New 6.5 x40......something wildcat!

[selfbowhunter]

this project started out to be a 6.5x47 but do to several events, i decided i did not want to be married to lapua brass. i almost went with the .260ackley but also wanted to be able to run through an unmodified AICS mag and be at the lands if i wanted to. what i ended up with was a long 6.5x47 that uses any of the .308 derivatives for brass. i pushed the shoulder back on a piece of .243 brass far enough to make the .300 long neck and for the 30 degree shoulder. it would be very close to the 6mm super LR on 6mmhot.com. this is what it looks likethe brass is form by simply running it in a 6.5x47 body die at the proper setting. the necks are then expanded up, trimmed, and turned since my reamer has a .294 neck. no different really than getting .260 brass ready from .243 or 7mm-08.
the rifle is built on a surgeon RSR and is pillar and glass bedded in a mcmillan thumbhole stock and cdi bottom metal. the barrel is a 1-8 benchmark in medium palma contour finished at 27". it wears a sightron 6-24x50MD. here is a pick of the rifle. it still needs paint, flush cups, and a pad. i wanted to shoot it and make sure i wasnt going to rechamber to .260 or .260ack before going through the trouble of finishing.
all i have run through the rifle so far are 140 a-max with ramshot hunter and h4350. either powder will easily push this bullet to 2900 with no primer cratering, hard bolt lift, or loose primer pockets. i think 3000 would be possible if you wanted to push the brass. what i have used so far is ww 7mm-08 brass but i will try some .243 lapua soon. i also intend to try the 130 berger, 123 a-max, and 123 scenar. the 140 a-max is kissing the lands at mag length but i ran it at 2.875. here is the third through fifth shots through the rifle. i need to get a bushing die to control my neck tension. i am using a modified lee .260 collet die right nowall in all i consider it a very good success since it will run the 140's at 2900 plus with no pressure issues and can utilize unmodified magazines. having a reamer and dies properly made for this cartridge would be a worthwhile endeavor i think.

chuck

 

[rcw3]

Re: New 6.5 super LR up and shooting!

Very cool! Coupled with my work on the 6mm Super LR, I also made up the 6.5 Super LR that's a little bit different than yours. Mine has the same body and head space as the 6mm Super LR that's on our 6mmAR.com website and winds up with a .329" long neck. I never published much on it yet because I did not have as much testing time with it as I wanted, but it is definitely a viable cartridge and shoots real well.

On left is a .243 Win case, next to a 6mm Super LR cartridge (Center) and followed by a 6.5 Super LR (Right).

With the current batch of 6mm Super LR dies I have was thinking I could modify one (open up the through hole below where the bushing sits) and use it with a larger bushing. This seems like it would not be a hard modification to make the dies I have work for it. It would also need a 6.5 mm expander button (inexpensive part) and the right size bushing and you would be good to go.

Robert Whitley
www.6mmAR.com

 

[selfbowhunter]

Re: New 6.5 super LR up and shooting!

robert,

it seems to me your cartride is the best that can be done on a short action fed from a magazine with reliable feeding. my neck is .300 long because the neck on the reamer is .320. my hands were tied there but the overall length looks very close. mine is exactly 2" with the .300 neck length. i think it is a very viable cartridge but there will always be those who say "what does it do that ...... doesnt?" well, maybe nothing but i like to be different and do it my way. could you pm me some load data when you get time? 45gr of h4350 makes 2907 average for me with ES of 7 and SD of 3. i will stretch it out some IF the wind ever dies down.

chuck

chuck

 

[rcw3]

Re: New 6.5 super LR up and shooting!

Here's a 10 shot target at 100 yards (prone with a sling) with the 6.5 Super LR with 44.7 gr. of N160, Russian Primers and Berger 130 gr VLD's in the lands .012". First time at 600 yards with this I shot a 199/16x (i.e. lost one point to winds but hammered the x ring pretty well even so).

For the sizing die now I am using an original 6XC die Tubb used to sell held up off the shell holder .120", with one of the neck/shoulder bushings he sells that we opened up to re-size the 6.5 mm brass (instead of 6mm).

 

[selfbowhunter]

Re: New 6.5 super LR up and shooting!

it just doesnt get any better than that! what the freebore and oal with the 130 berger? that was one i was really interested in trying. i looked at your site and it appears my cartridge trim to length is about .025 shorter than yours. what velocity are you getting with the 130?

chuck

 

[Captain Kirk]

Re: New 6.5 super LR up and shooting!

Nice work Robert, keep us posted on velocity, looks very promising.

Kirk R

 

[rcw3]

Re: New 6.5 super LR up and shooting!

The 44.7 gr. load of N160 was running 2946 fps with the 130 VLD's (ES 12, SD 5) but it was incredibly accurate. 45 gr. of N160 was just as accurate but when I got up to 45.5 gr. the tight accuracy did not hold on long strings of fire, although there was no problem running loads that hard (not a pressure problem at all).

The freebore on my reamer was .125" with a one and a half degree throat angle (chamber max for case 2.040"). For magazine feed out of a short action it would be hard to run the 130 VLDS without jumping them as they have a super long and pointy front end and hit the lands at 2.941" OAL. The 123 Lapuas hit the lands on that chamber at 2.899". The 142 Sierras hit the lands at 2.906".

With a load of 43 gr of H4350, the Lapua 123's were running 3004 fps with an ES of 28 and an SD of 10 and with 43.5 gr of H4350, the Lapua 123's were running 3026 fps with an ES of 19 and an SD of 6. I wanted to work a little more with the 123 Lapuas as they too shot real well, but I have so darn many projects going at once, it is hard to always spend the time to test some things to the extent I want to.

If I was going to do a lot of magazine feed work with the bigger bullets and wanted to keep them close to the lands I would cut back the freebore on the reamer to the .050" to .075" range and I don't think it would hurt a thing.

 

[selfbowhunter]

Re: New 6.5 super LR up and shooting!

robert,

my reamer has .104 freebore. that coupled with the slightly shorter case length will allow me to stay close to the lands with some bullets. i think the 123 scenar or 123 a-max may be the bullet i go with. i need to come up with some to try.
i appreciate your time and load info.

chuck

 

[Jedi]

Re: New 6.5 super LR up and shooting!

Rob
Great alternative to 6-6.5x47 or 6.5x47, lapua brass is $$$

i luv my x47 but not brass price, when i rebarrel i will be looking at both of you SLR offerings

just not sure if i want a 6 or 6.5

 

[JamieD]

Re: New 6.5 super LR up and shooting!

Is that a Holland stock made by McMillan or did you buy that direct. I have two now and lke them a a lot.

Thanks,
JamieD
Wolf Precision
All Hogs Go to Heaven

 

[selfbowhunter]

Re: New 6.5 super LR up and shooting!

the stock is from hollands. i too have several and love them. i also need to clarify something. this is NOT an actual 6.5 super LR. i will reaname the post topic. this cartridge was derived by me running my 6.5x47 reamer in deep enough to headspace off a piece of brass i made by running a .243 through the 6.5x47 die far enough to create the neck length necessary and the 30 degree shoulder. the case dimension are close to the super LR but they are NOT the same. i came up with the idea becuase i did not want to be tied down to lapua brass. now i can use lapua .308 or .243 if i choose or i can use any of the much cheaper alternative. waiting on the wind to die so i can shoot it at 550yds. hopefully this evening. i will update with more chronograph info and some group pics.

chuck

 

[selfbowhunter]

Re: New 6.5 super LR up and shooting!

shot at 550yds this evening. condition were terrible with strong winds but the rifle did well. 3" groups with horizontal stringing. 44.5gr of h4350 averaged 2885, 45gr averaged 2910, and 45.5 averaged 2948. 45.5 had the best ES and SD. there were no ejector marks or primer cratering with 45.5gr but there was very slight resistance with the bolt lift so i think this is getting close to max. all loads were with naked 140 a-max. ill update load development when i come up with some different bullets.

chuck