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Range Report LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

McCrazy

Your tax $$$ no longer at work.
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Jun 4, 2008
    1,115
    192
    Texas
    Well I had to stop shooting for about 6 months due to a motorcycle accident. Now that I'm back though I figured I would share the results of the first trip to the range with my latest rifle. It was built by William Roscoe at Louisiana Precision Rifles and he did an amazing job from what I have seen so far. Many thanks to him for the effort and attention he put into this stick. Anyhow, here are the specs for the rifle:
    Fall2010060.jpg


    -6.5x47mm Lapua shooting 123 gr Scenars over CCI BR-4 primers, between 35.2 and 38.8 grs of Varget, held together by Lapua brass, seated to COAL of 2.704" to be touching the lands.
    -McMillan A-5 stock
    -Krieger fluted 5R barrel 22" with 1:8.5" twist in stainless steel, contour #7
    -Surgeon Round action
    -Huber 2-stage trigger set to 2 lbs.
    -CDI bottom metal
    -Harris bipod
    -Nightforce 3-15x F1 in Seekins rings
    -Assembled, coated, and bedded by William Roscoe of Louisiana Precision Rifles

    I made 38 rounds that were identical except for varying powder charges. 12x 35.2grs and then 3x of 35.6, 36.0, 36.4, 36.8, 37.2, 37.6, 38.0, 38.4, and 38.8 grs.

    I zeroed at 100 yards and only shot one 3- shot group which resulted in a .274" group. Not bad seeing as I was trying to get zeroed and not trying for outright accuracy. By the way, this target was rotated 90* to the right for your viewing pleasure. The group was actually low and centered, not left and centered elevation-wise. I dialed in another .2 mil elevation and called it good when I was in the circle.
    173.jpg

    174.jpg



    After that I drove out to 400 yards and started shooting 3 rounds at a time and recording the impacts on a seperate sheet. I was simultaneously watching for pressure signs but there was nothing consistent other than flattened primers. Had a little primer cratering on the hottest loads and one of the medium loads. Also had a couple rounds that made a small indentation from the ejector and slightly heavy bolt lift.

    Looking at the target there was a spread of about 6.5" of elevation through the course of firing all the different loads. Things topped-out after about 36.4grs and didn't really climb significantly higher. My guess is velocity wasn't increasing much after this point and I was just making higher chamber pressures and a bigger flash out the end of my barrel with all the extra powder. Interestingly, two of the hottest loads completely seperated from the the rest of the groups and migrated to the right side and displayed a lot of vertical spread.
    171.jpg

    172.jpg


    Unless someone can convince me otherwise I am planning on doing further load development with 36.8grs of Varget. Higher power loads didn't impact much higher so I'm thinking they didn't have much more velocity. Plus the accuracy of some of the hotter loads were much worse. On the other hand, everything below 36.4grs is obviously giving up some velocity. I know I'm only supposed to be concerned with vertical spread right now but it is hard to walk away from a group size of 1.2" at 400 yards that doesn't exhibit much vertical spread, doesn't beat-up my brass, is near the max velocity for my rifle, and is in a node where adding or dropping some powder doesn't make a big difference either way.

    Feel free to ask questions or share thoughts/opinions. I already know I didn't execute a proper ladder test but I would say I got solid enough results to determine a good direction to pursue.


     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    sexy rifle, congrats!! that tiny group says it all!!

    Hope one day I can shoot as good as you guys, and that will be the day I get a better rifle =)
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    36.8 looks good. Only reason to do further testing is if chrono # are too high. Run 15 over a chronograph and if E/S is below 20 fps and the load is consistently accurate, run with it.

    Oh yea. Great looking rifle.
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    I agree on the 36.8 - looks good.

    I'm curious what velocities you're getting out of the 123s... I've been debating a 6.5 or 6mm barrel for my AI but with so many options I can't seem to make up my mind. Any info on your velocities would be appreciated.
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    the vertical spread with the 36.8 does not bother you? if the velocity is good with the 35.6 why would you not work with that seems to have less vertical stringing. what do you think? seems to be a good group
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    Nice rig dude! Welcome to the 6.5 club, you're ruined now!

    I like the fact that 36.4 and 36.8 are basically on top of each other. I would just split them, and work with some other variables.

    If you color the bullets with different color sharpie markers, they will mark themselves in the paper eliminating the need to get off the gun and spot hits. I have done a number of OCW's in the last two weeks and I couldn't reliably see the groups or individual holes with any consistency. I would also recommend shooting in a "round robin" fashion. This will spread barrel heat variations across all groups. That also has the side benefit of keeping your mind on making individual shots count instead of trying to shoot groups. That is especially true now that you have an idea of where results will come. Let the rifle make the groups, you just drive.

    You may also consider moving the target back. It will keep the rounds from making one huge clump.

    Here is an example of the colored marker trick:
    photo-1.jpg




    Edited: The paper this is shot on is thick, almost like poster board. It comes in packs of three at staples. It has a matte side and a gloss side. the target above is shot on the matte side. It is also shaped perfectly, 12" wide and about 24' tall approx.
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    First off McC...glad to hear you're ok.

    Second...Awesome rifle it seems to be shooting very well for you.

    All rifle barrel combo's are different, it's odd how much difference there can be at times. I like my x47 Lapua.
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    I will be the outlier here.

    I dont like the looks of the 36.8g "node". I tend to look at where subsequent load landed, not the groups. If you look at the groups above and below your 36.8g loads, there is alot of vertical dispersion. The 37.2g load is a couple inches higher in the POI from your "node". Also, the 36.8g is almost all vertical dispersion.

    I would center my loads around 37.4 or 37.5g. If you look at your target, the 37.2g load and the 37.6g load there is little to no vertical dispersion. Even the 38g load is in the same vertical plane of the 2 previous loads. I would load 10/20 at 37.2g/37.4g/37.6g and shoot at distance over a chronograph to see which load shoots best and see which load has the lowest ES/SD.

    How much more brass life or less barrel report can be contributed to 0.6g of powder really?
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    Nice looking rifle, LA Precision turned out another work of art!

    I really like the 6.5x47 round! I'd like to know what velocities you are getting with that 22" barrel. That is the length I am building my next rifle in (6.5x47L of course).

    Btw, My 2 best accuracy nodes with my 6.5x47 were at 37gr (around 2830fps) and at 38gr of varget (around 2930fps). I was running a 25" Rock Creek barrel.
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    Unfortunately guys I don't have a chrono, nor access to anyone elses around here so I only go off what the target shows me.

    KYreloader does bring up a good point though that was also mentioned by a couple other people I talked with. 37.6 does have a low vertical spread, right around half an inch. However both 37.2 and 38.0 both have well over an inch so I was shying away from it. On the other hand, 36.8 was a good group but is bracketed by 37.2 and 36.4 which once again have quite a bit of vertical.

    That being said though, I think I will seek further results in the 37.4-37.6 area as everything from 37.2 to 38.4 impacted in generally the same vertical space. I just measured and they all impacted within 2 inches on the vertical plane, so .5 moa over the span of 1.2 grs of powder isn't too bad.

    BTW, I didn't mention it as horizontal wasn't supposed to be relevant anyways but a storm front was blowing in during the middle of this string and that probably counts for a lot of the horizontal spread that we see in the rounds that were fired later in the session.

    Thanks Mav for your words. Maybe it is a good thing to be reminded every once in a while that we aren't unstoppable.

    SNAFU- thanks for your input as always. I was shooting at 400 yards which is the furthest I could shoot in the area of the range that was available at the time. Later I can get out to 1000 though. I actually did paint the projos with permanent marker but it didn't show up nearly as well as your photos showed. Perhaps the trick is to have it on thicker stock to offer more resistance and friction? I considered shooting in a round robin fashion also but wanted to be able to watch for pressure signs. Didn't want to look at my brass later and wonder which signs went with which load.
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    When you are doing round robin, just check for pressure on the way up the first string. I single load each round, and then replace the empty where it came from in the box. That allows me to look at them all together, and then close inspect them individually.

    FWIW, I was using 37 gr of Varget with the 123 lapua and that gave me around 2900fps( 24" barrel). I shot a thousand or so of those but recently found that in between 38-38.5 was a nice node and i have been really happy with that.

    Tha Lapua brass for the 47 (and .338lm) is very stout. You can just hammer it.
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    What's the vertical on the 35.6 gr load?

    BTW, sweet rig!
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    Thanks SNAFU, I will keep that in mind next time.

    Vertical on 35.6 grs is .592"
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    Once you're set on a load run one last ladder test at 300 yards by adjusting the seating depth .005" at a time to come off / out of the lands from touching to .015" off. There will be a winner.

    The Scenars in my 260 shoot best at .005" off the lands.

    Nice looking rifle, I was beginning to worry if cob webs had taken it over
    wink.gif
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    Nice looking stick! very nice

    Shame you dont have access to a chrony, but your initial results look promising. Just investigate a little further and im sure a nice charge weight will reveal itself. Choice on working out at 400 yards... imo makes these tests so much easier to work with. Any closer than 300 and everything tends to be masked.

    What reloading equipment are you using? Any measurements for concentricity/runout ?
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    Roscoe- I felt bad about not shooting it but with a broken collarbone and my right hand in a cast I simply couldn't. I'm continuing the load development and will vary the seating depths like you suggested. She will be in her first competition in March and I will let you know how we do.

    Vman- I use a Dillon 550B press with Redding Type-S neck dies and bushings, with the micrometer seating dies. Honestly I stopped measuring runout as I never saw more than .004", and the vast majority of my rounds have .002 or less. I only check them if I drop the completed round on the floor and want to see if it got knocked out of alignment.
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: McCrazy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Roscoe- I felt bad about not shooting it but <span style="color: #FF0000"><span style="text-decoration: underline">with a broken collarbone and my right hand in a cast</span></span> I simply couldn't. I'm continuing the load development and will vary the seating depths like you suggested. She will be in her first competition in March and I will let you know how we do.</div></div>

    That qualifies you for a "pass"
    wink.gif


    Glad you're OK and GTG now.
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    Great post. Thanks for posting, and helped me out. I working up a load for 22" Kreiger 6.5x47, except 8 twist with Varget. Using 142smk, I was getting pressure signs at 37.3. Have not done a ladder test, yet. I have 123smk's on the way, and will use your data as a starting point for a ladder test.

    Nice stick.
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    So I went back out shooting a few weeks ago. Did another OCW on 37.4grs and 37.6grs shooting from 400 yards. Then did some groups at 100 yards of both powder charges with the 123gr Scenars at varying seating depths of touching, .005, .010, .015, and .020.

    I have to say thanks to those that recommended I try the 37.4 load as it turned out to be exactly what I need and I almost didn't try it out.

    The OCW target is below and clearly shows that 37.4grs has significantly less vertical dispersion than the 37.6gr load. The 37.6gr impacts are circled in blue while the red is for 37.4gr. You can also see that over the course of 400 yards that there is not much POI change between the 2 charges.

    031.jpg


    The OCW test went perfectly so I should have known that shooting for groups would be an issue. There was quite a bit of mirage, especially as I was shooting the 37.6gr loads for groups. It messed up my shots a little as I was shooting at shifting targets but the results for the 37.4gr load are still great enough that I am confident using them. Roscoe knows his rifles because his recommended .015" jump was the best group and falls in between two other good groups so it is the load I chose.

    37.6gr loads:

    032.jpg


    37.4gr loads:

    DSC02045.jpg
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    That 37.4/0.112 is s-w-e-e-t! Congrats!
    And seeing that costed me money. Going for 6.5x47 too.

    BTW. If you dont have access to chrono, you can measure exact drop at, f.e. 500yds, after zeroing rifle carefully. Very close estimation of MV can be calculated backwards from drop- especially if you are able to give solid weather and range data with it.

     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    Thanks JL, sorry to hear about your loss hahaha.

    I have been doing some backwards calculations with my ballistic calculator to figure out a solid guess for velocity. Waiting until I get a few more data points in the next couple weeks before I take it too serious though.
     
    Re: LPR 6.5x47mm Lapua range report

    McC
    Looks good brother.
    I tested the 123 and 139 with RL-15
    They both liked 37gr of powder and a jump. Now I have not measured the chamber and it has >1K rounds down the pipe but I still load them the same and it still shoots through one hole at 100. 6.5X47L is sweet. No recoil and a Surgeon action is GTG.
    Have fun with that.