My new 6.5X47Lapua comes in thursday!!!

Let me know how it goes...
Robbin

 

[therifler]

Robbin Just wondering why your not shooting 5 shot groups with that 6.5X47 ? If 5 shots fall in 2.4 at 600yds . that's not bad depending where you are shooting . The Rifler

 

[robbin]

Just barrel wear. I only shoot 5 shot groups when I've got stuff really narrowed down. After all, the group can't get any SMALLER. So unless you are really satisfied with the 3 shot group performance, why shoot two more. That said, I've read that a 3 shot group of one inch, can statistily vary from .2 to 1.7 and there be NO DIFFERENCE in the rounds. But if you start shooting 10 shot groups, you'll be buying new barrels in a hurry. I usually start 5 shot groups when I've decided on a powder charge and i'm tweaking the seating depth and or neck tension.