Several years back, I built my idea of the ultimate coyote whacker, which consisted of a Bat VR action, #3 Rock Creek 6mm 8" twist, and Jewell trigger, all housed in a no paint Edge fill McMillan Classic stock, topped off with a Nightforce 2.5-10x32 with the IHR reticle, held tight with Seekins rings on the integral picatinny rail. The barrel was chambered in 6x47 Lapua, properly throated for the 105 class bullets, specifically the 105 Berger VLD's.

Fighting form:




Yes it shoots:



And properly broken it:

I don’t think that coyote likes your rifle but FWIW, I do.

Nice!

When getting the Rock barrel chambered, the smith had an older, but basically new Benchrest barrel laying around, so he turned it down to match the Rock barrel contour, and chambered it up with the same reamer. This one being a six groove, 14" twist Hart barrel.

When I got the gun back, I fiddled with the Hart for a bit, then concentrated on the 8 twist, and never screwed the Hart back on.

So fast forward a couple months ago. I had built a couple other 6x47's, and decided to trim the herd back a bit, and listed the Bat Gun for sale with both barrels. It languished in the classifieds for a while, and I made the executive decision to keep it rather than take a big hit on it, so I peddled the other two instead.

I decided it was time to pursue the 14 twist's potential, so I oiled up the Rock barrel, spun it off, and screwed on the Hart. I took off the 10X Nightforce, and bolted up an extra 5.5-22x50 Nightforce for testing. Looking around on the shelf, I found some Lapua brass that I had previously necked down & turned that were loaded up with some older GI-322 powder and 70 BT's. They shot pretty damn good, at a hair over 3400, but I wanted more speed.

Pretty tough to find any light bullet data, but I found one reference with Varget for the 70 BT's, so some test loads were assembled and we're off to the races.

First day, I started with 39 grains at 3373, & went to 39 grains at 3575. Winner was 40 at 3496 with a .350" group.

Next day, I started with 40 grains at 3500, & went to 42 grains at 3689. Small group was 42 with a .575".

These first two times out I was using the 6.5x47 brass necked down & turned, with Rem 7 1/2 primers. Since I had shot Hunter Benchrest for a bunch of years, I had quite a few 30x47 brass that had been shot a zillion times laying around. These were originally made from 308 Lapua brass, with the shoulder pushed back, extra neck length cut off, necked down, inside reamed, and outside neck turned for competition. So I necked them down again, and turned the necks to fit, and on to testing the difference between small 7 1/2 primers & large rifle Federal 210 primered brass.

The next test, with Varget again was from 40 grains at 3532, to 42 grains at 3720. Winner was 40 grains again, with a .610" and a 7 for ES.

Next up was with R-15, 39.5 grains at 3415, to 41.5 grains at 3627. Winner was 41.5 grains with a .490".

Next up, was some old Norma 201 that I used to use in the 30x47. I bet I was the only one in the country using that for Hunter BR. I have about 10 pounds laying around, so I had high hopes it would work.

Started at 37.2 grains at 3497, went to 39.4 grains at 3695. Winner was 38.8 at 3643 with a .505" and a 17 ES. A five shot group of the same blew out to a 1.785" with a 68 ES. So much for N-201.......

I won't bore you with any more blow by blow details, except to say I did multiple shoot offs between Varget and R-15, both with large and small primers, at 100 and 200 yards.

When the smoke cleared, I finally settled on 40 grains of Varget, in the old recycled large primered 30x47 Lapua brass with Federal 210's.

Interestingly, this brass probably has had 75+ firings on it prior to being repurposed, and none being "wimpy". Also, none had been annealed previously either, til being reformed. I did anneal before and after necking them down to 6mm, and again now after every firing.

Velocity is averaging 3525 with the 70 grain moly plated Nosler Ballistic Tips.

Next job on the agenda was to mount a scope, and get it zeroed......

But first, I had to give the barrel a spritz of flat black Krylon to hide the shine from prying eyes.

Scopewise, I had previously bought a Leupold VXR 3-9x40 with the Firedot LRV reticle for one of the other 6x47's, so I ordered a set of the new Vortex Pro Series 30mm rings to mount it up with. After bolting the rings on, I did a light lapping, and was impressed on how little it took to true them up.


Black Death:

Five shots:

The Firedot LRV reticle:

With a 200 zero, and on 9X.....

The 2nd tic is 2.19 MOA

The 3rd tic is 4.80 MOA

Top of the post is 7.82 MOA

Which corresponds to......

2nd tic is 325 yards

3rd tic is 440 yards

Top of the post is 545 yards

Which makes this load a virtual tie with my 105 Berger at 3030 fps in the other barrel.

But what happened to the 2.5-10x32 IHR Nightforce, and is it available?

It's on inactive duty on the shelf till the 8 twist is back in service, so it's staying put....for now.......

Not hard to like that one either Al. Nice

Holding the 2nd tic at 329 yards......

I’m amazed by the amount of brass firings.

As long as it holds a primer......

Kill them coyote bastards

I finally had a chance to check the drop on the 2nd tic down.

The last time out I thought the group was a bit high at 329, so I dropped it two clicks down.

Set the target at 200, and fired two shots with a cold/dirty bore. Both shots were side by side, but an inch low....dammit.

So I dialed the two clicks back in, and fired a tidy 3 shot group at .875".

I taped up the original 2 shots, then moved the target back to the 325 mark.

Once back at the bench, right on cue, the little right to left wind had picked up a bit.

Holding center, I fired off three rounds. Not bad, a 2.350" group. Being mostly interested in vertical that's AOK, dead coyote.

Lastly, back to 445 yards, and more wind. Wanting to see how much wind there was, I held center, hoping to keep the 1st round on paper. High, left...OK.

Watching a big thistle in the scope almost covering the target in a push, I let a 2nd round go on a perceived let up. Closer......

Third shot I held on the edge of the paper......closer still......

One more, just for the halibut. Held on the edge of the target frame, & finally printed a bit right.

All done......it's ready.....

nice!

aalf,

Tried 40grs Varget and 70 BTs in a 1-12 Pacnor barreled 6MM Rem 700. 5 shots .516" @100. Berger 68s did almost as well, .528".