AW 6.5x47 second run out

[brown dog]

Second run out with the new 6.5x47 barrel today.

Aim was to try some incremental loads to see if I could tighten groups up; planned to do 37.5gr; 37.8gr, 38.1gr and 38.5gr.

And the key to this note: Having picked Darrel’s (foxing2night) brain; also added another variable to the mix; and knocked up 5 x 37.5gr rounds at a 0.75mm longer OAL and 6 similar rounds at 38.5gr (thus duplicating Darrel’s wildly successful benchrest load for his identical rifle).

Started at 200yds for load testing and, later, moved back to get data at 3,4,5 &600yds.

 

First groups (200yds) were with my ‘old’ 37.5 loads to check zero from a few days ago; as well as measure change between suppressor and muzzle brake.

 

1st group (suppressor)

3rd group (having switched to muzzle brake and adjusted mpi back on)

 

Then not wildly ecstatic at performance, which seemed again to be in the 0.4MOA bracket,

I decided to try the first DARREL LOAD.

 

4 shots of 37.5gr OAL 0.75mm longer

 

:D

 

Didn’t fire the 5th because I was so excited at the step change that I wanted to get the chrono out to measure the 5th round (which took 5-10 minutes to sort out ).

 

Well, I abandoned ‘load development’ at this point!

 

MV was 2845fps - which was the same as the ‘old’ 37.5gr loads (but 15fps faster than when I fired the same load earlier in the week).

 

Thanks Darrel!

 

Did the rest of the mornings plinking with the ‘old’ load:

4th group (muzzle brake)

[garyw]

Second run out with the new 6.5x47 barrel today.

Aim was to try some incremental loads to see if I could tighten groups up; planned to do 37.5gr; 37.8gr, 38.1gr and 38.5gr.

And the key to this note: Having picked Darrel’s (foxing2night) brain; also added another variable to the mix; and knocked up 5 x 37.5gr rounds at a 0.75mm longer OAL and 6 similar rounds at 38.5gr (thus duplicating Darrel’s wildly successful benchrest load for his identical rifle).

Started at 200yds for load testing and, later, moved back to get data at 3,4,5 &600yds.

 

First groups (200yds) were with my ‘old’ 37.5 loads to check zero from a few days ago; as well as measure change between suppressor and muzzle brake.

1st group (suppressor)

3rd group (having switched to muzzle brake and adjusted mpi back on)

 

Then not wildly ecstatic at performance, which seemed again to be in the 0.4MOA bracket,

I decided to try the first DARREL LOAD.

 

4 shots of 37.5gr OAL 0.75mm longer

 

:D

 

Didn’t fire the 5th because I was so excited at the step change that I wanted to get the chrono out to measure the 5th round (which took 5-10 minutes to sort out ).

 

Well, I abandoned ‘load development’ at this point!

 

MV was 2845fps - which was the same as the ‘old’ 37.5gr loads (but 15fps faster than when I fired the same load earlier in the week).

 

Thanks Darrel!

 

Did the rest of the mornings plinking with the ‘old’ load:

4th group (muzzle brake)

whats not to like?cant understand the bit about darrel having a brain?

[Offroad Gary]

Whats the jump on them bullets now Matt? (In thou if you can?)

[brown dog]

Whats the jump on them bullets now Matt? (In thou if you can?)

 

Not measured it! ........I'm a little into the 'intuitive' school of load development ; I reasoned that Darrel's barrel was almost certainly cut with the same reamer as mine; and whatever was working for him in his chamber would work for me in mine - and he was kind enough to tell me.

 

I'd say that the bullet is 'kissing' the rifling; but I'd also say that I have a feeling the leade angle is very shallow angle on this chamber - an extracted round has light rifling polish marks on the bullet surface, but appears to extract without fuss.

[Chris-NZ]

Matt-

 

I assume you're talking 123s?

 

The powder- Varget or RL15?

 

cheers

Chris-NZ

[brown dog]

Matt-

 

I assume you're talking 123s?

 

The powder- Varget or RL15?

 

cheers

Chris-NZ

 

Sorry Chris, yup, 123 scenars, RL15, CCI magnums.

[dannywayoflife]

The 6.5x47 does seem to be a tack driving calibre!

[foxing2night]

Matt, I am only to glad to be of help ,,,

 

I would try and go up on that load???

 

You might tighten up that group a little bit more ,,

 

Nice shooting by the way,,,

 

Darrel

 

PS, please do try varget you might have a nice surprise????

[Chris-NZ]

+1 on the latter.

Not just my experience but you often see Varget getting an honourable mention in this context

[Dustyman]

Looking good there Matt , glad to see its getting to where you want it to be .

Be interested to see if you try the Varget where you end up .

If you don't mind me asking was that .75 on your original/old setup length or , .75mm on a new format ?

 

Cheers

 

I keep meaning to ask generally as well . What is the group measuring software that is used often on images such as these ? Is it a commercial programme or a homemade setup , thanx

[brown dog]

Matt, I am only to glad to be of help ,,,

 

I would try and go up on that load???

 

You might tighten up that group a little bit more ,,

 

Nice shooting by the way,,,

 

Darrel

 

PS, please do try varget you might have a nice surprise????

 

Thanks Darrel, I've got a few tubs of RL15 to get through before I can make the switch (the amount I managed to shoot this year, it might last me a while! )

 

I didn't mention, I tried the 6 rds of 38.5 DARREL (which is what I'm calling these loads!) the MV was spot on your prediction of 2914, but it grouped as per my 37.5 'Old'.

 

I think the 37.5 DARREL is as good as it gets for me - I'm using an AI bipod without cant lock and a back bag; I think I'm the limiting factor! The performance change from my old loads was jaw dropping - I'm only giving up 70fps and have a feeling my barrel may continue to speed up a bit over the next 80-100rds; so the gap might reduce. Fingers crossed!

[terryh]

Matt,

 

'Result' as they say! nice reasoning re. Reamer and barrels - KISS (and it fits your attitude/aproach to reloading )

 

Keep meaning to try Varget myself, but have a coupe of tubs of R15 to go through first. What loads/ velocities folks getting with Varget please?

 

Terry

[Offroad Gary]

Matt, if you had primed cases and bullets you could be testing varget tomorrow. Loaded in a truck, the way you like it......

[Ronin]

Excellent results .

 

 

Just goes to show what some time spent at the reloading bench does to improve things,,,,

 

 

You should try Varget, you will be pleasantly surprised....

 

 

Cant wait to do a "47" barrel for the AX now...

[MJR]

Just goes to show what some time spent at the reloading bench does to improve things,,,,

 

Andy, you've got to be joking right? BD's laid back, near horizontal approach to load develoment and the crafty so and so lucks into someone else's 'time at the reloading bench'

 

Good shooting by the way BD, well done Darrel!

[foxing2night]

Matt, I found that the rel15 is a very dirty powder and now that i use varget my barrel will clean up within a few patches,,,

 

And yes your reasoning that your barrel will speed up a bit once you have got a few hundred rounds down the tube would be correct I would think,,

 

Velocity,,, I have run rel15 and varget at the same time and to be honest there was not much difference between the two??.

I have got the read out from Glens ohler chrono for the varget and the rel15 powders that were used with the 123g scenars, I will have to try and load them up onto my pc and post them??. but to be honest the rel15 had the lowest sd and es,, but the varget consistently gave the better groups???,, So go and figure on that one ,To me the best load combo is the one that gives me tiny little groups,

The second outing that I did was also to check, not only my front bag rider but to see how my new cleaning solvent made a difference to how the barrel shoots,, after many years of using butches bore shine I have tried boretech, I must say with very good results??,

So all in all I was very happy with the out come.

 

Also i found that there was large deviations from chrono to chrono and it was not until Glen let me try his that all my charts started to work properly??, People should be very mined-full of this,,, as they say sh1t in sh1t out,,,

 

Also there can be a big difference in the scope click values as regards to what the manufacturer actually states,,,,

 

All your charts coupled with the right information work bot on,,,

 

All the best to you all, Darrel

[brown dog]

Looking good there Matt , glad to see its getting to where you want it to be .

Be interested to see if you try the Varget where you end up .

If you don't mind me asking was that .75 on your original/old setup length or , .75mm on a new format ?

 

Cheers

 

I keep meaning to ask generally as well . What is the group measuring software that is used often on images such as these ? Is it a commercial programme or a homemade setup , thanx

 

It's the Czech load 0.75mm longer - don't do it for that rifle!

 

The software is ontarget; free download here: http://ontargetshooting.com/download1.html

[brown dog]

Matt, I found that the rel15 is a very dirty powder and now that i use varget my barrel will clean up within a few patches,,,

 

And yes your reasoning that your barrel will speed up a bit once you have got a few hundred rounds down the tube would be correct I would think,,

 

Velocity,,, I have run rel15 and varget at the same time and to be honest there was not much difference between the two??.

I have got the read out from Glens ohler chrono for the varget and the rel15 powders that were used with the 123g scenars, I will have to try and load them up onto my pc and post them??. but to be honest the rel15 had the lowest sd and es,, but the varget consistently gave the better groups???,, So go and figure on that one ,To me the best load combo is the one that gives me tiny little groups,

The second outing that I did was also to check, not only my front bag rider but to see how my new cleaning solvent made a difference to how the barrel shoots,, after many years of using butches bore shine I have tried boretech, I must say with very good results??,

So all in all I was very happy with the out come.

 

Also i found that there was large deviations from chrono to chrono and it was not until Glen let me try his that all my charts started to work properly??, People should be very mined-full of this,,, as they say sh1t in sh1t out,,,

 

Also there can be a big difference in the scope click values as regards to what the manufacturer actually states,,,,

 

All your charts coupled with the right information work bot on,,,

 

All the best to you all, Darrel

 

Thanks Darrel, I'll definitely give varget a go - RL15 does seem a tad dirty, it stinks like Eastern block ammo and it's temperature sensitive - what's not to like?! Trouble is I have 3 tubs of RL15 to get through before I can do that!

[gbal]

Looking good there Matt , glad to see its getting to where you want it to be .

Be interested to see if you try the Varget where you end up .

If you don't mind me asking was that .75 on your original/old setup length or , .75mm on a new format ?

 

Cheers

 

I keep meaning to ask generally as well . What is the group measuring software that is used often on images such as these ? Is it a commercial programme or a homemade setup , thanx

 

Amen to this request for how groups are measured-even just including a ruler/scale indicator would help.It used to be centre to centre of the widest apart shots,less calibre.One bright spark was taking off the best and worst shot(he said it was good general statistical prctice to remove these 'outliers'-plonker!),which gives great results, with three shot groups,and helps the 5shot ones too!

gerg (statistical fine tuning applied)

[brown dog]

Amen to this request for how groups are measured-even just including a ruler/scale indicator would help.It used to be centre to centre of the widest apart shots,less calibre.One bright spark was taking off the best and worst shot(he said it was good general statistical prctice to remove these 'outliers'-plonker!),which gives great results, with three shot groups,and helps the 5shot ones too!

gerg (statistical fine tuning applied)

 

The dimensions are given in the text of each picture.

The software is ontarget; free download here: http://ontargetshooting.com/download1.html

[Ronin]

Just goes to show what some time spent at the reloading bench does to improve things,,,,

 

Andy, you've got to be joking right? BD's laid back, near horizontal approach to load develoment and the crafty so and so lucks into someone else's 'time at the reloading bench'

 

Good shooting by the way BD, well done Darrel!

 

 

 

You should know me well enough by now to know that was said with tongue firmly in cheek....

[MJR]

Yep

[Dustyman]

Thanks for the link. Had seen the measuring software in many places , was interested as it seems to allow better centering of the bullet hole in the paper when assessing group size especially when the holes seem a bit ragged .

 

Cheers ref col . Not my intention to mess with the current load , soz , just being nosy for future reference :-) . That load is still shooting enlarged 1 hole groups so I don't see any need at all to mess . If you try varget and it works , I will be happy to buy the balance of r15 off u for my use save u having to shoot it all off ?

 

Cheers