Lapua brass. Prep???

I'd be happy with 1/2 MOA.

Now how can I get those bullits going faster,out of my 20 inch barrel?
Any magic powder.... lol.
I have Varget,but I read rl 15 may give Them bit more speed.

If Jerry has guided your purchases I suspect you will get the 1/2 MOA!

On getting the bullets going faster, the best sure way would be to place an order with Jerry for a 28" barrel. Or you could order a copy of QuickLoad, and try all the various powders in the computer. However, what I think you will find is that what produces the best velocity out of a 28" barrel will produce the best out of a 20" barrel. It is just going to be slower, and there is no real way around it. You pay in velocity for a short barrel. Quickload will tell you how much you are losing.

I would suggest H4350 (Hodgdon, not IMR) is likely your best powder. It is temperature insensitive. Varget perhaps a bit too slow. RL 15 may be a touch fast. RL 17 would likely be better, but the RL powders are temperature sensitive. It depends somewhat on the bullets you want to shoot.

The Accurate Shooter 6.5x47 Lapua Cartridge Guide will give you a lot of good information on how to load the cartridge.
 
I blinked and 2 more pages of replies...wow.

Case prep is a situation where the returns diminish more and more with the work that you do. In many cases 1/2moa is achieved with virtually no special case prep other than proper sizing, trimming cases when required, and chamfering case mouths. The extra work like deburring flash holes and turning necks, usually improves accuracy by so little that you have to look hard to notice it.

If you are shooting competitions perhaps, but most of us are not entering formal competition.

No argument to that stubble. (I may even be approaching that point...:) however...) I may be the odd ball here but my take on neck turning and reloading diligence is about removing as much doubt as I can about the rounds that have been made when I'm at the range and while hunting. The consistency in creating the ammunition tells me that when rounds aren't producing clover leafs that it's something else, most probable is my poor marksmanship on that day.

A good process has control points and measurement points for feedback. Eliminating as many variables as I can is one aspect of shooting that I can control.

I'm not saying OCD case prep makes me better but it's the added confidence that does. Perhaps there are others that think the same way. Myself, I wouldn't discourage anybody from trying to improve and eliminate variability. FWIW my cases aren't uber shiny either. ;) In this case if the OP wishes to try it, there are cost effective options presented and he'll make up his own mind if it works.

I know you are not discouraging anybody and just sharing your experience which is good for the op. Just wanted to illustrate another perspective that's not into competition shooting (yet) and is really trying to optimize shooting groups for bragging rights and quick humane kills in the field.


Lapua refers to the manufacturing of flash holes as "piercing". There is a small amount of burrs inside the case which some remove. Some very top FClass users of Lapua brass take "high spots" off with neck turning and have customer chambers with dies made with same reamer.

Best regards,

Peter
Lapua in Canada

Thank you Peter for sharing and clarifying.

I have been using Lapua brass for the last 2500 rounds (in a .308). When I get a new box of brass I just load it, no prep. The bullets make one hole at 100.

Back to the original programming folks. Good post to bring on track. Apologies OP for taking this into the weeds at points but kept adding for some different perspective.

Regards
Ron
 
Pretty sure you, me and the OP are not in that category so all that prep work is purely educational.


Exactly what I was getting at in asking WTF is small group.
Akin to "How do I get rich?" "Buy low, sell high":rolleyes:


You prove the point in that until one is specific on what is a small group and if it achievable by the firearm and shooter all this prep may simply be a waste of time. Folks need to be specific and measurable to determine if the goal is achievable or exercise in futility.

Not sure if you're saying that me and the OP aren't capable of competition level shooting, but if you are, please speak for yourself.....and I won't speak for you.

I think this is the second time this week I've stated this....

GGG
 
You may not see much accuracy improvement after fireforming new brass but the idea for some of us is that it will save the web from stretching too much on that first firing, providing you take measures to prevent forward movement of the cartridge when hit by the firing pin.

Example: 6.5-284 Lapua brass when new averages around .012" shorter cartridge headspace than it measures post-firing in my .284. After resizing new stuff to .284, I charge with powder (not max but not mild) and seat the bullet for a heavy jam in my rifle. That Lapua brass is on its 10th cycle with no concerning signs of web thinning. I like to think my prep had something to do with that.

Bigedp51, post your fancy brass stretching video thingy!

Rooster

I have a better idea, winter cold weather is upon us so I would suggest fire forming your brass in the morning and have a hot breakfast.
COW is for babies and harder to scrape off the ceiling and walls. ;)

290_7714_ucp.jpg


Just remember if you do use the COW method of fire forming to "NOT" stand behind the cow. :evil:

Br5ekPbCEAAoPVD.jpg:large
 
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After you guys have finally completed all these steps, do you look at your box of 50 or 100 newly minted, ultra precise, shiny rounds like a proud dad???....even though they look the same as any others???

Just wondering if I'm the only crazy one.

GGG
 
But what do you do with the rest of your time??

I shoot more,. In the spring and summer I spend time shooting ground squirrels, skeet and sporting clays. In the winter, I shoot coyotes, skeet, and load shotshells for the following spring. In the fall, I hunt upland birds and big game. I would rather be out hunting or shooting than spending my extra time prepping cases.
 
Yup, Much rather spend the time out there shooting and fishing than prepping case. In particular when it is likely more an exercise in education than doing any real world good but hey for those that enjoy case prepping go for it.
I shoot more,. In the spring and summer I spend time shooting ground squirrels, skeet and sporting clays. In the winter, I shoot coyotes, skeet, and load shotshells for the following spring. In the fall, I hunt upland birds and big game. I would rather be out hunting or shooting than spending my extra time prepping cases.


Good luck when you finally get to competition and all that prep work pays off.
Not sure if you're saying that me and the OP aren't capable of competition level shooting, but if you are, please speak for yourself.....and I won't speak for you.

I think this is the second time this week I've stated this....

GGG
 
Suspect you won't be happy with 1/2 MOA for long. Sounds like your setup should be <1/2. Doesn't Jerry's world start at 1/2MOA and likely less.

Why did you go 6.5x47? I went 260Rem for Lapua brass and Tikka CTR comes in 260. Today I might have gone 6.5CM with Lapua coming out with that brass in Jan.
I'd be happy with 1/2 MOA.

Now how can I get those bullits going faster,out of my 20 inch barrel?
Any magic powder.... lol.
I have Varget,but I read rl 15 may give Them bit more speed.
 
If Jerry has guided your purchases I suspect you will get the 1/2 MOA!

...

The Accurate Shooter 6.5x47 Lapua Cartridge Guide will give you a lot of good information on how to load the cartridge.

1/2 MOA way the heck out there. My job will be done when he can report 1/2 MOA from 600 to 1000yds.

The cartridge is more then capable... if he is willing to put in the effort. Pretty sure he will have a very well built rifle too so ... no excuses :)

Hitting pop cans and clay pigeons out to 1000yds is no longer just a hope... call the wind, and you will hit them.

THAT is worth the effort for me... but it certainly is not for everyone.

Regardless, hope that everyone gets their rig shooting to the levels they are happy with and just have a ton of fun burning powder.

Enjoy...

Jerry
 
1/2 MOA way the heck out there. My job will be done when he can report 1/2 MOA from 600 to 1000yds.

The cartridge is more then capable... if he is willing to put in the effort. Pretty sure he will have a very well built rifle too so ... no excuses :)

Hitting pop cans and clay pigeons out to 1000yds is no longer just a hope... call the wind, and you will hit them.

THAT is worth the effort for me... but it certainly is not for everyone.

Regardless, hope that everyone gets their rig shooting to the levels they are happy with and just have a ton of fun burning powder.

Enjoy...

Jerry

For F class, the V or X ring is 1/2 MOA at 900m or 1000yds respectively. To have a chance to hit that circle with any level of reliability, your set up needs to agg smaller. The Tech in F class is at a level where any top quartile OPEN rifle can mechanically clean that Center ring (yep, 15 to 20rds INSIDE that 1/2 MOA circle)... Top quartile FTR rifles are right on their heels... I believe the current NRA record for FTR is 200-14X (maybe 16X). That is a 308 shot of a bipod and rear bag.
 
I've had some good advice from Jerry and you guys here.
But in the end,all the parts were my choice. Now it's all in Insites hands.
I chose the 47 because of what I read. I think it has a small edge on the 260 and the CM.
I won't be doing any comps as there's none around here for me to do.
I like shooting groups and I like accurate guns, I've tryed the rem,savage,tikka and I didn't like them.
So I decide I wanted this rig.
I'm no expert shot,but I can get my XCR-L shooting sub MOA. So I should be able to do all right with this build.
My plan is to start at a 100 and work out to 400.
Until I can find a spot for more distance .

Oh ,I plan on shooting a moose with it next fall:)
 
I bet Insite won't even tell you that rifle is done until they've test shot it well under 1/2MOA. I've seen some of Furtaker's groups, and he's not a guy I'd challenge to a shoot off.....
 
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