6.5 X 47 Lapua and IMR 8208 XBR

[GaCop]

8) 8)hi my name is john i live in ne-kansas here is my 6.5x47lapua story on 12-3-2009 i recived my Brux 30 inch barrel from Devin Sinner of Sinner Arms .Devin did the chamber work and did a great job ,the barrel and his work cost $401.00 to my door .This barrel was for my FClass savage, which after i unscrewed the factory 6mmbr barrel i installed the new Brux barrel with the uses of a PTG go gauge .I started loading the new Lapua brass and after 518 rounds done the tube,my two favorite powders are RL-15 and VARGET my best load are rem 7.5,RL-15 37.5,123 Lapua,ES17.8,SD6.6, 2979FPS, 5 Shots .247,and the best group ive shot so far is .193 5shots at 100 yds. the load is fed.205m,varget 36.2,130 bergers 2865fbs.ES20.5,SD8.4,.This is a great rifle cartridge comb.I hope this info help and i hope guy;s have as good of luck with your rifles has i have had with mine.PS i would be willing to rent my go gauge if anyone is interested email me at jkoppes@bluevalley.net GOOD SHOOTING 8) 8)


Devin does excellent work, I've gotten a number of barrels from him. I'll give your data a try. I knew my loads were a bit on the light side but felt it was safer to go light the first time out, especially after headspacing with a piece of brass.

Tom

[20-tac]

hi tom i should have state that these loads are MAX in my rifle .RL-15 is the best powder in my rifle,varget is a little slower and has larger ES. VVN540 is very accurate but 150 to 200fps.slower.My rifle likes rem7.5 or fed 205m over the other small rifle primer. good luck with your rifle john

[GaCop]

Sent an email early yesterday morning which Lisa answered late yesterday afternoon requesting my phone number so she could contact me. Can't argue with that!

I have never had a problem with Lisa, just be patient! I have ordered several item from them and currently have a stock on order with them! There good, I wish he could find some help as good as he is and "HIRE" him! But I know it's going to take a special person!

Thought: Hey Fred/Lisa, give me a call! It's time for a career change!


Lisa returned my call and I was able to order three of the centerfeed long action followers. I can't complain when someone comes through when they say they will..............Cudo's for Sharp Shooter Supply!

[SMK Shoe]

Well, 2, 8lb jugs of Varget, 2, 1lb jugs of RE-15, 800- SMK 120's, 750+ Nos Custom Comp 140's, 600 Speer 120's, 6K fed small rifle match primers, 800- new Lapua brass, and everything to build the rifle. Only about 17 days and I get to put her together.

[Dennis]

Nice group with the 130 gr Berger Dennis. I've had good results with H4350 in other calibers.

So far I have the SMK 120's and Lapua 123's tuned in. The 123 Lapua's should do anything I want as I have the speed required for long range.

The only thing I can get 130 Bergers and JLK's to shoot with is Varget, with a charge of 35.0 grns. I can cloverleaf them all day long with this load, but only have about 2,720fps. Some say this is all I need.

I tried some RL17 yesterday, well the groups below will speak for them selves!
I might try a lower load with the Bergers, but so far H4350 (pictured above) is about the best powder I have found for my 6.5x47L! And 35.0grns of Varget (pictured above)!

Comments please, I would love to the the 130's shooting out of this gun in the 2,900fps range!
http://i957.photobucket.com/albums/ae56/Dennis4437/130BergersJLKs65x4772degRL17.jpg

[gotcha]

Keep all the good info flowing guys. I'm the next guinea pig after SMKshoe. And quit buying all those 120smk's there's a shortage out there :'(

[GaCop]

Looks like I was lucky ordering a box of 120 SMKs from Graf and Sons early last week, they should be here tomorrow.

[Dennis]

I got lucky and found some 130 Bergers!!!!!!!!

I also have some JLK's coming in now that I ordered last April!!!!!!!!

Thankfully I stocked up a few months ago, If I had known 6.5 130 Bergers were going to be in short supply, I would have bought the store out!

[GaCop]

With the popularity of the 6.5s increasing, you'd think the bullet companies would step up production to eliminate shortages. I've noticed a price increase on all bullets lately but, especially match grade, they're getting almost rediculous. I guess bullets are like gas.........create a shortage to make the price go up.

[GaCop]

I've had accuracy issues since building my 6.5 Lapua. My groups were all over the place and never consistent. I initially thought it was my RCBS dies (which they are to a small degree) then I suspected my scope. Finally, I pulled the stock to see if I needed to rebed the action and found the cause of my accuracy problems..........the rear pillar had broken and was loose in the stock to the point recoil cracked the stock at the narrow point in front of the pillar. Since I'll be shooting my rifle as a single shot using the excellent SSS single shot follower, I decided to fill in the magazine cutout in the stock prior to rebedding the rifle. I cut and shaped a piece of 2X2 to fit the mag box and glassed over the top of it during the rebedding. I fixed the broken/loose rear pillar and rebedded the action. With the added strength of the filled in mag cutout, I don't believe stock cracking will be an issue in the future and maybe NOW the cartridge will perform as it should.

[SMK Shoe]

Well, the Go gauge from Midway that was back ordered shipped friday. So now I should have everything I can think of to complete this build the first week of Apr. I will probably start a new Post and show everything from the begining of the build and all the data for load production. I have dropped a huge amount of $$ on this build. Hoping to be under 1" groups at 200 yrds in the first week. Plan on shooting everyday on vacation and load production every night. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[GaCop]

I'm beginning to lose confidence inthis cartridge or barrel's abilities. Stock fix didn't do squat to fix the dismal accuracy. Only thing I can change now is the scope..............when I can afford it.

[Blue Avenger]

I'm beginning to lose confidence i this cartridge or barrels abilities. Stock fix didn't do squat to fix the dismal accuracy. Only thing I can change now is the scope..............when I can afford it.
you could also try cutting the barrel back 1/2". this dose increase the cost on an a "maybe if".

[Dennis]

I'm beginning to lose confidence i this cartridge or barrels abilities. Stock fix didn't do squat to fix the dismal accuracy. Only thing I can change now is the scope..............when I can afford it.

I am shocked to hear the above! What loads/bullets have you tried? What is the length and twist again?

[GaCop]

26 inch 1 in 8 twist. So far, loads have been with the 120 grain A-Max with RE-15 and Nosler BTHP Match with IMR 4350. I'm getting velocities over 3000 fps with the RE-15 but not consistent sub MOA accuracy even though the Standard Deviation and Extremes Spread figures are low. SD is running single digit between 5 and 9, ES is as low as 20.1.

I length measure to the ogive all the A-Max bullets because I've found the older ones can vary by as much as .009" and the ones I have are two years old. My best group to date at 100 yards has been in the low .6s. Many groups have been over an inch and a half. I've rebedded the stock and that seemed to help a little bit. I lack confidence in the standard full length RCBS die I have but they were all I could afford at the time. Measured neck runout with the size die has been as high as .006 but hovers between .003 and .005. I've replaced the RCBS seater with a Forster Benchrest die just this week and got the group in the 6s but other groups shot were nothing to brag about being in the 3/4" range right up to 1.656" with low SD and ES..........this has me really confused and frustrated.
My next match will have to be shot with my 6mm Norma BR because this rifle is not up to the task of shooting out to 600 yards.............he--, not even 100 yards!

[Aircraftmech76]

Do you have a concentricity gauge to check runout on your rounds? If you don't, I'll check them for you with mine if you want to pay the shipping.

Kevin

[GaCop]

Yes, I have the Hornady L-N-L and an RCBS Case Master. Much of my problem is the run of the mill RCBS dies. I was getting bullet runout as high as .005 and neck runout as high as .005. I was able to tweek the bullet runout to a better .003 average with the Hornady tool. There's little I can do about the sizer die for now. I made the mistake of trying to neck size with a F/L sizer and runout was terrible. I only full length size now turning the case 1/3 turn and resize again, 1/3 turn and resize yet again. This seems to have helped a bit as neck runout is between .003 and .004. The size die WILL be replaced as soon as I can afford it. I'm not giving up, just frustrated, I never run into such accuracy problems before. My 223AI barrel from Sinarms was shooting bughole first time out so I know it's not my loading abilities.

[Dennis]

I am still suprised to hear the above.

I use a RCBS neck sizer and a RCBS Gold Medal seater! Nothing special, Savage action!

With 120smk's-39.3 RL15, 123 Lapua's - 36.2 Varget, 130 Bergers-34.9 Varget, and 139 Lapua's-39.9 VV550!

I seat all in the lands .020 except the smk, which I put on the lands. All the above loads will cloverleaf in my 6.5x47! 28" 8 twist barrel!

[GaCop]

I'll try your 120 SMK loads, working up to the 39.3 grains. I just received some SMKs from Graf's. Today will be spent fine tuning the 6mm BR for the next 600 yard match. I know it will perform and have confidence in it...............more than I can say for the Lapua to date.

[Dennis]

more than I can say for the Lapua to date

Gotta be something wrong. I shot my 6.5x47L today, It was rocking with the 130 Bergers and 139 Lapua's with the loads shown above! CCI450's, both were jammed .020 in the lands!

Again, Savage action, McGowan Barrel-28" 8 twist heavy varmit, SSS trigger. I don't know what else to say!

It loves 39.9 to 40.0 grns VV560. I shot several groups like the 40grn shot below today and yesterday! Berger 130's were the same way!

I find the gun very touchy, and one tenth grain of powder makes a difference! A person from team Lapua told me to shoot the 139's .020 in the lands and find the powder load!

These are three inch sticky targets I am shooting at, groups are smaller than they look, the second 40gr target can be covered with a dime! All are 4 shot groups. I have several targets the same way!

http://i957.photobucket.com/albums/ae56/Dennis4437/139Lapuas031611b.jpg