• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

25x47 Lapua

5RWill

Optics Fiend
Supporter
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Oct 15, 2009
    6,192
    2,501
    33
    Mississippi
    Anyone running this with the 131 ACE? Just running JBM real quick that bullet at 2900fps is giving great results between the 6.5s and 6s. Talking 2/10ths of difference in wind against a 108gr ELD-M at 3000fps I'm in the process of trying to switch if i can. Contacted PVA to try and change my 20" medium palma 6.5x47 to a 20" medium palma 25x47. Then sort of planning a rebarrel on my comp rifle with a 26" heavy palma 25x47.
     
    Yes.
    41.0gr H4350 gets you to 2900 easy peasy.
    Using a .282 bushing and seating .020" off the lands

    I'm getting 2961fps with 41.0g h4350 and a 28" barrel
     
    Last edited:
    This sounds pretty interesting to me, I’ve been shooting 6.5x47 for awhile and am considering switching to 25 when it’s rebarrel time. I guess you would expect similar velocities if shooting 130 grain bullets in each ?
     
    This sounds pretty interesting to me, I’ve been shooting 6.5x47 for awhile and am considering switching to 25 when it’s rebarrel time. I guess you would expect similar velocities if shooting 130 grain bullets in each ?

    Granted i've been running a 23" barrel i read 2900-2975 for the 131 ACE out of a 26" barrel. I'm at 2840fps with 130gr Normas. Both are extremely long for 130s so i'd guess 2900ish with a 26" tube. Bearing surface is about as long if not longer that the 140s. Run the numbers on a .330G7 at 2900 though it's ridiculous.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: MarkLeupold
    I just bought a .25 barrel and 25 Creedmoor reamer intending to go 25 Creed. Someone posted on here using 44grs of H4350 at something like 3100fps. If I ran that in my 6Creedmoor I'd put my eye out. I too don't know how to wrap my head around the velocities folks are getting with the heavier, longer bullets. When I shot 6.5x47 I ran 130HYB at 2850 from a 26" bartlein. And I eroded that throat so fast that I couldn't chase the lands and maintain accuracy past 800rds. But sometimes certain barrels can be fast, slow, fragile, or exceptionally durable. Guess you just have to go for a moderate load in an accy node and see what you get.

    I've wondered the same but will take the higher BC none the less. My gun is nearing 1500rds with a 23" barrel and i've been running 130s at 2850 both the hybrid and 130gr norma with little issue. Lands haven't eroded hardly at all. Baker was running 130gr Hybrids at 2900 when he shot his 6.5x47 also.
     
    My numbers mentioned above are real world magneto confirmed loads.

    I get my rifle back tomorrow, I had it cut from 28" down to 22".

    I intend to test some Varget loads along with already established h4350 loads and I will report back.
     
    My numbers mentioned above are real world magneto confirmed loads.

    I get my rifle back tomorrow, I had it cut from 28" down to 22".

    I intend to test some Varget loads along with already established h4350 loads and I will report back.

    Mine is a 23". Hopefully I'll be able to put it together and do load dev over Easter weekend. Probably going to end up running H4350, but I also have a fresh pound of Varget if I want to test that as well.
     
    Been reading up on this little 131 and guys are having to increase the real-world G7 BC's on these bullets to .340-.350! Those ballistics at 2900-2950 are crazy. My 6.5x47 may get rechambered soon.
    My point exactly haha. You’re nearing the realm 6.5 prc like ballistics.
     
    I was all excited about doing a 25 Creedmoor but ran the numbers on a .340 @ 2950 vs a .320 @ 3000 and realized the extra BC bump doesn't do that much. But I will say the ACE does beat a 130 Hyb out of a 6.5x47 all day long....

    BC jump, barrel life jump, target energy jump (~16% at 1000 yds), supersonic range jump : P ... lol

    The next Blackjack bullet will outrun the 131 ACE to 1000-1100 yards and will better suit most shooters needs for medium range shots. It will be a nice balance for guys that seem to prefer the 6mm trajectory but offer a bonus in barrel life and target energy.

    everyone has their own methods of value assignment. utilizing the components on hand and component's one is familiar with factors into the equation a lot. I get a lot of messages from guys going to switch once they burn through their 6 or 6.5 bullets on the shelf.

    By the time they do burn through their stash there will be more cool 25 Cal stuff hitting the market!
     
    Last edited:
    Guess I'll throw my real-world load in here.

    25x47 Lapua
    131 gr BlackJack ACE - 20 thou off lands - 2.81" OAL
    Lapua 6.5x47 brass
    40.9 gr H4350 - 2886 fps
    23" X-Caliber barrel

    I've got 80 rounds total on the barrel right now, might get a little more speed out of it with a few more rounds.

    .340 G7 is true to 665 yards right now. 3.7 mils of drop (2600 ft DA) to that distance. Not a far poke for it, but the best I could do for the moment.
     
    My 6.5x47 barrel is 25", it's a fast one. Running the 140 Hybrids at 2820, and the 130 Hybrids and Norma's at 2940. I too have thought about going the route of the 131's, but the small gain I see isn't enough to justify less barrel life. Honestly, I'm shooting less and less PRS (Circus) type matches, and concentrating on Field style matches where the 140's do so well in. I'm also looking at doing a 7 SAW, as it's providing outstanding performance, with even more barrel life than a traditional x47.
     
    Ya, you'll want 200yds short of Transonic to really be able to true a BC.

    That's like 1200 yards. I'm about 350 short on my longest range right now. I just need the BC to get me on target 850 and in right now. It was on waterline all the way to 665.
     
    Yes.
    41.0gr H4350 gets you to 2900 easy peasy.
    Using a .282 bushing and seating .020" off the lands

    I'm getting 2961fps with 41.0g h4350 and a 28" barrel

    Did you only run the brass through the bushing or did you also run the brass through a mandrel as well?
     
    Well this thing is a laser beam. 6.5x47 necked down with a 282 bushing. 40.5gr of H4350, bullet seated to 45 thou off lands. MV is 2860 out of a Hawk Hill M24 contoured bbl. Curtis Axiom action. Very pleased with the results, can't wait to take it beyond 740 yards

    20190528_134942.jpg
     
    • Like
    Reactions: JCH and Olen_4504
    Has anybody played with RL-16 in the 25x47 Lapua? You you neck turning or just running through the die (which bushing)?
     
    Last edited:
    Pretty much done with load development. Using Varget, my old 6.5x47 Lapua(who knows how many firings, all mixed) brass from my last barrel. Steel is at 500 and are the first three shots past 100 yards I took with the rifle. Pics are pretty self explanatory. .345 G7 is spot on at my limited range. Was starting to get cratering primers at ~38gr and the last two blew the primers.

    Bb1cKNT.jpgPQ6HXd6.jpgtf3I1lO.jpg
     
    Last edited:
    • Like
    Reactions: Jabot
    subscribing - just picked up my 7 twist 25 cal barrel for a 25x47, planning to use varget.

    ive got a .282 bushing for the die, what mandrel are you guys having best results with? .255, .2555, .256, .2565?
     
    subscribing - just picked up my 7 twist 25 cal barrel for a 25x47, planning to use varget.

    ive got a .282 bushing for the die, what mandrel are you guys having best results with? .255, .2555, .256, .2565?

    I've got a .280" bushing (probably more than I need) and a .255" mandrel. Gives a .002-.0025" neck tension and it's shot great for me so far. Also look into the H4350 burn rate for powder. Many guys have been getting better velocity with it if that's what you're after.
     
    I've got a .280" bushing (probably more than I need) and a .255" mandrel. Gives a .002-.0025" neck tension and it's shot great for me so far. Also look into the H4350 burn rate for powder. Many guys have been getting better velocity with it if that's what you're after.

    Not too terribly worried about velocity as the barrel will be 28” and I never push the hottest node for PRS. I should easily be able to reach the 2850-2870 node without much issue. I’d prefer not to have to empty out my powder dispensers every time I want to load for another caliber
     
    • Like
    Reactions: MarkLeupold
    Not too terribly worried about velocity as the barrel will be 28” and I never push the hottest node for PRS. I should easily be able to reach the 2850-2870 node without much issue. I’d prefer not to have to empty out my powder dispensers every time I want to load for another caliber

    In that case, Varget will be an excellent choice for the x47. Guys are seeing nodes around 37gr
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Patty
    When necking down 6.5x47 Lapua brass with the bushing die, since a bushing die does not size the entire neck. Is there any issue there with the unsized portion being too large for the 25x47 chamber? i recall back when i shot the 6x47 i had to use a non bushing die for the initial neck down.
     
    When necking down 6.5x47 Lapua brass with the bushing die, since a bushing die does not size the entire neck. Is there any issue there with the unsized portion being too large for the 25x47 chamber? i recall back when i shot the 6x47 i had to use a non bushing die for the initial neck down.

    No problems at all that I've seen or heard of from anyone. Bushing die is all I use.
     
    Last edited:
    • Like
    Reactions: Patty
    After a long weekend of load development my new 25x47 is ready. I’m getting 2,930 FPS with 40.1gr of H4350 in a 25in barrel. Seems fast given what I have read elsewhere, but I’m not complaining.
     
    After a long weekend of load development my new 25x47 is ready. I’m getting 2,930 FPS with 40.1gr of H4350 in a 25in barrel. Seems fast given what I have read elsewhere, but I’m not complaining.

    Yeah that's moving for sure. My 27" Hawk Hill at 40.5gr of H4350 is at 2885. What brand barrel is it?
     
    BC jump, barrel life jump, target energy jump (~16% at 1000 yds), supersonic range jump : P ... lol

    The next Blackjack bullet will outrun the 131 ACE to 1000-1100 yards and will better suit most shooters needs for medium range shots. It will be a nice balance for guys that seem to prefer the 6mm trajectory but offer a bonus in barrel life and target energy.

    everyone has their own methods of value assignment. utilizing the components on hand and component's one is familiar with factors into the equation a lot. I get a lot of messages from guys going to switch once they burn through their 6 or 6.5 bullets on the shelf.

    By the time they do burn through their stash there will be more cool 25 Cal stuff hitting the market!
    Any update on this new super secret bullet?
     
    Yeah that's moving for sure. My 27" Hawk Hill at 40.5gr of H4350 is at 2885. What brand barrel is it?

    It’s a 7.25 twist Bartlein barrel. When testing for max I was over 3,000 with 40.7gr H4350, which was definitely hot but didn’t blow primers. I tested varget as well but I saw pressure at lower velocities and switched to H4350.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: longrange_lauber
    It’s a 7.25 twist Bartlein barrel. When testing for max I was over 3,000 with 40.7gr H4350, which was definitely hot but didn’t blow primers. I tested varget as well but I saw pressure at lower velocities and switched to H4350.
    Anyone running this with the 131 ACE? Just running JBM real quick that bullet at 2900fps is giving great results between the 6.5s and 6s. Talking 2/10ths of difference in wind against a 108gr ELD-M at 3000fps I'm in the process of trying to switch if i can. Contacted PVA to try and change my 20" medium palma 6.5x47 to a 20" medium palma 25x47. Then sort of planning a rebarrel on my comp rifle with a 26" heavy palma 25x47.

    I'm not sure why no one seems to want to go with a 25-06 improved for this bullet. I hit an accuracy node right around 3150 fps with a 115 grain berger, h4831sc powder, and I was still under max load in mine. I would love to shoot blackjack's 131s but unfortunately I only have a 9 twist barrel. I'm thinking about an 06 improved build around it.

    If I had a 7.25 twist barrel I would give Jason a call at badlands precision to see what kind of bullet he would be able to come up with for it.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: 5RWill
    Any updates on the presumably lighter .25 cal projectile @257 Blackjack ?

    We delayed the release due to the overwhelmingly positive hunting results with the 131 ACE. However it is still in the pipeline. The bullet I'm referring to will use same reamer/freebore dimensions as the ACE and also require the same twist rates.
     
    Anyone running Varget in a 25x47?

    Everything else I run uses varget and I’d like to keep it that way.
     
    37gr is getting me 2850fps with a 24” tube. I’ve pushed past 38gr and got 3k fps but it was very hard on the brass and not as consistent as the slower node. I think H4350 would get me better speeds but my Varget load has an ES of 10-15 usually and I don’t shoot past 500 too often so I don’t care for hot rodding.
     
    That's pretty good velocity IMO from a 24" tube. That's about what i'm getting out of my 23" 6.5x47 with 130gr Normas and likely 130gr SMKs. It's on it's way out so the next one will definitely be rebarreled to a 26" heavy palma in 25x47

    How's the BC panning out for everyone on the 131gr Blackjack?
     
    That's pretty good velocity IMO from a 24" tube. That's about what i'm getting out of my 23" 6.5x47 with 130gr Normas and likely 130gr SMKs. It's on it's way out so the next one will definitely be rebarreled to a 26" heavy palma in 25x47

    How's the BC panning out for everyone on the 131gr Blackjack?

    The BC is 100% legitimate. I ran quite a few 131's before I started shooting 6 Dasher. A G7 of .341 is what worked for me.
     
    That's pretty good velocity IMO from a 24" tube. That's about what i'm getting out of my 23" 6.5x47 with 130gr Normas and likely 130gr SMKs. It's on it's way out so the next one will definitely be rebarreled to a 26" heavy palma in 25x47

    How's the BC panning out for everyone on the 131gr Blackjack?

    The .330 G7 that BlackJack publishes is very consistently low, and they know that, but would rather send conservative numbers out to people. .330 will put you over the top of smaller targets at and past 800. .340-.345 G7 is what most people use to good effect.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: 5RWill
    I've been messing around with this over the past few months. I have close to 500rds on the barrel now.

    I was originally having some issues with velocity consistency, but upon recommendation of Logan, I loaded some rounds with new brass. The original brass I was using had 10-12 firings of 6.5x47, and using a .282 bushing, the necks were very loose. I then went to a .280 bushing, but I don't think that was a good idea....
    Using new brass, my groups tightened up significantly and so did my velocity numbers.

    The original lot of 500 bullets I started with ended up shooting extremely well once I started shooting with new brass. With 36.4gr of varget out of a 26" barrel, 0.030 off the lands, I was getting about 2,807 fps with virgin brass. With 1x fired brass, it bumped up to about 2,850 fps.

    With the new lot of bullets, I saw a lot lower velocity (2,812 fps vs 2,850) for some reason, and not as consistent groups. I'm planning to do some more testing this week with those bullets, and see what happens.
     

    Berger announced a 135gr hybrid with a G1 of .650 and a G7 of .334 which is sure to keep the 25cm and 25x47 around now.
     
    I was hoping it would be in the 120-125 range but ill give em a try
     
    Been reading this thread. Good info. Figured I would contribute.

    Been shooting 133’s but decided to try some berger 115’s in my 25x47 today. It’s a 1:7 24” proof.


    D7013888-F467-496F-AE4C-AE704878DE71.jpeg
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Stevo86