***Long Action and .473 bolt face!!! What would you go with???

[glo]

Cartridge: .284 Winchester.
Reamer: PT&G; call Dave Kiff for dimensions. You will need an extra long throat.
Bullet: 7mm, 180gr Berger VLD #28502; the seating depth will be .363” with a C.O.A.L. Of 3.34”.

That OAL would only give you about .135 shank in the neck. A .220 freebore, like my PT&G .284 Win and Shehane reamers, provides an OAL of 3.220 when a 180 VLD is just touching. At that length, there is .255 shank engagement. It is also a good freebore length for the 180 Hybrid.

I just measured the BT on my 180gr Berger VLD bullet. It is .200". That's .163" shank engagement. Whether .135", .163" or .255" shank engagement, my point is to put the little SA length cartridge in the LA actions so you get all the case capacity you can.

Ballistically or more correctly, the case capacity of the .284 Winchester and .280 Remington as the .284 Shehane and 280 AI are the same. When you start stuffing big, over sized bullets like the 180gr Berger VLD in to any of these cartridge and expect them to fit in the magazine well of their respective action lengths you suffer case capacity loss.

Remember this gun is to be used for hunting. You want to keep as much case capacity as possible. Neither the .280 or .280 AI can generate the same muzzle velocities as the .284 Win or .284 Shehane if the bullets are seated really deep to accommodate the max. magazine well length of 3.34”. Conversely, neither the .284 Win or .284 Shehane can generate the same muzzle velocities as .280 or .280 AI with the same VLD bullet if the bullets are seated really deep to accommodate the max. magazine well length of 2.80”.

Stick the .284 Win or .284 Shehane in an LA action. Let the bullet stick out as far as you are comfortable to 3.34”. then let it rip. You are ballistically going to have a 7mm RSAM to 7mm Remington Mag. In an SA length cartridge. Very efficient if you ask me.

 

[Switchbarrel]

.284 Winchester.

+1 especially if you already own or have access to the .284 reamer your other rifle was chambered with.

Already having the reloading components would save a ton of extra money (no new dies, different caliber brass, bullets, etc). As time goes by and I collect more and more "shooting stuff" that I then have to store, the whole KISS principle starts to make more and more sense.

-Rick

 

[rain164845]

I think you should get a 6-284 improved. I'd set mine up with a short freebore for the 55gr ballistic tips, and a 10 twist, but for long range of course, a longer throat and 8 twist. It isn't the practical man's choice, but I would get one in a savage with a cheap barrel so that I could afford it. Or more likely a 243 Catbird since dies are easier to come by.

 

[clatarar]

i'd go with a either a 270 or a 270ai, sounds old school but you could use it as your sleeper, http://www.matrixballistics.com/.277-Caliber-rifle-bullets.html

 

[devildogandboy]

280 AI or 6.5/06 AI, you would be happy with both.

Jarvis

i agree, i would go either one myself. i prefer the 6.5-06 for the lighter range of bullets for varmint, coyotes and deer and for larger game you have the 280AI with the heavier range of bullets if you need. both are excellent calibers.

 

[AndyW]

6,5-284

no need to reinvent the wheel..

 

[GermanS1]

The .30 Gov't 06, there is nothing else.
http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2009/11/cartridges-logical-30-06.html

 

[XTR]

My first though would be to build a .284 Win, but you say you already have one.


I think it may be good to look at this from a big picture standpoint.

Is the .284 you have on a on a LA or a SA? If it's a SA I'd re-barrel it into a 7-08 and make the LA into a .284Win so you can load the long heavies and still have case capacity and have them function in the action. Put a short fluted barrel on the 7-08 build for tactical comps and for deer hunting and put a longer tube on the .284 for long range work be it targets or bigger critters.

 

[bsekf]

7x57 AI If I remember right PO Ackley said the good old 7mm Mauser gains the most by being Improved.

Bill