.284 win fps question

[KibsterPdx]

Took new rifle out today for break in and it was averaging about 2710 fps. Load is 180 Berger on 54.5 h4831sc, lapua brass, br2 primers. 30” Brux on Borden action.

It shot one tiny hole at 100 so I was very happy with the new gun but the slow speed has me wondering how it will shoot at 600. Is 2710 too slow?

 

[Mike Kohout]

I got the best speed with RL-17 and 180's, H4831 it was tough to get above 2800fps, RL got me closer to 2970, which work good for me at 500yds. Every barrel is different.
Mikey

 

[Ranger188]

Since this is a new barrel, it will "speedup" some.
Accuracy is always better than speed.
You can dial for drop, you can't dial for a large group...

 

[MikeRu]

You should probably be able to shoot faster and still get accuracy. My understanding is that 180 Berger hybrids often have accuracy nodes at 2780 and 2820. Faster than that impacts case life. On my first barrel I tried hard with H4350 then hit jackpot with RL16 in the 2790-2800 area. H4831SC could be good too. I would try a 1 shot ladder with different powders to rough in a node, watching MV (and keep an eye on accuracy/POI for adjacent loads) up to 2830 or so. If no luck then try a faster/slower powder: roughly and from memory, RL16>H4350>N555>H4831SC. With some luck you’ll get 3-4 adjacent loads ( I do 0.1 grain ladder) with same POI and similar MV. I do this on a new barrel and then tweak if it speeds up later on.

 

[yukonal]

Yer shootin about where I am with 180's. 4831 SC and Fed 210M for me. I wouldn't worry about your speed for awhile. Get the bugs worked out at 300 and 600, and go from there. I bet you already found your load.

 

[Buttstock-TX]

Took new rifle out today for break in and it was averaging about 2710 fps. Load is 180 Berger on 54.5 h4831sc, lapua brass, br2 primers. 30” Brux on Borden action.

It shot one tiny hole at 100 so I was very happy with the new gun but the slow speed has me wondering how it will shoot at 600. Is 2710 too slow?

I went and looked through my load records. My Win 284 barrel is a 30" Krieger 8.5 twist. The chamber is a tight minimum dimension designed for VLD bullets. I neck turn necked-up 6.5x284 Lapua brass for 4/1000's clearance. With a 180-hybrid loaded to ~3.315" OAL (about 6/1000 into the lands) and 54.6 grains of 4831SC with a wolf primer, I saw 2752 FPS with 100 rounds through the barrel. The barrel did speed up after about 100 rounds fired...

This was a new caliber for me and after a lot of testing, I settled on 55.4 grains 4831 SC which results in 2810 to 2830 fps (depending on temperature) and is very consistent at 500 yards. My brass tolerates the load well. You will not find much published data to guide you with a 180-grain bullet in the 284 cartridge, you have to work up slowly and pay close attention for pressure signs. I believe the above load is safe in my rifle but, cannot say about any other firearm.

I believe you will be very happy with your new rifle.

 

[KibsterPdx]

Thanks for the replies all.

I went and looked through my load records. My Win 284 barrel is a 30" Krieger 8.5 twist. The chamber is a tight minimum dimension designed for VLD bullets. I neck turn necked-up 6.5x284 Lapua brass for 4/1000's clearance. With a 180-hybrid loaded to ~3.315" OAL (about 6/1000 into the lands) and 54.6 grains of 4831SC with a wolf primer, I saw 2752 FPS with 100 rounds through the barrel. The barrel did speed up after about 100 rounds fired...

This was a new caliber for me and after a lot of testing, I settled on 55.4 grains 4831 SC which results in 2810 to 2830 fps (depending on temperature) and is very consistent at 500 yards. My brass tolerates the load well. You will not find much published data to guide you with a 180-grain bullet in the 284 cartridge, you have to work up slowly and pay close attention for pressure signs. I believe the above load is safe in my rifle but, cannot say about any other firearm.

I believe you will be very happy with your new rifle.

Thanks for this, very helpful. I may load up a few at this level once I work through the first hundred or so and see how it goes.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Put the numbers into a ballistics program...A 168vld at 2950 has the exact same drift at 600 as a 180 vld at 2750, but with 10 inches less drop.
The case is a tad small to optimize every ounce a 180 MAY give. That's why people fuss about brass life with them....pushed to the max for little if any benefit. The lighter bullet needs less capacity and the numbers say it's equal, if you can make the 168 shoot as well at 100 etc, or very close. That changes a bit to 1000 but at 600, I'll definitely take accuracy over speed. It's not a race anyway. I'd give the 168s a try...fwiw

 

[F Class John]

I'll definitely take accuracy over speed.

1000% agree with Mike and one of the hardest things to get people to understand sometimes.

 

[ballisticdaddy]

By the time that barrel is broken in you would probably be close to 2,800 fps with that same load. I would let the target tell you what speed it likes once you get it out to distance, high velocity and tight SD's are nice but printing a bughole on target is more important to me.

 

[rabradshaw]

Took new rifle out today for break in and it was averaging about 2710 fps. Load is 180 Berger on 54.5 h4831sc, lapua brass, br2 primers. 30” Brux on Borden action.

It shot one tiny hole at 100 so I was very happy with the new gun but the slow speed has me wondering how it will shoot at 600. Is 2710 too slow?

Almost my exact load. Lapua, Fed 210, 4831sc @ 54.4gr, Berger 180 hybrid, 30” Bartlein.
Mine is running 2750fps consistently and gives .21” five shot groups at 100 yds.

 

[Sandstorm]

Youl do just fine at Midrange with Low to Mid 2700s in your 284Win.
They shoot real well.

 

[rimfiremac]

2700+ will smash all the way to 1200yd+

 

[nastynatesfish]

My rifle is a 26” long action. I’m playing with 185nosler ref bullets and h4831sc. I went up 54 today.
53gr gave me 5 shot ave of 2664fps. I’m still fire forming my new brass. Today I hit 75rounds through the rifle.
I wanted n160 but it have a lot of pressure signs at low velocity.

 

[TylerFromMS]

My rifle is a 26” long action. I’m playing with 185nosler ref bullets and h4831sc. I went up 54 today.
53gr gave me 5 shot ave of 2664fps. I’m still fire forming my new brass. Today I hit 75rounds through the rifle.
I wanted n160 but it have a lot of pressure signs at low velocity.

That's probably not pressure, but rather an undercharge. You got the wrong brass for 160. Peterson. Get it up to 2850 with 180h and wish it the best of luck.

 

[Sandstorm]

Whats your Free bore and are you jumping or jamming....Makes a difference.
You can also give N555 a shot, my friend is killing it with the N555 so you never know what your chamber barrel combo will like.

 

[ELR LVR]

Its not too slow for a bullet with a BC above .500
you could be at 2400 fps and still shoot it accurately at 1000 yds.
accuracy is your main concern, not velocity
It takes some time to get over the need for speed 'Maverick'
I consider anything under 3000 fps - slow
--------------
But once you see how nice them big slow geese migrate right to POA
you'll understand what I mean

 

[nastynatesfish]

That's probably not pressure, but rather an undercharge. You got the wrong brass for 160. Peterson. Get it up to 2850 with 180h and wish it the best of luck.

There was no petersons in stock when I bought. So I got 200pcs of of norma. Vihtavouri website maxes out at 51.2gr n160. I went 53.

 

[jdowling]

Whats your Free bore and are you jumping or jamming....Makes a difference.
You can also give N555 a shot, my friend is killing it with the N555 so you never know what your chamber barrel combo will like.

Do you happen to know load and velocities with the N555?