6.5x284 Barrel Longivity

[xdshooter]

Looking for advice on 6.5x284 barrel longivity, is it true they loose accuracy after about 700 rounds.

 

[F224]

Most yes, build it long and plan on setting it back an inch or so after the first 700-750 shots.

Better yet, by a Blaser and plan on 2000+...

 

[ChipEckardt]

One barrel went at 924 round. The other went at 1096. The only good news is that when they go it is pretty obvious.

Chip

 

[ttfreestyle]

Chip, i almost hate to ask this but being a fairly new 6.5x284 owner here goes. what do you do to keep the throat clean on your barrels. i am on my first bbl now(348 rounds) , just wondering what to look for. thanks

 

[1000yardstare]

Shot an F Class Palma match today (800, 900, 1000) with a chap using a Savage 6.5-284. He has a documented 1250 rounds down the barrel and it is still accurate. Told him this is unusual for that cartridge.

He responded by saying that when brand new he polished the bore with JB Bore Paste. Since then has shot nothing but 139 gr Silver Scenar, never naked bullets. Says he has never had copper fouling.

We all wish him the best in the Ontario Championships in 2 weeks time. I know what it is like to have a barrel die. Happened in my 6AI last year after 1200 rounds. Accurate one shot, like falling off a cliff the next. Happens fast and unexpected.

Bill

 

[ChrisNZ]

It's not copper fouling that kills the barrel though overly-vigorous cleaning wouldn't help. Throat erosion is the real offender here and moly or its variations aren't gonna save you significantly. Any hot 6.5 will suffer the same fate at much the same point.

A bigger bore (with the same case) is more efficient and that's why the straight .284 has come into fashion. Double the barrel life and less long-range drift has got to have appeal.

Chris-NZ

 

[1967spud]

1150 through mine to date and so far no signs off throat erosion still seating same depth as the first round i put through it

ive had a bore scope up it to check the throat as well just to doubly make sure and it looked good , i must admit i aint pushing my rounds hard 140 grain amaxs @ 2890 fps


accuracy at 1000 yards is still impressive

but i am guessing it wont be long for it now luckily i have a bartlein gain twist ready waiting for it

 

[DennisH]

Off the wall question:

If you Cyro'd the barrel, would this make a difference in longgivity?

Just wondering if it's worth the expense.

 

[1967spud]

by cryoing the barrel you are releiving the internal stresses applied to the barrel during barrel manufacturing

i.e. lapping , rifling, drilling etc

most modern barrels now days are cryoed by default

 

[Raptor]

Mine went to 1400 +or- a few rounds. I returned from a match in Wyoming and had it bore scoped at 1200rds and it was still looking good but showing some throat erosion. I tried to never get it hot when practicing for matches.

I was hurt the next year and could not return to the shoot so I let my son use it. He got in the man on man crap and junked the barrel out in that match. It went from shooting .3s to .7s in a little over 200rds.

 

[ebb]

I find that the people that claim a 6.5-284 is toast in 700 rounds have never owned one. Talk to Capt. Husky over at snipershide he has several and some 6.5-06s that are susposed to be even rougher on barrels. I borescoped mine at about 500 rounds and the throat looked as new. I think that most of this talk is rifle envy.

 

[mrbluedot]

i got 850 rounds out of mine. great accuracy while it was alive. I'm am getting the same accuracy and fps from my 6.5 x 47 and after 450 rounds zero throat erosion.

 

[ChipEckardt]

JB bore paste and Bore Shine work for me to keep barrel and throat clean.

Chip

 

[Raptor]

Mine was bore scoped by the barrel maker at H&S Precision and at the time had right around 1200rds through it. Even though it was starting to show throat wear at the time he felt it would have been good for at least another 500 or so rounds "IF" I kept shooting it the way I was.

As we know that did "NOT" happen and at 200rds it was toast. However it still comes down to how we shoot the rifle. If you get them hot, you won't get a lot of rounds out of them. If you don't abuse them I honestly believe you can easly get 1500 rounds out of one.

 

[lloydx2]

Im on my 3rd 6.5 284 barrell Kreiger 30" med palma 1-8 tw @200 all showed signs of firecracking. The first 2 only had .030 push @ 1150 But the fire cracking was so bad the edges of the lands where coming apart.So if your not chaseing the lands that doesnt mean its not cooked. They were both still shooting good at 1000 yards but they still came off. My load was 52 grs H4831 142 MK. Im also a sling shooter so accuracy might have been slightly deteriorating by benchrest standards. It still shot within my call radius and elevation was good. With this caliber you really have to stay on the carbon. 4831 is fairly clean but its the nature of the beast small hole big powder.

 

[dogdude]

I've had two krieger 6.5x284's. Both done by a top notch smith, 29'' 8.5 twist .294 neck's. i kept track of the throat with my hawkeye, but both showed wear at 200,but not bad.both shot very good till 600-650 at 750 not so good, 850.TOAST!! that short barrel life was enough for me. i know i could have had them set back,but new barrels and winter go hand in hand for me!! all best dogdude

 

[1shot]

I agree with several of the comments given here. Being sling/prone shooter the prevailing conditions determine how fast I shoot. Sometimes I'm done in10-11 minutes, other times it's nearly 20. Obviously when the conditions allow, I'm shortening my bbl. life because it gets much hotter, but that is the nature of the game we play. My current bbl. has 1,200+ on it and is still giving me 30-50% X count at 1,000 yds. so I'm either blessed with an exceptional bbl. of some of my cleaning/maintenance methods are actually working. ;D
Lloyd

 

[Raptor]

I've shot out a lot of barrels and I still believe it all boils down to how "You" shoot them.

I shot several of my 260s in competitions and the barrels were "Toast" at around 2000rds. My current rifle only has one comp on it and has just been shot as a fun and practice rifle and not gotten hot, its well over 2800rds and still shooting .5moa all the way out if I do my part.

 

[remo101]

I bought a Savage F Class 6.5X284. At the NRA Convention in Pitt.I talked to the Savage shooter.I asked him point blank No Bull how many rounds can I expect to shoot before the chamber is shot out.His Answer 800 rounds.That is with no hotroding and regular cleaning at 20 rounds.Thats from the guy who should know.