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6.5x47 Lapua 20" Barrel

Chemguy

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 13, 2012
119
4
Texas Hill Country
I have a nice Browning Micro Hunter chamered in .308 that I am thinking of switching out to a 20" 6.5x47 lapua for a my daughter. I already have a 6.5 swede and Grendel and really like the caliber. I also reload.

I would like to keep this rifle short and handy. Do you think I would be handicapping myself with a 20" barrel? If you have tried it, what velocity are you getting with 123 gr and 139-140 gr?
 
Re: 6.5x47 Lapua 20" Barrel

I would be interested too. I am getting my 18" 6.5L up and running Sunday. I'll do a post after load development because haven't seen much info on the 6.5 shorties.
 
Re: 6.5x47 Lapua 20" Barrel

Very interested also. Looking to build a hunting rifle in 6.5L next year.
 
Re: 6.5x47 Lapua 20" Barrel

Also do you think I would have any issue with the firing pin cratering the smaller primer of the 6.5 Lapua?
 
Re: 6.5x47 Lapua 20" Barrel

The thing with the 6.5s is that their advantage over .308WIN starts to fade as the velocity drops. The .260Rem, 6.5Creed as well, all get their impressive performance from near 2900-3000fps velocities and that's why many are built around longer 26" barrels. My guess is that with a 20" you'd get closer to 2400fps which will still be fine inside of 600m but won't carry past 1000m.
 
Re: 6.5x47 Lapua 20" Barrel

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dogtown</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The thing with the 6.5s is that their advantage over .308WIN starts to fade as the velocity drops.</div></div>

While true, shorty 6.5s still hold a significant ballistic advantage over shorty 308s at long ranges.

500' ASL, 15C/59F, 29.92"

178gr .308 Hornady HPBT (0.530 G1 BC) @ 2500fps:
600yd 5.1mil drop, 1.4mil drift, 1628fps, 1048ft/lb
1000yd 11.9mil drop, 2.7mil drift, 1211fps, 580ft/lb

140gr .264 Hornady AMax (0.585 G1 BC) @ 2600fps:
600yd 4.4mil drop, 1.2mil drift, 1789fps, 995ft/lb
1000yd 10.2mil drop, 2.2mil drift, 1332fps, 551ft/lb
 
Re: 6.5x47 Lapua 20" Barrel

I have a 24" in a Rem 700 action. I did get the bolt bushed in the 24" because of heavy cratering, but no pierced primers. Of course Remingtons are known for oversized firing pin holes. This is with a 123 load that averaged 3016 fps.
 
Re: 6.5x47 Lapua 20" Barrel

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dogtown</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The thing with the 6.5s is that their advantage over .308WIN starts to fade as the velocity drops. The .260Rem, 6.5Creed as well, all get their impressive performance from near 2900-3000fps velocities and that's why many are built around longer 26" barrels. My guess is that with a 20" you'd get closer to 2400fps which will still be fine inside of 600m but won't carry past 1000m. </div></div>

Sounds like this rifle is for his daughter. Lighter bullet of the 6.5 with less powder being burned equals less recoil on the shooter. I would go 6.5 over 30 cal for that very reason as well.
 
Re: 6.5x47 Lapua 20" Barrel

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dogtown</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The thing with the 6.5s is that their advantage over .308WIN starts to fade as the velocity drops. The .260Rem, 6.5Creed as well, all get their impressive performance from near 2900-3000fps velocities and that's why many are built around longer 26" barrels. My guess is that with a 20" you'd get closer to 2400fps which will still be fine inside of 600m but won't carry past 1000m. </div></div>

This is not correct.

Any target style bullet in the 140gn class will out perform a 308 at distance as slow as 2800 fps. Mid 2800's is not out of the question with a 24" barrel and I had a 22" 260 in an AR that shot 139 scenars at 2800 (although it beat up the brass). So you do not need to get to 2900 to see a performance difference.
 
Re: 6.5x47 Lapua 20" Barrel

Thank you. I may just give Jon Beanland a call as well.


Yes this is for my daughter. Realistically 300 meter shots or less.
 
Re: 6.5x47 Lapua 20" Barrel

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChemGuy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Also do you think I would have any issue with the firing pin cratering the smaller primer of the 6.5 Lapua? </div></div>

Send it out to have it bushed smaller. We send them to Gre-ten I believe. Tell him its for a 6.5L
 
Re: 6.5x47 Lapua 20" Barrel

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: .257</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Cigar Cop had beanland build him a sick 6.5x47 with a 20 or 22 inch barrel. I would give him a shout </div></div>

Thanks, yeah Jons the man for sure don't hesitate to call him... heres the 20" he built me, I was originally shooting 40.6 H4350 with the 130's at 2714 fps w/the Ohler 35 with good results but found a better load at 41.8 and I', seeing right at 2800 with the 130's..not bad for a 20" barrel.
I built it to hunt with so i really didn't care about velocity all that much as its more practical to carry for my kind of hunting.

DSC_0360.jpg



heres a 20 shot group I shot @ 600 yrds of the harris

IMG_0288.jpg
 
Re: 6.5x47 Lapua 20" Barrel

6.5BR may feed in your action, but surely the 260 and 6.5x47 Lapua will, as the Creedmoor.

Good luck. Keep in mind you can load the above three 'light' w/120-130gr bullets mid range loads and cut recoil, still be deadly. A 120 ballistic tip at 2700-2800 will do fine!