Slowing down 6.5-284

[COROVICD]

Hi,

I am a newbie, so here is a newbie question:

I would like to use 6.5-284 both for target shooting and for hunting.

For target shooting one needs speeds of around 3,000 ft/sec and this energies are known to wear out barrels. I guess that for hunting I do not need 3,000 ft/sec, maybe only 2,000 - 2,500 ft/sec, and consequently there will be less barrel wear.

Question is, can one slow down 6.5-284 safely and still pereserve accuracy, maybe with a bit bigger drop at long distance?

cheers, dejan

 

[rhino]

The flat based hunting bullets are more tolerable in speeds and you should be able to slow them down to 25-2600 fps. 2000 fps...why not just get a 30-30 geez.

RHINOUT!

 

[mikeinct]

I hope you let the gun decide ..match load bullets & high speed will not do for hunting...You can pencil right thru game..The hunting bullet in the weight range you choose will no doubt show a preferance for one load or another..You should use the most accurate loading for both endeavors whatever the velocity..dam the barrel life man its a 6.5 X 284..!!! mike in ct

 

[Forum Boss]

If the rifle isn't built yet, just consider building it as a 6.5x55 Swede. Good brass, much less expensive than 6.5-284.

If you need it to feed in a short action, consider the 6.5x47. It will drive the 140s to 2800+.

 

[M9Powell]

I hope you let the gun decide ..match load bullets & high speed will not do for hunting...You can pencil right thru game..

That hasn't been my experence. The only match bullets I have experence hunting game with though are Sierra 30 cal 168 & 190 gr MKs. Out of an issue model 70 sniper rifle chambered in 30-338, Sierra 190 MKs with a muzzle velocity of @ 3000 fps are explosive to say the least out to 400 yds. They don't start penciling untill 600+ yds. Though I'm not recomending MKs for hunting, its because they are overly explosive at close range not because of any penciling. Of course this was many years ago so maybe they have changed considerably in the last decade. I have killed a lot of Pest deer @ long range with Sierra MKs. If I put the bullet in the right place they fell like they had been struck with Thors hammer, a lot of wasted bloodshot meat though.
M9