History of popular 284 wildcats

[Brians356]

When I started reloading about 20 years ago I became aware of a popular wildcat, the 6mm-284. I recall a local gunsmith's wife using one to win a local 1000-yd benchrest match.

Recently, I mentioned the 6mm-284 to a friend in conversation, and he said "Uh, you mean the 6.5-284 don't you?" After some argument, his position was that the 6.5mm-284 has always been the popular version, and that he had never even heard of the 6mm-284.

This seemed odd to me, since I recall seeing 6mm-284 in my oldest reloading books going back to the early 1980s, but recalled the 6.5-284 appearing in the manuals more recently (and 6.5mm cartridges in general moving to the forefront in long-range shooting.)

Then I happened to be reading an old manual (I believe Hodgdon #26, circa 1992) and stumbled on the 25-285 page. In the text, it was described as being by far the most popular 284-based wildcat, and the first to be actively developed. And that only the 6mm-284 and 338-284 were even in the running, all others having fallen by the wayside. Note: No mention of the 6.5-284 at all.

So based on this, I deduce the chronological order of the rise in popularity of the necked-down 284 wildcats to be:

1. 25-284
2. 6mm-284
3. 6.5-284

Any veteran shooters out there who can correct or validate my timeline?

Brian

 

[Raythemanroe]

Your list probably got tipped over

 

[ShootDots]

I do not KNOW the exact history either... But the wording in your post is interesting. It states in part "By far the 25 x 284 was THE MOST POPULAR of the wildcats." This indicating NOT TIME OF DEVELOPMENT, just the fact that is was one of, if not the most POPULAR, of ALL the wildcats derived from the base .284 brass.. Once "wildcatters" saw the potential of the case, it was necked UP, DOWN and who knows what came first. I am sure someone might actually know for certain which came first.. However, I think that may only be found in the annals of Fred Huntington's old sales notes!

 

[Brians356]

Note carefully my wording - "... the chronological order of the rise in popularity ..."

Figuring out exactly who first necked down a 284 to <whatever> is impossible - many people jump onto that task as soon as a new cartridge case appears, and within a few weeks several can claim "I did it first!"

Rather, I am trying to figure out which was most popular, and when (and how it changed over time.) Hodgdon and other publishers usually base their statements on sales figures obtained from chamber reamer makers. And a wildcat doesn't appear in the crowded space of a reloading manual until popular demand reaches a high enough level. So "archeology" applied to old reloading manuals is not a bad way to piece together the timeline, by my reckoning.

Brian

 

[Brians356]

Your list probably got tipped over

Maybe. But Hodgdon's published statement in 1992 would be a curiousity, then, wouldn't it? I find it hard to question Hodgdon, of all people, on cartridge development history. In that 1992 manual, the 6.5-284 is conspicuously absent, but the 6mm-284 and 25-284 are present.

And, I definitely was aware of the 6.5s becoming preeminent fairly recently. The 6mm was the darling of benchrest, even 600 and 1000-yard, well before the 6.5s. No?

Brian

 

[Raythemanroe]

I guess I don't understand the question, are you asking what has been or is the most popular? A variant of the .284 the .284 would get my vote, but if I chose from the given list I would guess the 6.5x.284 sold more reamers

 

[Brians356]

I guess I don't understand the question, are you asking what has been or is the most popular?

Yes, and in which order did they become most popular, of those three.

if I chose from the given list I would guess the 6.5x.284 sold more reamers

As of today, probably true. Ten years ago, probably not. Go back enough years, and apparently the 25-284 was king - if Hodgdon knew anything about it.

Brian

 

[Brians356]

Ok, thanks, good to know. I was off by quite a few years in my "ten years ago" statement.

So based on what Hodgdon published in 1992, the 6mm-284 and 25-284 were more popular until then (a few years prior to 1996.) So what you say partially corroborates my rough timeline - the 6.5 arose last.

Brian

 

[expiper]

Its funny ,,,when the .284 was introduced ,,it was a flop,,,then wild catters saw the beauty of the case design and the earlies ones I saw were several #1's rebareled to 25-284 as you suspect ,,,then the 6mm version hit long range circles,,,the the 6.5,,,AND GUESS WHAT,,, now the 7mm/.284 (haha),,,,the more things change the more they stay the same,,,,Roger

 

[wboggs]

In 1960 the engineers at Olin Matheson in East Alton, IL showed me their prototype .284 cartridge. They were trying to develop .270 ballistics for their M88 lever and M100 auto rifles. I wasn't too impressed. Shows what I knew.
Bill

 

[MrMajestic]

In 1960 the engineers at Olin Matheson in East Alton, IL showed me their prototype .284 cartridge. They were trying to develop .270 ballistics for their M88 lever and M100 auto rifles. I wasn't too impressed. Shows what I knew.
Bill

Ahh Bill, As the Amish say, "We grow too soon old and too late schmart" ;D

 

[KMart]

I have a copy of "Wildcat Cartridges" from 1992 that have several articles on the 6/284 and 25/284, but has nothing on the 6.5/284.

 

[Brians356]

Thanks, all! I now have enough ammunition to make a wager with my friend who claims the 6.5-284 was the top 284 wildcat from the beginning.

Incidentally, my Hodgdon #26 edition was 1995, not 1992. And it did not include the 6.5-284. So that one started its ascent well after that.

My recollection, from reading, and from hanging around our local 600-1000 benchrest shooters, was that the 6 PPC and similar took over benchrest, and a wave of match-grade 6mm bullet development ensued. So naturally 6mm wildcats like 6mm-284 were applied with not a little success at 600-1000 yards as well. But shooters soon started to realize they needed better wind bucking for long range, and bullet makers turned their attention to 6.5 mm. Now there are probably more premium bullets available in 6.5mm than 6mm, but it wasn't always that way. The 6.5 was all but overlooked not that long ago.

Brian

 

[Rustystud]

As stated before the .284 Winchester was designed to shoot in the Winchester 88 (lever action) and model 100 (Semi Auto). The short fat cartridge started out with chambers with a .320"-.322" necks and lots of free bore. The model 88 and 100 was not inherently accurate, and with certain cartridges they had pressure issues. The cartridge was wildcatted by Roy Gibbs in a 1903 A3 action. There was the 6mm/284, 25/.284, 6.5/.284, .284Win, 30/.284, 8mm/.284, 32/.284, and the 35/.284. The 6mm/284 was surpassed by the 6mmRemington and .243Winchester. There was better brass and barrel life. The .240 Weatherby was also short lived because of brass and barrel life. The 6.5 Remington Magnum and 264Win Magnum came out in the early 60s and finished off the 6.5/.284. I believe it was Mid Tompkins or some of his shooting associates who brought the 6.5/ .284 back. Because the 6.5/.284 could be shot in a standard .473 bolt short action rifle. It would shoot high BC bullets (139-142 grains) 800-1000 yards better than any other competitive rifle. The .284 cam back to life when Charles Ballard won the F -Class nationals shooting 180 grain Bergers. the barrel life is somewhat better with a 7mm vs a 6.5. The new .284 loaded with Lapua brass have a no neck turned diameter of .3125" The newer chambers have .3175-.3185 necks. They shoot at much higher pressures than the early .284s.
Nat Lambeth

 

[Brians356]

Because the 6.5/.284 could be shot in a standard .473 bolt short action rifle.

Can it? Maybe barely, if the bullet is seated awfully deep. Generally anything longer than the 308 Win is chambered in the Standard (30-06 etc.) action. No?

Brian

 

[justme]

Don't forget the 22-284!

 

[Brians356]

Don't forget the 22-284!

You mean the 17-284?