6.5x47 / 6.5x55 / 260 or 284 / 6.5 grendel ect .?

[jerryatric]

bought another omark action & am wanting to build another f open class rig . i had a 6.5x47 lapua & was very impressed with it - enough to think of building another one - BUT this time i looking at advise on what calibre above is best for barrel life [ moderate loads ] & accuracy as i want to use from 100 yards out to 900 yards - i know the 47 lapua will do this as ive been there & was better then what i expected out at 900 yards BUT IS THERE BETTER ?.

[Brad Y]

Do you have any other FO guns at the moment? What cals?

6.5x47L is a great little round, good for all ranges but something that shot the 140 6.5mms faster or go up to a 284 would probably help out at longer range or in prize shoots.

[jerryatric]

no i dont have any f.o rifles - i sold my last f/o rifle awhile ago , nor im kicking myself , last one was the 6.5x47 lapua - which i find fantastic . just thought i would ask around & see what the better [ if any ] cal would be WITHOUT burning the barrel out quickly - as im not made of money & would like the barrelto last awhile . lol . ive heard the 284 is bad on barrels .

[Paul Janzso]

If you like the 6.5 cal have a look at the 6.5 Super LR

It just uses the 243 case with the shoulder pushed back to 30 degre and it can do what the 6.5x 47 can plus more.

Cheers
Paul

[Steve N]

It will be interesting to see how they go in the long run. Could be a rechambering option from 6.5X47.

[AlanF]

I used a 6.5-284 for several years, and now after a few years with 284 Shehane I wouldn't go back to any 6.5. If I did, it would be the 6.5x47. You can still run the high BC 140s in them albeit at a lower velocity than the 6.5-284, but if you do the calculations, increasing velocity is nowhere near as important as using higher BC bullets. If you do want better performance in the wind, then I'd forget about 6.5 and go to a 284. I haven't burnt a barrel out yet but the oldest one is at 2200 round count, and looks like it'll get to 3000, twice the life of my 6.5-284 barrels. If you do go 284, make sure you use your full 10Kg weight allowance to tame the extra recoil.

Alan

[DaveMc]

+1 on Alans comments. With almost exactly the same history. Most people report getting 3000 rounds out with perhaps a new chamber at 2000+.

I have also had a couple of 6.5*47's and loved them but don't think the round count will be any greater. The 6.5*47 was a very cheap round to shoot though when there was cheap Lapua pills around. The 284 will cost a little more per shot. If budget and barrel life is important then you should look at total cost per round (also include brass cost per round).

[Norm]

I shoot a straight .284 win but think it is a bit of overkill for the 300 to 600 yard distances. especially in good conditions.

So instead of building a 6.5x47 for the shorts I have decided to build a 7-08ai as I think it is a better fit in my golf bag as my work horse calibre.

Even though they have very similar ballistics, if you look at a comparison between a 6.5x47 and a 7-08 there are some distinct advantages with the 7-08 over the 6.5x47 Lapua in my situation.

When comparing cartridges it’s not always just about ballistics. There are other things to consider.

First up I can stick with the one calibre and this makes life easier when ordering projectiles as I can run the same pills in both rifles.

Second is that the pills will behave in a similar manner with regard to wind drift so switching from one rifle to another during a match should not induce any unwanted complications to the way I gauge wind drift.

Third point is that the majority of my shooting is at the shorter ranges. So I can use the 7-08ai in the shorts and save the barrel on my .284 win for the longer distances.

Fourth, Barrel life of a 7-08ai should be greater than both the .284 win and 6.5x47 Lapua.

Fifth, recoil of the 7-08 is less than a .284 win, but a bit more than a 6.5x47 Lapua so the 6.5x47 wins in this regard.

Sixth, cases and powder choices for the 7-08/.308 size case are easy and cheap and a small primer option is also available with .308 Lapua Palma brass.

I could list a few more points but for me the decision not to go down the 6.5x47 path was easy.

[Brad Y]

I have a 260 improved with 30 degree shoulder. Very similar to the 6.5SLR but with a bit more boiler room capacity. Shoots the 140 hybrids very well and at similar velocities to a 6.5x284 but with alot less powder. Ballistically on JBM its very similar to a straight 284W and 168gr bullets. But like you have seen if you want better downrange performance at longer range and in nasty conditions, a 284W or shehane variant isnt a bad idea if you run 180gr bullets. Your omark wont handle a magnum I wouldnt think, but up to 284S would like to think it would be ok. 7mm is a plan for later in the year for me

[DaveMc]

Also a comment on the 284.

I believe the following to be correct but have never seeked confirmation (may be just an internet rumour!)
Bill Shehane originally designed the 284 Shehane to help with extraction issues. ie run at the same loads there is less pressure (of course some people push this a bit )
I know of a few people running the 284 in omarks that have had extraction issues and had to have a bit of work done to get them working. A Shehane is slightly better if run at the low node. Now that Whidden sells dies I suspect it will become a good option. Cases should also theoretically last a little longer as there should be marginally less pressure on the case head.

Oh yes - don't believe the 284 is "less accurate" - you will be pleasantly surprised

[Matt P]

Also a comment on the 284.



Oh yes - don't believe the 284 is "less accurate" - you will be pleasantly surprised

I agree Dave the 7mm is accurate, 2 weeks ago I had a clubmate (Macguru) fire a stage of my 280AI to form some cases from 280 to AI, well the first sighter was a 6, he then put the next 11 into the X ring.

Matt P

[DaveMc]

Matt,
That 280AI is sure sounding exciting.

Question is -Did he cut the 6??? I have seen this happen more than a handful of times now (and all with 7mm thus adding to the "accuracy" point) - where being bold would have resulted in the ever elusive 60.10.
The odds (and rifle behavior) certainly stack in the favour of it being done in the last 10 of the 12 shot string rather than the first.

"Fortune favours the BOLD"

[AlanF]

I had two cowardly 60.9s last year

All the same, a 60.9 is a lot better than a brave 59.9 .

Alan