280ai vs 284 Winchester

You can compare these 2 cases all day and what one will do, so will the other.

If it was me I d use the following for my decision:

Component availability
Component quality
Feeding of cartridge in that LA Rem
Magazine capacity differences?

Good Luck
 
The straight 284 is my next build. Going to try some "F" class in the near future and it can serve as a LR big game rifle depending on how I configure the stock.
I'm just a hunter and not as in depth as the people posting. In 94 I had a Krieger barrel finished at 25" 1-9 twist on a sako av long action bedded into a McMillan stock. RL 19 basic recipe 59 gr. 160 ab. Had it out at the range last November before the season and it still grouped under .5. In fact I clicked the windage moa two clicks two rounds and it placed those on top each other just to check windage tracking. Took a buck last day of season at a lazered 258 yards. Have taken pigs out to 430 yards. 280ai works for me even after 17 years with my old work horse.
 
I would go .284win on a long action, unless you're mostly shooting lighter bullets. The LA enables heavy bullets to be seated without encroaching into the case and still have functional magazine capacity.

Want shorter action? Shoot premium bullets mostly? Might consider the .30 or .338 wildcatted .284s. Get those high BC #s with the .338 bullets especially. Great flight and penetration characteristics even if the velocity isn't stunning. Hodgdon's 26 shows the .30/284 and .30-06 to be ballistic twins. A long action .338/284 enables all those high BC .338 bullets and you can still go 160gr Barnes or other light boattail; if you call a 225gr "light"...

Might have some difficulty sourcing brass and wildcat die sets, these days. Nicest thing about the .280AI is it will shoot standard .280rem, and work fine with necked-down 06 brass. The 7mm-08 is another stellar performer enabling seating lengthy bullets at optimum length, if using a long action.

Of course, a .30-06AI or .308win performs essentially the same as any 7mm neck-down and you have fewer ammunition worries. Never been much .284 brass around at any retailer I've visited. I would be sure I had brass and bullets in hand, and also wildcat dies, before ordering a barrel or buying a rifle these days.
 
I've owned a 280, 7 SAUM, 7 RM and now a 284. The 284 (23" barrel) is on a long action and in my opinion, not much more than a 7/08. Now if I can get some 6.5 RPM brass and a custom die, I think that 7/6.5 RPM would definitely be the ticket.
 
I have a browning A-bolt in 284 win I love this old gun and I load 168 gr Berger's and 58 gr of H4831SC it's a short action but long throat I seat bullets to 3.260 to touch lands it will shoot into .35 at 100 I shoot it single shot don't usually need second shot you can't go wrong with either cartridge it a 7
 
I had a ultra light .284 built a couple years ago. 3" magazine. This magazine length would work better with 140 grain bullets than the 160 accubonds I'm loading. In hindsight a Defiance XM or your remmy LA would have been the better choice. I lose powder capacity but like the heavier bullet for elk. Recently shot a couple shots at 837 yds to confirm ballistics and got a nice half moa group right on target. I am really happy with this rifle.
 
I want a 284 Winchester light rifle. Nice wood stock... yep
20 years ago I would refinish wood stocks. I had always had really nice wood stocks for hunting and more than anything, just sitting in a stand, looking at and caressing the wood grain & finish more than looking for game. The only problem is that I would spend more time to protect that stock from any bumps or scratches. Put a synthetic stock on and lighten the weight and don't worry about going through the brush.
 
I'm building a super lightweight mountain hunting rifle and because of the ammo shortage I'm starting to question my caliber choice. I was firmly set on the 280ai but I can't find a piece of 280ai brass anywhere. I don't have dies and they are providing hard to find too. I am starting to lean towards the old 284 Winchester. Good quality Brass seems to be available from Norma, Peterson and lapua and for some reason it's in stock. The dies are in stock too. Here's the question. I've never shot a 284, I've had a 6.5-284 but never a 284. I don't know what kind of performance I can expect. The rifle will be built on a long action either way so I will have extra room for the 284 to breathe. What kind of performance difference should I expect between the two out of a 22" barrel with 160 class bullets?
 
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