6.5X47 Help

[jpistolero02]

I recently had my Remington 700 re-barreled in 6.5X47. Today was my first chance to shoot the rifle. I am trying to stick with Varget because it works well with some of my other rifles. I didn't have much time to shoot this morning because it's so hot down here in Texas. I was a little disappointed with the results I am seeing with the 130 Berger. Do any of you guys have suggestions? The ES and SD was much better with the Berger, but the A-Max perfromed much better at 100. I was seating both bullets .005 off the lands.

 

[MDM]

Re: 6.5X47 Help

The 123 groups are pretty respectable. Try the same loads, but jump them .0010 and .0015. I've found the amax, both 123 and 140 like to be jumped .0010 to .0015. Try jamming the Bergers .0010 and watch for pressure. With the 123, you are right in the ballpark on your charge weight for Varget. This is just my experiences with my two 6.5x47's. Don't be afraid to try the 140s too. You will likely have to move to H4350 for those though.

 

[seven mm]

Re: 6.5X47 Help

Seating depth is the key with bergers. I wouldn't jam them. Do what berger recommends and load multiple sets with about 40 thou difference between each. One of them will shoot significantly better. take that depth and vary it in smaller increments to fine tune it.

 

[Austan]

Re: 6.5X47 Help

Save yourself some time and jam the bergers 10 - 15 thou. Agreed on running h4350 but varget should group better than you're currently showing.

 

[Hasgun Willtravel]

Re: 6.5X47 Help

I just got my 6.5x47 back with a new tube on it. I am running 41.0g of H4350 142 SMK. I could not get Varget to run in my rifle, period. Numbers were horrible, accuracy was worse.

I sampled with 123, 139 Scenar, 140 Berger/Sierra/Amax. Long range accuracy was with the Sierras, I had to seat the 140 Bergers too deep.

While re-establishing my load, I had similar accuracy, which was overcome by seating depth only. Same results with the original barrel.

I have SD's in the high 4.00's with H4350, running the round at 2870. I am approximately .015 off the lands. Any closer, pressures climb and become inconsistent, hence, high S.D's. This caliber is made to operate around 65,000 psi, higher than most calibers, so little differences in seating depth causes sharp spikes in pressures, and my rifle shows major shot to shot inconsistencies. Adjusting seating depth while shooting over a chrony showed me around a 60-70 fps in differences in overall average speeds, just from seating depth, higher speeds, higher pressures, as it creeps towards the lands. YMMV.

 

[Hasgun Willtravel]

Re: 6.5X47 Help

BTW, when your measuring COAL, are you measuring from the tip, or the ogive? If your not using a comparator, you should get one, I am not sure about other caliber bullets, because I have shot mostly 6.5's from day one, but I have noticed large changes in ogives in 6.5 bullets, from lot to lot. With the 142SMKs, I have to readjust my seater die, with every new box of 500, usually if the lot #s are the same, they are usually the same. But, I guess my point is that bullet tips are a poor way to get accurate consistency in load length. Sorry if this is repeating all stuff you know, just sharing my experience with this caliber.

 

[jpistolero02]

Re: 6.5X47 Help

Thanks for the great info. I am measuring from the ogive. It could just be that I am a bad shot. I will monkey with the seating depth and also try some 4350. Is IMR 4350 ok? I have a can of that laying around.

 

[Supersubes]

Re: 6.5X47 Help

I use 37 gr varget and 130 JLK's for 2850 fps. It absolutely rocks.

Get the bergers closer if not into the lands.

From what I'm seeing for a first day out, those 123's are doing just fine. I would have started with an OCW test. What are the pressures looking like?

IMR and H4350 are not the same.

 

[dpreston]

Re: 6.5X47 Help

I use 37.2 gr varget with 130 JLK's and it also rocks. So your charge weight is about right from what I have researched and tried.

I jammed the JLK's .010 thou and that worked right away. So I would give that a try... just be aware that your pressure is going to spike once you start jamming

 

[Casey Simpson]

Re: 6.5X47 Help

Your shooting is not the problem. Also, xbr is superior to Varget if you're interested. I shot a lot of 6.5x47 experimenting with 4350, Varget, RL17 and xbr. Using OCW, RL17 gets you the most of everything but if you meter manually xbr is sweet.

You will get a better round not jamming but running them out 40 to 80 due to the pressure of jamming.

 

[jpistolero02]

Re: 6.5X47 Help

Thanks for the help guys. Seems like most people have the best luck jamming them. I will give that a shot first.

 

[Alan Griffith]

Re: 6.5X47 Help

Pistolero,

Hope this will same you a bunch of barrel life and wasted components.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/long-range-load-development/

The article, by Jason Baney, is, IMHO, the best read out there on developing a LR load quick and easy. I've done it with three different rifle/loads just this past year and it works every time. Limiting factor is range distance. You'll want as long a distance as you can muster.

The method you've used in your OP is nothing but a waste of barrel life and componets. You need to find the "NODE" for the load your testing. Otherwise you'll more than likely going to get inconsistent performance when the temps go up and down or your loading technique is a little off, etc.

Look at the following ladder I shot just a few months back. It's from my "light" 6.5x47 (#3 26" Broughton) using 140 VLD's and Hunter using .5 gr increments until I got a hint of bolt lift with #11, which shot over the target. Distance is 576 yds. The top three (8,9,10) have 1.5" vertical spread. Guess where the NODE is for this set of components? 11 shots and I know where my node is at; or at least I know where to focus my attention to and shoot the next ladder in .2 gr increments around 1000 yds.

Oh, and #10 is actually 2908 fps. I mis-marked it on the target.

Please, holler if you need more help. I shoot two 6.5x47's and am in love with them.

Alan