6.5x47 powder

[Tuck]

Hi all just about to start to load this calibre I have a 1kg tub of vv550 and also varget! I know both these powders will both work so to speak I will be trying to get about 2850fps with the 123 amax, with a 22" tube I'm keen to use the 550 but iv heard it can be harsh on barrels any info/pointers much appreciated

 

Rob

[foxing2night]

Varget

 

Darrel

[Ronin]

Varget +1

[Chris-NZ]

x 3

[jimmy milnes]

Try N150 pal good results in my 6.5x47 and thats a baby barrel compared to yours as it's 18in.

Regards

 

Jimmy

[Chris-NZ]

Ronny-

 

How does your V550 rating as likely best powder tie in with your first (valid) comment on it being a "hotter" and harder on barrels?

 

Wouldn't be a powder I'd choose first especially if I was after decent barrel life

 

Chris-NZ

[Offroad Gary]

Varget for me!

 

I thought h4350 was another favourite??

 

Didnt realise quickload predicted accuracy? How does it do that, considering all rifles are different???

[gun nut]

How does Viht 140 compare on Quickload Ronny?

 

Mike

[6.5shooter]

I have had excellent results with reloader 15 and imr4350

 

Garry

[6.5shooter]

Garry, your priceless, I have just ran imr4350 in this combination and yet again the PM and Z1 lines are aligned. I am sure there is something about getting this lines aligned for good accuracy. It could just be fluke of course.

 

 

Ronny,

 

I dont own a quickload or have never used one so I cant comment on how it works.

All I know is 38.3 of reloader 15 in a 27" border with a 123 scenar is one tiny hole.

Imr 4350 with a 130 berger vld also a tinyer hole. Cant remem charge.

[Brillo]

I have done extensive reloading tests on my 6.5x47, which was built for me by Mik of Dolphin Guns. The barrel is a heavy 30" 1:8 twist Lilja so my data would not be necessarily compatible with your 22" tube. However, I can say that Viht N550 has given me superb results with Lapua 123 and 139 grain bullets in the 38.1 - 38.9 grain range for the 139 grain heads and 38.6 - 39.7 for the 123 grainers.

 

For 120 - 123 grain heads I've also had excellent results with RL15 at about 39 grains. Two powders that are even better than that in my gun are Elcho 17 and TR140. The Elcho 17 easily pushes 139 grn Lapuas at 3000 fps without any pressure signs.

 

HTH

[Tuck]

Excellent thanks loads of useful info here, thanks Ronny i will be giving them both a try thankyou for your input, and everyone else's its good to hear from everyone. Iv wanted this calibre for 2 years and finally getting one. Ronny what sort of velocities is it giving you on the QL with the VV550 out of the 22" tube? I know it's not gospel but just find it very intresting and to be honest the info Ronny has given me via QL has always been fairly accurate. His info on my 243 ackley for the 105 amax was within 50fps when I chronoed the load. And is very accurate

[gun nut]

Hi Ronny,

I find Viht 140 gives me good groups, is clean burning and doesn't need a re do of the load every time a tub runs out. RL 15 didn't group any better, was quite dirty and there seamed to be inconsistency between batches, maybe I was just unlucky with the tubs I got.

 

Mike

[Ronin]

Ive built numerous 6.5x47's.

 

Probably the most popular calibre I get asked to do.

 

Without exception, people go away and try various powders (despite being suggested they try Varget first...) I don't know anyone shooting a rifle I've built who uses a different powder to varget in this calibre.

[Chris-NZ]

Ronny-

 

regarding the 500 series VV powders, they're known as hard on barrels and that's why they'll never be my first choice. My gunsmith who did (until he died recently) -lots- of F-Class barrels said the fastest dying barrel he ever saw was from a guy using 560. Can't remember the figure but I think it was in the order of 600 rounds in a 6.5-284. Terrible anyway whatever it was.

 

Getting back to 120/123 class bullets in 6.5L's, Varget and RL15 are def at the top of the heap in terms of reported good results.

 

Chris-NZ

[Chris-NZ]

I was sure I had read somewhere that Varget is also hard on barrels, read the article below;

 

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/varget-hard-barrels-63316/

 

 

If you read it, there is basically NO evidence that this claim is true, just one indirect anecdotal example.

 

If Varget was bad on barrels, why is it that AR2206 (its slightly faster brother) has not killed my NRA barrel at over 5000 documented full-power rounds?

Here's a test group I shot recently with it:

 

 

If I wanted long barrel life in something that required roughly H4350 powder burning speed, I'd probably go with W760 which seems to be a bit nicer on barrels, probably because it's a ball powder.

[Brillo]

Ive built numerous 6.5x47's.

 

Probably the most popular calibre I get asked to do.

 

Without exception, people go away and try various powders (despite being suggested they try Varget first...) I don't know anyone shooting a rifle I've built who uses a different powder to varget in this calibre.

I'm gonna have to try Varget now. I can't find any Hodgdon data for it. What is a good start point for the 120 grain SMK and 123 grain SMK and Lapua bullets?