rcdinaz Report post Posted August 19, 2015 I built a 6.5x284 on a Rem SA, thought I would be okay with using it as a single shot on the 140g VLD's but I am tired of doing so just on the first load development. So for the 284 I will most likely swap out the SA for a LA. For the short action give me some opinions on which cartridge? I will probably have to drop down to the 120ish grain bullets but could put together a pretty slick mountain rifle. 260Rem, 6.5x47, or Creedmoor seem like they would work, no changes to the bolt face. At first glance I was leaning towards the Creedmoor but want some feedback. It looks like I could still actually load the 140's but probably won't need to for a hiking and packing rifle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JJ_Gibbs Report post Posted August 19, 2015 6.5x47 lapua/6.5 creedmore/260 Remington are probably the easiest 3 options to build on a SA unless you don't care about good brass or want to make your own. Frankly there really isn't good quality brass available for the 6.5 creedmore so I would lean towards the 6.5x47 lapua or 260 Rem so I could use lapua or norma brass. What are your plans with the rifle, paper and long range steel or hunting? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
STOMP442 Report post Posted August 19, 2015 .260 Ackley Improved will provide the same performance of your 6.5-284 and fit a short action with 140gr bullets plus use about 8 grains less powder to do it. I would never willingly shoot a 120 grain bullet unless the rifle just won't shoot the 140's. If you are stuck on the calibers you have listed the Creed would probably be the easiest to do but the straight .260 gets my vote. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roninflag Report post Posted August 19, 2015 what barrel?? twist? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JJ_Gibbs Report post Posted August 19, 2015 After I read the last part of your post I would go with a 260 rem, 1 in 8 or 1 in 8.5 twist barrel 22-24 inches if you can and you will have an awesome pack rifle. I am getting ready to build about the same thing but it's probably going to be in a 6mm caliber of some sort. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willhunt4coues Report post Posted August 19, 2015 6.5x47 lapua/6.5 creedmore/260 Remington are probably the easiest 3 options to build on a SA unless you don't care about good brass or want to make your own. Frankly there really isn't good quality brass available for the 6.5 creedmore so I would lean towards the 6.5x47 lapua or 260 Rem so I could use lapua or norma brass. What are your plans with the rifle, paper and long range steel or hunting? What do you mean there isn't GOOD quality brass for creedmoor? Nosler and Norma both make brass for creedmoor I have 300 pieces of both. I personally think Lapua brass is over rated. I compared some Lapua 308 with Nosler 308 and the Nosler had better neck thickness consistency, Nosler all weighed within 1.5 gns compared to lapua. The accuracy you get with the 30 degree shoulder on the 6.5 Creedmoor is why most competition shooters choose it over the .260. BUT the .260 is good I personally think after all the ups of the 6.5 cm thats what you should get. I read a few articles where they said the 6.5 Creedmoor is the .260 done right. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JJ_Gibbs Report post Posted August 19, 2015 I am sorry I was mistaken I thought Hornady and Winchester was the only readily available brass for 6.5 Creedmoor. If Norma and Nosler are available then that makes Creedmoor a valid option. I will always choose Lapua brass as my first option if it's available but you're 100% correct there is absolutely nothing wrong with Norma or Nosler brass. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big or Bust Report post Posted August 19, 2015 How does a 260 Ackley provide the same performance as a 6.5-284 given same pressures and barrel lengths? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
STOMP442 Report post Posted August 19, 2015 It's called case efficiency. I have built a handful of .260AI's and 6.5-284s over the last few years so I feel like I have a pretty good grasp of what each caliber is capable of. This is my data with both calibers with components as near to the same as possible even. .260 Ackley improved Savage model 111 action 26" Mcgowen varmint weight 8 twist barrel Lapua Brass 140gr Berger VLD 42.0gr of H4350 = 2940 fps 44.5gr of H4831 = 2960 fps 6.5-284 Norma Savage model 111 action 26" Mcgowen Varmint weight 8 twist barrel Norma Brass 140gr Berger VLD 57.5gr of Retumbo = 2960 fps 52.0gr of H4831 = 2950 fps Now these are my rifles and my data but I have built a number of rifles in each caliber that have ended up liking loads and velocities very similar to what I have been running in my own rigs. Every .260AI I have built has liked 42-44.5gr of H4350 with a 140gr bullet right around the 2950 mark. Every 6.5-284 I have built has liked 53-58gr of Retumbo or 4831 with a 140gr bullet right around the 2950 mark. Now each cartridge is capable of higher velocities and the 6.5-284 will push the 140's a bit faster but at a cost of barrel life, recoil and powder usage. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rcdinaz Report post Posted August 19, 2015 Thanks for all of the feedback! I was under the impression the 260 and was still a bit on the long side for cycling the 140's smoothly? Really that was the main reason for considering the other two. Although I have read of quite a few getting pretty close with their Creedmoor MV's to the 260 numbers. Of course I am sure that is pushing it on the pressure side. If the 260 will cycle rounds as a hunting rifle that sounds like the answer followed by the Creedmoor. My new opinion on brass is the Nosler stuff is the best thing going. I have always preached Lapua but after loading 2 rifles with the Nosler that stuff is fantastic. It comes completely finished, flash hole, case mouth, primer pockets etc. A box full of cases that come ready to load and are almost perfectly matched is worth some extra $ in my opinion. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big or Bust Report post Posted August 19, 2015 How many firings on your Ackley brass before pockets are toast? Efficiency is great but doesn't get you a free lunch. Kinda like saying the .308 and .30-06 are the same. Case capacity is what it is. Your .260 is running at much higher pressures than your -284... Good luck with both loads... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big or Bust Report post Posted August 19, 2015 There are numerous things you can do to make cartridges produce similar velocities even though one has significantly more capacity. Throat, barrel length, powder, etc. But to say a cartridge has the same performance as another when all things are equal and one has 10-20 % more capacity just isn't correct. This is all fun ballistic gack anyways. Ad long as eyeballs are in tact. The 250 Ackley sure is a sweetheart, even if it is a .25...grin... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big or Bust Report post Posted August 19, 2015 .25's just lack bullet selection... We are in the golden age of bullets for sure and twisting turrets make a flat trajectory mean less than it ever has. Good times to be a shooter for sure... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Titanium700 Report post Posted August 20, 2015 .260AI Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
STOMP442 Report post Posted August 20, 2015 I have at a minimum of 10 firings on my Ackley cases and every one of them is still good and tight. All of the loads I'm running are at or below std 260 max loads I don't believe I am over pressure at all. As far the 25s go as long as we have the 115 Berger that's all we need. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
