6.5x284 performance from a 22 1/2 inch barrel

[Deleted member 25294]

I'm looking into buying a tikka t3 in .260 rem and having it reamed out to a 6.5x284.

I would like to use the tikka because they are light and I love how smooth they operate.

My main concern is whether or not I will be able to get at least 2900 fps shooting a 140 grain bullet.

Does anyone have any experience shooting this round in a similar barrel length?

My alternate idea is to re barrel my tikka 270wsm with a 6.5 wsm, but I hear that extremely short barrel life is to be expected.

 

[ramrod79]

You need the long tube to get that kinda velocity you might as well just stay with 260 if your going short barrel .

 

[Deleted member 25294]

Thanks for the reply,
have you actually tested the 6.5x284 in a 22 or 22.5 inch barrel, or is your information second hand knowledge?

My intuition tells me that if a 270 wsm can achieve full velocity in a 24 inch barrel burning 66 grains of powder ( I have confirmed this first hand), then a 6.5x284 should be pretty close to reaching full velocity in a 22.5 inch barrel given that it is only burning 50-52 grains of powder.

Anyone with some first hand experience please help me out

 

[squeezenhope]

I confess that I have not experimented much, but my go to load only averages about 2980 fps out of a 26" barrel. I suspect getting 2900 fps with a 140 grain bullet out of a 22.5" barrel might be a challenge. Maybe with a 130???

 

[ZSteinle]

i shoot 2917 with 140 berger out of a 22" with retumbo powder

 

[Deleted member 25294]

i shoot 2917 with 140 berger out of a 22" with retumbo powder

Awesome! How many grains of powder are you using, and do you feel that you pretty much reached the max pressure to get that velocity?

 

[FearNoWind]

"...The general trend has been to back off loads to the 2950-3000 fps range with 142 SMKs. This seems to produce better accuracy in most guns, along with reduced throat wear...."

6.5-284 Cartridge Guide within AccurateShooter.com

" ... My alternate idea is to re barrel my tikka 270wsm with a 6.5 wsm, but I hear that extremely short barrel life is to be expected...."

If you're concerned about short barrel life you don't want a 6.5 .284. The barrel life for that round is inherently short.

 

[Deleted member 25294]

"...The general trend has been to back off loads to the 2950-3000 fps range with 142 SMKs. This seems to produce better accuracy in most guns, along with reduced throat wear...."

6.5-284 Cartridge Guide within AccurateShooter.com

" ... My alternate idea is to re barrel my tikka 270wsm with a 6.5 wsm, but I hear that extremely short barrel life is to be expected...."

If you're concerned about short barrel life you don't want a 6.5 .284. The barrel life for that round is inherently short.

Thanks for the input,
I should clarify what I meant by short barrel life. 1000-1200 rds is not short for my purposes, I hear that the 6.5 wsm on the other hand will lose accuracy in as little as 400-500 rds!

 

[elkaholic]

I'm looking into buying a tikka t3 in .260 rem and having it reamed out to a 6.5x284.

I would like to use the tikka because they are light and I love how smooth they operate.

My main concern is whether or not I will be able to get at least 2900 fps shooting a 140 grain bullet.

Does anyone have any experience shooting this round in a similar barrel length?

My alternate idea is to re barrel my tikka 270wsm with a 6.5 wsm, but I hear that extremely short barrel life is to be expected.

If you want wsm size, the 6.5 SS will get you 3200' with that barrel, will cycle the long bullets through your magazine, AND get better barrel life by far than a wsm.........Rich

 

[Deleted member 25294]

Is your 6.5 SS essentially the same thing as a 6.5 SAUM?
I've been doing a little research on that round and people are claiming some long barrel life, over 2000 rounds!

Is this realistic in your opinion or a little exaggerated?

 

[elkaholic]

Is your 6.5 SS essentially the same thing as a 6.5 SAUM?
I've been doing a little research on that round and people are claiming some long barrel life, over 2000 rounds!

Is this realistic in your opinion or a little exaggerated?

It is the same parent case but mine is considerably shorter than a saum so it will cycle thru a short action with the long bullets. It has less body taper, a sharper shoulder, and a longer neck .It sacrifices nothing in performance, and in fact seems to outperform the saum with the short, efficient powder column. Barrel life will be BETTER than the saum with the longer neck,and sharper shoulder. We can reach 3300' with 140's in a 26" barrel. I am not aware of anyone that I have read about that is doing this with a saum.Case life is excellent with very little stretching.....Rich