6.5x284?

[Trickymissfit]

The OP stated is brother is "on the road for weeks at a time" (and it's his rifle!). Doesn't sound like he has much extra time to neck up cases, fire form 'um, and work up a load. The original question was about the 6.5x.284. Now, here we are at the .6.5x.257 Roberts Improved? KC, any of those mentioned, the 6.5x284, 6.5/06, 6.5x55 will work well on a 700LA, as would the 6.5x57. I just picked up my Hogdon manuel (the first one I grabbed) and flipped to the 6.5x55,,,,, 2857 w/a top load of RL-22, no practical difference. The skill of the driver (the shooter) would have more bearing than a few fps ever will!

in the original thread he stated they had a 700 chambered in 30-06. He was looking at the 6.5-284, and I said that they ate barrels. I didn't bother to state they also are well known for feeding problems, and case supply is always kinda iffey even on a good day. The 6.5-06 is a breeze to form as most folks know already. The 6.5AI is just as easy (neck down 7x57 brass, or neck up 6mm Remington brass, or even generic .257 brass). The reason I spoke of the 6.5AI is that it is a very good cartridge, and probably better for what his needs are than the 6.5-06 or the 6.5/284. It actually works better in the Remington magazine well better than the 6.5-06 when using very long bullets seated out near the lands. The gist of my post was that when you have a long action, then why not take advantage of it?

6.5x55 cases are not common in any place I shop. Yes they'll order it! I had a need for a couple hundred rounds a few weeks back, and three shops said they could order it in. I chose to use 6mm brass instead as I have about a thousand pieces that are virgin. Now I read the 2857fps post using RL22 and the 140 grain bullet (note: there was another 2800+ fps load in the Hogdon powders section). But lets be somewhat fair about this. The barrel used was a 28" barrel!! Now we drop back and look at the 6.5/.257 (same as a 6.5x57). The are showing 2732fps using H4831 powder (there's better) out of a 18" barrel!!! Interestingly the Accurate powder manual shows 2629fps with a 24" barrel and AA4350 powder. It's probably good for another 100fps even though they rate it as a max load. Speer shows 2671fps with a 22" barrel and RL22. Now digging out an old Hornaday book, they are showing 2500fps with an 18" barrel in the 6.5x55. Yet they also show the 6.5x57 with a 23.62" barrel at 2700 fps (both actions used were Mausers). Interestingly the #7 Hornaday manual shows 2600fps with a 29" barrel (I'll admit the load seems soft), and 2700fps with the 23 5/8th's barrel in the 6.5x57. Yet the 6.5/.284 shows the same 2700fps. and the 6.5-06 shows 2900fps with a 24" barrel.

Now all the rounds are fairly close to each other, with the exception of the .284 case and the 06 case as they should be. But then we look at the barrel lengths used, and we have once again got apples and oranges. Of course the shooter could simply go out and order a .270 Winchester barrel, and be done with it!
gary

 

[shortgrass]

I'm trying to figure out why the 6.5x284 "has feed problems" in a Rem. LA. I make 'um feed on a regular basis, with ease! I'll refer you to Kevins' post about barrel life. The rest is just jiberish!

 

[Boss Hoss]

[Edited

 

[Trickymissfit]

I'm trying to figure out why the 6.5x284 "has feed problems" in a Rem. LA. I make 'um feed on a regular basis, with ease! I'll refer you to Kevins' post about barrel life. The rest is just jiberish!

I see posts every now and then where folks are having problems, but to be fair I also see the samething with the minimum taper Ackley case. I shoot mostly single shot bolt guns, so I never have a problem like that.

Call the rest of it whatever you want, but I seperated the apples from the oranges.
gary

 

[J E Custom]

My kid Brother has bougth a Remington 700 in 3006 and wishes to change the calibre to
A 6.5X285.. He asked me to find out how in the Barrel life?
Now mind you last year we threw together a .260 that shoots like a house a fire.
But I think you know temptation..this is for geting out with an m24 Barrel no taper 1 inch.

Keith.

Lots of information and opinions have been posted so I will add my 2 cents and try to make it
easy to choose.

First, the question of barrel life seams to be one that keeps coming up and like most, I have
my views on this.

Every caliber has it's good and bad traits, A 460 Weatherby has lots of power but it also has
lots of recoil barrel life is not an issue because one will never shoot it enough to wear the
barrel out.

The 22 rim fire will cost very little to shoot, no recoil, very little energy and extreme barrel life.

Other cartriges are in the middle of these and have there good points and there bad points and
a person has to chose what they want as a total package.

There are known barrel burners, but there are not that many and when someone buys one of
them it is with full knowledge of the down side hopefully. With good care and reasonable loading
this life can be extended greatly. So does it really matter if it is what the person wants ?

Also most of the time the only thing that needs to be done to a barrel with lots of rounds down
the tube is to re-crown and set the shoulder back to freshen the throat. The rest of the barrel
will normally out last the owner.

I do not classify the 6.5x284 as a barrel burner, It may be tougher on barrels than some other
caliber but there are lots that are much worse.

There has been feeding issues brought up and I can't understand why because any well made
rifle will feed properly. Some calibers are harder to get easy feeding than others but it should
not be an issue.

The 40o shoulder requires more effort to set up correctly but so does the extremely short cases
and when combined they require certain things to help with feeding, but not rocket science.

The 6.5x284 is a well known cartrige with great accuracy potential and mild recoil + barrel life
is near the average if properly cleaned,loaded and shot without heating the barrel hot enough
to fry bacon (Like all barrels).

There are lots of other cartriges that are in the same ballpark to chose from but if he wants
the 6.5 x 284 that's what he should get, and he wont be sorry.

If he gets what he wants and it does what he wants he will be happy . End of story !!!

J E CUSTOM

 

[Jacktrude]

I re barreled this year and used a Schneider 1 in 8.5 barrel tapered. The Savage barrel I got right at 1000 rounds before it got off on accuracy. Kevin is correct about setting it back one inch and getting longer life.