M40 in 6.5x47 lapua?

5

5RWill

New member
The other night i was about to go to bed when i turned it on the military channel and saw Ultimate Weapons: Sniper rifles. So i continued to watch as the show peeked my interest. Well it came to #7 in the countdown and it was the m40 chambered in 6.5x47 lapua with a 3-12 s&b on it and a stock i've never seen.
 
Last edited:
The USMC M40 sniper rifle (now in its A3 configuration) is based on the Remington 700 action chambered in 7.62X51mm NATO. 6.5X47mm is a wildcat round based on the 222 Remington Magnum. They don't go together.
 
I know thats whats weird to me. I promise it said M40 in 6.5x47 lapua. Then it showed a guy shooting it, and talking about how it was a great round. The stock was quite awkward to me. Was like a mix between the A3 and A5 with a extra magazine in the back. Like i said if i can find a picture i will show.
 
Yeah, pretty cool, but technically it's not a M40, since the M40 is the USMC weapon. The rifle in the video is a Rem 700 built by a custom gunsmith. The stock is a McMillan A4 stock, which is the same stock used by the USMC. But the cartridge is a new round, so until the USMC adopts the 6.5X47mm Lapua as their official round, that is technically not a M40.
 
Sounds like a good set up. But if you're going to go 6.5 caliber, why not use the 6.5 Creedmore? It is 300+ FPS faster still in a short action like this using the same bullets. Hornady developed that ammo for use in the Tubbs Creedmore rifle that is built by McMillan. It would be easy for McMillan to put together a sniper rifle in that combination that would out perform the 6.5X47 Lapua round.
 
The 6.5 Creedmoor and .260 Remington have about 100 fps on the 6.5x47 Lapua for 140-gr-class bullets at similar pressures.

D101_6015_img.jpg

article | 6.5mm Shootout: .260 Remington vs. 6.5x47 Lapua vs. 6.5 Creedmoor

It is more likely that US armed forces will go to .300WM or .338LM/NM bolt rifles than 6.5x47.

6.5X47mm is a wildcat round based on the 222 Remington Magnum. They don't go together.
Click to expand...
I'll give you two clues where this is wrong: 1. 6.5x47 Lapua is a standard cartridge designed and made by Lapua; 2. 6.5x47 Lapua has a case head diameter the same as .308, not .378" like .222 Remington Magnum


D462_2137_img.jpg

article | The 6.5x47 Lapua Tactical Rifle
 
The military will not replace the 7.62x51 because it is a NATO standard; like the 5.56, so if you where to change that you would have to pay all of the other members of NATO to change theirs due to logistical reasons.


Now maybe, just maybe the Marines will adopt the Lapua strictly for the scout snipers but it is very unlikely
 
There is a bid active for a .338 long-range sniper rifle. It will probably be filled by either .338 Lapua or .338 Norma.
 
6.5X47mm is a wildcat round based on the 222 Remington Magnum. They don't go together.

I'll give you two clues where this is wrong: 1. 6.5x47 Lapua is a standard cartridge designed and made by Lapua; 2. 6.5x47 Lapua has a case head diameter the same as .308, not .378" like .222 Remington Magnum
Click to expand...
Just for your reference, Zak. Different cartridge, same name, hence the confusion.
http://www.reloadbench.com/cartridges/w6x47mm.html
 
whatever you want to call it,it's a superior round to the .308..why not have a few of em scatterd out through the military..just gonna be more dead insurgents.. im all for that!!
 
Just for your reference, Zak. Different cartridge, same name, hence the confusion.
http://www.reloadbench.com/cartridges/w6x47mm.html
Click to expand...
Well, the page you referred to describes 6x47 while this quote
6.5X47mm is a wildcat round based on the 222 Remington Magnum. They don't go together.
Click to expand...
refers to 6.5x47

But there's probably a 6.5-6-222 wildcat based off the one you mention; however, everyone else in this thread was referring to the 6.5x47 Lapua, even the opening poster.
 
There are no plans to replace the 7.62x51 sniping system at this time, either the M24, M40, or M110 (or Mk11 Mod0 to the Navy guys).

There are plans to upgrade some of the bolt action rifles to 300 Win Mag. This is not to replace the 7.62x51 but augment it.

There are SOCOM units looking to buy .338 magnum rifles by the bidding process. This is not a part of the regular forces process just yet.

The regular military is happy with the capabilities we have now. The .338 magnum sniper rifles are meant to fill a niche for SOCOM snipers. A round that can perform an anti-material role without having to lug around a .50 cal. When you have to hump all your gear around for weeks at a time weight becomes essential.

Jimro
 
As a belated follow-up, the rifle on the "Data Card" in the video at 4:09 is actually my rifle in my photo. It's not an M40 -- it's my Accuracy International AW rifle that I used to generate the 6.5x47 data and articles in 2007.

The Military Channel's use of the photo was without permission and does comprise copyright infringement.
 
Yeah it's just a custom 700 really. It's not really a M40 at all considering it hasn't been adopted by the military and designated as one of the M40s.

I do still like the McM A1-3 though. I plan on having a 18" .308 on it.
 
Just a few updates. The production company that used my photo of my 6.5x47 AI-AW did in fact come through and pay me for the use-- good on them.

Also, an AI-AW is in no way a "custom 700". The action is totally different.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top