Anyone familiar/experienced with the 6.5x284?

[Snakum]

Savage says I can get the 26" fluted heavy barreled action with adjustable muzzle brake from the new 11LRH model line, and that it would fit into my LE Accustock (wider beaver tail forend). This would give me a rifle I could use to explore a little F-Class. But rather than buy another .308 or a .300WSM - both of which would fit my LE Accustock - I thought about just springing for the long action model in 6.5x284 Norma. Had some questions, though, if anyone has any experience with it:

1. Is throat erosion as bad as the internet suggests?
2. Are there ways to mitigate the increased wear somewhat, such as loading slower/lighter?
3. What bullet would you suggest for target shooting at 1000 yards? I looked at the 6.5mm Amax and have read good things about them.
4. Ever used one for hunting deer, bear, or hogs? How'd it do?
5. Any special issues or considerations when loading for the 6.5x284?
7. Do chicks really dig 6.5?

Danke schon.

 

[Willys46]

Re: Anyone familiar/experienced with the 6.5x284?

Yes chicks dig the 6.5's!!!

#1 yes, My thorat moved .100 in 400 rounds.
#2 You can slow it down a little by keeping it down around 2950 fps. You may get an additional 350 rounds.
#3 140 bergers or 142's for a 1000. It makes shooting a 1000yrds much easier. I have pushed the 140 at 3050fps to 1500 yrds.
#4 nothing bigger than Rock chucks, but I would not hesitate to shoot a deer or elk with the 140's.
#5 Reloading is pretty easy..Buy some Lapua brass, get some H4350 or H4831. I shoot H4350. It was pretty easy to find a load.

With that said..I had an itch for a 6.5X284 and it did not dissapoint. It shoots amazing groups at 600 and 1000 yrds. It did everything that it was advertised to do and then some. Very impressive round.

But with the preformance that it has the barrel life is no joke. My concern for the 6.5 in the f-class game is 20 rounds in 20 min. The barrel is going to get realy hot and I would not expect the barrel to last past 1000 rounds. people that say they get 200 rounds are shooting very slow strings and cleaning often.

If it was a step into the f-class game, I would say shoot a 308 in FTR first and see if you want to step up to f-class open. that game is dominated by guy that have unlimited funds to replace barrels often.

I am looking at a 260 to replace the 6.5X284.

 

[raptor99]

Re: Anyone familiar/experienced with the 6.5x284?

I agree with Willys on everything he said. I have had several and used them in tactical matches. If you get them hot the barrel life is not going to be good. You can figure around 1200 to 1400 max.

If you don't get them hot they will go further. I shot 140AMAXs in mine. The 142s grouped better to around 300yds but the AMAXs held tighter at 1000yds.

My suggestion would be a 6.5x55 or a straight 284. The 284 is the top dog now in 1000yd shooting and is deadly accurate with better barrel life. Plus you get to shoot the high BC 7mm bullets. Recoil may be a tad stouter but there is always a trade off.

If you want to stay with the 6.5s then do as I did an go with a 6.5x55. I got tired of replacing barrels on my 6.5x284 and decided to try the 6.5x55 and load it to shoot between the 260 and the 6.5x284 and so far its doing a great job. I have over 1400rds through it and its still a tack driver. Good luck in your choice but you won't be sorry with whatever you pick. I still love the 6.5x284s!!

 

[Snakum]

Re: Anyone familiar/experienced with the 6.5x284?

I just found out the Savage LA barreled actions might not fit my SA LE Accustock, anyway. So my only choices would be another .308 or the 300WSM.

Thanks for the info, guys.

 

[marku]

Re: Anyone familiar/experienced with the 6.5x284?

Ive got a tight neck 6.5-284 that APA built me and it shoots lights out. Ive told this before, Jered gave me a load to use in it and well it performs. He told me not to tell the load out to the public so if he wants people to know it then he can tell it. But use slower burning powders will save it a bit. My besh accuracy was with 142 SMK bullets and 210 primers.

 

[RemingtonSPS]

Re: Anyone familiar/experienced with the 6.5x284?

Melonite helps resist throat wear.

 

[Spuhr]

Re: Anyone familiar/experienced with the 6.5x284?

Hi

AS I live in Sweden everything is so much easyer with 6,5x55.
Norma VLD bullets sold at the local club for 15 cent a piece (that is very cheap in sweden as SMK cost at least betwen 2-3 times more.

Loaded match ammo from norma, with that VLD bullet costs 70 cent a piece...

So my choise is 6,5x55 Ackely improved, that way I have cheap access to all the components and also a tremendous longe range cartridge if I want to use the powder capacity.

The 6,5 AI are very close to the 6,5-284 if you like to push it.

I have killed a few moose with it, and also quite a number of big boars, red deer, fellow deer and roe deer.
Honestly, i can't see the differeance on the animal if you shoot 6,5 or anything else.
My favourite gun for driven hunts have always been my .358 norma mag, but not because of the caliber, just because I like the gun.

So I have actually shot much more animals with my .358.

In sweden we shoot approx 80000 moose each year, in the peak in the 80th we killed 175 000 moose each year. 40% of them was killed with a plain 6,5x55.
I find it to be a really good round, if not one of the very best.
Compared to its age, it's really outstandning.

6,5x55 was/is very popular as a targetround here, but that is with diopter shooters. In the old barrels the usally said that 6000-8000 rounds was normal, the newer Sauer barrels are maybe only 4000 rounds.


Militaryvise Sweden adopted the MAG 58 machinegun in 1958 in 6,5x55. We bought trial FAL and G3 in 6,5x55 and the intention was to continue with it.
Somehow in 1965 some smartass decided to switch over to 7,62 so the G3's we have here are in 7,62 and the MAG 58 got 7,62 barrels.
Personally I find it close to treason....
From having one of the best longrange and military cartridges ever we went back to the performance of 1889 and 8x58 RD...........


Håkan

 

[chrisj]

Re: Anyone familiar/experienced with the 6.5x284?

I have used 6.5/284, and 260 and if I did another 6.5 it would be a 260 AI. My 6.5/284 was good for around 1200 rounds but that was mostly slow fire prone.My 260's were good for around 2200-2400 rounds but that was with maybe 30% rapid fire. Slow fire would most likely net another 300-500 rounds. The 260 AI with RL17 and 139-142 bullets will net you 2950-3000 fps in a 26-28" bbl no problem. I would imagine the 260 AI would be good for 2000 rounds and more if you shot mostly slow fire. After fireforming to AI, you never need to trim brass again for the most part. seems like a nice compromise...much better bbl life with the same/similar performance as the 6.5-284.

 

[TheShooter]

Re: Anyone familiar/experienced with the 6.5x284?

6.5x47 is the way to go. Less powder than a 260 plus sharper shoulder should give better accuracy. The guy next to me at a midrange match was getting 3000 fps with 142s.

My gunsmith (active F-Open guy) says he knows several people that pull off a 6.5-284 barrel after 650-700 rounds. He decided to go with a straight 284. Better barrel life and a 180 bullet just fights wind really well.

 

[rcw3]

Re: Anyone familiar/experienced with the 6.5x284?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TheShooter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">6.5x47 is the way to go. Less powder than a 260 plus sharper shoulder should give better accuracy. The guy next to me at a midrange match was getting 3000 fps with 142s.
. . .
</div></div>

All I know is with the 6.5 x 47 Lapua, I tested a couple different 30" barrels with the 142's and 2800 fps was about all I could get out of it pressure wise, and it did not shoot the 142's very accurately at 2800 fps and the load needed to be dropped back to get the accuracy with them. The 123 Scenars were good for about 2950 fps with around 37 gr of RL-15, and they were accurate there too.

Robert Whitley

 

[TheShooter]

Re: Anyone familiar/experienced with the 6.5x284?

Re-17 will give much better velocity. I just remembered he was using 139 Lapua, not 142 SMK.

Several people I talked to swore by Re-17. Not sure what they were using it for other than 6.5x47.