building a 6.5-284 whats a good action to use?

[Kenny474]

As for the barrel, you may want to consider a Shilen, as they are priced reasonably and are a quality product. I just ordered one from Bruno Shooter Supply and they have a large selection in stock. I like their tolerance listings and how they grade their barrels a bit better than Douglas as well. Douglas also never mentions lapping their barrels either. It doesn't mean the Douglas won't be a good barrel, I just think there are better to be had. Remember, that is only my opinion.

Look around a bit. There are many high quality barrels on the market. I have a Pac-Nor that shoots very well (.25moa@100yds), and they are only 7 weeks out as I called them yesterday. Krieger, Lilja, Brux, Broughton, and a bunch of others all make match winning barrels. It's worth looking around to see whats out there.

 

[camac]

I know you have gone for a longer action 270 which is great and probably the way to go for this cartridge
but for those reading on and interested in converting the short action savage -I have just finished modifying my savage short action LRPV repeater (target repaeter action) as a 6.5*284 hunting repeater. Now I have switch barrels for 6mmBR and 6.5*284.
- I picked up a 9 shot 308 magazine for the savage and got Dave Kiff to make me a shorter thoated reamer one to suit 123's it works a treat. Now I have a 9 shot repeater in short action that shoots well. Waiting on some berger hunting 130's that should fit too as there is a bit of room (may interfere with donut). Beaty is I have a store full of old 6.5 barrels that aren't really that bad.

 

[zorak]

Ok I'm gonna go with a Douglas XX barrel.No should i go with a stainless steel or chrome moly. and also they dont offer an 8.5 twist they only offer whole size's and no halfs in there barrels. so should i go with a 8 or 9 twist for the 130-140gr bullets. they also offer a drop in for the remington 700.

 

[Kenny474]

I am pretty sure the 8 twist will be better for the 140's than the 9.

And just an FYI, the pre-fits still need final machining so to set headspace on your action.

As for stainless or Moly, it's really up to you. You will need to have a moly barrel blued, parkerized, or coated with cerakote or another finish where as with stainless you can pretty much use it as-is.

 

[15Tango]

Hunting rifle = hard to beat a Mauser style action - a Ruger or Winchester to poach an action from is in order in my opinion. Then I'd have GA Precision do the barrel fitting and possibly a drop box magazine retrofit. Surgeon actions are hard to beat for repeaters too.

Wayne

 

[zorak]

Kenny ya i do know its not an exact drop in and having the head space done. the shop that im going through has done four other conversion for my dad and myself and they all have the douglas xx barrels. so the 8 will do just fine with those bullets. should i go with a 26 or 28in barrel and its going to be a gun that im gonna carry through the brush and tree's?

tango the rem700 that im using has a drop out magazine. i have two ruger M77's that we have had done and two rem700 that were done also.the 270wby shoots about a 1" group

Ruger m77 6-284
Ruger m77 270wby mag
Rem700 7-300wby mag
Rem700 300 rem ultra mag

 

[Kenny474]

I am not 100% positive about barrel length, as all the experience I have is with the 6-284 in a 24" barrel. While similar, it's still different and was used for light bullets in a smaller caliber.
I would tend to think that even if you have to sacrifice a little velocity, the 26" barrel would still be sufficient while reducing weight and gaining maneuverability. Though you could use a 28" barrel in a slim contour and gain velocity, though I feel a barrel of that length would be ungainly in a hunting situation especially if you travel through any amount of brush or thickly wooded area.

I would go with the Remington Mag Sporter 007 contour, as it should be pretty stiff while still being reasonably light. Others will have their opinions and you may have another idea as well. I'm just suggesting what I would use.

My 24" barrel still produced decent velocity, though it was a 6mm 1-10 twist and shot far lighter bullets than you plan to. If I could do it over, it would be at least 26" and 1-8 twist.

Good luck, I hope it turns out well.
Kenny

 

[camac]

On barrel length I think the 6.5*284 cartridge really benefiits from the longer barrel. Such a big cartridge down a small pipe. Slower powders and longer barrel work well. IMHO I would go for as long a barrel as you are comfortable carting and swinging. and think Kennys suggestions above are good - 28 inch lighter contour or fluted medium contour, 26 inch at a pinch. I can still get good velocities out of 28 inch.

 

[Kenny474]

Camac is 100% right that the 6.5-284 will benefit from additional barrel length, as will most overbore rounds.

It's something you are really going to have to think about. Go 26" and gain maneuverability at cost of velocity, or add length and gain velocity at cost of maneuverability. It's a world full of compromise, so no free lunch here! Though I definitely wouldn't go shorter than 26".

Shorter will also add a little muzzle blast, though 2" won't be that much added blast it will have some added effect.

I also put down the wrong contour in my last post, I meant to write the 006 Rem Mag sporter. Whoops!
Though if you do go with a heavier contour fluting would be a good way to lose some weight.

 

[hogan]

Think I would stay with the .270...

Really want to burn barrels out every 800 or 900 rds?
Got big plans for "load development"? Oops! There goes that gilt-edged accuracy, way before you even go hunting...

The .284 case duplicates the .30-06 powder capacity. Yet, you lose one or more in your magazine.

Best hunting choice for all-around use would be a .280 Remington. You can shoot up to a 175gr bullet in that one. With a 6.5 you are looking at upper limit of 142gr for a spitzer or 155gr for a semi-roundnose.

What's wrong with the .270? Not really anything. Got several new 6.8mm bullets for the SPC that have come out. The 130gr Sierra gameking is superb. Great velocity, neck down Lapua brass if you want "the best", but does that really matter in a hunting weight gun?

Think the 6.5x55 is a better choice if you want long barrel life in a 6.5mm bore.

Whatcha gonna be hunting? Antelope? Deer?
I like the Lapua 6.5mm 155gr Mega bullets and the 140gr Nosler bthp in 6.5mm. The Hornady 162gr btsp is excellent in 7mm and then there are the Sierra 175gr Matchkings...

Not really much practical value for hunting & group shooting from the 6.5-284; unless you don't mind dropping $600 for a new barrel every season or two. Bench shooters don't mind. If I was an bencher, think a 6mm XC would be more to the job though.... If it's all about getting holes in paper at under 800yds. Over that, you probably need the .284 case, but not like a hunting weight rifle will be able to use the capacity from the bench anyway....

Nothing too glamorous about the .270win, EXCEPT it works

Shoot the barrel out on the gun dad gave you and then see what you think...

 

[cliffe]

6.5x284 hunting rifle would wear out a barrel every season or two???? no way!!!! how do you think barrel life would be alot worse than a 270. i shoot 48 gr. h4350 with 142smk out of my 6.5x284 for 2850 and 55 gr. imr 4350 with 130 sbt out of my 270. i realize you are comparing .264 to .277 bore dia.
6.5x284 has good brass, alot of load info, shoots great..... Hogan, how many 6.5x284 barrels have YOU worn out. cliffe

 

[Kenny474]

It's a well known fact that the 6.5-284 only has a top accuracy life of 1000-1500 rounds in competition, not really long by any stretch. But this isn't going to be a 1000yd F-Class rig either and probably won't see long strings of extended fire so it may end up having it's lifespan go to 1500 rounds, maybe a little more depending on accuracy expectations.

How many rounds does one normally put through a hunting rifle in a season? A few hundred average maybe, unless it's a varmint rifle. I could see the barrel lasting quite a while as long as it's used sparingly.

Maybe not the best choice, but not really that bad either.

 

[zorak]

Thanks kenny you hit the nail on the head with your comment. You seem to be one of the few that understand what I'm to do with this round. and I'm think im gonna go with the 28" long barrel.

once again this going to be a HUNTING rifle ant a target or even a varmint gun.So at the most at one time i put 20rnds just getting it sighted in maybe. then maybe 5-10 rnds the next season just to double check the scope. so do the math on the amount of rounds per year it take me to wear out a barrel.

Hogan, I all ready have a .270wby. so i want something else to play with. and what kind of hunting are you doing to wear out a barrel in 1-2 seasons ???.and i have already done alot of research on the round it self and all the reloading books hodgen,barnes,have all the data I need plus what guys are doing with on here. I like the .284 wild cats as i have a 6mm-284 and my dad has a .25-284 so why not add one more the 6.5-284 . and where are you getting $600 for a barrel? I can get from douglas,shillen and even kieger for a round high $200 to the mid $300 a good barrel.

And i plan on using it for deer and antelope,if i plan going for something bigger then ill choose from my .270wby,.308nm,.300wm,7mm-300wby or a .300rum so I think i have everything on the northern continent covered.

thank you for your concern.

doug

 

[zorak]

also since this round is extremely hard on barrels i wont load them to the max then I will keep them on the conservative side of the load data.

 

[Kenny474]

Zorak, I was a bit skeptical at first, but you seem intent on using this round and understand what you are getting yourself into. So why not just see what happens and let you build what you want? I mean you are the one paying for it after all.
But, you know you could cover the continent with a 30-06 and still have a shoulder left though, right?

As for conservative rounds, I wouldn't worry. Load it to where it wants to shoot and don't look back. Sometimes you need to run a little hot to get the best accuracy.

 

[zorak]

kenny, since im not a bench shooter I just dont ever see shooting more then 150-200 rounds through that gun since its strictly going to be a deer,antelope and maybe a sheep or goat gun.

I dont think it will be that much of shoulder thumper at least no worse then my weatherbey or my dads .264wm. If it is then i'll through a brake on it.

As for the 30-06 I know its a great gun but I just never cared for it but thats just my opinion.But every one else has theres.

So you say don't worry about the loads huh. just load it how it needs to be to shoot good then huh.

 

[Kenny474]

I wasn't referring to the 6.5-284 as having excessive recoil, I was talking about your other calibers you listed, 300RUM is nothing nice on the shoulder.

If you really only plan to use the 6.5-284 for hunting, than load it until it shoots the best and run with it. As long as you don't start shooting 20 shot strings or put 500 rounds a year through it you'll be fine. Go for top accuracy. Just make sure you develop your loads in similar conditions to what you will hunt in. A 70 degree temperature difference can change things a good bit, like going from summer to winter where I am will change things a lot.

 

[zorak]

Ah lol..that got built with a brake on it so I never had the pleasure shooting it with out one.that and the 7mm-300wby and the 308norma mag have brakes on them to.

I dont think the 20 shot strings or 500 rounds a year are going to happen when its done.

 

[camac]

One little tip for hunting with 6.5*284. My cold bore shots seem way off the norm.SHooting fouled barrels helps a bit but still it heats up "so much" even after shot one that there is a significant jump in velocity and if you use it for long range hunting you need to know what is going on with it. - This unfortunately means lots of target shots.

 

[zorak]

I know your not suppose clean you gun after you site it in cause that will through your shot off. so your saying the velocity will go up as the barrel get hotter?