6 XC vs. 6,5x47 Lapua

[jagermeister]

For long range target shooting (out to a thousand...) and occasional hunting on game up to a Whitetail, which one would you pick, and why ?

What are the preferred bullet weights that should be used on each one ?

I'd say 105's for 6 mm. and 140ish for 6,5....

What are the relevant velocities to be expected with handloads ?

What about barrel wear ?

Other things to be considered ?

Looking forward to hear your opinions...

TY
JM

 

[Thebear_78]

I don’t think you can go wrong with either one. The 6.5 might have a little better selection of bullets for big game hunting. If you go 6 xc make sure you twist it fast enough to stabilize the 115gr bullets in the 6mm.

My buddy has the 6.5x47 and loves it, He shoots it a out to 1k quite a bit and has been very impressed with the cartridge.

 

[.300winmag]

6.5x47 for sure. Buddy has one any gets 140's 2,740fps without pushing brass hard at all. Shoots as good as my 6BR. Bug holes at 100 yards and 2" groups at 600 yards are not uncommon. Barrel life should be longer on the 6.5 I'd think.

 

[jagermeister]

Just found out that the 6,5x47 I'm interested in has a 26" barrel with a 1 in 8,6" twist rate.
What do you Guys think of this setup ?
And what bullet weights would it be stabilized in it and thus recommend it ?
Thanks [THUMBS UP SIGN]
JM

 

[DrMike]

Fast twist like that should stabilize about any bullet you choose. Twenty-six inch should get you velocity that is plenty fast.

 

[jagermeister]

Fast twist like that should stabilize about any bullet you choose. Twenty-six inch should get you velocity that is plenty fast.

Thanks Doc !

I didn't hear your pick on which one you'd choose though.... :mrgreen:

 

[IdahoCTD]

I'd do the 6.5x47L for a couple reasons. One the brass is about the best there is and it's ready to shoot. Small rifle primers tend to have less pressure issue and some say they are more accurate. Two as you go up in caliber size (diameter) they kill better when everything else is equal. That means that they are shooting the same style of bullet and close to the same velocity. I have two of them and they are extremely accurate with almost no recoil (mine have muzzle brakes) plus they are one of the easiest rounds to get to shoot. I don't have a 6XC but I have a 6BR, 6x47L, 2 6mm's, 2 .243AI's, and a 6WSM. The 6.5x47L can do 2800fps with a 140gr bullet or 2950+ with a 123-130gr bullet in a 26" barrel. I plan on getting a suppressor to run on my 24" barreled gun and using it for my cow elk hunt next August. Suppressors are nice to hunt with as it doesn't tend to spook the game as bad.That gives you more time to shoot additional animals or make a second shot if you miss the first.

 

[andrewctillman]

For serious 1,000 yard the 115 grain in 6mm, for hunting and 1000 yard either 123 or 140 in 6.5.

You cant go wrong with the 6.5.

Ive shot the 6mm some in a Tubb 2000 but it is a pain to reload for compared to the 6.5, and I have never been impressed with performance of a 6mm on deer sized animals even with the best bullets.

You would have to be a hell of a good shot to tell the difference between a 6 XC and a 6.5 at 1,000 yards. the 6.5 barrel will probably last to 2,500 rounds, about 500 longer than a 6 XC. so I would vote for the 6.5 x 47.

Ditto everything that IdahoCTD said.

 

[DrMike]

Fast twist like that should stabilize about any bullet you choose. Twenty-six inch should get you velocity that is plenty fast.

Thanks Doc !

I didn't hear your pick on which one you'd choose though.... :mrgreen:

I'd likely opt for the 6.5. It has nothing to do with science; it is a purely biased choice.

 

[sendero]

I would not used 6xc or 6.5x47 on big game. They are not capable. In norway 6.5x55 Swedish mauser are used on moos, and is a little anemic.

I used my Blaser R8 in 6xc with berger hunting vld 105 grains on fallow dear. The bullet did not penetrate more then one lounge. Maybe because distance was only 82 m, to much speed an bullet fragmented to early.

The 6.5 offers a lot of high BC bullets, but these are match bullets. Hunting bullets in 6.5 with good BC are rare. Have the 6.5x47 with 140 grains bullet enough punch on 200-300yards for elk hunting?
I have shot several thousand bullets in 6.5x55 in the Norwegian DFS competition. It is a good round for this but for hunting there are few bullet to use, Norma Oryx, Lapua Mega, Barnes TSX (120 grains) the hornady A max is not a good big game bullet.

That is why I use other calibers on big game, 93x62, 375H&H, 3006, 270W etc.
The 270W is a favorite, I can use good BC hunting bullet on training and te same bullet on big game hunting; Nosler acc 140, Barnes TSX/TTSX 140 grains and this season trye the 150 ABLR.

The 140 grains Nosler ACC deliver a good punch and precision at 1000m
loaded with 59.5 grains N-560. V=992m/s Then I can shoot long range on training an hunt with the same bullet.

 

[IdahoCTD]

The 6.5x47L is the equivalent of a 6.5x55. It runs at higher pressure and is just as fast with 140's. A friend of mine killed a cow elk last year at 350yds with 123 Amax's and I know a guy that kill a bull elk at 900yds with one a few years ago with 142 Matrix bullets. I would feel confident with a 6.5x47L on elk out to 5-600yds. With the 140 Berger, 140 Amax, 142 Matrix, or the new Hornady ELD-X or M a 6.5x47L using a 26" barrel would have 1500+lbs of energy out to 500+yds. It would have 1350+lbs at 600yds. If that is all I could shoot accurately I would take that in a heartbeat. Shot placement is more important than tons of energy. A .270 with a 140AB at 3000fps has the same energy at 500 and 600yds as a 6.5x47L. A 30-06 with 180AB's at 2800fps has 200lbs more at 500yds and 150lbs more at 600yds. Both of those burn 15+grs more powder to do it too. I'm not going to argue that larger diameter bullets kill better because I know for a fact they do. Been there and done that and have the T-shirt. That wasn't part of the original question though.


I've killed 6 elk in the last few years with Amax bullets out of my 6.5-300wm and 7-300wm. If anything they would perform better 400+fps slower in a 6.5x47L. I just shot a bull 5 days ago at 533yds with my 7-300wm using 162 Amax's and finished off my buddies bull even further than that. I definitely think the new Hornady ELD-X bullet would be better on elk but I haven't lost one nor have I felt like I would lose one shooting Amax's or Matrix VLD's. That's 8 elk, 2 deer, and 2 antelope in the last 5-6 years from 80yds to 1006yds using match bullets. My dad has killed 3 elk using his 7-300wm with 162 Amax's over the last 3 or 4 years as well. I can say that the 140 Amax's going 3230fps at the muzzle out of my 6.5-300wm seems to penetrates better than the 162's going 3265fps out of my 7-300wm. A friend of mine kills his elk every year with the same 6x47L and 105 Berger's he shoots 1000yd matches with but if I had a choice I'd pick a 6.5mm any day over a 6mm.

 

[sendero]

This is the latest dear with 6mm xc and 105 grains Berger VLD hunting .
I have shot 18 Fallow dear with the 6mm xc and 2 Capreolus Capreolus this year. Will change to 90 grains AccuBond and 85 grains Barnes for next hunt on Roe dear (capreolus capreolus). For the Fallow dear I use other caliber, the 6 xc do not preform as I want. There are better calibers for this type of animals.

This weekend, Roe dear. 6mm xc
Recently Added-57 by killertriz, on Flickr

 

[jagermeister]

Thanks Sendero for your "facts from the field".

Nice picture and nice Roe Fawn, by the way.

JM

 

[jmad_81]

I have been having this same discussion with myself lately.

I think I have myself talked into a 6mm Creedmoor set up to shoot the 105 and 115 weight bullets. I have a friend that has a 6x47L and he has taken a pile of critters with it. I also have a friend that built a 6xc, and it shoots stupid good as well!

The only reason I'm not looking at a 6x47L is the small rifle primers. I don't have anything else that uses them.

I don't think you can go wrong with either one!