1-8.5T with 6.5x47Lapua - Anyone running this?

[Quick]

G'day all,

Just wondering if anyone is running a 6.5x47 Lapua in a 8.5T barrel. Length around 26-30"

Cheers,

Shaun

[Cameron Mc]

Shaun, I have a rifle in 6.5x47 with 8.5 twist Krieger. Have only tried 130 Bergers so far. Shoots great.
Concentrating on 7mm's at the moment but will be using the 6.5 for prize shoots later in the year.

Cam

[AlanF]

Shaun,

I had a couple of 1 in 8.5s for my 6.5-284. I was warned against it but they were fine. However if you're going to run 140gn class projectiles in a 6.5x47 then you might get into trouble particularly near sea level in the colder months. You should be fine with 130s and 120s though.

Alan

[Quick]

Has anyone tried the 140gr class in the 6.5x47 w/ 8.5T?

Im just wondering is all. Always dreaming, thinking.....

[Brad Y]

Spoke to Walt Berger via email, 140VLDs will run in a 8.5 twist however velocities need to be in the 6.5x284 bracket and higher altitude is better. Hybrids he said no. 142 sierras maybe ok Im not sure.

6.5x47L cant run the 140's fast enough to be of any advantage over the 130's. But even if you want to run 140's why risk anything but a straight 8 twist.

[Quick]

Brad,

Cheers for your info mate. You know the project I have in mind. If it goes ahead it will probably stay with 123-130gr class or maybe those new 136gr scenar L bullets. As has been said it would be safest to go with a 1-8T barrel so will see what happens. Gotta talk to missus first as this is all just a dream until she gives go ahead from the financial POV. If o het go ahead, ill post up what I'm gonna do im excited enough. Lol.

[TOM]

Tell ya Missus you'll buy her another pair of pants if she lets you have the money

[Quick]

You know its the way it all works Tom I'll be fine as she just got a horse so my brandy points are up!

[RDavies]

Not a 6.5x47, but I do sometimes use 140gn VLDs in a 8.5" twist in a medium sized 6.5 case. The 140 VLDs work great in hot weather, but not in cool weather. The 130s work well even in the cold. I couldnt get the Hybrids to work consistantly even in warm weather.
I think that the 140s are only marginaly stable in an 8.5" twist at 2830 fps, so the 130s are a better bet. The 140s didnt keyhole in cool weather, just grouped worse, couldnt quite hold the 6 ring no matter what I did with the load.

[Quick]

Rod,

Cheers mate. Seems like a 8.5T could just be a tad to marginal for 130-140gr projies to be safe. I'll have to try find a 8T krieger Heavy Varmint barrel then.

[flatlina]

Would the 8 twist be detrimental if using 123/130's in the 6.5 Lapua?

Regards
john

[RDavies]

The 8 twist will be no detriment at all with these slightly lighter projectiles. I think the only time an 8" twist might be detrimental is if you were pushing them etremely hard in a 6.5x284, when they MIGHT come apart.

[bruce moulds]

i have shot 130 berger thin jacket (hunting) at 3150 in a 1:8 twist and they held together o.k., so the target, thicker jackets, should definitely be o.k.
that of course was in that barrel, cannot speak of yours.
reading would suggest that 1:8 is considered normal with 123 & 130 bullets in the lapua case.
too fast is better than too slow.
keep safe,
bruce.

[DaveMc]

I have pushed the 123 scenar up to CRAZY speeds with the 6.5*284 and 1 in 8 twist with reloder 17 no problem. They also absolutely love the x47 case and 1 in 8 twist (so does the 130). But see no reason why an 8.5 wouldn't be perfect too.

Sounds great all round

[Quick]

All,

I ran the numbers on the stability of the 130gr Bergers and they come up at 1.41 for the 8.5T and more around the 1.5-1.6 mark with the 8T. Accorring to the theory, 1.4 is the start or the normal and below is marginal stability as you all know but was mainly wondering as this is on the fence so to speak how peoples real world results go. Seems to be mixed results.

My project is the following: I was going to rebarrel my old omark TR rifle with a 28" lawton 1-12T (courtesy of Rod Shehan) and put it in my omark F-Class stock and shoot that rifle in FS, and F/TR with some FO thrown in but considering the rest fo the WA FO guys all run 6mm and 6.5mm that I know of I have decided to build a switch barrel rig of a Peirce Short Action with the Lawton as the 308 barrel and have a 6.5mm barrel for FO (I would get madly beaten wind drift wise). I woukd use my omark F-Class stock (as long as gunsmith says thats ok and will fit) and have a better rifle in the long run which wil be competitive in the longer term. After a bit of time I would add a 300WSM barrel for the longs to take advantage of that Cals ballistics.

I was asking about the 8.5T as I saw dave kerr has one in stock according to his site in a 30" Krieger 6.5mm Heavy Varmint which would suit me fine for the 6.5x47 running 130gr but when I ran the stability numbers I wasn't so sure then. Otherwise I will have to probably order a 8T in a HV contour and wait a while to build the rifle or at least have the 6.5x47 barrel unless I find out here in australia.

What are you thoughts gents of my new plan (I change my mind a bit but think this is my best bet now)

Regards,

Shaun