Range Report Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

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#1
Ok here's the deal...I have an extra 700 long action with a magnum bolt face sitting around. I want to build a tactical/all purpose rifle and was going to get a standard face bolt and build a .284. If I keep the mag bolt face what caliber would you choose in the 6.5-7 mm range.

Requirements: I need good brass available and would also like good barrel life. Thanks for the advice guys
 
#4
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

7mm Rem SAUM Case Capacity 74 grains
7mm WSM CC 80 grains
7mm Rem Mag CC 84 grains

Best barrel life would be 7mm Rem SAUM

Bob
 
#10
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jcvibby</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok here's the deal...I have an extra 700 long action with a magnum bolt face sitting around. I want to build a tactical/all purpose rifle and was going to get a standard face bolt and build a .284. If I keep the mag bolt face what caliber would you choose in the 6.5-7 mm range.

Requirements: I need good brass available and would also like good barrel life. Thanks for the advice guys </div></div>

the words "magnum" and "good barrel life" very seldom are compatible. Both 6.5 & 7mm cartridges offer excellent ballistics. Just get the barrel made with an extra inch or so on the breach end so you can set it back as the throat erodes.
 
#11
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

7WSM. I got 3300 rounds through mine before I sent it in to get a new barrel installed. I didn't go too crazy on the loads, and only used 200 pieces of brass the whole life of the barrel. So that's about 16 reloads out of Winchester brass? It still looks like they can go with a lot more loadings. Pretty good IMO.

About the only bad thing I can say about it is that the Bergers can get expensive to shoot and it does go through a lot of powder. But that goes with the territory when you run magnums.
 
#13
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

After seeing this article, http://www.6mmbr.com/7mm284.html I've also become interested in the .284 Win. Looks like it would take a standard .308 bolt face with possibly a slightly modified extractor. I understand it takes a fairly long barrel to perform. Does anyone make a semi-auto in .284? I might have to talk to LWRC about building one on a REPR platform. Wonder how it would feed???
 
#14
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ykrvak</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I know it's not the best as far as barrel life, but I really like my 7mm Rem Mag. Plus in a pinch you can get ammunition just about anywhere which isn't going to happen with the WSM or SAUM. </div></div> I don't like all the recoil in the 7mag but he is right.
 
#15
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

If it were me I would make a 7mm Rem Mag, match barrel, and shoot some high bc berger VLD's.

I would also ask the smith if he could sort it so that I was getting a decent coal that fits into max mag length.

A nice stock, and a muzzle brake would help to tame the beast.

10 rounds to find paper.
40 rounds to play around with and condition the barrel.
50 Rounds on a ladder test over two range sessions.

100 rounds later and you have you barrel good to go, and a ladder test confirming long range accurate nodes.

But thats just me
 
#16
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ykrvak</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I know it's not the best as far as barrel life, but I really like my 7mm Rem Mag. Plus in a pinch you can get ammunition just about anywhere which isn't going to happen with the WSM or SAUM.</div></div>

I second that notion. The 7 RM can do wonderous things to the 1000 yard line with SMK's or even Nosler 150 grains (if you want something a bit lighter), but hey... been doing the math, and you might as well get a 300 winmag. It used the same bolt face, and can go further, faster, and with a higher powder capacity.

that said, I have a 7Rem Mag and I love it for all forms of hunting. That is still the most common "sniping" most folks will do. It's good enough to handle anything on this continent.

Ken
 
#18
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

I would suggest the 7RM. I have one, but it needs a new (old style) R700 trigger before I can start development for it. A friend had good service from one at 1000yd F Class, and it seemed to run well on Ramshot Magnum.

Greg
 
#19
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jcvibby</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok here's the deal...I have an extra 700 long action with a magnum bolt face sitting around. I want to build a tactical/all purpose rifle and was going to get a standard face bolt and build a .284. If I keep the mag bolt face what caliber would you choose in the 6.5-7 mm range.

Requirements: I need good brass available and would also like good barrel life. Thanks for the advice guys </div></div>


Sell the magnum bolt.
Order a standard bolt body from PT&G
Build a 6.5x55

You want best ballistic performance with long barrel life in a 6.5 or 7mm? That equals the swedish mauser.

You want world class brass? Lapua

Decide which bullet(s) you want to shoot and tell Dave Kiff (PTG) to make your reamer.

Get a Pac-Nor 3 groove barrel.
 
#22
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jcvibby</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I decided to get a standard bolt and go with a .284 win on a long action shooting either the 168vld's or the 162amax's. Like it??? </div></div>

I think you will love it, but I would shoot 180g Berger Hybrids.
 
#25
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

When I was looking at building a standard bolt face 7mm I did some measuring of fired cases that I begged from a couple of guys who had what I needed. Here's the measured results I got from tap water filled to the mouth. (My measurements are almost exactly what Greg told you, I just noticed that. Kudos to Mr. L)

284 ~ 66gr of H20 capacity
280 ~ 69gr of H20 capacity
280 AI ~ 72gr of H20 capacity
7 SAUM ~ 73gr of H20 capacity
7 WSM ~ 82gr of H20 capacity

The 284 can match the 280 if you add about 2" to the barrel on the 284. The 284 does have a particularly nice feature that the shorter case will feed 180's from my KwikKlip bottom metal that is only 3.330" internally. I have a 7mm/270 that shoots 162's like a dream from the mag but 180 Bergers must be single fed at 3.4"

The 280 AI and 7 SAUM are twins. The 7mm BAT (7/300WSM) is midway between the 7 SAUM and 7 WSM.
 
#27
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

Advenjack,

Unless you're shooting a short barrel on that RCM I have a hard time believing that you will handily beat either version of the 30-06 when properly loaded. The water capacities are almost identical, it may match it but handily beating is a completely different ballgame.

Nor will a medium/large capacity 30 Cal outrun a medium/large 7mm round.

What is the problem with a lightly rebated rim?
 
#28
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

Actually, I just went to the Hodgdon site, chose a bullet weight and a powder brand, and compared max loads.

While this may not be a valid comparison of actual capacities, I think it could be a valid comparison of <span style="font-style: italic">usable</span> capacities, and IMHO, that's probably a more realistic comparison in the longer run.

I try to stay away from H2O and other media when doing case capacity measurements. IMHO, the only medium that's worth a dang is the actual powder I'd be using in the long run; and that's how I do my case capacity measurements, by overfilling each individual case using a drop tube, then weighing the results. This gives a capacity measurement that has an actual bearing on load density percentages. Point of fact, I don't really do a whole lot of such comparisons anymore, in keeping with my more recent minimalist handloading practices.

When actual cases and powders are not present, published data can also be put to <span style="font-style: italic">reasonably</span> effective use.

On that basis, I'm actually moderately annoyed that there's no .30cal case with a .473" base diameter whose case capacity fits anywhere between the .30 Kurz and the .300 Savage. That would, IMHO, make a pretty effective chambering for FV200. Someday, hopefully soon, I'm going to want to get a .30cal heavy barrel blank I'm holding chambered for such a round, and right now, looks like I'm going to have to settle for the .300 Savage. Actually, with commercial brass and dies, etc. reasonably available, maybe it's not such a terrible choice after all.

Greg
 
#29
Re: Caliber Choice?????? I need your wisdom please!!!!

For an over all rifle that's fun to shoot, feeds flawlessly, and doesn't recoil much I couldn't be more impressed every time I pull the trigger on my 284. To really make it shine you need to get Lapua, or Norma 6.5-284 brass, neck it up and turn it. Set it up in a long action if not it will be handicapped with too much volume reduction in the case. The OEL with a 162 should be 3.450 with a Hornady loc n load gauge If that's beyond your desire or capabilities stay away from it. It will shoot well out to 400 with Win brass but the extra work at distance will show itself loud and clear. My groups more than cut in half.

I haven't dropped one in a single persons hands that hasn't fallen in love with it. The day Lapua starts making the brass for it I will be a happy camper.
 
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