Change to 6.5x47

[onelesscharlie]

Hi All

 

I've been considering selling my two Tikka stainless varmints, one in 223 and one in 243 and consolidating the two with a Tikka 6.5x47.

The rifle will be used mainly for fox and deer but with the occasional foray into medium range target work.

Cannot seem to decide if i'm making the right decision so help and suggestions please..........

 

thanks

 

Colin

[rem700]

I think the 6.5x47L is the way to go

ive been pondering this myself for a while now

[oaken]

Why not sell the .223 to fund a custom barrel for the .243?

I had a 260 pacnor fitted to my old .243 Tikka 595. It's great and shoots way better than me.

6.5x47 or .260, do it, you won't regret it :-D

Go 6.5x47 with a shorter barrel with lighter bullets and a faster powder or 260 for a longer barreled longer range rig shooting the heavies. I get the 139 scenars to 1200 yards with easy recoil and still supersonic!

Rup

[tony]

I myself pondered for quite sometime about the 6.5x47Lap heard so much about it and have seen them perform so my semi custom rifle is now away for a rebarrel, cant wait to get it back and start loading for it.

[walkabout]

Get a 6.5x47

I have one with a 18" Bartlein and with R17 I'm getting 2810 fps with 41.4 gns and 123gn Lapuas.

Stunning accuracy and lightweight, easy shoots out to 600 yards.

You will not be disappointed.

[PCal]

I can vouch for the effectiveness of both Oaken's and Walkabout's 6.5 calibers. In fact I was so impressed that I am looking to get a either a 260 or 6.5x47 barrel put onto a 243 that is sitting in my cabinet. Is there any noticeable difference in performance between the two?

[tackb]

As said the 260 does better with the heavys and will get a little more with the lighter bullets but unless you intend to use exclusively 140's then it really doesn't matter ?

[Gandy]

I've just made the jump to a 6.5x47 and I have just finished the load development and it seems inherently an accurate cartridge with reasonable barrel life which is easy to reload for.

 

Ticks all the boxes for me, I don't think the .260 will be much different but I don't have any first hand experience.

[gbal]

I can vouch for the effectiveness of both Oaken's and Walkabout's 6.5 calibers. In fact I was so impressed that I am looking to get a either a 260 or 6.5x47 barrel put onto a 243 that is sitting in my cabinet. Is there any noticeable difference in performance between the two?

 

 

I've been thinking the same...there really isn't much in it-the 260 will always have a tad more potential performance as it has tad more capacity.

Choice seems much more about perceived kudos,fashion,availability and so on.Not a problem,as both are excellent cartridgesYou could throw in the 6.5 Creedmore as the third Musketeer,with a slight bias to target shooters(but less available etc).

I suspect that most of what is done with one would have been done with the other,and sometimes I wonder if the plain jane 243 would too,except perhaps for extremes.But if you want/need to rebarrel,there is an Accurate Shooter-I think- comparison of these calibres,which may help-it's a decision that isn't performance driven!

 

Gbal

[DaveT]

I have three 260s .....would have been equally happy with 6.5 x 47 but can stick to standard primers with 260.

[Gandy]

I suspect that most of what is done with one would have been done with the other,and sometimes I wonder if the plain jane 243 would too,except perhaps for extremes

 

Gbal

 

I agree Gbal, i came from a .243 which was amazing and shot 105grain Amax very accurately at long range, the only downside and difference i can see is barrel life.

[Izzy]

Colin

 

I re barreled my 223 into a 47 (changed bolt) and I miss having a cheap plinking gun for smaller game, vermin and targets. If you are shooting mostly fox with some small deer I would have thought a 243 would not give up anything to 47 under normal shooting ranges and in general could be loaded to shoot a little flatter thinking a 70-80g pill. 6.5 on fallow and up gives me a little more confidence as you can up the bullet weight and is a nice medium size calibre before stepping up to 7mm or 30cal. If you find yourself shooting more deer and larger species I think a 47 will offer you potentially more flexibility than a 243. From my experience of shooting in lowland England I would shoot a 260 if I wanted to shoot 130g+ pills, my gun accurately shoots 140g - but I think a 260 would do it with less pressure.

 

Wind - someone will flame me here but I'm sure between 6mm and 6.5mm under normal stalking ranges and under field conditions most shooters would not be able to differentiate a significant advantage. Both calibre's have a good selection of high bc pills if you can get them and they suit your application.

 

Rebarelling the 243 if you are happy with the platform is easy as long as the mag gives you the col for the bullets you intend to shoot, keeping the heavies out of the case will give you a bit more v if throated etc. etc. I'm pleased with my 47 goes bang like anything else but is a better fit for what I now shoot.

[redding]

Those posts were very interesting, I spent a lot of time talking to "those who know" at the Shooting Show last Friday about a calibre change.

I want to keep the Stalking calibre facility but also want to get into/learn med to long range stuff

 

Calbres I am interested in are 6.5X47, 6.5 Creedmore, 6.5X284 & the 260, I have read a lot about all of these and come to the conclusion that its between the 6.5X47 & the 6.5 Creedmore, the 6.5X284 is a barrel burner (700-1200 rounds I read) and I cant afford a new barrel that frequently.

 

I suppose the deciding factor will be the difference in reloading costs, to save me a bit of time does anyone have input on the costs, not detailed just whether one is significantly more than the other.

 

I am also told that the 6.5's need at least a 24" barrel to get the best velocity, yes or no, any input would be appreciated, especially if my summary is flawed.

Currently I have an 18" .308 Sauer which is ok to "play" with I guess but I want to get a bit more serious about the long range aspect.

[tackb]

Those posts were very interesting, I spent a lot of time talking to "those who know" at the Shooting Show last Friday about a calibre change.

I want to keep the Stalking calibre facility but also want to get into/learn med to long range stuff

 

Calbres I am interested in are 6.5X47, 6.5 Creedmore, 6.5X284 & the 260, I have read a lot about all of these and come to the conclusion that its between the 6.5X47 & the 6.5 Creedmore, the 6.5X284 is a barrel burner (700-1200 rounds I read) and I cant afford a new barrel that frequently.

 

I suppose the deciding factor will be the difference in reloading costs, to save me a bit of time does anyone have input on the costs, not detailed just whether one is significantly more than the other.

 

I am also told that the 6.5's need at least a 24" barrel to get the best velocity, yes or no, any input would be appreciated, especially if my summary is flawed.

Currently I have an 18" .308 Sauer which is ok to "play" with I guess but I want to get a bit more serious about the long range aspect.

 

and why not the 260?

[gbal]

There won't be much in it wrt consumables costs between 6.5x47 (and 6.5 Creedmore) and the 260rem.

The two 6.5s might marginally prefer 123 bullets,the 260 140s but make for make,costs will be a few pounds at most more for the 140s.Brass might be cheaper for the 260,as choice is a bit wider-but at 10+ reloads,it may not be much overall(as the more expensive lapua lasts longer).Powder and primers are pretty much the same.The two 6.5s will mean more expensive reloading tools,and maybe lesser availability,and there will definitely be less choice in rifles,unless you opt for an expensive custom. 260 starts to look pretty good,of the three,but whether it (or any of them) has much over a 308 to 500yards is less clear,especially for a 'club shooter',though ballistics are a bit better with distance;(some shoot the 308 with cheaper military loaded ammo-though you lose on accuracy.) 260 wins hands down if you don't want to reload,or want the least complexity in reloading,with no performance penalty-it's actually the best of the three,not by much-heavier bullets might be advantageous if you want to shoot larger deer.Accurate Shooter website has a good comparative review of all three-most shooters won't see much difference in performance-because there isn't much.There can be quite a lot in getting set up (no Rem700 in 6.5x47,eg),so check your whole package for costs,read the review and see if your useage really prefers any one of the three(or 308,if you already have one-lighter 308 bullets are an option too.)All sound options.

 

Gbal

[redding]

 

and why not the 260?

Erm............. got a bit brain dead after researching, no reason, tell me more please.

[redding]

 

and why not the 260?

Erm............. got a bit brain dead after researching, no reason, tell me more please.

 

There won't be much in it wrt consumables costs between 6.5x47 (and 6.5 Creedmore) and the 260rem.

The two 6.5s might marginally prefer 123 bullets,the 260 140s but make for make,costs will be a few pounds at most more for the 140s.Brass might be cheaper for the 260,as choice is a bit wider-but at 10+ reloads,it may not be much overall(as the more expensive lapua lasts longer).Powder and primers are pretty much the same.The two 6.5s will mean more expensive reloading tools,and maybe lesser availability,and there will definitely be less choice in rifles,unless you opt for an expensive custom. 260 starts to look pretty good,of the three,but whether it (or any of them) has much over a 308 to 500yards is less clear,especially for a 'club shooter',though ballistics are a bit better with distance;(some shoot the 308 with cheaper military loaded ammo-though you lose on accuracy.) 260 wins hands down if you don't want to reload,or want the least complexity in reloading,with no performance penalty-it's actually the best of the three,not by much-heavier bullets might be advantageous if you want to shoot larger deer.Accurate Shooter website has a good comparative review of all three-most shooters won't see much difference in performance-because there isn't much.There can be quite a lot in getting set up (no Rem700 in 6.5x47,eg),so check your whole package for costs,read the review and see if your useage really prefers any one of the three(or 308,if you already have one-lighter 308 bullets are an option too.)All sound options.

 

Gbal

Thanks, I do reload & enjoy it, so I need to check the costs or reloading Dies etc for the 6.5 & the .260.

I read the review on Accurate Shooter, no definitive conclusion between them, unless I missed it, seems the more I read the less I am able to make a decision.

Mike @ B & N will be building a rifle for me, I have yet to speak to him about costings.

[gbal]

OK,Redding-that's largely because there really isn't much difference between them,as far as performance goes.Likewise costs,if it's a custom build,and probably you won't mind paying for premium reloading dies,if you are into serious reloading-you get what you pay for,just some cartridges offer cheaper options.

I'd imagine a tactical shooter would go for 260-functions best in magazines,losing cheaper brass(both cost and prep effort)more acceptable;6.5 Creedmore is maybe more target oriented,but not everyone would see the case design as offering very much more,and may not be so readily available;the 6.5 X47L is rightly popular as a successful new cartridge,unless you want a factory/less expensive rifle (ditto Creedmore),but has little advantage in field use-none do,they are about as near clones as you are likely to get.And that's what the reviews are saying-with some small issues-it would be just perverse to opt for either of the 6.5s if larger deer were your priority (260 has a slight edge with the heavier bullets),if you could get r

the rifle of choice (much more likey for the 260,of course).Targets only-you could persuade yourself the Creedmore is the one.6.5x47 maybe for the would be afficionado who likes to fiddle with handloading-it is no less accurate,certainly.There was a time when cartridges 'took off' -or not- based on bullet choice/brass choice-but that is now much less common...(Lapua make it!)

It just gets repetitive though,unless choice is made by availability etc(eg you want a Sako ). The 260 AI is probably the easiest 'improved' one,if that tempts you,as a (semi-) custom....

 

Gbal

[DaveT]

There was a mention above somewhere about 10+ reloads on 260 brass...you can easily get closer to 20.