ttfreestyle
Silver $$ Contributor
which one will work best on deer size game , both energy and trajectory? barrel life is not a concern nor availability of factory ammo.. thank you for any input.
6.5x284 or 270 win for deer only
- Thread starter ttfreestyle
- Start date
Erik Cortina
Team Lapua Brux Borden Captain
If ammo availability nor barrel life are a concern, then 6.5-284 without a doubt!
I shoot a 6.5x47 Lapua for deer, accurate, great barrel life, short action, and ballistics that rival your two options with less powder! What's not to like about it? ;D
I shoot a 6.5x47 Lapua for deer, accurate, great barrel life, short action, and ballistics that rival your two options with less powder! What's not to like about it? ;D
TheOtherZilla
Pull my finger
Either will work well for killing deer.. If it were my choice I'd opt for the 270. In a pinch ammo is abundant and readily available. I have yet to notice a box of 6.5-284 sitting on a gun store shelf.. And there is a ton of loading data available for the 270.. I know the 6.5-284 is very popular right now, but that's just my opinion..
There is no doubt that The 6.5-284 is superior to the .270 balistically.
BUT for DEER HUNTING it is very hard to beat a 270. Out to 400 yards or so I can't tell the difference, and neither can the deer.
You can buy Great ammo Nearly
anywhere, and get nearly any Centerfire rifle that you prefer in .270. It is Not overbore or overpowering.
The longest kill on a deer for me personally was Years ago, 560 yards(DRT) with a stock remy .270 , because that was what I Had. I don't use one now because
I like many readers on this forum am Obsessed with What is most "accurate and most efficient" and maybe a touch elitist about using a "factory" Caliber, (which is I am sure, silly on my part,considering all the extra money it costs me.)
But make no mistake a 270 win. is a deer killing machine and plenty accurate.
Just my opinion,
Capt. Ben
BUT for DEER HUNTING it is very hard to beat a 270. Out to 400 yards or so I can't tell the difference, and neither can the deer.
You can buy Great ammo Nearly
anywhere, and get nearly any Centerfire rifle that you prefer in .270. It is Not overbore or overpowering.
The longest kill on a deer for me personally was Years ago, 560 yards(DRT) with a stock remy .270 , because that was what I Had. I don't use one now because
I like many readers on this forum am Obsessed with What is most "accurate and most efficient" and maybe a touch elitist about using a "factory" Caliber, (which is I am sure, silly on my part,considering all the extra money it costs me.)
But make no mistake a 270 win. is a deer killing machine and plenty accurate.
Just my opinion,
Capt. Ben
I have taken more deer with a 270 Win and 130 gr speer hotcors than with all other calibers which I own combined. I won't say every one was DRT and i haven't taken game at extreme distances with it. It's what I was given when I was younger and that's why I used it so much. My father and brother both had one so reloading components were always abundant. As for a 6.5-284, I absolutely love it and can't think of a single reason why I'd pick a 270 over it other than cost of components to assemble your ammo. Which one is better.........? What's the objective? Either one is a deer killing monster within their respective capabilities. The difference is that a 6.5 has more capabilities. You said for deer only so bullet weight ranges aren't a factor since either has plenty of options. I'd say distance at which you plan on taking shots will make up your mind for you. Bottom line, a 6.5 will reach farther.
jonbearman
I live in new york state,how unfortunate !
The 6.5x55mm is way underated.It is great for recoil sensitive people.Now the .270 is the all american rifle round right up there with the 30-06.You can actually buy .270 and 30-06 at drugstore's in northern new york state.I would go with the .270 just because it is so universal.The 6.5x284 is a great cartridge,if you go with that choice just load plenty of ammo to take on hunting trips and you have got it made.
Whether or not the 6.5-284 can reach farther than the .270 is a totally moot point. The .270 can reach out farther than most people have any right shooting at deer, at least if they are ethical and like to make clean kills. Fact is when hunting, things are a lot different than at the range. Very seldom do you get a perfect shot at any more than 400yds, unless you live in country that has a very long line of sight, and even then conditions are more often than not going to be working against you. Really, how often do all the variables work out in your favor when trying to take shots over 400yds on big game? Maybe 10% of the time at most? The bottom line is you are more likely to pass 10 shots past 400 yds than you are to take 5 shots that far of farther and have them work out in your favor.
For all practical needs and purposes the .270 has more reach than most hunters will ever need or will ever use in most hunting situations. It is plenty capable of making clean kills at 500yds with no problem. How often do you get a clean shot longer than that? It has been killing game at long range longer than many on the forum have been alive, and will likely be doing so after many of us are gone. Jack O'Connor had no issues using it for some very long kills, why do you need anything bigger or better? It's more than capable of doing anything most any hunter will ever need, you can buy ammo at ANY store that sells ammo, it feeds perfectly from almost any magazine, has enough power to kill any deer that walks the earth, will kill much larger game if needed, components are more widely available than many other calibers, and the list could go on for days. It has much to recommend it. Granted it's not as flashy as the 6.5-284, but flash doesn't kill deer.
I just don't see any need for anything super cool or flashy to hunt with. Just a good old time proven round that will do it's job day in and day out, and never leave you hanging or with a round jammed up in the feed ramp with a monster buck standing in your face.
If you need a 6.5, I would look to a 6.5-06. It is sure to feed, and will do anything the 6.5-284 will do and has more power than the .260. Brass can be made from readily available .270, 30-06, 25-06, or .280 brass with a simple trip into a FL die, and will be easier to obtain in a pinch than 6.5-284 brass will be.
Or you could go the other way and opt for a .280, as that is another excellent round that is plenty capable.
There are many rounds I would use for hunting, and unless it was for special circumstances, it would not be a 6.5-284.
For all practical needs and purposes the .270 has more reach than most hunters will ever need or will ever use in most hunting situations. It is plenty capable of making clean kills at 500yds with no problem. How often do you get a clean shot longer than that? It has been killing game at long range longer than many on the forum have been alive, and will likely be doing so after many of us are gone. Jack O'Connor had no issues using it for some very long kills, why do you need anything bigger or better? It's more than capable of doing anything most any hunter will ever need, you can buy ammo at ANY store that sells ammo, it feeds perfectly from almost any magazine, has enough power to kill any deer that walks the earth, will kill much larger game if needed, components are more widely available than many other calibers, and the list could go on for days. It has much to recommend it. Granted it's not as flashy as the 6.5-284, but flash doesn't kill deer.
I just don't see any need for anything super cool or flashy to hunt with. Just a good old time proven round that will do it's job day in and day out, and never leave you hanging or with a round jammed up in the feed ramp with a monster buck standing in your face.
If you need a 6.5, I would look to a 6.5-06. It is sure to feed, and will do anything the 6.5-284 will do and has more power than the .260. Brass can be made from readily available .270, 30-06, 25-06, or .280 brass with a simple trip into a FL die, and will be easier to obtain in a pinch than 6.5-284 brass will be.
Or you could go the other way and opt for a .280, as that is another excellent round that is plenty capable.
There are many rounds I would use for hunting, and unless it was for special circumstances, it would not be a 6.5-284.
My 6.5x284 was build by Mike Bryant
http://www.bryantcustom.com/galleries/rifles.htm I wanted a LR antelope and varmit rifle.
Since the rifle was build as an hunting rifle not a full blown BR rifle accuracy was on par with my other customs and rifle was throated for the heavier VLD type bullets. I never shot a deer with that rifle as I didn't consider that caliber for what I call a deer rifle.
I've got a nice 270 with a Lilja barrel that is a deer rifle and with all the good 270 bullets and barrels today just makes it a better caliber IMHO. I also have a 270WSM with a Lawton barrel and having a 270Wby build and using a Rock Creek 5r barrel and I'll be using Berger VLD 150gr hunting bullets in that rifle.
Just lots of good calibers out there. Well good luck
http://www.bryantcustom.com/galleries/rifles.htm I wanted a LR antelope and varmit rifle.
Since the rifle was build as an hunting rifle not a full blown BR rifle accuracy was on par with my other customs and rifle was throated for the heavier VLD type bullets. I never shot a deer with that rifle as I didn't consider that caliber for what I call a deer rifle.
I've got a nice 270 with a Lilja barrel that is a deer rifle and with all the good 270 bullets and barrels today just makes it a better caliber IMHO. I also have a 270WSM with a Lawton barrel and having a 270Wby build and using a Rock Creek 5r barrel and I'll be using Berger VLD 150gr hunting bullets in that rifle.
Just lots of good calibers out there. Well good luck
Erik Cortina
Team Lapua Brux Borden Captain
6.5x284 is what the 270 Win. wants to be when it grows up! ;D
Enough said!
Enough said!
The .270 win is my pick.I shoot a kimber 8400,one of the first ones made,not one of the lightweight one's they make now.Its a full size sproter with a fair 24" barrel. I have been shooting the .270 since i was 14 years old have owned 5 different rifles and have shot most bullets out them. my kimber gives me sub 1/2moa at 100yds allmost allways and we have a secret shooting range out to 1,000yds and i can tell you that out to the 600yd plate i can hit a kill shot,cold bore first shot everytime. the load is the new berger 150VLD .531BC. out the end of my tube at 3,050FPS(you can do the math). now the 1,000 yard plate i seem to need 3shots to get zeroed on it. now is it a better game cartridge than the 6.5/284 it is for me. the 6.5/284 offers you nothing in killing power over the .270.it offers nothing in trajectory except a bit less wind drift. In my opinion if you want to out perform the .270 win in the field you need to go to the 7 bore. if you go to the 7mm berger 168VLD you can out perform the .270 and the high BC 6.5 140. You can do in the .280,280AI,7 mag,7wsm so you have a few to pick from my vote is going to .280AI but in a factory rifle i would pick the 7rem mag.
3100 fps with a 6.5 140, 3250 with a 6.5 130 VLD .552 BC versus 3050 when pushing pressures. I cannot see how one could state that there is no advantage. You are still lacking in Sectional density even if all else were equal. a 150 has a bit of an advantage in having a slightly heavier bullet. However, the energy can be carred further with the 6.5. There are pro's and cons with both. However the only meaningful shortfall of the 6.5-284 is the fact that factory ammo is nearly impossible to come by on short notice. Everything else favors it. The .270, All be it a great cartridge, is outperformed by the 6.5-284. Everything that was said about both being near equal out to normal hunting ranges is true. However, You don't consider a 6.5-284 for normal hunting ranges. In that case why not just go with a .308. Ballistics on a good 6.5-284 load in my rifle will rival those of a .270 WBY Mag. Pul out a ballistics chart plug in a 130 gr. berger VLD doing the 3280 I get from it with no pressure signs and a 150 .270 wby mag doing the same. now you have something VERY close.
ttfreestyle
Silver $$ Contributor
thanks guys for all the input.. and since i already have a 6.5x284 in a F class savage for 1000 target shooting(which means i already have the dies, brass, etc.) i am going with another one in a lighter version for hunting. after a year of shooting the 6.5x284 i have been very happy with it , hope it feeds well in a repeater... Thanks
Wow cfvickers I have never seen a 6.5-284 push a 140vld over 2900FPS in 24" to 26" barrel and most of them had a stickey bolt at 3,000FPS thats why i say that.You must be in some thin air.I have pushed several different .270 150 balls over 3,000FPS with no pressure and several rifles. My buddy shoots the same load as me but .5grs hotter @3,080FPS. Well at 3,050 FPS with the 150VLD .531BC and most hunting rifles i have seen in the 6.5-284 with a 26" barrel with a 140VLD at @2,950FPS it really offers you nothing in killing power over the .270win. if you do punch in the numbers(witch i have) the differance is nothing,its in the 6.5-284's favor but its nothing to get excited about.In my big game hunting,its cold very cold,the air is thick(dense&damp)its very windy and when you have a big buck across the hill at 600yds,you really just want to go home and not even try to make the shot,but you have to get tough get down in the snow get a good rest,and you have to know that in this 15deg weather and 25mph wind your rifle is legitimate and going to produce the velocity needed to get the job done and thats the .270win,thats why its as popular as it is because its legitmate and gets the job done where others would fail.IF you really want something better it has to be the berger 168VLD in the 7 bore,i have had it proved to me but even then the advanage is beyond 600yds.
FJIM said:
Seriously??? I neede smileys so I can look at you funny. I am not sure what powders you are using, but with a 26 inch barrel I am getting 3250-3300 with either RL17 or 7828ssc ad a 130 gr VLD, only pressure I see is primers barely starting to cup. no flattening or heavy/sticky bolt lift at all. 3150 with RL17 and a 140, or 3075 using Hybrid 100 V, 3025 very easily with 4831SC. I am in Eastern Arkansas, I have two chronographs and just about every round is fired across one, this is what they are doing. In the summer my max velocity with a 140 is about 3075 and 3150 with 130s maybe it was your seating depth?? I don't know, I read the chrono and if I have a reason to doubt, I get out the other. they are not expensive chronos but two different brands Have a shooting chrony beta and a prochrono. I usually see maybe 5-15 fps difference between them, never more if batteries or light situation is good. I can just say what I am seeing personally, I have another with a 23.5 inch barrel and it is losing 35-45 fps per inch of barrel, pretty much dead on where it should be. I will certainly grant, the velocities I listed in the prior post are maximum loads, but they are honest and I have seen them over and over. Makes no difference if you believe me or not. I will not just come out with something I don't believe to be true. However I have seen guys that are like you that use the same loads I use and get results like yours, I am not educated enough to really understand all of it, but I assume a lot of it is in how the chamber is cut.
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