6.5X284 V/S 264 Win Mag

[Scalloper]

I have planning on building a accurate hunting/target rifle for about 6 months now. I am looking for a accurate shooter that I can hunt white tail and coyote out to 600yds if the shot presents itself. I ask some questions on here and ,as suggested my other members, I decided to buy a 700 action and go from there. I have been leaning toward something in 6.5-7mm caliber. Yesterday I traded one of my previous bolt guns, TC Venture 7mag, for a 2007 Rem 700 in 264WM that appears as to have never been shot. I had never owned a 264WM and thought if needed I could rebarrel the gun in 7mm Mag as I have a good supply of reloading components in stock. My original intention was to buy a 700 rifle, rebarrel, install a HS Precision stock and have a smith install a trigger and true the action. ? It seems that my 264WM is a 1-9 twist which may not be suitable of VLD 140-160 bullets that I would like to shoot.
I have also been reading about the great success many seem to be having with the 6.5X284 but I don’t seem to see much in terms of accuracy shooting using the 264WM. I understand they are both different cartridges as well as bolt faces, but very similar in case compactly and the 264WM seems to be a bit faster. So what’s the big difference in the two?

 

[watercam]

Given equal barrel lengths the .264 Mag. is faster by a couple hundred fps. Both benefit from 26"+ barrels. Both are barrel burners but the magnum will burn out faster. My only 6.5/284 lasted 950 rounds so you can guess from there. If you are going to shoot matches where 60-70 rounds per day are the norm, perhaps the 7mm version would last longer. If barrel life is of no consequence to you, try the 26 Nosler!

 

[Scalloper]

Thanks, I dont shoot matches I just try to build on my shooting skills on my own range out to 500 yds for the time being.
The 26 Nosler is impressive. That maybe a option. Any issues with using the 26 my 700 action?

 

[wboggs]

If you want a hunting round and already have the components, go with the 7mm cal. Will do everything the 6.5 will and more. It sounds like you are like a lot of people who hunt and also like to practice at longer ranges. The standard 7mm Rem Mag is hard to beat when the rifle and load are properly set up.
Bill

 

[mikegaiz]

look at a 6.5/06. they are pretty impressive and use less powder then the 264 WM.

 

[dan06]

I just built a 6.5X284 on a rem 700 action with a 25 inch #4 brux barrel. I added a jewel trigger and and an HS precision stock. I know it may not last as long as some of the 7mm's but I love it. I know you guys have some long blueberry fields down east but that 6.5X284 will reach out about as good as anything that doesn't kick the snot out of you. It is a pretty hard to beat for a Maine deer-coyote round. You could also look at the 6.5-06 about the same balistics and it probably feeds from the mag more reliably. A 264 win-.26 nosler is too over bore for me. one could pretty much toast a barrel just in load developement and your not really gaining much.

 

[Scalloper]

Thanks for all of the info.

 

[Rtheurer]

You already own it..Give the 264WM a chance before you dismiss it. My smith builds them and so far I have been quite impressed. 140class bullets at 3200fps is a laser beam with little recoil and fun to shoot.
I would give that barrel a chance to prove its self before i yanked it..

 

[Rtheurer]

Not sure what some are thinking, but the 264 has a Magnum bolt face... Just sayin.

 

[AlanPF]

I've used a 264 WM many years ago for hunting, and more recently a 6.5-284 for F-Class. I've always used 140gn class projectiles and the slowest twist has been 1 in 8.5 and that was a 30" barrel. You may get away with a 9 twist in your 26" barrel if you keep the loads fast, and don't shoot in cold conditions at low altitude. I don't believe the 264 is a particularly efficient chambering. When the 6.5 projectiles had the highest BCs it had impressive long range ballistics, but what Berger has done with 7mm and 30 cal projectiles has changed the game. If I had your Rem 700, I'd try 140 class Bergers and Sierras first, and if they don't shoot, try things like the Lapua 136 or Berger 130 which will definitely be stable in your 9 twist. If they hold together you should be able to launch them at well over 3000 fps. I hope it works for you.

 

[Scalloper]

Allen
I may have some trouble not shooting in cold conditions and in low altiiudes sence I live in Downeast coastal Maine LOL. Thanks for all of the info. I picked up s box of AMax 140's the day I bought the rifle but Hornady recomends 1-7.5 to 1-8 twist so the 1-9 that I have may not be ideal.

 

[Scalloper]

Not sure what some are thinking, but the 264 has a Magnum bolt face... Just sayin.

I was aware of this when I bought the rifle but that can be changed if needed.

 

[Rtheurer]

Yep sure can. Just money is all.

 

[2506]

Don't worry about trying to shoot 140s in your 264 Win mag if you are only shooting out to 5 or 600 yards. All you need are some 130 gr Nosler Accubond bulles. I am shooting them in my 264 Win mag with Retumbo powder and out of my 27 3/4" barrel I average 3350 fps and half MOA on average accuracy. It is a deer smoking load. It works perfect from on top you out to 400 yards so far. I have killed a dozen + deer (lost count) with this load and all have been DRT. All bullets have exited except one. It was shot into a buck at 111 yard almost full length. Bullet entered front edge of left shoulder and was found in the right ham after smashing the ball socket. Bullet was a text book mushroom and weight was 87 grs. In my VAST experience of killing deer as a crop damage control hunter for 15 years this load from my 264 Win mag is a much better in their tracks killer than ANY 7 Rem Mag load of which I did extensive research on for deer. As for the 264 Win mag being a barrel burner, as used for hunting, it is no more a barrel burner as a 7 mag is. Either will burn a barrel out quickly if you shoot it hot with long strings. If you keep things cool by not shooting them hot they will last about the same. Give the 264 mag a try with Retumbo and 130 ABs before you WASTE money trying to duplicate what it will do.

 

[Scalloper]

I just thought I would update my findings. I have had my 264WM for almost a year. I loaded some 140 A-Max and got great results shooting 4 shot groups at 200 yds at .475" before I installed the match trigger. I dont consider myself to be a great shot but I am satisfied with those groups. I shot a 8pt WT buck at 230yds. The bullet IMO is not a great hunting bullet but it did the job. I purchessed some 140 Berger VLDs that I am planing on loading sometime when the temp gets above 10 deg. We have had 55 days of sub freezing temps and about 90" of snow in 3 weeks.
Thanks for the great advice I belive this 264WM will do everything I need...For now

 

[dalej]

Didn't mention any load data, had great accuracy and velocity with my 264 WM using F215 primers and a heavy load of Retumbo, with 140 gr bullets.

 

[Scalloper]

Good point 63gr H4831sc coal 3.297 new Nosler brass prepped 140gr A-Max rolling just a hair under 3,000 fps

 

[dannyjbiggs]

Four grains of powder...other than the case belts, that's the difference between the 6.5-.284 and the .264WM with the extra case volume in the .264WM...and possibly one more for the WM?

Back in 1996, I missed the national surge in the competition shooters stampede to the hot new 6.5-.284; simply because when I got around to deciding to get one, not a .284 case could be found in the country!! Cases for the .264WM were not available, either. My gunsmith chambered one up for me anyway, because I had located a large batch of .350 Remington Magnum brass. Necked-down, they morphed into a .264WM (6.5/.350 RM). Russ is quite correct about the 3200 fps with a SMK 142, only problem was that I found myself blowing up a lot of 142 SMK's at that velocity, and had to back it down to 3100 fps! But, it was a winner at the 1000 yard line shooting long range prone and more than held its own with the 6.5-.284 and the .300WM.

I finally went over to the 6.5-.284 after a couple of years because of the magnum belts. That's when I learned about the 4-grain case volume difference. The final difference: Two barrels in 6.5/.350RM did not shoot out “competitively” until the 1,600 round mark, a little better than the 6.5-.284 barrel burner.

Danny Biggs

 

[CatShooter]

Four grains of powder...other than the case belts, that's the difference between the 6.5-.284 and the .264WM with the extra case volume in the .264WM...and possibly one more for the WM?

Danny Biggs

I don't know why your 264 WM was so small... but most 264 WM cases hold 11 to 12 grains more powder than the 6.5x284, with equivalent bullets and throats.

Maybe yours was short throated. SAAMI chambers for the 264 WM have very short throats, because the factory bulled is a dual diameter bore rider bullet. If you load a single diameter 140, it must go well into the case because of that... but the 6.5x284 is normally long throated.

If you were shooting 140's or 142's that would account for it - my 264 WM has a long throat and holds a hellova lot more powder than the 6.5x284.

 

[JRS]

Having shot the 264 Win mag for most of my life, it has a case capacity of 82 GR, with new unfired brass. The 6.5x284 has a capacity of 66 GR, again,with new unfired brass.