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6.5mm 123 grain Scenar Meplat size
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 9:42 am
by ovenpaa
I have just opened a box of 123 grain Scenars to start loading with and spotted the meplat, well when I say spotted it I mean I nearly fell into the hole, it is massive at around .085" Has anyone tried pointing them to close the meplat down to a sensible size and if so what were the results like?
Re: 6.5mm 123 grain Scenar Meplat size
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 10:19 am
by DaveT
I use these in 260 Rem out to 1000 yards and find them very accurate 'as is' but would be interested in any improvements that come up.
Re: 6.5mm 123 grain Scenar Meplat size
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 10:26 am
by StanDeasy
That doesn't sound right. I still have a few boxes which I bought when they first came out and they have well-formed meplats measuring .063-.064.
I should query it with Lapua.
SD
Re: 6.5mm 123 grain Scenar Meplat size
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 10:33 am
by ovenpaa
I have just gone through a good handful and they are all > 0.080" Do either of you have new blue box Scenars to hand, if so I would be interested to hear what they measure across the meplat.
Re: 6.5mm 123 grain Scenar Meplat size
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 10:38 am
by waterford103
ovenpaa wrote:I have just gone through a good handful and they are all > 0.080" Do either of you have new blue box Scenars to hand, if so I would be interested to hear what they measure across the meplat.
.063 - .065 over 5 bullets
Re: 6.5mm 123 grain Scenar Meplat size
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 11:24 am
by StanDeasy
What about OAL? My batch are around 1.301". Brian Litz's book says 1.302""
This is a long bullet for it's weight and Brian Litz's Twist Rate - Stability Table shows a worst-case stability factor of 0.97 in a 1:8" twist bbl. - which is unstable!!
Re: 6.5mm 123 grain Scenar Meplat size
Posted: Sat Sep 07, 2013 11:30 am
by ovenpaa
1.295" to 1.298" for the few I checked from the first box, second box is 1.300 " for the half dozen I checked and the meplat is similar to the first box. As a comparison the 139 Scenars I have are .010" smaller across the meplat.
Re: 6.5mm 123 grain Scenar Meplat size
Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:41 am
by ovenpaa
I took time out to machine a sleeve last night so I could see how they point. The original Meplat form is on the right, they will take a finer point however I prefer to stop at around .036" It will be interesting to see what sort of a difference this will make at 1000 yards, I would usually expect around 3/4MOA however these are such open Meplats it could be more.
Re: 6.5mm 123 grain Scenar Meplat size
Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 9:03 am
by mag41uk
David,
If this works I would be interested in a meplat tool.
Tony
Re: 6.5mm 123 grain Scenar Meplat size
Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2013 9:27 am
by ovenpaa
Tony, I have built systems for 6.5 .284 and .308 in the past covering everything from 139/140 6.5s to 210 grain .308s however the little 123 Scenar is a new one to me. In theory it should be OK and I am looking forward to testing it at our next LR day.
I just tested and managed to get the meplat down to .020" which is quite an improvement over the original form.