Shorter barrel thoughts?

I'm really wanting to set up a 18"-20" barrel hunting rifle that will be suppressed. Primary purpose for the rifle will be white tails from 50-500 yards.
I have a 6.5x47 Lapua that was my match rifle. I'm having a new match rifle built. So, I'm thinking of chopping the 47 and run some lighter bullets to regain some speed loss from the shorter barrel.

I also have a Tikka laminate stainless .270 wsm that I have considered chopping down as well. For the same purpose.

My concerns:
I'm afraid I won't get the terminal performance I like to see out of the short 47.

On the 270 wsm I'm concerned that there will be a lot of powder residue left in the can causing excessive build up. Can this be resolved by running a faster powder?

What are your thought or suggestions?

I think you might be surprised at the residual performance that you achieve out of the 6.5x47. Especially compared to the 270 WSM. Take the velocity that you achieved with the full length barrel, assume a 20-25 fps loss for every inch you cut off and run the numbers. It isnt exactly linear, but for whitetails, smaller, faster, good performing bullets should still do the job, my opinion.

Thanks for the reply! Would you have any recommendations for projectiles in the 47?

I have read of a lot of success with the scenar bullets on whitetails. The 123 scenar shoots extremely well in the rifle as is now.
Any experience on how this bullet might perform from close to mid range?

I typically hunt near a river system and prefer a shoulder shot to try to eliminate as much tracking as possible. This is where I'm worried I will be disappointed..

cecztayl said:

I'm really wanting to set up a 18"-20" barrel hunting rifle that will be suppressed. Primary purpose for the rifle will be white tails from 50-500 yards.
I have a 6.5x47 Lapua that was my match rifle. I'm having a new match rifle built. So, I'm thinking of chopping the 47 and run some lighter bullets to regain some speed loss from the shorter barrel.

I also have a Tikka laminate stainless .270 wsm that I have considered chopping down as well. For the same purpose.

My concerns:
I'm afraid I won't get the terminal performance I like to see out of the short 47.

On the 270 wsm I'm concerned that there will be a lot of powder residue left in the can causing excessive build up. Can this be resolved by running a faster powder?

What are your thought or suggestions?

Click to expand...

This is where the SS and SST shine! Cutting the barrel will have less affect than on a wsm and the SS will pretty much run with the wsm to begin with and with much shorter coal.

elkaholic said:

This is where the SS and SST shine! Cutting the barrel will have less affect than on a wsm and the SS will pretty much run with the wsm to begin with and with much shorter coal.

Click to expand...

I have looked into the SST chambering quite a bit. That may be an option for a future build. For now I'm trying to avoid a rebarrel or rechamber job as I'm having another match rifle being built currently.

cecztayl said:

I have looked into the SST chambering quite a bit. That may be an option for a future build. For now I'm trying to avoid a rebarrel or rechamber job as I'm having another match rifle being built currently.

Click to expand...

Gotcha!

My daughter shoots a 6.5SLR w. 22" 1:8" barrel. Pushes a 130 Berger OTM @ 2910fps now that it is broken in.
This year, she took a pronghorn @ 391, and a big mule deer buck @ 454. Both DRT, not even an ear twitch. It will be wearing a can next year.

I am contemplating what to build for a short/light mountain rifle w. 20" plus can for game up to elk. I am leaning towards a 7SST, 7SS, or 7Max. Shoot a 160-165 for deer, 184-195 for elk.

You can minimize your velocity loss by using the heaviest bullets for caliber. Also use same powders that you would use for a longer barrel. Ross Seyfried did an article on that years ago.

If you want that 270 WSM shorter do it! The performance might surprise you.

While it doesn't exactly address your question it illustrates the point. I have a 23" 300 RUM which was a 24" 300 win mag takeoff I setback and rechambered myself. Was able to get 2950 fps with the 230 Berger using RL-33.

I have a 6.5x47 with a 16 inch barrel suppressed. Have taken 10 deer with it the last 3 years. Deer taken from 10 to 200 yards. Shooting Swift Siroccos 130 grain. All does shot in the head and three bucks shot complete pass thru. I am shooting the 139 grain hammers this fall but have not taken game yet.

I would not worry one bit...im with the rest--you will be surprised at what you get out of an 18 in tube...

Ed

turkeyfever said:

I have a 6.5x47 with a 16 inch barrel suppressed. Have taken 10 deer with it the last 3 years. Deer taken from 10 to 200 yards. Shooting Swift Siroccos 130 grain. All does shot in the head and three bucks shot complete pass thru. I am shooting the 139 grain hammers this fall but have not taken game yet.

Click to expand...

Do you mind sharing the velocity of the two loads you mentioned? And which powder?

I did no velocity testing on either round. Max range is 250 yards. Sirroccos shoot 1.5 inches at 200 and the hammers are right around a 1.2 inches at 200.

Hodgdon 4350
Sirroccos 41.4
Hammers 36.0

I'd be interested in your results with a short barrel 6.5x47. I shoot two of them. My RBros shoots the 130 Berger hunting at 2950 fps 26" barrel. Has been great on whitetail. Other one is more light weight carry/tree stand gun. It was shooting 130 gr Accubond but I switched it over to the 124 HH this year 25" barrel. The Hammer has worked great so far on one antelope and one whitetail buck. Depending on how far you want to shoot I would recommend the hammers for inside 500 and the 130 Berger beyond 500 yds.