6.5 x 284 - thoughts?

[280REM]

Hi All;

 

 

I purchased a "used" Savage Model 116 about a year ago. Backordered 100, 6.5-284 NORMA Lapua cases from Midway when you could get them for $107/100. Fought to find bullets, Nosler and Berger.

 

Currently have "decent" loads developed for the 120 grain Nosler BT and 129 grain Nosler AB LR. 120 grain Nosler BT load is with Varget.

 

Tried Reloder 19 & 22 and mostly H4831SC.

 

 

Just tried the Berger 140 grain Hunting VLD. Best accuracy is at 0.002" off of the lands.

 

Remember, if you develop a load with the Bergers you need to conduct the "sweet spot" test by loading groups of rounds at:

 

touching the lands

 

0.040" off of the lands

 

0.080" off of the lands and...

 

0.120" off of the lands

 

 

This recipe was shared with me by Walt Berger himself when I met him a couple of years back at Ben Avery Range.

 

Sounds crazy, but one of those settings will yield a group much tighter than the other three. Starting powder charge is called "modest" by Mr. Litz.

 

He defines that as any powder charge BELOW published MAXIMUM.

 

 

After you determine the "sweet spot" you can then change the powder charge by 0.5 grain up or down to squeeze out the best accuracy/precision of your rig.

 

 

I just found and purchased a 100 pack of 142 grain Nosler AB LRs @ Sportman's Warehouse here in Tucson. They are next up on the list for trials once I rectify a Redding die problem.

 

 

Best of luck!

 

 

280REM

[.270]

only .264 i shoot is the real one, .264 win mag. have been for over 40 years. only use 100 gr btsp's zippin' along at about 3700 fps. shoots like a lazer beam. don't care about the minute of angle stuff. as long as it shoots minutes of goat or deer or coyote, it's fine with me. absolutely the best off hand running game rifle i've ever shot. yeah, i take runnin' shots. lots of em. with the velocity it takes a lotta the guess work outta how far to lead em. and if i smoke a barrel, i screw a new one in. i mean really, how often you burn up a barrel? a new one ain't that much. even if you shoot a bunch it'll take you 4 or 5 years. the 7 mag and 300 win are just as hard on barrels. i think the .300 is worse. 6.5/284 is interesting and it's cool to see folks finally realize the genius of the .284 win case. i don't know why folks don't offer the .284 in a good bolt gun. if i had to shoot a 7mm, that's what it would be. i guess if you have the time and patience to pack a mule load o' equipment with you and ain't sneaky enough to get closer than 800 yards from something, the 6.5/284 is cool. but i like my hotrod .264 for a lotta stuff. it's sent a buncha goats, coyotes and deer to valhalla. i love my .270, but the .264 is one sweet round for open country and fast animals. Lark.

[duckhunter175]

Just started shooting my 6.5x284.... it sat on a rack at the cabelas here for nearly two years untouched before getting resigned to the clearance rack. Savage 111 LRH, walked out with it for $750 and tax. Not a popular cartridge in Kentucky... just saying.

 

Had it at the range, dialed in quickly with 120NBT from Nosler and have a box of 129 ABLRs to try out. Going to chrono the factory loads and go from there.

[Coach]

Great info here guys - I really appreciate it. I'm starting with 'carte blanche' here building off a Savage long action (.270) with accutrigger. I'm definitely sticking with the 6.5 but not sure whether to go with the .284, AI, SLR, Creedmore, Swede - I would really like to know what you guys think is the "best" 6.5. I'll be hand loading as I do with all my guns, probably a Boyt thumbhole laminate stock with a medium contour - not too light, not bench rest heavy. Also there's a lot of barrels out there for a Savage - Shilen, Criterion, Lilga and more - I'm thinking 26" target crown.

 

So let's try this - I'll build the CWT 6.5. You guys help pick the chambering, barrel and stock (within reason) and I'll build it and work up loads based on your recommendations. Sound fun?

[Flatlander]

Then we all get to shoot our bucks with it at 700 yds?

[duckhunter175]

Coach I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out! Does anyone have any experience with Amax's of any weight in the 6.5x284?? I've still only shot the 120NBTs out of my savage but I will shoot the 129 ABLRs this Thursday. The Academy Sports here in KY had 120gr and 140gr 6.5 Amax and I was considering that as a long range load as well.

[duckhunter175]

The 6.5 140gr Amax said that 1-7.5" or faster was required... my Savage LRH is 1-8" has anyone shot this or had stability issues from a 1-8"

[308Nut]

The 6.5 140gr Amax said that 1-7.5" or faster was required... my Savage LRH is 1-8" has anyone shot this or had stability issues from a 1-8"

You will never have a stability problem with an 8 twist and the 140 AMAX at any altitude in any sane temperature.

[duckhunter175]

308- Thanks! Good to know. Now that I know I am AZ bound this fall I am thinking of working up a load with the 140 Amax for Coues. Any recommended starting points? I'm new to reloading and have been reading my nosler manual and on forums to try and start at the right place.

[308Nut]

51-53 grains H4831 over Rem 9-1/2 primers or 47-49 H4350 over Fed 210m.

[Coach]

I'd like to hear 308Nut's preference on a 6.5 before I start this project.

[308Nut]

Fixing to have a straight 260 barrel cut right now after seeing the results that guys around me are getting. I'll take a hair more windage and a bit less energy in exchange for the other advantages of the 284 version.

 

1: reasonable barrel life. (Notably better than the 6.5-284)

2: Lapua makes brass for it.

3: you can neck 708 or 308 brass should the need arise.

4: less recoil. Not that the 284 version is bad.

5: higher load density with the best powders.

6: 260 cases feed much more reliably than the 284 case in repeating rifles.

 

The nice thing about 6.5s is that you don't need to run super high velocity to get good ballistic performance compliments of high BC bullets. The windage numbers aren't that big of a spread between the two.

 

My 2nd pick would either be the 260AI or 6.5x55.

[308Nut]

Don't let me talk you out of the 6.5-284. Everyone is attracted to different qualities for different reasons. Everyone can put up with some negative qualities more than others. If you feel you need the extra down range oomph and that's more important to you than other factors, then you should go with a 6.5-284 or 6.5-06 or a 6.5 SAUM for that matter.

[Coach]

Thanks, 308Nut. I think I'll move forward with the 6.5-284, just because my shooting bud has one and we can work up loads together. I know it's a barrel burner but I'm not looking at shooting thousands of rounds. Certainly appreciate your input.

[STOMP442]

Since you are going with the 6.5-284 I would really look into the slower burning powders like H1000 & Retumbo to get the most out of the cartridge and push the 140 class bullets to the 2950+ mark. The slower burning powders will also aid in barrel life but as long as you don't shoot long strings of fire all the time the barrel should last a good long while.