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6.5x47L for F Open - which powders to test?


MichalS

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1 hour ago, MichalS said:

Any pet loads that usually work in most rifles?

 

You have a problem in that IME 6.5X47L is in its internal ballistics at a boundary. Some rifles perform very well with VarGet equivalent powders; others (rather fewer) don't and need a slower burner; a few work across both types. You need to find out which bracket your rifle slots into. Of the Viht powders, N150/550 are probably the best to start with of the lightly slower burners, especially with 136/140gn bullets. However, if you have one of the faster burning powder lovers, you come down to H. VarGet alternatives - N140/540; RS50/52; Lovex S062; Re15/N203-B; the new Alliant Re TS 15.5 if and when it ever gets here.

The other factor that has a bearing on this is just how your rifle is chambered vis a vis freebore length. There is a lot of variation here, and many chambers have insufficient freebore to allow bullet seating to anywhere near the CIP 2.800" maximum COAL, and are better suited to shorter 123/130gn bullets. In turn, this affects charge fill-ratios and powder choice / performance.  

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Yes, it took me a long while to work up a decent load.....I started with 136 grain Scenars and RS 60, (8 twist 750mm Lothar barrel).

My current load is 37 grains of RS52 with 123 grain Scenars at 2.80" COL at around 2890 fps.

Pete

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I’ve had 3x 6.5x47L barrels over the years;

A Begara 24” long, 1-8” twist on a Tikka M595.

A Bartlein 5R, 26” long, 1-8” twist on a Defiance Mutant Tubegun LA.

A PROOF research SS 5R, 26” long, 1-8” twist on a Impact Precision 737r.

All barrels shot well with the 123gn Scenar and around 38.0gn Vhit N140. This is up around 2900fps.

However, I think my PROOF barrel is either on the ‘slow’ side - or is just not as tight as the Bartlein or Begara because I’ve needed to stoke the charge up a bit to keep velocity pace with the other barrels.

All barrels shot the 139gn Scenar well with SO70 and RS62 but felt the 123gn Scenars with N140 performed better.

Personally I wouldn’t bother trying 120-123gn bullets with N150, SO70, RS62 or other similar slower burning powders because you won’t generate the pressure needed to get decent velocity. The 120-123gn bullets simply are too light to help generate the pressure build up behind the bullet.
If using 120-123gn bullets, stick with a medium powder (like N140 or RS50/RS52 as Laurie notes) or go with a heavier bullet like a 139gn Scenar and use a slower powder (N150, RS62 or SO70).

Good luck. Lovely Cartridge, very forgiving to load for, very accurate, minimal recoil, can bite you with over pressure without much warning!

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RS62 is great but with the 139gr scenars that seat deep the case fill for decent velocity is nearly too the top of the neck for 140gr amaxs and 140gr hybrids..

In my current barrel the 139s wouldn't shoot on RS60 or RS62..

I gave up..

On the other hand the 140gr amaxs and 140gr hybrids shoot like a laser and both are at 41.5grs of RS62 and both seated too the same base to ogive measurement..

In my previous barrel the 139s were superb as were the 140gr amaxs...

 

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I've tried the 139gr scenars with 1 group with N150 and it shot a small group on 36grs I think..

It was slow out a 27 inch barrel..

I think 37grs plus would be more too your liking.i have got it written down somewhere and probaly the target.

When I get 5 mins I'll look

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just had the 5th barrel put onto my 6.5x47, been running this same rifle in this cartridge for  must be over 15 years now, not a high volume shooter nor do I run this cartridge to hot.

just trying R17/RS60 with the 123g Scanars and first go round is looking good ( for me), last week at 900, slight R to left wind.

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In my rifle that is using 41.7 grains, CCI 450 primers, 42.2 g also tried but no accuracy gains. MV is a surprising , but pleasing, 2910. Barrel is a 25” Benchmade 1:8.

Need to test this powder some more as I believe it can ‘spike’ quite quickly with temperatures but need to do some more digging on this.

N140 has worked for me previously but with less MV.

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I've been tempted recently too try RS60 behind some 140gr hybrids to see if I can get good accuracy and it up to 2800fps out of my 24 inch barrel..

Current load of 41.5grs of RS62 is doing 2735fps on a warm day.

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