F-Class Open Rifle

[Formerly YB-2]

Just received this Bartlein barreled/built Eliseo stocked 6.5x47 Lapua for F-Class Open competition. 28" long 8.5" twist Bartlein 5T barrel on a trued M700SA with a Jewell trigger (don't breathe on it). Will be shooting 123-142gr bullets, depending on the distance (out to 1000yd) and wind conditions. Should be fun.

[Mikado463]

Glenn, though I'm not into 'space guns' I'm sure that baby will do what it was intended to. Might be kinda fun on whistle pigs @ 1000 + yards as well !

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by Mikado463

Glenn, though I'm not into 'space guns' I'm sure that baby will do what it was intended to. Might be kinda fun on whistle pigs @ 1000 + yards as well !

Until they return fire...

[Formerly YB-2]

Thanks, Dave. Not sure how I feel about space-guns until I shoot this one. If it scores well, I'll probably like it.

Varmint hunting in NJ is best done with something like a .17HMR that doesn't go much further than 200yd. Even down here in the relatively rural south there are lots of folks. And, plenty of them are armed, so might shoot back. Don't want that.

Here's a pic of a standard 150gr ball-ammo 30-06 round compared to the 130gr (Berger VLD) 6.5x47L round. BC of the VLD is .552, which is about as good as it gets. Even the 140/142gr 6.5 bullets are only marginally slicker and its tough to get them to shoot much faster without a big jump in powder, like the 6.5-.284. I should get 2500rds, or so, down my barrel before long-range accuracy starts going south. The 6.5-.284 generally gets around 1000-1100rds before it starts going bad. That is one reason folks purchase long barrels. They can set the barrel back an inch or two and get another 1000rds out of it. No more than I shoot long-range, this barrel will likely last me until I'm so old that I can only listen to my stereo.

[Formerly YB-2]

All right............ Bridgeville, DE has just announced their first 1000yd match 26-27 April. We've been holding our breathe for 5-6 years about that range opening. Will shoot the 800/900/1000yd match on Saturday.

[Mikado463]

sweet looking round Glenn, I'll be curious as to what muzzle velocity you see and how far off the 'lands' it likes to be loaded.

[Formerly YB-2]

My understanding is that the Berger 130gr VLD likes to be 'jammed' about 10thou. It is generally hopping along on just the high side of 2900fps as it leaves the barrel when pushed by ~38gr of RE15. Will be measuring the chamber, etc., and making all the load calc's during our 2-day storm that started today. If all goes well I'll have a bunch of 123gr A-Max loaded for barrel break-in when the weather's good.

Had a nice few hours at Atglen yesterday. Sighting-in the 38-56 High Wall BPCR rifle for this month's season-opening silhouette match at Shippensburg and our BPCR mid-range match at Cumberland on the 31st. Finger's crossed for decent weather.

[Formerly YB-2]

OK...... found the 123gr A-Max shoots well and so does the 140gr Berger Hybrid. Have more work to do with the 130gr to get it to shoot. Got the rifle broken-in. Doesn't take much with a Bartlein barrel. They are very smooth and cleaning yields no green (copper fouling). The 140gr Berger definitely hammers. First match and shot a 572-16x. Do need more scope. When the mirage got into a heavy boil I had a difficult time picking the X-ring from the 10-ring with my 18X scope. Have to decide between the 24X Leupold VX-6 or the Nightforce 32X NXS. Its only money.

EDIT: Just ordered the Sightron SIII 8-32x56mm scope with MOA-2 reticle. Decided the 25X of the Leupold was not enough of an increase from the 18X (Leupold is missing the boat on 32X & higher scopes) and the 42X of the Nightforce was not worth an additional $500. All three scopes are made in the USA with Japanese glass.

Next up is the New Holland match on 7/21.

[Formerly YB-2]

Got the new 8-32X56mm scope mounted. Sight-in early tomorrow and then is time to go hunting a better score. New Holland this Sunday.

Edit: Sighting-in was simple. 1-shot at 50yd, center up and move the reticle to the hole. 1-shot at 100yd and do the same. 1-shot at 300yd and do the same and then put in the ups from the ballistic chart for 600yd and was off and running. This rifle hammers. When I do my part it will hold the 10-ring at 600yd with no problem. Sunday's match should be a great break-in for me with the new scope. Forecast is for almost no wind, which is a good way to start out. Will see.

Edit: Nice match at a new-to-me venue. Up just a bit with a 574-12X. Still, a second Expert score in my second match, so moved up two classes. Happy with that. Some good learning with zero wind and heavy mirage. Watching the mirage shift and trying to follow the change. Easily a full ring-value if not done correctly.

Here's a better pic with the new SIII scope.

[Mikado463]

Glenn, just following up on this thread and was wondering how the 6.5x47 was doing ?

I just last week returned to a bench rest match albeit with my custom .243 Ackley (sold my PPC years ago when I focused more of my time to clay shooting). Finished 'ok' , shot a 190, 7x's. Considering I had three fliers in the 7 ring ????? I was pleased. I shot this with hunting loads I had worked up, so it's back to the bench……….68 gr Berger match, 47 grs H414, CCI BR primers to start