6.5x284 or .300wsm??

[crazyshots]

I love to deer hunt and target practice and i need a gun that does both i know a little bit about guns and ammo, i just would like ideas and opinions. or if u have another gun in mind please feel free to tell me i would like a gun that can kill a deer at 600/700 yards and can also drive nails at 1000 yardsgun)

 

[stbbo]

you listed 2 good calibers but there are alot of factors not metioned that imo affect the choice.
1.) do you hand load?
2.) is deer the only game you will be using for this potential rifle buy
3.) how much your wanting to spend
4.) conditions where you hunt
5.) how well you shoot a mag, i say this because i prefer not to shoot mags especially without breaks. so ive found calibers that can get out there with my handloads and if i do my part. i.e. 22-6mm ack imp 1-8" twist (i hunt in tx so we can use 224 for anything)

both are fantastic rounds i have both. i have a cdl sf in 300 wsm that shoots awesome. and i have 3 custom 6.5x284's (1 is built for hunting the rest are for the bench). one thing about the 6.5 is the sd (sectional density) and bc they are hard to beat you'd have to get a 30 cal in the 220 gr which most factory rifles are twisted to shoot to get the same from lets say a 140 gr vld in the 6.5.

may i suggest the 280 rem ack imp. 7mm are neck and neck with 6.5's look at best of the west the cal of choice is 7 mag. by the way a 7 mag you cant go wrong with. the 280 ack is one to be hard pressed to beat for accuracy and distance if loaded for and built by a good smith. just my 2 cents.

take care

 

[wolverine99]

I can't speak for the .300wsm but my 6.5x284 is a blast. The recoil is nothing and just plain fun to shoot. It has no break and can stay on target to see impact. As far as driving nails it shoots around a moa at 500 but really shines at 900-1100! Its my deer/elk gun this fall, even may buy a bear tag just for more trigger time

 

[4bycamper]

y

may i suggest the 280 rem ack imp. 7mm are neck and neck with 6.5's look at best of the west the cal of choice is 7 mag. by the way a 7 mag you cant go wrong with. the 280 ack is one to be hard pressed to beat for accuracy and distance if loaded for and built by a good smith. just my 2 cents.

+1 Right on.
And while we are here at 7mm... how about the ballistic equivalent of the 280 rem AI:
7mmSAUM. Factory cartridge, pretty good brass selection, lots of reloading data...

JM $.02

 

[squirrelduster]

I have a 300 win mag and recently sold a 7wsm. Both shoot very well but I built a 6.5x284 Savage long action with a McGowen barrel.
What a blast to shoot. It is super accurate and doesnt kick. I don't even have a decent recoil pad on it. You can see bullet strikes at 1k without a brake. Plenty gun for deer and reasonable range elk cartridge.
It's just fun!

 

[Greyfox]

If you reload, the 6.5x284 is a great cartridge and will do what you want to do.

 

[forsyth793]

If you don't reload Blackhills Ammo 6.5X.284 is a great alternative

 

[MHO]

Both are great guns. If your planning on hunting larger game like elk etc in the future, I would go with the 300. Just deer and target than I would go with the 284.

 

[B23]

IMO, the 130gr - 140gr bullets in a fast twist 6.5 produce some oustanding results and I think 6.5's make for nearly the perfect deer round. Just my 2 cents.

 

[liltank]

How about the plain old .284 Winchester? Look it up. I think you'll like what you see. I'd start at accurateshooter.com and look at their 7mm page. Might find some others you'll like. Another thought is the 260 Rem, 6.5 Creedmore, and 6.5x47 Lapua. Have fun agonizing over a decision! I know I did!

Tank

 

[B23]

Why not mix the two together and do a 6.5WSM???

 

[stbbo]

if cost is no option the the only other cal id consider is a 6.5x257 wby dont think there is a better all around cal. taken a tropy bc colored black bear that even the guide thought was a brown bear, nilgai, scimitar, gemsbok, bison, whitetail all with no problems and were dead as a door nail when i did my part. i have one and no matter what ive been offered (twice what i payed even) would i get rid of it. its flat, hard hitting as hell, and moderate recoil. if you want details on a build i can give ya info as this and my 22-6mm ai are my rifles i cant part with.

ps if ya do build this or any hot 6.5 get an 1-8 twist you wont regret it. remember faster twist is alot better than slower easier to go down then up

 

[silvertip-co]

ya better get the 6.5x284 this WSM stuff will all be gone in a few yrs...

 

[300WSMMAD]

I love to deer hunt and target practice and i need a gun that does both i know a little bit about guns and ammo, i just would like ideas and opinions. or if u have another gun in mind please feel free to tell me i would like a gun that can kill a deer at 600/700 yards and can also drive nails at 1000 yardsgun)

Crazyshots, hopefully this will save you alot of time,money and frustration ok.
Take out of this what you want

I have had both of the calibres you are inquiring about, "HAD" being an important word.

Reading into a you little, it seems youre in the same positions I was in a few years back.

Firstly a 6.5-284 is a great round, negative side to them is the barrel life,period!
If you want to get into a punching paper to improve your long range hunting skills,wind reading etc, and then take it out and boom flop a deer the 6.5-284 is not the round you want.
Why, by the time you get really really confident at shooting a deer at 6-700 yrds plus load devlopment, plus range work, you will almost be ready for a new barrel, been there done that.
And for a novice getting into the sport barrel life is a thing you dont want to thinnk about.

300WSM, again a neat calibre, but to get it "shootable" for long periods you will require a muzzle break, alright for a little while but IMHO it gets a little tedious going home after a days shooting dropping Asprin/paracetamol like a junkie to get rid of the "magnum hangover".
Also in a range situation some people will find them offensive "ah that bloody great cannon!!!"
Plus side though, alot of factory ammo,very easy to load for(if you want too),accurate and reasonable barrel life.

So I sold my 300WSM and rebarreled my 6.5-284, to straight 284 Win
Same brass, as 6.5, just neck it up.
Nice to shoot with out muzzle break, wicked accurate, easy to load for, good barrell life and plenty of horse power for a deer at 700 yrds.
ive taken feral goats at 1100 yrds with mine.
There is a reason it is being used so much in F-Class now.

A big must is QUALITY optics, Ive been there done it, I save up a buy Nightforce only, they plain WORK, No BS, no fudging.

In a nutshell, save yourself the anguish and buy quality, it is waaay cheaper in the long run.

Hope this helps

Regards 300WSMMAD