Rifle realist wrote:GDay Apollo
I am interested in a 6.5X47 Lapua for an fclass rifle maybe six months time Barnard action 1:8 twist barrel. Do you shoot fclass of Br and how does the 6.5X47 go?
Re cleaning brass, I decap, sonic clean, resise trim/chamfer and then tumble until bright and shiny, it's easy to see any problems and the brass looks good at the range. It is also a lot easier to find ejected brass when hunting in the bush.
I'm sorry all but this is going to be a little off topic to answer this question.
Firstly, on topic. I clean all my cases and polish to a virtual mirror finish and keep them that way. I will not run dirty cases through my dies. If I had field cases that are not clean I would deprime with a universal deprimer then clean before they go anywhere near my normal dies. I don't clean every reload, it depends on what condition the cases are in but if and when I clean they go in the ultrasonic first, then dried, then in corncob tumbler for hours. Finally they are wiped to remove any dust etc whilst I study each case to look for faults.
The off topic part.
I have had a practise at F-Class Open and I don't like it for the simple reason is I don't think it challenges accuracy enough. I can't shoot prone for medical reasons so all I do is shoot off a bench. However, I have taught a mate and his son target shooting and reloading. They both can and do shoot prone but simply don't like the idea so never got them to go to an NRA Range to shoot F-Class. We shoot 300 Metre and 500 Metre Benchrest Fly.
My Mate shares his rifle with his Son so they shoot twice in the one detail, all bullets are pointed and moly coated. At the last two shoots in NSW each of them had a 1st Place Win in Light Gun Class (under 17lb) and these are National Registered Matches. I've not shot competition for over 12 months due to medical reasons and when I did obtained a 4th place at my first ever competition, plus best target and smallest group which was close to a range record. 1.182" which has now been beaten but 1.000" at 500 metres for 5 shots is no easy task.
The 6.5x47L at short range...ie 500 Metres performs extremely well with 130gr Bullets and AR2208 powder. 123gr Lapua Scenars very close behind at around 2,950 fps. Long range in the USA they really push the 139/140gr with like AR2209, completely different story.
I use a Stolle Grizzly, Remington 700 and Tikka T3. The Mate and his Son use a Barnard S all in the same calibre.
Sorry for the Off Topic.
Edit...BTW
We also shoot a category called "Factory Class" and I use a .243W which has placed 1st, that's a 300 Metre Competition.