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Scenars & 6.5X47L

ShootDots said:
Thanks Colo... I am on my 3rd 6.5 x 47 barrel... I have enough experience with it to help people get started down the road... When I got my first 6.5 x 47, it was SO NEW I had a difficult time getting brass and a set of dies. However, if that was not bad enough, there was almost no info on loading>>> I was literally flying by the seat of my pants. So, if I can help some people learn from some of my findings, as well as my mistakes, then I have done what I believe this forum is best at>>>everyone helping one another!

What barrel life are you getting with the 6.5X47L?
 
Hey Laurie... On my first one I got just about 2000 rounds.. I was NOT in competition with it and mostly just shot 5 shots, waited til it cooled, 5 more etc..etc.. It never got hot and I turned it into a "Texas Deer Stand Gun"... It is still going! My second was built explicitly for F-Open... I was shooting Berger 130 V.L.D.'s with 40.8grs of VV N550.. That N550 ate my throat for lunch! I got just shy of 2,000 and it was gone... This barrel, a replacement for the 2nd barrel, has just a few hundred (400) rounds on it... This barrel is in love with 123 SMK's and RL-15... I believe if I would have shot something other than N550, the other barrel would have given me 2500+ rounds.. However, that is pure speculation, we will never know..
 
Benjamin,

thanks for the information. Although there are more and more 6.5X47Ls around in the UK, I've not seen any life figures, and I haven't met anybody with one over here who has had to rebarrel yet.

Nigh on 2,000 rounds is very good going with N550 - I've seen 308 Win barrels only last a little more with 185s and that powder.

I'll get my first rifle in the calibre in time for next year - a switch barrel job. 6 Dasher for our winter series 600 yard BR comps, change to the 6.5X47L barrel for short to mid-range F in April through October. I'm looking forward to it.

PS I've had very good results with the 123gn Scenar in the not dissimilar .260 Rem over Viht N150. In my case, I started at my usual 12 or so thou' off the lands and tuned the load to that with excellent results.
 
Laurie, I take VERY good care of my barrels... After every match I scrub my barrels down and periodically (in the case of the 6.5 x 47 about every 300 rounds) I "JB" the throat really good and then the rest of the length of the barrel. About 500-600 rounds I send a few of Tubb's "Throat Maintenance" bullets down the bore.. They "move" the throat BUT it is back to slick as glass... Laurie, you are going to LOVE the 6.5 x 47 Lapua... Easy to tune, VERY accurate, flat shooting and has a copious assortment of excellent 6.5 bullets available. I am hoping to "shortly" get my hands on the Lapua 136 "L"'s and give them a run for their money... If you ever need help, just PM me and if there is anything I can do, I will be glad to help you out..
 
I have shot the 136's quite a bit now and have some pretty good data. If anyone is interested just shoot me a pm.

Laurie, I got close to 4500rds out of one barrel shooting 37gr of Varget and 123's. It is a fairly mild load, but it shoots great. It was still holding less than 3" of vertical at 1k when I tested it at just under 3700 rds. I mostly run 140's though and have had 3 barrels now give me between 2800-3300. This load is with H-4350 and I keep it in the 2800-2820 node (40-41gr depending on throat)

All of my barrels that I have shot out with the 6.5x47 have shot really good almost all the way to the end and then they just go. I am not sure why they do that and maybe it is just coincidental, I dont know.


I do think however think if you are willing to give up 75-100fps with this cartridge it will almost double the barrel life.

Best Regards
Scott
 
Looks like this is turning into a 6.5X47L thread. Thanks for all the input from my original post. Finally got my Scenars loaded using shoot dots advise. Now I've gotta' shoot'em ;D Lets keep this info flowing! I'll post my results.
 
Follow up. The CBI barrel on my rifle liked the Scenar better than the Sierra's. Using Shootdots advice best groups came at .004" into the lands. Just touching was next best load(5 shot groups) Seating depths up to .010" into the lands all extracted easily. .015" ITL refused to extract w/ light pressure on the bolt. Clover leafed at touching. Bug holed at .004" ITL. I'll run a follow up test to verify results. Used the split case method to establish seating depth w/ light coat of sizing lube on ogive. (thanks Eric) Five measurements in a row were all within .001" Thanks to all for the input!!!! Didn't use the OCW method. Just went w/ charge that showed best results w/ the Sierra's. I think I'll keep this rifle 8)
 
123 Scenars like to jump in my limited experience with them. Even close to jam was no good.
 
xpilot, As "they" say, each rifle is a rule unto itself. Maybe that explains the difference in our results. ???
 
Gotcha, I am very pleased everything worked out well for you! This is what this forum is all about>>>shooters helping shooters whenever we can!
 
Split case method is where you size a case and then split the neck to allow it to hold the bullet but also allow the rifling to push bullet into the case.

I personally suggest using a prepped piece of brass as it works better in my opinion and it's more consistent.
 
On he split case method:
Split it with what?
Split the neck or 1/2 the neck
I've been using the Hornady Seating depth/Cartridge length tool and bought the drill and tap so I can do them all.
I love (Luuuuuuuv) the 6.5x47L cartridge and scenars and think this is the best thread since Joe Sr's 6 Competition Match one.

John
 
Split it with a hacksaw or dremel tool. Go from the mouth straight down to the shoulder.

But like I said, it's easier with a prepped piece of brass. Just load bullet about .020" long, put die wax on the bullet, close bolt and let rifling seat the bullet, snap bolt open and measure base to ogive. That is your jam length, load short of that or you'll stick bullets in the lands when ejecting a live round.
 

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