6.5-284 for deer hunting

[garsticker]

I'm new here although I have been lurking around for a while. I am having a Rem 700 with a Montana Rifleman barreled long range gun built and was really on the fence about the caliber. Do any of you hunt regularly or harvest deer regularly at long distances with this caliber? or would I be better off with a different caliber all together?
I didn't want a wildcat for the simple reason of not having time to do all of the extra work so the 6.5-284 looked great to me. I'll take all advice ya'll can give. My ranges will be about 550 yards max because of the Tennessee terrain and with new logging going on now and next year I was just getting prepared for it.
Barry

 

[Mountainsheep]

Barry,

Welcome to the LRH forum. I have been immensely intrigued with the 6.5mm cartridges for quite sometime myself, and am hoping to begin building one for myself by spring. I have done a lot of research on the various 6.5's and have come to the conclusion that for deer size game at 500 yards, the 6.5's have a lot to offer; great selection of bullets, proven accuracy and reasonable recoil. 6.5 bullets have long been known for their high ballistic coefficients and sectional densities which should result in first-rate performance and killing power. There are a lot of wiser, more experienced long-range hunters on this forum that may offer you their opinions for a few better cartridges, but the 6.5 x .284 should be near the top of the list.

Best of luck with your rifle,
Dave

 

[Coyboy]

Barry, I shot a 260AI for most of my deer hunting. The 6.5-284 is a wise choice. Load that baby up with 140 grain a-max bullets, and never look back. I have killed 3 whitetails and 2 mule deer in the last 2 years with my 6.5. All died with one bullet, 2 bang-flops and 3 ran less than 50 yards. ranges from 300-600.

 

[two bears]

Hello , the 6.5-284 is a good cartridge for deer . Last year I built a 6.5 - 06 on a 98 vz 24 mauser action. I got the rifle completed a week before firearms season for deer. I killed three deer with that rifle from 100 yds to 300 yds. All were one shot kills. I used a 120 grain ballistic tip ,,125 grain a partition bullet and 120 grain barnes bullet.I plan on using my 6.5 for antelope this year and have been practicing with it at 300 yds. I can put all the shots in the palm of hand at three hundred yards.The 6.5 -284 is pretty close to the 6.5 -06 in ballistics. Good luck

 

[winmagman]

I took 14 whitetails with a 6.5-284 in the 2004 season. Ranges were from 50 yds to 525 yds, most shots were broadside and almost all dropped where they stood. I haven't used it since that season, but it's not because of performance. I've just put together other toys (another 6.5mm among them)and I don't want any of them to feel slighted. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Chris

 

[screech]

I used one in the 2006 season. i killed two with it. I was using the sierra matchking. It worked well. I was using the 140 on one and a 142 on the other. pretty much identical performance. one was an early season muledeer doe and the other a late season muledeer buck. also killed a black bear with it using a 140sst. if you can get the 140gr. amax to shoot good you would have a thing of beauty for deer up to 5-600 yrds.

 

[garsticker]

has anyone used the 130gr. Accubond in the 6.5-284?

 

[winmagman]

Got Accubond test loads for a 6.5-284 and 6.5 wssm sitting on the bench right now, just waiting for decent weather so I can get out and shoot them. When that happens I'll post the results.

Chris

 

[Taos]

I have used a 6.5-284, .260, or a .264 for all my hunting since the late 60's. With 140 gr. noslers they all did very well for me on anything from Eland to blacktails. We are in the process of putting together another 6.5-.284 as my oldest son made off with mine after last hunting season.