6.5X47 Lapua for Hunting

Rubber Ducky

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Joined
Feb 18, 2004
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Location
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Gentlemen,

Does anyone have an opinion about the 6.5X47 Lapua as a hunting cartridge? It appears to be a great long range cartridge, but how would it perform in a hunting scenario?

I think it would be fine for antelope, deer and coyotes but what about elk or bear?

Thanks,
RD
 
Loaded with something like the 130gr Accubond it would be fine at closer ranges for bear (assuming you mean black bears) and elk. With elk make sure you pick your shots, wouldn't want to drive it through the shoulders.
 
It's a medium range cartridge(regardless of how it's being used), and has just enough energy to break paper beyond that. Lapua/Creedmore are sharing this highpower adjustment with those making 123-130gr bullets.
Necked down to 6mm, it then has the potential of a 6XC/6Dasher(a bit less than a 243). These are longer range cartridges(and more successful in comp, not hunting), IMO.

But even a 260 is a bit underpowered for long range work on big game.
 
Just ordered a reamer for the ackley improved version. Should run right close with the 6.5-06. My son has taken two elk at 310 and 375 yards with his 06. Do your home work on the bullet choice and I think you have an elk rifle out to 400yrds or so.

I'll know more when the rifle is done, but am planning on running the 130 class bullets at nearly 3000fps.

I am quite excited about this chambering, 35 grains of powder, 3000fps, 130g bullet...priceless.:D

Steve
 
Steve, be sure to come back and ask us why you can't do what you thought you could with it.

A pre-clue: NOTHING IS FREE
You will never, ever, do more with less..
 
Steve, be sure to come back and ask us why you can't do what you thought you could with it.

A pre-clue: NOTHING IS FREE
You will never, ever, do more with less..


Now now, don't pick on me. Do tell why it can't be done.

The way I understand it, the 6.5x47 will run significantly higher pressure than the larger cases. Due to the small primer hole.

Steve
 
Steve, be sure to come back and ask us why you can't do what you thought you could with it.

A pre-clue: NOTHING IS FREE
You will never, ever, do more with less..

Mike,

http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek072.html

Here is a link to an article about the 6.5x47 lap. You should read it, and get a hold of Darrel that did all the load testing and let him know why he can't do what he did. After you are done with that you can come back here and tell me and every one else why it can't be done. That would be much more helpful to all than trying to sound really smart at my expense.

Do you actually have personal experience with this cartridge? Or is it as it appears, you are making it up as you go?


Steve
 
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I know the pressures managed in 6PPC by the point blank folks SEEM to resolve alot of hopes and dreams. But a 6PPC is a small cartridge with way less area to it's chamber. Your bullets won't be light flat base, through slow twist, stubby little barrels. And you'll have more powder to consistently light with the same primers.
There are alot of things PB BR shooters do that are not at all applicable to long range shooting. Things they get away with that the world beyond their bubble -can't..

If it turns out I'm wrong, and this mighty mouse does what all the wildcats over the years couldn't,,, then I guess I'll mosey to the back of very long lines..
And you can moon-walk over to poke fun at me. I'll deserve it.

Until then, I'm eyeing the 6-47L instead(or a 6Dasher) for my next project
Tuff choice
In 26cal, I'll probably stick with 6.5WSSM. I'm very happy with it.
 
I didn't see that they mentioned anything unusual in that article that I linked. The rifle had a 28" barrel. My project will have a relatively short barrel @22". The reamer ordered is an Ackley version.

I don't know how to moon walk, but I will post how it goes when the rifle is done and the dies are here. I think we are going to try 130g Sciroccos and 140 Bergers to start.

Steve
 
I have tested the 6.5x47 in a custom lightweight model 7 with Krieger 1 in 8.5 twist barrel with 140 gn Amax over 39gns of ADi2209 (H4350 to Americans) at 2600fps muzzle and can report that the field results from 20 to 350m on fallow deer and wild pig are equivalent to the 270 Winchester 130 gn BTs at 2900. No bullet cores have have been recovered only jacket fragments at any of the above ranges. In spite of Hornady advising against using amax for hunting they have performed superbly in the field. Accuracy from the model 7 is sub 0.5MOA with either vthe 120,123 or 140 amax. Experiance to date indicates the catridge is suitable for anything you'd use a 270 for.
 
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4o6n6rRlQs]YouTube - Jeremy 925 yard elk![/ame]

If you can get close to 6.5-284 velocities,it can be done.
 
fancy shooting for sure, personally I wouldn't have taken the shot at that range, and would have tried to close the gap to at least 400 irrespective of what I was shooting, but I've seen it done first hand with the 6.5/284, 6.5-06 and the the supposedly puny paper punching 6BR at ranges out to 1000m. Guys who pull that kind of shooting off certainly know how to use their gear to get a result
 
I am currently shooting a 6.5x47Lapua out of a 28" tube that runs the 130 VLD's at 2975 with H4350. The only problem is with this case is that it's pretty hard to shoot anything bigger than .5 MOA at any range!!!:)
I will be hunting Black Bears in Wyoming this spring with it and will be hunting Mule Deer in Southern Wyoming with it this fall. I would not hesitate to shoot an elk with it. I have seen many elk killed with far less at long ranges. In my mind this cartridge is a freak of nature that should rage in popularity in the next couple of years. Performance that matches Cartridges far bigger with recoil my 7 year old can handle. Ain't it Great!!
 
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