284 Shahene

[holstil]

Just wanting to get some feedback from some owners. Are you happy with this cartridge? My new bl will be here soon and I enjoy reading about what works and what doesn't.
Is the bl life as expected, anybody shot one out yet? What bullets shine in your particular rifle? What are you using for dies? I'm about to punch my chamber reamer through a straight 284 Wilson die for a seater.
Jim

 

[TonyR]

PM sent.

 

[dsbw]

I shoot a straight .284, mild loads, 2900 + fps on 168gr Berger, moly coated. Gun has got 760 shots through it, barrel has substantial wear on it already. With proper care,as it had received up to now)I will probably get to 2000 shots, but not more, if at all.

This is my first .284, to be honest, I don't see the excellent barrel wear that everyone is talking about. Rifle is very accurate, easy to get velocity, but not great on barrel life.

 

[JHardy]

I have to differ. If you get to 2000 rounds of 'competitive' barrel life with the 284, that is great and much better than you would dare in competition with a 6.5x284. You are doing just fine, enjoy the ride.

Jim Hardy

 

[holstil]

That was one of the main reasons for my going with this cartridge. I thought that I would get about twice the competitive bl life from the 284 sh vs. the 6.5x 284 sh. Same goes for lovin the 6br.
Anybody have thoughts on accuracy vs the 6.5?

 

[TonyR]

My fireforming loads with the 284 Shehane and Berger 180 VLDs have been more accurate than anything I ever shot out of my 6.5X284, both vertical and wind drift. I believe that the 7mm Berger 168 VLD is ballistically equivalent to the 6.5mm 140 gr VLD. I chose the 7mm because I could get comparable or better ballistics with significantly better barrel life than the 6.5X284 at the same velocities. I also have a 6mm BR and I wouldn't expect the 284 to give barrel life comparable to that. If the objective is to equal the ballistics of the 6.5X284 with the barrel life of a 6mm BR, the 300 WSM with the Berger 210 VLD appears to be the choice based on what some of the 1000 yard BR guys are saying that use it.

 

[holstil]

Tony,that's interesting to here you say that about your fire forming loads. My 6.5x284 Shahene absolutely loved virgin brass. It shot formed brass well, but hammered the new stuff. I was putting 53 gns. of 4831 for 3050 out of a 30' with a 140smk. Its good to here the velocities coming from the 284 with just a little more juice. I'm hoping to get 2000+ competitive rds. from the new rig. I built a dasher also to shoot at Piedmont,600yds) and also at Hawks Ridge,1000yds) for same reason- as good ballistics better barrel life than the 6.5. The 284 will have a muzzle brake and my dasher does not so can't decide witch to shoot in Lg or Hg. I'm trying to make weight with both for Lg. The 6.5x284 was very nice, just a little too high performance for my budget.

 

[TonyR]

I actually have two guns in the 284, one is a 20.5# F-Class Gun and the other is a 17# gun with a muzzle brake. If you shoot one of these things at 17# without the brake off a bench, watch out for your forehead. The F-Class gun is easy when I'm shooting prone, but it has wacked me a couple of times shooting it off the bench and these are still light loads. The 17# gun with the break feels about the same as a 17# 6mm BR without a break and a lot nicer than when that gun has the 6.5X284 barrel without a brake on it.
I have been doing most of my fireforming with N165 because I think it will be the easiest on the barrels of any that I plan to use. I am hoping to be able to fireform with it in 600 yard F-Class matches. So far, I think that the 180 VLD at 2770fps will be very competitive at 600 yards. Once I have enough fireformed cases, I plan to develop a 1000 yard load with either H4831SC, N560, or RL-17 but I will also try the N165 out to 1000 yards. So far, I have been getting 2830fps with 57.4gr of N165 on 40 degree days. I would like to try something in the 2950 range with one of the other powders, but I keep reminding myself that a lot of 1000 yard matches have been won by guys shooting the 300WSM and 210VLDs at 2850fps. I think that 2000+ rounds is unlikely if I go with the the hotter powders, but I think that the N165 might give something close to 3000. I guess time will tell.