Savage 6.5-284 twist rate

[AceRoth]

Has Savage made 6.5x284 barrels in anything but an 8 twist?

Mine is a factroy Savage stainless fluted small shank, varmint profile. Looks the same as the one on the BVSS. Not the 30" off the F-class.

I know how to check with a cleaning rod, jag, patch and ruler but the difference between 8 twist and 9 twist is measurement error, at least for me.

Ideas on whether mine will reliably stabilize the high-BC 140s like Bergers?

 

[stacy]

YES SIR THAT RIFLE WILL SHOOT 130VLD AND 140VLD BERGERS MINE LIKES THE 130VLD IT SHOOTS 140S BUT NOT LIKE THE 130S ONE HOLE! SAVAGE LRH W/8TWIST.
STACY

 

[kuduman]

I've got a Predator Max (bought May 2012), and it won't shoot the 140's. I sent it back to Savage, where they shot it with 130s, and it shot a .4" group.

But mine shoots 140's (Amax and Berger) into 1.5" at best. Different powders, primers, seating depths-- and scopes. Nightforce and Weaver.

I'm going to try some lighter ones (120's), just to rule out the one remaining variable. But this is like having a Corvette that won't stay on the road at 80, and being told all is well because it works at 55. Not acceptable. No one buys this hot rod caliber to shoot 130's or lighter-- lots of calibers do that. The raison d'etre for this cartridge is 140s and 140s only.

I am not happy.

Kuduman

 

[chiefkerdog]

Kuduman, I am guessing your rifle has a long throat. If so and it is a 8 twist I would think it should shoot 140's . Don't know if my load info would work and please work up to it but I have shot several Sub 6" groups at 1K and even a 4.796 in a match not long ago. You may have even already tried this but here it is, 140 VLD Berger, Lapua brass, CCI BR 2 and 51.5 of H4831SC seated at 2.446 using a comparator. OAL is in the 3.1 ish range. This is shot thru a Savage Fclass BR rifle with 30" factory tube. My rifle has over 650 rds down the tube also. Oh just realized OAL want feed from magazine ?

 

[robbor]

i had a 6.5-284 and it had a really long throat, that was the only thing i didnt like. I dont thing you could seat 142s more than .125 and still touch the rifling.
I didnt know savage made any small shank fluted varmint barrels in 6.5??? Mine was the big 30 extra heavy beast, but i never fired mine.

 

[DOGCAPPER]

8 twist will shoot 120 to 140 with target grade accuracy. LT

 

[AceRoth]

Yeah, Savage definitely seems to throat its 6.5x284 barrels long. I couldn't get Nosler 120 BTs into the lands. Hoping the 140s will work better, assuming the twist is fast enough to stabilize them.

 

[kuduman]

Hmmm... I'm not sure about mine having a "long throat". OAL of 3.170 with 140 Amax hits the lands. 3.080 with 120 Amax (that's OAL, not to ogive).

In any case, it won't shoot any of them worth a crap. The 120's are slightly better, but sub-moa is merely a dream. Every single bolt gun I own outshoots it-- .458 included.

Maybe it's the Nightforce scope? I'm taking the whole package to good long-range gunsmith and let him figure it out. I've burned 1/5 of the barrel so far for nothing.

 

[ed k]

I have a f class savage that prefers the 123 grain bullets. I'm getting 3220 fps and according to several sources this has less drop and less winddrift than my 142 smk has. Am i missing something here or what. I get about 2900 from the heavier bullet. School me on why i want to shoot the heavier bullet. ED

 

[kuduman]

You aren't looking far enough out. Compare at 1000-1400 yards. You'll find less wind drift with the 140s.

At 600 yards, it's irrelevant-- unless you're shooting at large animals. Then you'd obviously want the heavier bullet.

 

[jonbearman]

What would be the wisest thing is to sell the savage barrel and buy a prefit like a shilen or a criterion.Alot of the savage comp barrels are rougher than the plain jane sporter tubes.I have one in .308 and it shoots pretty good but it is not a match barrel by any chance.

 

[BigHorn WBY]

To answer your question, Yes the twist is 1-8" and Yes it will shoot 140/142's.
I have a BVSS (small shank, varmint weight, fluted, stainless, 26") that is super accurate. Sub moa to 1K with the 140Berger. Yes it had a loooooonnnnnnng Leade, but also the roughest chamber I have seen. I set it back a full turn, re-cut the chamber, leaving the leade alone. Now seat the 140's at 3.100" ...... .020" into the lands.


Having worked with a few of these and corresponding with other owners, the alleged accuracy trouble is from poor bullet choices and worse powder choices. In my NTBMO the 140Berger and H1000 is the only think you need to consider in this round.