Due to unforeseen circumstances, I stumbled onto an unclaimed carbon wrapped barrel at Bartlein, which I posted about previously on my barrel weight PSA thread.

So this one is an 8" twist 6mm, 25" long, in their Remington Varmint contour.

Blank weight came in at 3 pounds, 6.6 ounces.

I really wanted a 23" blank, to finish at 22", but, a bird in the hand........

I asked about maximum lengths to trim off at each end, and was told they would be OK with cutting 3/4" off the shank, and 1 1/4" off the muzzle.

Generally I like to have the smith cut a half inch off the shank on other Rem Varmints, as it matches up better in McMillans inletted for those contours. But then, that's for the typical 1.250" shanked barrels. With these being 1.200", it would actually look worse, so I opted to leave it full length, take the normal 1" off the noisy end, and just finish it at 24".

So I boxed up the barrel, action, and reamer, and off to the smith it went.....tic tock, tic tock....

A few days later, I had yet another 6x47 Lapua in my hot little mitts....

25" blank weight - 3 lbs 6.6 ozs

24" finish weight - 3 lbs 2.4 ozs

So threading, chambering, and cutting one inch off the muzzle removed 4.2 ounces.


For comparison, a 25" Bartlein 6.5mm 2b blank I have here weighs 3 pounds, 6.2 ounces.

Really puts things in perspective.

Thanks

Got any Rem varms of same length you could weight?

Can't wait to see what you happen to find laying around for the rest of the build....lol


Bartlein lists 26" rem varm profiles at 4.65lbs....so, a good pound or so lighter on the CF

Good info aalf, glad you confirmed it was Ok to cut off some on the shank end. The CF blank I have is supposed to finish @ 24", but it looks like if I can cut off 3/4" on the shank and up to another inch on the muzzle I could be really close to 23" or a little less which would be perfect. Did you smith have any commits on how the barrel looked overall??

I have specs on one....gotta find 'em.....

Standard procedure on any barrel is to cut at least an inch off the muzzle end of a new blank due to "belling" of the bore from lapping. Bartlein doesn't want much more than one inch taken off these, there's only two inches total there on carbons.

Since mine was going to be a 6x47 Lapua, he didn't see a problem taking 3/4" off the shank. Obviously a bigger (longer) chamber could be a no no.



He never mentioned anything out of the ordinary.

Screwed together......

I didn't care for the shiny shank against the matte action,

so I masked off the barrel & action, and gave it a flat black spritz.

Now it was too flat compared to the carbon wrap, so I masked it off again, and shot it with matte clear.

Now too shiny, so I knocked it back with some 0000 steel wool.....close enough.......

Dang if you don't always "just happen to" have just the coolest stuff fall into your lap. Nice looking rig and I think the shank turned out good.

In my defense, this rifle is/was the 6.5x47 I put together a while back, but ended up selling the barrel.

But you're right, when this barrel kinda fell in my lap, the 6x47 was born.

Testing has commenced.......

Drooling....
Damn you Al !

And the advantage of the 6x47 over the 6 Creed is just the Lapua brass? Not criticizing just want to know. Nice looking rig. MB

Peterson now makes brass for the 6x47 Lapua as well, and reports are it's every bit the equal of Lapua.

I was drawn to the 47 case years ago from shooting Hunter Benchrest competition, when we made 30x47 cases from full length 308 Lapua brass or 300 Savage, if you didn't mind the large rifle primers.

The 47 case is .070" shorter than the CM case, but gives up little in performance, and is a better fit in a 2.800" mag box with bigger bullets w/o having to deep seat them, whether it's a 22, 6mm, or 6.5 version. I have reamers for all three.

I have some money shots coming........get the bib.....

Lapua makes 6 creed brass

When do we see the group's?

I've got about 50 rounds down it from 3 quick trips testing a different bullet each time.

Been too damn hot........

Yes, been too damn hot is right !

I wish I was sweating out Wisconsin and Michigan hot.......

Down here it is called "air you can wear" temp and humidity are running neck and neck a lot of the time.

Appreciate you sharing that - I never get tired of reading posts - and seeing related pics - like yours. Major kudos, Sir.

Very nice.

That's OK, we'll be in shorts & flip flops with snow on the ground this winter, while your furnace is going full bore and you're wrapped up in your Slanket.....

aalf - what load combination are you running in your 6x47s these days? I had one built several years back (Pierce action, Jewell, Bartlien 1-7.5, McMillan HTG), and due to life intrusions, haven't shot it in at least 3 years.

In the process of digging through my gear/records now, trying to piece together what I had been doing (I am horrible in the record keeping dept). I seem to recall that the 105/108s seemed to rule back then, powered by H4350. Looks like I was concentrating on the Berger 115gr with Reloader 17 and CCI 450s, loaded well on the hot side of what the Berger manual shows.

Thanks, mucho!

Kaiser Norton

That came together very nicely.

I've put together several 6x47's now, and all have worked so well with H-4350, that I've never had to look elsewhere.

I've never been a fan of the 115 Berger. The BC doesn't best the 105 VLD or Hybrid by much, and if you point either 105 version, along with extra 100+ fps gained from being 10 grains lighter, equal or beats the 115's, while being generally being easier to tune.

For reference, I use a .585 BC for the pointed Hybrids in my LR plinker.

So far, I've fiddled with 105 VLD's, 105 Hybrids, and 108 ELD's in this barrel, paired with H-4350, sparked by Rem 7 1/2's.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. Always helpful to get new information or a different viewpoint.

I have other options also, including H4350 and several bullets to try (105 VLD, 105 Hybrid, 108 ELD, 110 Matchking, and the 105 Scenar). Been in the basement all morning, cobbling some test loads together.....I'll find something useful, I'm sure.

Kaiser Norton

So testing began with three trips to the "range".

Targets were shot at 205 yards.

Wind was switchy, made worse shooting in a quarry, with it swirling from all directions at any time, & no flags.

Brass is several times fired 6.5x47 Lapua, annealed, neck turned, necked down, neck turned & annealed again.

Powder was H-4350 in half grain increments from 39 to 41 grains. Only went to 40.5 with 108's.

Rem 7 1/2 primers.

All bullets are moly plated, and seated 15-20 thou in the lands.

1st up was with 105 VLD's, groups ranged from .6 to 1 MOA. 41 grains gave 3129 ave.

2nd trip with 105 Hybrids, groups were .55 to .9 MOA. 41 grains gave 3136

3rd trip, with 108 ELDMs, groups were .360 to 1.4 MOA. 40.5 grains gave 3078

40 grains looked promising with all 3 bullets, so I loaded up the remaining brass with 40 grains each, divided equally between the 3 bullets.

That gave me enough for two 5 shot groups with each, and a few sighters/foulers for good measure.

Along with testing the loads, I was also wanting to get all the brass shot once , and hopefully get the barrel settled in as well.

I've found in the past some barrels need upwards of 150 rounds before they really get going.

Conditions weren't the best with swirling winds, targets at 200 yards again, and 80*.

When the smoke cleared, no group of the 6 shot, stood out as a winner, all measuring 1 to 2 MOA.

At this point, I wasn't sure what to do next........

I hate that feeling when leaving the range of "now what do I do"

It's not the 1st time I've come home and asked myself "Well, what did we learn today?" without answer.

Not to despair, I always win......

What is your next move Aalf?

Next move.......

I tumbled the brass, annealed, full length sized, and went 2 thou tighter on the neck bushing.

Then did the same tests with both Bergers, H-4350, and switched to Fed 205M's.

Conditions were beautiful, 80* and almost zero wind.




Interesting, in the top row, the 1st two groups were left of center, I gave the scope 1 click to move it over, next group was centered, 4th group was right, so I clicked it back to center up the last group, which topped at a 3143 fps average. Middle group at 40 grains had the smallest ES at 13 fps, 41 had 17.

41 grains with the Hybrids topped out at a 3144 fps average, with an ES of 3.

I finished up with a 5 shot group (center left) with 40 grains, VLD, & 7 1/2 combo. 1st shot went low, the last 4 went into a flat inch.

looks like 40 and 41 both repeat,
all you did was change neck bushing size? interesting

After FL sizing with the original bushing, I seated a bullet, and it was a bit looser than I care for, so I dropped down a size, and it still wasn't enough, so I went down another thou. I may try one more tighter yet too.

Also, I switched from 7 1/2's to 205M's this go around.

I'd like to go another half grain on the Hybrids to try and close up the vertical, but I'm about at the limit at 41.

Last test.....seating.......

Loaded everything with 41 grains of H-4350, seated into the lands, with 205M's, and headed to the quarry.

I also took my Wilson inline bullet seater, so I could adjust seating on the fly.

80 degrees, but I was in the shade. Wind wasn't very cooperative, & tougher in the chute:

I shot 3 rounds to foul the bore, then commenced to testing 3 shot groups in 10 thou increments.

I stopped at 40 off, then shot a 5 shot group at 10 off to confirm the 1st three. First & second shot almost touched, then got caught in a push that went right. I waited for the flags to settle down, & the 4th went back in the group. Wind picked up a little, so I got anxious on the 5th, held left, and it went left....dammit.






I shot one more quick group with 40 grains, & called it a night.

When I went down to pick up the target, I was surprised how much the wind would pick up and funnel towards the target right at the pinch point, half way down the range. Kind of a vortex thing. Of course things died down while picking up my stuff.

Testing's over........

Looks like you got this one about figured out.

Play time......

Late afternoon, I went out to my long range spot, and set out a few milk jugs from 485 to 953 yards. Facing west, the wind was out of the north, giving me a pretty good left to right breeze. I was pretty well protected the first half, but it really came into it's own on the hillside.

Ballistics were based on the pointed Hybrids at a 550 BC, 3120 FPS, 1300 ASL.

First up was the half gallon jug at 485 yards. Dialed in 6 MOA and smacked that jug dead center with a clean/cold hit. Pretty good on a target that's under 10" tall & 4" wide.

Next up was at 556, dialed in 7.5 MOA, & made another direct hit.

Moved up the hill to 824. That's where the wind showed it's face, coupled with the tall grass, & I couldn't spot the impacts. W/O any flags, I didn't realize how bad it was blowing up there. Finally spotted an impact, corrected, and drilled the jug.

Ultimately, my drops were confirmed. Per usual, it was just another wind game.

In the end, I prevailed, & the jugs lost......

Don't you love coming out with a victory.

Yeah, I often think to myself " Gee, things are working out super- I think I'll change something! LOL" Really like the look and the design of that rifle , well done!
Cat

Thanks, I think it turned out quite well myself.


Or three......no guts, no glory!

No doubt I would conquer, sometimes it just takes longer exploring the options.

To the victor go the spoils, unless someone wants to buy this barrel....ha ha......

Pics of jugs or it didn't happen. Good looking shooting spots, BTW.

Those jugs you can leave in the field...I’ll pick them up for you. 😬😎

Will do......

Another change in glass......

I decided a diet was in store for this gun as well, so I removed the NF, replaced the NF picatinny rail with a lighter Seekings 20 MOA version, and topped it off with a new Leupold VX5 HD 3-15x44 ZL-2 with the Firedot Duplex.

I got it mounted up, bore sighted, and ready for sighting in.

That evening, I loaded up and went to the quarry for sighting in and tracking testing. A shot at 50, and a couple more at 100 got me zeroed, then I set up & leveled the tall tracking test target, which is marked off in 5 MOA increments to 35 total MOA.

Multiple twists back and forth the full 35 MOA showed consistent tracking and returning to zero every time.

After all the twisting, I moved to the other target, and shot a round, Then I dialed the full 38 MOA available up & back to zero, and shot again. Then repeated the sequence one more time for a 3 shot group.

I'll take it......

Ballistics and drops have all been well confirmed with the Nightforce on top, time to test the new Leupold.

Since I was shooting/testing Twisted Sister the same time, some pics are duplicates.

First setup, 310 yards:



Dialed in for the first shot, clean cold:



Moved to 420 yards:



After every shot, I zeroed the scope before dialing in for the next shot.

Left target, one shot, then moved back to 530 yards, and shot one on the right target:

Packed everything up and moved back to the 635 yard mark, and set up again:



Dialed in the scope, and let one go on the left steel. A little left to right had picked up, but still on the target:
I wrote down the wrong gun on the last 2 targets, you're not confused.



Moved on back to the 803 yard mark:



Dialed the scope, held on the left edge, and let 'er rip, which landed a bit left.

Still a kill shot, and knocked the target off the hook:






All done, and ready to rock.......

Looks ready.

Time to shoot critters. Nice rifle as usual

cool stuff, looks like the Leupold is working like it should