284 Win Elk bullet

srhaggerty

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2004
Messages
568
Location
Kuna, ID
Looking for a new bullet for under 500 yard shot on elk with my 284 Win. Any suggestions appreciated. I'm running 162 A-max now but only have 10 rounds left.
 
My current 284 win is shooting the 168 VLD. I had my reamer made to my specs so the VLD could engage lands at my OAL of 3.050" and it works well. Using RL-17 I got 2836 fps which is very accurate.

Another bullet that is seating depth friendly is the 168 Berger classic hunter. Two of my friends have used the 168 classic with excellent results from the 7 Rem mag. One friend who is 69 said it was the fastest kill on an elk he had ever seen. He used to use conventional cup and core bullets.

You can always use one of the partitions. They always work. I have killed elk with the 140, 150 and 160 partition in the past.
 
AZ I have wanted to try the Berger but was a little concerned with 200-500 yard shots. Maybe I am wrong on that and they will work fine.

Unfortunately I am on a SA right this second till next month when I buy the LA and remove the barrel and start over.
 
While the SAMMI OAL is 2.8" I have yet to see a short action require that short of a length. I would seat to fit and feed from existing mag box and see how it shoots.

As for the seating depth....before I had my old Ruger's mag box lengthened to 3.1" it would allow an OAL of 2.900". The 160s were a tad long in that package. Don't laugh I made them into protected tips leaving a tiny bit of lead exposed. Killed just fine.

I am certain either 168 berger hunting bullet would work for you with well placed shots if close, but if you have any reservations shoot a partition. I KNOW those will work well at closer distances.
 
AZ my magpul boxes are 2.88 inside. I load em as close to the end as I can get them. I was looking at Alpha mags with OAL of 2.965. I have played with this Shilen barrel to see where the lands are yet.

My 162 Amax is 1/2 moa @ 2944 fps with R-17
 
I was thinking of possibly Hammer bullets in 155 or 145 Barnes bullets for closer work.

I haven't hunted with them but tried the 145gr LRX bullet in my 284. It's pretty long bullet almost 1.420" vs something like 150gr partition just little over 1".

Short action your load be pretty compressed and my 284 is long action which does makes a difference.

I didn't get the accuracy with that 145gr in 284 but one of the 280AI liked that bullet.

Right now I'm shooting 160gr AB in 284 does fine on elk and I've shot both 168gr/180VLD but haven't hunted with them.
 
I thought about the 160AB. My only experience with that bullet was on a mountain goat at 175 yards and it worked perfectly.
 
srhaggerty,

The rifle featured in the above link is a nice build but IMO too heavy.

I built my 284 on an old Tang safety M77 Ruger that started out as a 6mm Rem back in 1986.
It has a McMillan Ultralight stock (discontinued), a timney trigger, the mag box was lengthened to 3.1". With a 4.5-14 x 40 Leupold VX-3 with M1 turret weighs 7 3/4 lbs.

I was very glad to see the 284 once again become popular. Bullets.com has specially made Norma brass. I doubt I'll ever use any because I have over 600 pieces I purchased when Winchester announced they were going to stop production. Later on they said it would be a limited production run. Very limited I'd say.

The 284 is a very capable cartridge. This old Ruger has taken 8 elk, at least 10 coues wt (can't remember) over a dozen javelina and numerous jackrabbits and coyotes. I shot my coues wt last year with it at 450 yds with the 168 Berger VLD.

I like this case so much I also have a 6mm-284. I use necked down Lapua 6.5-284 brass, The 6mm-284 is in another Ruger m77 tang safety also in a ultralight stock. It also has a lengthened mag box. Haven't installed a timney trigger yet.


I hope you have a successful elk hunt with your new rifle!
 
Thanks AZ. I really enjoy mine. I went with the Savage just cause the option for drop in barrels. I actually have 2 284 barrels cause I do like the cartridge so much. One is a shilen the other is a Criterion. I hope to keep shooting this cartridge the rest of my life. I'll post up results of the elk hunts next week.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 5 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Recent Posts

Top