Jason Slams Steel with 6.5×47 at ASC
Zak Smith isn’t the only kid on the block with a new 6.5×47 Lapua tactical rifle. Our 1K editor, Jason Baney, has built his own 6.5×47 tactical rig. It has a trued Rem 700 action, Krieger 8.5 twist 25″ barrel, AI CS detachable box magazine (DBM), Badger bottom metal, and a custom U.S. Optics 3.8-22×44 SN3 scope with a EREK elevation turret, MDMOA reticle, and left-handed windage knob. Even with limited load-testing time, Jason quickly found a tack-driving 2960 fps load with Lapua Scenar 123s and Reloader 15.
With that load, Jason recently competed in the Allegheny Sniper Challenge (ASC). Jason placed first in his squad, out-scoring some past and present military snipers. Jason said the load and gun performed flawlessly: “If I could hold it… the gun could hit it. No magazine issues whatsoever. This round is good to go in a mag-feeder.”
Click the above photo to see a VIDEO showing Jason hitting multiple metal targets in a timed, rapid-fire sequence at ASC. Note how much JB has to swing the rifle around and adjust for angle and elevation changes. In this stage, Jason had to engage seven targets from 200 to 600 yards, starting at 350, then moving out to 600 and back to 200. Jason says: “There was a 20 mph full-value crosswind running and we weren’t allowed to touch the scope. That’s a serious hold-off.” Jason was one of the few ASC shooters to “clean” this stage, hitting all targets. Running a tac gun in ASC is a far cry from shooting free recoil from the bench–something which Jason does pretty darn well too. But Jason says: “BR, Tactical, Varminting–They’re all about accuracy and they’re all fun.”
In the weeks ahead, when he’s not involved in Williamsport 1000-yard BR matches, Jason will be working up loads for this rifle, and a new 6mm/6.5mmx47 switch-barrel project gun AccurateShooter.com is developing. His next experiment is to try H4350 with the Berger 130s in the 6.5×47 Lapua. Reloader 15 shot bugholes with the 130s, but Jason felt that ambient temps affected his velocities too much.
Here’s a “glamour shot” of Jason’s 6.5×47 rifle in McMillan A5 stock, smithed by GA Precision. Click for BIG PHOTO.
In case folks were wondering, those extra mags are on my log-book to keep the pages from blowing around as I had my drop and wind dope written there for each target…which is what I kept looking at between shots.
At ASC it is so easy to lose points (or gain points in this case, because Zero (0) was the perfect score)…I could have easily gone 10-15 points either way with a few small changes…it is all about who had the least mistakes that weekend
4 guys from the other squad had several less mistakes than me, so I ended up 5th overall (but 1st in my squad). :p
Jered Joplin of Patriot Arms won my weekend, and George Gardner from GA Precision won the previous weekend…
congrats to JASON..
Why did you choose a barrel with a 1:8.5 twist?
I think that your experiment with the Berger 130 VLD will prove to be excellent as has mine. I am using that bullet (0.10 into the lands) in the 6.5×47 with a Federal primer and 40.5 gr of H-4350 for an avg velocity of 2930 (SD=6 ES=20). Chamber is the same as Don Nelson’s and it is a 1:8 twist Kreiger w/a Barnard action.
1st of all great shooting…
What reticle were you using?
Respectfully,
V. Ruiz
I was just wondering how or if you have tried this round at around 2400 to 2500 ft. per second ‘ with a 140 grain bullet’. I no longer need a gun that kills on one end and cripples on the other. Other wise I’d shoot a .260 remington
would like to see a split vidoe with targets and shooter at same time