Second guessing my choice?

[jayph]

I am in the process of building my first custom target rifle, which main purpose is to help me learn about long range shooting and build my skills. I am 25 but have been hunting, shooting, reloading for 12 years. I spent many nights on the computer reading as well as reading books and reloading manuals. The criteria I used to find the caliber I wanted was this.

1-Good ballistics
2-Not a barrel burner,want to shoot alot for practice)
3-Not a crazy hard to form one of a kind wildcat cartridge
4-Able to reach 1000yds effectively
5-Managable recoil for long shooting sessions

I decided on the 6.5X47 Lapua as it may not be the best of every category it seemed to be good in all phases of what I was looking for. Recently I have been looking around and started second guessing my choice,should of just shut the computer off after I made my choice lol) I have the stock on order and I have the action already. I am about to order the barrel this week and thought I would just toss this up for opinions.

Should I stick with the 6.5x47 lapua or is there another cartridge that I should strongly consider. This guns main purpose is a learning aid as I am completely green to the sport and have a lot to learn. When this gun is wore out and if I get addicted,which I have a feeling I will) I will look at dedicated competition rifles and calibers which may be better.

 

[Mark Walker in TX]

You made a great choice, trust your 1st instinct!!!

 

[Forum Boss]

Good cartridge. One of our club's guys shot a 1.8" last week at 600 yards with the 6.5x47 in competition using Berger 130s/Reloder 15. Another 6.5x47 shot a 1.5" at 600 same day with the 123gr Scenars.

Give yourself time to play with seating depth and you should have a winner. BTW, those are the two bullets I'd focus on--123 Scenar and 130gr Berger.

For very short range, the Sierra 100gr Varmint bullet is cheap but very accurate.

 

[ThunderDownUnder]

You have chosen a great new cartridge. Lapua originally designed it for 300m European competitions. They also knew and stated clearly it would become an excellent long range choice when used with high bc projectiles.

My choices are 123gr Lapua scenar bullets for anything out to 600yds. Beyond 600yds the high bc Berger 130gr VLDs are the current choice out to 1000yds. RL17 powder may change this if it can accurately drive the fantastic Berger 140VLDs at 2900+fps.

If you want to use just one projectile for everything go with the Berger 130gr VLDs and Varget.

 

[rstreich]

Personally, for long range,1000 yards), I'd put up with a little more recoil and get more cartridge. For mid-range stuff,600 yards) it should be fine. For a compromise between the two, especially for something to learn with, it's an excellent choice.

I've been taking my .223 loaded with 52 grain bullets to a local 300 meter match just because I want to have the wind push me around. I consider it training for getting back in the swing of mid- and long-range conditions.

If you stick with the 6.5x47, when you're shooting at 1000 yards with your new rifle and feeling outgunned, remember what its purpose is and you'll be more than happy.

 

[8mmMauser]

The 6.5x55 Swede could be just what you're looking for. 139gr bullets at an easy 2,900 fps, easy to load for and very manageable recoil not to mention ease of finding cases, bullets etc .

 

[FALPhil]

I would go with the 6.5 Creedmoor. You get virtually the same performance as you do from the 6.5-284 with a lot less recoil. I think that my next build will be on the 6.5 Creedmoor. Using the 140 A-Max and its short ogive, I should be able to get very good accuracy from a premium barrel cut for a no-turn neck. Now, I just need to figure out which action to build on.

 

[cliffe]

i think you made a good choice. good brass, long barrel life, no need to second guess. have fun cliffe. hey falphil, you're kidding right.....

 

[FALPhil]

Nope. Not any more than 8mm was. Jay said he wanted to learn about long range shooting. If I were building a bench gun, I might choose 6.5x47. But for long range, general purpose chambering, I believe the Creedmoor to be much more flexible and have adequate accuracy for learning to shoot at long distances.

What do you see wrong with that?

 

[Raptor]

I would guess your comment about it being equal to the 6.5x284. This is NOT true. The primers will be blowing out on the 6.5 Creedmore trying to keep up with a 6.5x284.

You can easly push a 139 out of the 6.5x284 to 3000fps. I shot mine at right around 2970 to 3000fps when I was shooting them in tactical matches and got good brass life. The only other round that will run with it is a 6.5x55 if you really push it.

 

[cliffe]

falphil, have you heard of anyone shooting 140 class bullets from a 6.5 creedmore at 2950-3000 fps. without LOOSE primer pockets and tight bolts.cause i haven't....there is a good article on here that compares the 260 rem, 6.5x47 and the 6.5 creedmore, all sound like great rounds, i would take the 6.5x47, but they are all very close, can't go wrong with any of them. for a good shooting,with good barrel life round, 6.5x47 would be my choice. cliffe

 

[FALPhil]

Oh, I see where you are coming from now.

Most of the guys around where I am run 6.5x284 at about 2900fps. I am thinking it will be pretty easy to get 2850 from a 140 grain bullet in the Creedmoor.

Question: when you get 3000 from the 6.5x284, are you doing it with a long barrel? Like a 30 or 32 inch, or are you getting tat much from a 24 inch barrel?

 

[Rust]

Nothing wring with the 6.5 X 47 for a starter cartridge and it is certainly an excellent intermediate range cartridge and a decent long range choice. Best used with the new mid weight bullets like the 130 Berger. One word of advice, develop one load that works and stick with it rather than spend too much time diddling around looking for some magic combination that simply doesn't exist. Time behind the trigger is more important than time on the press.

One thing the smaller cartridges won't do,including the Creedmore) is push a 142 gr SMK or 139 gr Scenar to 2950 fps out of a 26" barrel at anything approaching a reasonable chamber pressures. Both my 6.5 X 284s will do so with a lot more left in reserve, just happens that 2950 is the sweet spot for most 139-142 gr 6.5 VLDs. The one with the fast barrel will hit 3100 fps or so with a 26 barrel before things get too hot which isn't to the next node so 2950 it is. I like shorter barrels rather than the 30" and 32" poles.

Where the latest round of smaller cartridges make their claim to performance is with mid to lightweight projectiles where they are very efficient with mid to mid-fast burn rate powders. Load a heavy VLD and the faster powders will pressure spike before higher velocities are reached, and they aren't large enough to hold enough slower powder,H4350, H4831, RL-22 etc.). So don't get too caught up in the advertising hype which all too often gets repeated as fact.

But if you ever get the urge for more horsepower,after you've shot out your first barrel) then the Swede might be about the best compromise in 6.5s. Enough volume to hit 2950 with the heavier VLDs without running pressures through the roof. Best done with the chamber throated long enough to keep the bullets at or above the neck shoulder junction to take advantage of the volume.