Range Report 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

[pinzmann]

I just pasted the 3k round count on my 6.5x47 Lapua and have noticed that I'm not quite getting the accuracy I'm use to. It will still usually shoot around 1/2 MOA but have noticed that I not getting the usual sure shots farther down range. Am getting some unexplained misses at 3-600 yds. Its a Bartlein barrel and I don't usually fire fast strings.
Is this the expected round life of this caliber? For you guys who have shot out your barrel, how many rounds did you get thru it?

 

[Captain Kirk]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

Blame it on the barrel......

I would try chasing the lands a little by seating the bullet out, see what happens.

In all honesty, I don't think the round has been around long enough to have a good baseline for how many rounds a barrel will go on average, plus there are soooo many variables that dictate round count. That's not to say a handful of 6.5x47 barrels haven't been shot out in the 5+ years its been out, just not enough to have adequate data. I had 2500 through a 6.5x47 barrel and it was shooting great, rebarreled for a 6x47 and handed the 6.5 barrel off to the next owner.

Chase those lands

Kirk R

 

[bburnham]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

I changed my Lilja 3 groove at about 3400 rounds. I should have done it at at no more than 3000.

 

[broke_again]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

It is time for a new barrel.

 

[Captain Kirk]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

If you have a barrel that shoots, and I mean realy shoots, it may be worth having the chamber recut or "set back" but it will not restart the round clock, maybe another 500 to 1K tops. Most of the erosion is in the throat area just in front of the chamber where the majority of the heat and wear is focused, rechamber just past this area and recut the barrel threading back and you buy some time. Setting back the barrel is a practice that has been used for years, but generaly if you have easy access to a smith, you will be back shortly for a new barrel so its not for everyone.

Kirk R

 

[leadbullet]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

chase the lands and if that doesn't do the trick, set the barrel back a few inches.

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

I'd chase the lands before a setback also. You never said what bullet you're shooting, might have to switch to 140 hybrid, or a scenar to handle some jump.

I set a 7mm saum barrel back after 1900rds, got 1k more out of it, could have gotten more. At setback time I had 2&1/2" of freebore, still shot great with 180 hybrid. Cut 2&1/2" off, the reamer took it out of any firecracking, barrel shot better than when new??????

 

[DIBBS]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

Unless I had a machinist in my hip pocket for <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">cheap </span></span>rechambering/threading, I'd order a new tube and $ for threading and chambering would be ammortized over another 2500 rounds. I'd be damn happy with 3K rounds...barrels are a consumeable item.

 

[Chiller]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dibbs</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Unless I had a machinist in my hip pocket for <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">cheap </span></span>rechambering/threading, I'd order a new tube and $ for threading and chambering would be ammortized over another 2500 rounds. I'd be damn happy with 3K rounds...barrels are a consumeable item.

</div></div>

Damn Straight

 

[pinzmann]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

I'm shooting 123 Lapua's. I will try chasing the lands. I started out originally at 2.690 OAL. Now its 2.717. I really never considered setting back the barrel worth it. Since I do my own chambering, I'd rather just chamber up another barrel.

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dibbs</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Unless I had a machinist in my hip pocket for <span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-weight: bold">cheap </span></span>rechambering/threading,

</div></div>

Answered that part of it.

 

[coldboremiracle]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: milo-2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I set a 7mm saum barrel back after 1900rds.....</div></div>

You just broke my heart

 

[JL]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

I recommend you to have barrel checked by gunsmith (with feeler) before tossing money on new barrel or chambering.

I had customers 6.5-284 couple of weeks ago. Symptoms were decrease in accuracy, usually one or max two fliers in othervise tight group.

Since barrel, LW50 stainless, had already 4500 shots behind, I wasnt too opimistic. But, surprise surprise, barrel had some powder residue/copper fouling sticked in first 4" of barrel. Feeler stucked there. tight spot did not came of with any solvent or brass brushing.

So after intense rubbing with fine lapping paste and bore bright, tight spot was gone -as were mysterious fliers in groups.
But biggest surprise was final check with boroscope: barrel was NOT burned, still in perfectly usable condition!! Ammo used mostly was Lapua 140gr moly Scenar with 935-950meters MV. Powder VV N560 if I recall correctly.

I would have not believed it, but saw it with my own eyes and know owner of rifle personally. Live and learn.

 

[raptor99]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

I have shot the barrels out of a couple of 260s and what your experiencing is common when your barrel is going south or has already arrived!!

If you want to consider setting one back you need to do it a lot earlier in the life of the barrel. I set one of my 260s back at around 1800rds and it was good for another 1200+ rounds and was still shooting damn good when I decided to pull it. I had a smith who did it for $75 so it was a no brainer for me.

Once the barrel starts to burn bad and loose accuracy setting it back is not a good option. A lot of smiths won't do it because they say its hard on the reamers because the steel has changed by the ammount of heat put into the barrel. Just put a new barrel on it and be happy with the 3000 rounds you got out of it. It owes you nothing!!

 

[Triggerf16]

Re: 3,000 and counting. 6.5x47

I have heard other reports of those LW50 barrels being longer wearing than a regular 416R stainless barrel. This is a nice data point to add to that info.