Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 6.5x47L

Just scored a Deviant Hunter medium length action in a bit of an impulse buy. You know how these things can happen to us guys now and then.
The objective for this rifle is a mild shooting, roughly 8 lb all up deer hunter / gong ringer with good ballistics.
I'd much appreciate it if those shooting 6.5x47L would share their views and reasons for chambering it over and above others.
From what I've read around the net some pluses are:
Easy to find accuracy.
Excellent brass.
Fits well into a short mag with slick bullets seated.
Better barrel life than 6mm chamberings with similar ballistics.
Sell me on it please.

Just built one so some newbie info for you.

The reamer I have is a .169 throat length. Son wanted to shoot heavier bullets and this seems to work. Berger 140 vld hits lands at 2.80, and 136 scenar hits lands at 2.74. Using AI mags, the 140 vld can go to 2.86 before it is too far out of the case.

Have used 4451 powder and cci mag primers to easily reach 2750-2760 in a 22" barrel.

Using my first ever bushing die and a Redding .289 bushing seems to be sizing the neck perfectly for us.

Barrel is an 8 twist Bart 2b.

Someone with more experience will chime in but I am digging the cartridge and may rechamber another rifle to it.

Kind of surprised you started with a 2.800 oal. I thought one of the positives of the lapua was the ability to keep oal shorter than a 260 etc.?

I plan on building one, and plan on 123-130 gr bullets.

I may be wrong but I think a 140 VLD in a 260 Rem at 2.800" really eats into case capacity

I started with 7-08 26 years ago and added 243, 308, 260 and 243AI in that order. I knew about the BR and PPC as well as wildcats but at the time never bothered with any of the alternatives. After seeing the benefit of the x47 and similar cases a few years ago I dropped the 308 based rounds from my lineup and had a 6x47 built on a 700 and a 6.5x47 on a Montana.

So far I like my 6.5x47 and it's fun to shoot, even in a lightweight rifle, the 6x47 was even more fun and I can't wait to have the replacement built.

My reamer put the 140 Amax at 2.760 and a 139 Scenar at 2.740, plenty of room to grow before a setback.

Sure, I would love to have a 140 running at 2900-3000 out of a 22" barrel but 2700-2750 is plenty.

There are tons of x47 threads to find input.

Well you pretty much just sold it to yourself.
You will also get very good accuracy life to 2200 rounds or so.
Wont see that with a 6mm.
140g LRBTs or hybrids for 1000 yard target work.
123g for varmint wet work.
Use a mono and go kill big game.
Great case life,great barrel life and great accuracy.
dave

Checked QL so see the (theoretical) difference:

A Berger Hunting VLD seated at 2.8" maxes out at 2,800 fps, 22" barrel, 60K psi.

The same at 2.7" maxes out at 2792 fps.

Seated at 3", 2816 fps.

Not enough difference to worry about.

Haven't run the numbers...but Im curious at what distance the bc of the 140 overtakes the additional speed you gain with the 123?

I think the sweet spot is 2900-3000 fps, so being in the 2700's doesn't appeal to me.

Its not like the 123 is a slouch in the bc department...

Killed stuff very well with the 140 vld, it and the 136/139 scenars are the primary interest for ours. That QL data showing 2800 fps at 60,000 psi is pretty comforting out of a 22". Neat little round so far. For the heavier bullets, I think the .169 seems kind of common, but again a newbie to the cartridge.

Rather than case capacity, I believe the issue with certain VLD bullets in the 260 at 2.8" is keeping the ogive break point out of the case mouth.

No issue for me, I am no longer shooting the 260

Just loaded some 136 Scenar's over RL17 in the 6.5x47 and will run them over the chronograph tomorrow morning.

My reamer has a .2945" no turn neck, and a .123" freebore perfect for 123-130 class bullets, which was all I was planning on running. OAL is 2.730" in the lands with a 130 Berger VLD.

I don't think the 47 has enough ass to push 140's unless you run a 28" or longer barrel. Mine's a #3 Rock cut to 23", best accuracy is running the 130 VLD's at 2820. Scary results.

I built a 26" with the same reamer, but it only added 50 fps, so I sold it, and screwed the 6x47 Lapua barrel back on.

It did shoot the 123 Amax a bit over 3000 pretty good though.

123 Amax:

I recently sold this Borden Alpine in 6.5x47L with Lilja #3 barrel

Good tips thanks guys.
Think I'm "enabled" / convinced.

Should be a fun rifle.


136 Scenar's through a 23" barrel this morning:

37.3-38.9 RL17

2688-2783 fps

I'm sure it will be Dave. I have a 6.5 Creedmoor barrelled Montucky that shoots ok and I know really would do me. But just want to build something from scratch with the best components for hopefully the best accuracy in a rifle that I can hump around all day in the bush.
Looks like I can run the 140s a bit faster in the Creedmoor and the Deviant Hunter is cut to fit a long magazine box so oal won't be a problem. Staying with Creedmoor would be the sensible thing to do and is tugging at me. Problem is sensible isn't featured on my resume.

130 JLKs have a bc over .600 and are dimensionally that same as 140s. Should work well with a longer throat.

My new 6.5x47 arrived Friday on the same day we left for the beach. Looking forward to getting back to test it out. I am unable to find any Varget so will try H4350 and RL 17 first. Mine will have a .172 freebore. I was worried that it would not cycle these short/fat cartridges. It cycles them perfectly. This will be my first Bighorn action and so far I am impressed. First bullets tested will be 120 TTSX and 130 VLD's. It is a hunting configuration with a 2b Bartlein at 23" The gun weighed 7.1 lbs on a fishing scale. It is in a McM Hunter stock with edge fill. Even with a 2b contour it is just a tic nose heavy. This may change with a scope added. I could use a load for the 120 TTSX. Berger sent me VLD loads but Barnes claims to not have worked up loads for the 6.5x47.

OP - what barrel and stock specs will you be using?

I've got an edge game scout here that's inlet for a rem short action with DBM. To tell you the truth I don't know if I completely like the feel of it but will give it a go.
That part is interchangeable at least.
It's that 2.95" coal capacity in the Accurate Mag that has me thinking how best to use it. If it was a 2.8" box I'd go 6.5x47 for sure.
I don't have a barrel as yet. The stock is inlet for a #3 Lilja so something around that contour with 8 or 8.5 twist.
Am checking out what's available here in Australia right now but if I have to import I'll try for a Bartlein 2B.
Am pretty green on this rifle building stuff but am enjoying learning and playing with bits. Am learning fast that what you think you want right now changes changes in time.

If you can't source a Bartlein 2b a 3 fluted might substitute, might ask the makers to confirm weight, specs, etc.

Sounds like you will have a nice sporter weight rifle. I enjoy my 47....Fave round along with the 6BR when it comes to easy bug holes.

#3 Bartlein will be a larger diameter than a #3 Lilja. Bugholes.com has an 8 twist 2b Bartlein showing in stock. I am happy with my 2b.

My Rock barreled x47 shot everything well.... until it dropped below 15* or so outside.... then it got worse the colder it got.





525 yds....

Anyone have 6.5x47L loads for the 120 TTSX? I have RL17, H4350, and IMR4350. Cannot find Varget.

Found Varget at Cabellas! Need loads for it as well. Have Berger loads. Thanks

A couple of weeks ago after 'shooter posted, I ran the 123 Scenar against the 140 Amax in JBM and drop and drift were almost identical so I tested the 123's at 200. Loads looked good and averaged 2910. Headed south to meet TXRam at the range this morning and also shook hands with Sakohunter264.

Winds were 12-15 and switching fast between 5-9 o'clock but mostly 5-8, 400 yards, at least 85 degrees and mirage was horrible even at 8:30. Shot a steel plate to get elevation dialed in, 3 at 40.3, 40.5 and 40.7, the last being a bit too hot.

.67, .75 and 1.6 MOA, I am guessing I missed the reverse on the third group but the reticle on the 2x7 all but covered the bull, could have been my steering.

Whippy barreled lightweight Montana with a CDS Leupold sitting in windage adjustable mounts no less

RDW, that is amazing shooting out of an ultralight rifle with a 2x7 scope!

I just shot the Berger recommended seating depth test today with the 130 VLD. Was amazed at the fact that my rifle liked an approx. 060 jump. There was a night and day difference between in and close to the lands and the .06 jump. 1" or worse groups close to the lands. .3-.5" as I got around .06" off. I am waiting on a Sinclair seating depth gauge to be delivered and am not dead sure where am contacting the lands. Have always used the Hornady gauge and do not have a dummy case for the 6.5x47. Guessing that I am hitting the lands at 2.80 inches with the 130 VLD. Shot everything today with 38g of H4350. Look forward to juicing that up now that have seating depth somewhat figured out.

aus, did you finalize the plan?

bonefish, any updates on the 130 Bergers?

Any of you planning on using the 136 Scenar on game this fall?

Bob Swagger laid a nice buck low with a 136 IIRC, at quite a distance, seems like a bit over 500 yds, from a 16.5" bbl

As feared, was wrong about where the lands were. I must have been jammed in there deep @ 2.80". Sinclair gauge shows contact with lands at 2.775" COAL. Have scrapped OAL and gone to comparator as there is a decent amount of variation in the ogive consistency in this lot of Hunting VLD's. Shot 39.7 and 40g H4350 with mixed results. 39.7 and .03 and .04 jump gave me sub 1/2" groups. 40g opened them right up to 1". No pressure signs so far and going to creep up to 41g and see if I can find a node.

Plans are finalized mate. I decided to go with 6.5 SLR.
Thanks dave7mm!
My smith has a reamer for 6mm SLR so all good on that front. A die set from Whidden just landed today. Great CS from those guys! Die set has a full length bushing sizer and micrometer seater plus a shoulder bump comparator, pretty cool.
Sat the action into the Game scout just today too. The Deviant Hunter has an integral rail. Got a set of Seekins 30mm rings - read a handy thread here somewhere that they are the lowest option. Mounted a 3-12x42 Klassik with dots on there and comb height feels pretty good. Was a bit worried about that.
Also ordered a Bartlein #3 fluted 1:8.5 twist 5R barrel so all is go!

Fun round to shoot!!!!!!!!!!