6.5x47 Lapua Build Suggestions

A 1:8 twist. I prefer Lothar Walther barrels. Brux, Broughton, Kreiger, Hart, Lilja, Obimeyer, Douglas. Any of them will do well. Where ever you take it, get a good trigger put in, have the action trued, bolt lapped, and one piece base. I have dreamed of a 6.5x47 build. Mine is based off of a Savage action though. Nothing wrong with a Remmy. I like to do my own work and don't own a lathe. So Savage is my option. Make sure you get good bottom metal. Ask your smith what he prefers. Make sure you let Manners know so they can cut for it.

Tank

 

8 twist, 26", Hart, and 41.7gr of H4350 gets you around 2925fps with the 130gr VLDs. Contour is based on how much you want the gun to weigh and how much precision is required. Very accurate cartridge and with a good barrel and contour, sub-0.5moa super easy to acheive.

Good luck w/ your build!

 

If I only planned to shoot 130s and lighter i'd use a 8.5" twist, and a 26" sendero contour Lilja, Hart, or Kreiger.

 

I have been looking into this and the 6.5 creedmore. I have compiled some comments from the net into my documents. I'll dredge up some of the thoughts of others. Maybe it will get the conversation rolling along.

This was part of a discussion on 6.5 x 47 L VS the 6.5 Creedmore:

If you choose 6.5X47L with its small rifle primer, you'll almost certainly need the bolt face bushed to avoid serious primer cratering, even blanking before you get to maximum loads and full MVs. In my experience, this cartridge needs full-house loads to perform well, so this is a potentially serious disadvantage. You can of course have the work done, but should factor the cost in alongside that of rebarrelling.

The 6.5 Creedmoor holds approximately 5 grains more than the 6.5x47L. The Lapua uses small rifle primers, the Creedmoor uses large primers. The large primers will do better if you will be shooting in cold conditions. When David Tubb was developing the 6XC (about 2 grains more capacity than the 6.5x47L) he found the large primers to give more consistent ignition. The Creedmoor is .070" longer than the 6.5x47L. With both cartridges you are looking at one brass supplier for each.

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Everything below is the 6.5 x 47L:


berger 130 info found on net as part of a long article:

38 gr H4350, BR-4 Primer, Berger 130 VLD, .010” in lands (2.803” OAL), 2752 fps mean velocity, E 21, S 8

39 gr H4350, BR-4 Primer, Berger 130 VLD, .010” in lands (2.803” OAL), 2818 fps mean velocity, E 35, S 13 (one odd shot about 21 fps faster than next lower velocity and made E 35).

40 gr H4350, BR-4 Primer, Berger 130 VLD, .010” in lands (2.803” OAL), 2895 fps mean velocity, E 8, S 3 - No pressure signs, load probably has .5 gr. to 1.5 gr. more to go before pressure issues in the rifle.

General Comments on the 6.5 x 47 Lapua:

The cartridge seems to be extremely accurate for high power rifle shooting. After setting up the rifle and doing some quick chrono testing, this author shot the last 10 rounds prone at a 100 yard slow prone target, and came up with a 10x clean. The load was 37gr RL15, a BR-4 primer, with a Sierra 120 MatchKing and .015" jump (around 2.650" OAL). Trying out a 600 yard loading, another 10x clean was shot shooting the Lapua 123's at 2969 fps with 37.5 gr of RL15 with a CCI BR-4 primer and the Lapua 123 stuck in the lands .010" (around 2.753" OAL). The Lapua 123's shot also measure .2645" in diameter, and since they are a little "fat", they do run the pressures up over the 120 and 123 Sierras that run pretty true to .264" in diameter. For the short lines the 120 Sierras shoot with stellar accuracy whether you jump them or not, and they seem to shoot just as well if you shoot them at 2800 fps or up to 3000 fps. For 600 yards, the 123 Scenar offers a great B.C. (.547) with great accuracy and velocity as well. Definitely a cartridge worth looking into for across the course shooting as well as other types of shooting and competitions.
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A few rifles and their specs:

Broughton 26", SS, 5c, 1:8
140 Berger VLD, 42.1 gr Rel 17, Fed 205M
Runs 2960 fps
140 Part, 41.6 gr, Rel 17, Fed 205M
Runs 2869 fps
Both about .5 to .75 MOA groups out to 600 yds, the furthest I've shot it on paper

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Krieger, MTU, 26" SS, 1:8.5
AICS 1.5 stock
Shilen 2.5 lb trigger
TPS alum rings
NF 5.5-22x50 w/ NP-R1 reticle
130 Berger VLD, 40.8 H4350, CCI 450
Runs 2850 (now about 2820) and shoots mostly .5 MOA out to 1000 yds
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More comments:

The -47 case is an absolute joy to load. Other than initial trimming to even things up, I've yet to need to trim a case in 8+ loadings. I do anneal about every 4th shot. The Surgeon's throat has grown some .080" in wear with 1100 rounds and yet just hitting 2.8" OAL; still room to grow in the AICS mag. The 130's bearing surface/boattail junction is now 3/4 the way down the neck. Shot a 5", 1000 yd, 5-shot group earlier this month.
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6.5x47 Lapua....most accurate cartridge/rifle combo I've shot in over 60 years of shooting! Using Sierra 123 gr. HPBT and 38.5 grs. Varget I have fired several 5 shot groups from 1300 yds. that I could cover with a standard playing card! 1000 yds?? NO CONTEST!! This is a Jon Beanland build w/24" 1-8.5 Krieger tube.
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Good comments AZShooter. I can attest to this statement. 6.5L is SUPER easy to load. Nothing I tested was much more beyond 0.50moa at 100 in development. Even a loading dumbie like myself can easily develop 0.25moa loads without much effort.

As far as the one brass source on both the 6.5L and the 6.5C, it was an easy choice for me - Lapua. I have done ZERO brass prep, outside of resizing. From the pieces that I did measure and weigh, the brass was nearly all copies of each other.

In the field, the two cartridges shoot right on top of each other. The 260R does have a clear velocity advantage, but its a bit trickier to load mag length. 260R now has Lapua brass option, so if you want a bit more speed than the 6.5L, look at that option.

Any of the three medium 6.5mm choices + the 130gr bullet is very tough to beat out to 1000...

 

Yes it is an interesting cartridge. My neighbor's son and I talk often about a smaller case that would allow us to do a great deal of LR shooting at coyotes and jackrabbits around S. Az. This Lapua round and the Creedmore are our top choices. First I have to wear out my 30" Bartlein chambered in 6mm-284....

 

I would think it would be very low recoiling rifle very similar to a 243. Cannot see putting a noisy brake on something this small.

Once you own the reamer it could be fun to make a 24" sporter and a 28-30" 12-14 lb LR rig.

 

Hey guys, i know its a little late. I recently had a 6.5x47 built by Beanland Custom rifles in Gould, Ok. Its a trued 700 SA w/ Krieger 26" sendero contour. This stick shoots. The worst loads i have tested was 3/4" at 100yds and has shot in the .1's, .2's and .3's consistantly. John Beanland is a great guy to work with and one heck of a smith and shooter from what i hear. Good luck.

BP

 

It's almost impossible to develop a bad load for this cartridge. Lapua brass and Berger bullets make it too easy....

 

Go with a 24" barrel. Mine has a 25" barrel and if it wasn't for the fluting I would cut another inch off. I shoot 123 AMAX at 3,000 fps. using N550 with no pressure signs. No need for muzzle break, recoil is mild.