284 Shehane - Loads

[falconpilot]

Just a heads up for those shooting the 284 Shehane,or about too)...In a recently article, it was mentioned that 56 grs of Reloaded 17 could be shoot behind a 180 berger...Word of advice...don't...I tired it today thur my Bat M...Velocity was impressive...3127fps..bolt lift-very hard..primer fell out of primer pocket...don't believe everything you read..you must work up from a lower load...

I'm convinced had I been shooting a lesser action, I'd had a bad failure of some sort..

On a lighter note, 56-57grs of 4831sc behind the 180 Berger is deadly, and will give you between 2935-2950...Great load, and very impressive round..

 

[JHardy]

Falcon:

If you take a close look at the article, 56.5 grains blew primers in a 3 lug Barnard,much stronger locking system with no ejector and small firing pin). RL-17 sneeks up on you just like it did me Got to be careful with that powder for sure. I blew and smoked the primers with no other pressure sighns. H4831SC will give you what you need -- as you have discovered as well.

Enjoy,
Jim Hardy

 

[TonyR]

56.9gr H4831SC works great in mine as well with the 180 VLD.

 

[JRinCo]

I can't relocate the article that you mentioned. Could someone please post a link to it.
Thanks

 

[TonyR]

http://www.6mmbr.com/7mm284.html

 

[PGS]

My load with 180 bergers for my 284 shehane was 56.5g of 4831sc, but it started to show pressure after it had about 200 rounds through it, I backed it of to 56.0g with no problems. The 168 bergers work great also with vvn165 between 57 and 58g. As falconpilot says work up to these loads and enjoy

 

[falconpilot]

I jsut want to clarify the point I was trying to make..I'm sure that 56 grs worked for Jim Hardy, or he would not have stated so in the aritlce..not trying to doubt his findings...Just wanted everyone to work up slowly, and see what their gun will stand...I can tell you that a Bat M, on a 90 degree day with 56grs is way to hot...I guessing that 54-54.5 grs will be a good load..I'll report back...

Jim

 

[TonyR]

I agree with Jim completely about working up slowly because barrels, cases and other variables also seem to have an effect on pressures. For example, I weight sorted 500 Lapua cases before I expanded and turned the necks and then tested the weight extremes. The cases varied by up to 5 grains within the same lot and velocities varied from 50 to 70 fps with the same charge of one powder. It takes nearly an extra grain of powder to move the average velocity that much in a group of cases that weigh the same. I spot checked some Winchester .284 brass and some of those weighed 6 grains more than the heaviest Lapua brass I have. I just had a new barrel chambered for the gun and it will be interesting to see how it compares to the old barrel. The new barrel is a Brux .276 1:8.5 twist while the other barrel is a Krieger .277 1:9 twist. For those wondering about barrel life, the old barrel is still shooting extremely well after 1500 rounds and my gunsmith just looked at it with a borescope and says that there is plenty of life left in it. Big improvement over the 6.5X284.

 

[JHardy]

Falconpilot:

I am glad the 284 Shehane is working well for you. However, and respectfully, some shooters might be confused by the posts. I will try to clear that up.

What you see in the 'article' are only field tests. The tests with RL-17 were conducted last October 26th,55.0 grains), October 31st,55.5 and 56.0 grains) when the temps were still in the 50s. The November 2nd test with six rounds remaining of the 55.5 grain loads from the October 26th testing. The temp was 72 degrees and my two shots with 56.5 blew a primer and smoked another.

I stated that 56 grains would appear to be MAX and would probably need adjusting per the weather -- in your case 90+ degrees. And, I suggested that 55.0 to 55.5 would probably put you were you wanted to be.

I worked these loads up over a three day period. I hope you did the same and did not just jump on 56.0 grains of RL-17. Unless you special ordered your BAT with a small firing pin, and no ejector, that action will show ejection marks on the case and cratered primers when pressure gets high,I have owned seven BAT actions).

This is the exact reason some boards request or do not allow loads to be listed. Every barrel is different and each action has its limitations, even within the same brand, and different lots of the same powder can burn at a different rate.

I tried to warn people to be careful with RL-17. The pressure came quickly with no other signs whatsoever. No hard bolt lift, no flat primers, no expanded case heads, nothing -- until I went .5 grains heavier. H4831SC would have been giving me the red flag way before it was a problem.

For 47 years, I have always worked up loads the same -- with one form or another of Jason Baney's testing technique,he is the best). If I had used Quick Load, I might have seen the signs before I blew primers. I have always worked up to a max load for a base line for the rest of my testing, but RL-17 will bite you! My QL program is on the way, as my 'experience' amounted to NOTHING with RL-17.

Good shooting, and thanks for your report and warnings -- they are well founded.

Jim Hardy

 

[JRinCo]

Recoil: how does it compare to a 6.5 X 284. I assume that with those 180 grainers it has to be harder, maybe to much to keep it tracking in the bags on 17 lb. bench rifle.

 

[TonyR]

My F-Class gun weighs about 21# and I put a big LimbSaver on it because it was beating me up. I am running the 180 Bergers in the 2900fps+ range. My gun has the three-way adjustable buttplate and I put one of the large 'trim to size' LimbSavers on it and left it full size. I just fired over 200 rounds in three days of competition with no problems with the new setup.
I have another 17 pound gun with a muzzle brake that shoots the same loads. It feels about like a 17# 6mmBR without a break.

 

[JRinCo]

I take it, that you think it's alright for a 1000 yd. light rifle, recoil wise.

 

[TonyR]

JR.
I do think that the gun with the brake would be fine for 1000 yard BR. I set it up to be IBS Long Range Light Gun legal and I have a Heavy Gun being built now as well. I was busy with F-Class this year and have not shot it in any BR matches but I believe that the cartridge is an outstanding 1000 yard chambering. It tunes for vertical as well as my 6mmBR and I believe that the theoretical advantages of the .659 BC 180 Berger VLD are real based on the 1000 yard F-Class shooting I have done recently. I hope one of the top 1000 yard BR guys decides to try one so we can see what it can really do in that style of shooting.

 

[falconpilot]

Another 100 rounds down the tube in the last two days, load testing..The recoil in acceptable....keep in mind, my gun weighs right at 20 pounds...It's about the same difference as going from a .243 to a 6.5x284...The only problem that I'm having is with the torque...The gun wants to roll right in the front rest,Farley)..I've tightened in down in the rest quite a bit, and its helped alot.

I really like this gun

 

[TonyR]

Jim.
I found that it was worth checking the seating depth every couple of hundred rounds. In my gun, the 180 VLD has been very sensitive to seating depth and I had some confusing vertical in a couple of test sessions before I figured out what was going on.
I'm glad you like your gun.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Ok guys, I am in the process of having a 284 Shehane built on a 30" 1:9" twist Krieger 5R Barrel. In your opinion, what is the best powder for this cartridge? H4831SC or RL 17, I know with RL17 I can get more speed, but what about accuracy, am I better off with H4831SC?

Any help with this is greatly appreciated

-X3M

 

[PGS]

x3mhunter 4831sc is the powder to use for the 180 grain bullets

regards

 

[Erik Cortina]

What is the recommended neck diameter for a .284 Shehane if I'm want to turn necks? .309 sound about right or is that too tight?

 

[TonyR]

Mine is set up for a 0.310 loaded neck and a 0.313 chamber neck. I plan to experiment with a little more clearance, but this combination has delivered excellent vertical precision in 1000 yard F-Class matches. I don't know what a no-turn neck would be but I did remove quite a bit of material from the necks to get to 0.310. The raw neck walls for my Lapua brass appear to be in the 0.014 to 0.016 range after they are expanded from 6.5mm.

 

[CyaN1de]

Jim.
I found that it was worth checking the seating depth every couple of hundred rounds. In my gun, the 180 VLD has been very sensitive to seating depth and I had some confusing vertical in a couple of test sessions before I figured out what was going on.
I'm glad you like your gun.

What did you come up with for an "into or off the lands" measurement with the 180's?

Richard