What if any is the difference between...

[Afy]

The 6-6.5x47 Lapua wildcat and the 6x47 cartridges.

Haven been able to find info...
Thank you for the inputs.

 

[MMCSRET]

I'm guessing here; so here I go. I own a 6X47 International Match, from 30 years ago, to the best of my knowledge this cartridge was never standardized with SAAMI specs. I think the Lapua round is standardized and meets SAAMI specs because Lapua took the time and expense to do the testing and documentation to make it a legitimate proprietary cartridge with their name on it.
As I said, that is just a guess!!!!!

 

[NCsmitty]

The 6x47 International has a h2o capacity of 45.5gr.

Also known as the 6mm-250, the 6mm International predates all commonly known 6mm cartridges, having been developed just after WWII. A bit before it's time, it appeared when .25 caliber wildcats were popular. It wasn't until the mid-1950's, with the introduction of the .243 Winchester, that the 6mm bore would take off in America and almost drive .25 caliber rounds, both commercial and wildcat, to obscurity.

Formed by neck-reducing the .250 Savage to .243 caliber, the 6mm International is a high-performance cartridge of standard proportion, suitable for short-length actions. Multiple case variations exist, most notably a 1/4-inch shorter 6mm International developed by Harvey Donaldson which carries his name. However, the most common case, shown above, was developed by Mike Walker of Remington. Both designs reduce the case capacity of the parent cartridge, increasing efficiency for the smaller bore.

http://ammoguide.com/?catid=457


6-6.5x47mm Lapua h2o capacity is 48.5gr

The 6-6.5x47mm Lapua is a wildcat based on the 6.5x47mm Lapua case. Almost immediately after the release of the parent case, several people began to discuss its utilization as a 6mm reduced cartridge. One incarnation is the 6mmHOT by Robert Whitley (http://www.6mmHOT.com/).

As quoted on the 6mmHOT website, "..The 6-6.5x47mm Lapua cartridge is a new 6mm cartridge designed off a necked down 6.5 x47 Lapua cartridge. Lapua brass has just recently become available in the U.S. and may be purchased through Graf & Sons. While many feel a 6.5mm cartridge has merit, many also see this cartridge, in a 6mm version, as fulfilling a long desired need for a cartridge that has inherently more "horsepower" and a larger case capacity than the 6mmBR, the 6mm Dasher, the 6mm BRX, etc. The case is very close in size, and performance to a 6XC. The quality of the Lapua brass is unbelievable, and it has a small primer pocket and a small flash hole, which makes it even better. From a lot of perspectives, this brass is an ideal high pressure vessel that helps to make this 6mm cartridge a fast hot cartridge..."

http://ammoguide.com/?catid=655


There is a 6x47 Swiss Match that is close to the Lapua 6mm wildcat. It has a 48.0gr h2o capacity.

http://ammoguide.com/?catid=180

There is also a 6x47 based on the 222 Rem Magnum (now 204 Ruger) with 32.2gr of h2o capacity. It's not a player in this discussion.


NCsmitty

 

[MMCSRET]

NC- my gun labeled 6X47 International Match is chambered for a cartridge based on the 222 Remington Magnum case opened up to take a 6MM projectile. All 6X47 load data applys. It is not based on the 250 Savage case, although I did shoot one of those a few times, good round.
As I said in my first post; I was guessing, the only thing I knew for sure was which one I have and use.
Thanks for the info. I was looking for a 6MM-TCU(6-223) when I got this 6X47 Int. Match. It has not disappointed me in any way and I've had it for almost 30 years.

 

[Afy]

So which is more accurate?

 

[MMCSRET]

I don't know. The 6X47 in the cartridge configuration I use was first introduced as a bench rest round at a time when the 222 Remington was a leading contender and had been for maybe 10 years. Someone wanted a better round for use in a crosswind and the 222 Remington Magnum had been out since 1958? so as shooters do, someone necked it up to use a heavier, more stable bullet for long shots on windy days. I'm told that Federal did one run of nickel plated cases labeled 6X47 in about 1965 or so.
I don't have any experience with a 6MM TCU(6-223), but I like my 6X47 because it has a very slight edge in powder capacity and a longer neck on the case, in my delusional mind those two small factors give it a slight edge over the 6MM TCU.

 

[NCsmitty]

MMCSRET, Sorry for not showing the info on a round that you have. If you want any load data, let me know and I'll PM the data.

http://ammoguide.com/?catid=399

6x47 (6x222rem mag)

Introduced in the early 1960's, the 6x47mm was intended as a benchrest cartridge that would equal the accuracy of the best .22 cal cartridges as well as take advantage of a rapidly expanding market of higly-efficient 6mm bullets. The preceding decade had brough a shift of popularity from .25 caliber rounds to the 6mm bore, starting with the .243 Winchester in 1954, and the American shooting public was far from satiated in it's pursuit of this caliber.

The 6x47mm was formed by expanding the neck of the .222 Remington Magnum to accept .243" bullets, benefitting from the greater ballistic coefficients enjoyed by 6mm vs. 5.56mm bullets of the day. The .222 Remington Magnum had been developed as a military cartridge in competition to become the M16's standard chambering and had sufficient case volume to support a larger bullet.

The 6x47mm performed well but had it's detractors, most of whom complained that the round was "finicky" and hard to "tune in". Ultimately, like most 6mm wildcats of the period, the 6x47mm would take a backseat to the 6mm PPC when it appeared and began to dominate the benchrest field.

NCsmitty

 

[Afy]

ah well I guess its a toss up between 6PPC or 6.5x47 Lapua. Might just go with the latter for ease

 

[MikeHaas]

This may be of help:



Compare Ballistic for these rounds:
http://ammoguide.com/?tool=bcompare&it=236|655|122|457|180|399|229|700

Individual Cartridge Pages:
6mmXC
6-6.5x47mm Lapua
.243 Winchester
6mm International
6x47mm Swiss Match
6x47mm
6mm PPC
6mm/250 AI

...If you want any load data, let me know and I'll PM the data...

Please do not distribute AmmoGuide load data. (AmmoGuide load data is copyrighted and only available to our paid subscribers via a low-cost annual subscription. Thank you. Mike Haas)

 

[ranger335v]

"my gun labeled 6X47 International Match is chambered for a cartridge based on the 222 Remington Magnum"

Correct. Mike Walker of Remington develped the .222 Magnum on his previously develped .222 Rem case in an effort to meet the Army's requests for a smaller, ligher round. For some reason, the brass hats wanted something else and that led to the .223/5.56 as we know them today.

Mike was a hard core BR shooter, one of the first in the modern era after WWII. He later developed the 6x47 so he could use the slightly more accurate .243 bullets (vs. .224) and still use the small case. Remington chambered it in some 40XBR rifles, which was also a Walker development (as well as the 721/722/700 series rifles that proved so popular and made a fortune for Remington).

The 6x47 did indeed prove to be very accurate at times but was too finicky so it was dropped fairly soon by most users. In large part because the then new 6PPC was blowing all other BR competitors off the range! Still does. Even Mike eventually gave up on the older rounds. He chambered his last BR rifle in 6 PPC and won a couple of big matches in his late 70s! He certainly would not recommend anyone chamber a new rifle with the 6x47 but if you have an old one...it would be fun to play with!

Mike also made a 6mm International of his own design about the same time. He based it on a .250 Savage case necked down to .243 and the shoulder set back about .1", I have an original 40XBR chambered for it. It's a consistant 5/8 or a bit better shooter, good but not fantastic. And it also carries one of the old Remington 24X BR target scopes, with Unertl rings sitting on the action only, that Mike also designed, it was the first of the modern "short" BR scopes. I love that rig, ground hogs and crows don't.