Okay folks,

Seriously considering rebarreling my wife's 260 Model 7 in 6.5X47 Lapua.

1.Any of y'all have practical experience with the round?

2.I will have it throated for a max length 130-gr. Swift Scirocco II, what would be the optimal twist rate?

3.The barrel will be a 23" Lilja #4, as is on there now in 260 Remington, what are your thoughts on 3-groove rifling?

4.Anyone else notice how similar that case is to a 22-250?

http://www.6mmhot.com/

see the email of the author at the top right of the page.....

next; http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek072.html

email at the bottom of the article for that author

They should be great sources of answers for your questions, ALSO, at the SHOT show '07, I spoke with a person from GRAF and sons, he seemed to be an upper manager, perhaps owner, but he uses 6.5x47 extensively so I might call them......ok, Chris Bixler 800-531-2666 xt 117.....hope he does not mind I gave it out.....also lapua@grafs.com

That must be his email.....I would do email first. BTW Ted, I BELIEVE David Tubbs 6mm XC is on the 22/250 case, (see http://www.6mmbr.com/6XC.html) and it is very close from eyeing it. That said. the 6.5x47 is VERY close as well to the 6x47 SWISS RUAG (http://www.6mmbr.com/albums/album_image/1307803/340387.htm)

I'd SPECULATE Lapua wanted a round in between 308 case and the 6BR Norma case, that gave more than 6BR if necked as some do... 6/6.5x47 Lapua, but more barrel life and less recoil than a 308 based round.

I think the 6.5x47 should be THE choice for a short action 6.5 unless one wants a 1000 yd rifle i.e. 6.5/284 which will burn a throat/barrel MUCH sooner. Not for me. This cartridge was supposed to be intended IIRC, to better the 6BR from 300 meters to 600 meters, that said, the 6BR fast twist is winning out to 600 and often had records to 1000.

For a hunter, I see no advantage trying to achieve more performance than what the x47 Lapua round can do, given you don't try killing game at extreme ranges. IF one has a long action, by all means a x55, x55 AI, x57, (some like long actioned /284's) and '06, '06 AI would be appropriate. Personally, MY hunting does not require shots routinely over 400 yds, that said, I shoot BR and 308 based rounds most often on deer and under sized targets. For paper and plinking, less recoil is nice and often allows one to spot your own shots. That is nice, something you cannot do with the BIG BOOMERS. I would seriously wear that 260 out first, unless you either are not getting good accuracy, OR want something different and want to beat me to having perhaps the first 6.5x47 on a M7 action. My 7mm BR M7 will have to have thousands upon thousands of rounds to wear out, but I may pop the barrel off. Had less than 1k rounds on it and shoots great, so not in a hurry.

Good luck and let us know what you do.

OH, about 3 groove barrels, the last time I took my 6BR out, it is a Ruger #1, ( I know everyone thinks they won't shoot ) I shot a 3 shot group into .498 at 330 yds using a 4-16x 4200, mistakenly posted 14x I believe in past) but none the less, that IS a Pac-Nor 3-groove barrel.

When one shoots that well, perhaps I flinched right, but it would be PURE luck for it to have happened with a bad barrel. That said, what barrel do you think I will choose again?

Well, like I said, it's Pamela's rifle that she had me have built for her. She is never going to wear that barrel out. Maybe I could do an "improved" version for our 15th anniversary. Then again, haven't had a bad year with her yet, so I'll stick with gold.

The truth is, I intended to chamber her gun for 6BR Rem. I wanted it to be a combination bench/varmint/small game gun but thought that the 6BR was too light for deer. I still do and that is why I am so tempted by the 6.5X47.

But that 260 is sooo damned good! It does everything I want the gun to do.

The only way I can rationalize this is to let my excellent riflesmith have his way with the chamber and throat for absolute accuracy.

So it is slotted into February's budget. Allow six weeks for delivery and six more for build and we should have it for June.

So then we will have as close to a scientific comparison as is possible. Two barrels from the same maker in the same length, and built on the same action by the same builder, and bedded into the same stock.

Right now it averages about .400" for 3 shots at 100 yards.

We shall see....

I don't think the Lapua will give you anything the 260 or the 6.5 x 55 won't give you already...

unless you need something 'different'....

I know. This is truly a case of "Dad wants a new toy."

Ted, no changing your mind, and although I agree with Seafire, and the logic, many things are 'emotional' and hey, your wife will enjoy the new toy as well.

Darnit, guess you might have the first model 7 in 6.5x47.

FYI, I killed a deer at 400 yds with my 6BR using a 105 amax at 2815fps mv. Should see the downrange results....high bc. Punched through both lungs, exited, deer down less than 25 yds.

Really could not ask for more. Now that said, there are shots I might pass with that combo, but with a 6.5, well, it just gives you more certainty with whatever shot might present you might say.

What you may get going to the 6.5x47 is a small improvement in accuracy over what you have now, second, slightly less recoil and blast, third, quality brass ready made, and fourth, having something very few do. If I were building from scratch on a short action, the x47 Lapua is my first choice in a 6.5 but your thoughts on a 6BR are well thought, as I chose it from paper, varmint to deer, it is really one of the last, if not the last cartridge I would want to part with if I use logic based on what I do for 99.5% of my shooting where I live and hunt.

As far as 6BR being too light for deer, I say it is no different than picking a 243, you must use a decent bullet and place your shots. Great accuracy and minimal recoil takes care of the latter, if one can shoot, as well as mild blast and the ability to spot one's hits, which hurts nothing.

You should have seen how hard the deer was hit at 400 yds when that amax punched him. You would swear a 270 hit it. The deer stumbled hard and struggled to stay on its feet. I KNEW before I squeezed where the bullet was going, and I knew on the reaction, the end result soon to follow. The 6BR is far under recognized for it's ability to shine in so many areas. I think the new 6.5x47 Lapua will carry those attributes to a slightly higher level. Barrel life is said to be better than a 6BR, and I am sure a 260 or higher capacity, so you will enjoy that rifle likely for a lifetime, unless you can't put it down!

Keep us posted, I know you will be happy. Graf's has dies and brass.

I agree with Seafire, the 6.5 X 47 wont do anything more that the 260. However it will equal a 260 with the lighter bullets. I am a huge fan of the 260 Rem. With that said, I had a 6.5 X 47 built on a 1 in 8 twist Krieger barrell finsihed at 28" to see what it would do. I built the rifle to shoot long range competition with hence the long barrel. To say the least I am impressed. An accurate 3100 fps with a 123 gr. Sierra MK is no trouble with RL-15 or N550. I have had the best luck with CCI 450 primers. Given the efficent cartridge design and modest powder charges, I don't think you will loose all that much velocity with the 23" tube.

I feel you are making a mistake building any 6.5 mm rifle with anything other than a 1 in 8 twist. This cartridge will shine with the 85 to 130 gr. bullets. Another powder to look at is H4350 especially with the 130. Go for it, your wife will love it.

PaPa 260

One of my buddies will be picking up his rifle from gun jail--10 day waiting period--tomorrow.

It's 6.5x47, Barnard target P action, a New Zealand True-Flite barrel, and a Mastin F-Class stock.

Our guess is this will be as accurate as anything on the 600 yd range at the very competitive club where he shoots.

And I'm jealous.

Did I forget the big Nightforce?

flaco

Dang, I need to get one of my own.....can I take a donation folks? Ha! Really though, love to see pics as it sounds like it will be NICE.