6.5x284 WIN Built on a Remington 700 Short Action

[woodtick]

Well I've been doing some research and I'm having alot of people say you can't build the 6.5x284 Winchester(Reamer) and have it shoot good and the rounds feed at the same time on a Remington 700 Short action. So here is my question I'm not building a bench gun, I'm building a hunting rifle and plan on using Nosler 130 gr. Accubonds, Can I make it work with these smaller non VLD style bullets? has anyone got some good input on what my other options could be.

 

[sdean]

I just measured a factory 6.5-284 Norma cartridge with 130 AccuBond 2.90 OAL. I won't say you can't do it, but there is a reason most use long action. Then one day you will try a 140 Berger VLD hunting bullet and see how well it shoots and you will say OOPS!! Needless to say I am very happy mine is a long action. Good luck,great hunting cartridge.

 

[woodtick]

Could a 260AI be substituted for the 6.5x284 without much velocity or accuracy difference? they seem to have very close ballistics.

 

[alf]

In a hunting gun with a hunting length barrel (22"-24"), yes.

I personally wouldn't even bother with the AI version. My 22" 260 runs 100's at 3375. Do that with the new 100 grain Barnes TTSX's, and not much with fur could survive.

A 6.5-284 really snorts with a 30" barrel, but a 260 would preform better in a short action and 22" barrel. If you did a longer barrel and a Wyatts box magazine, the 6.5 in a S/A would be workable.

 

[Rust]

No problem using a short action as long as you keep the cartridge overall length to original (or close to it) .284 specs. Pay attention to which reamer is used, most 6.5 X 284 reamers have a lot of freebore in order to seat the long VLDs out of the case with COLs of 3.200" and more. This is well past what will mag feed in a short action.

I'd say if you aren't planning on shooting the 140 gr class of VLDs and want to go with a short action, go with a .260. In a short barrel of 22" or so and the 100-120 gr bullets it would very nearly match a 6.5 X 284 with a same length barrel shooting the same bullets.