Rifle Build and Barrel Life

[Guide1971]

Hello everyone,
New here and have a few questions about a new build. I recently purchased a used Forbes Rifle in 30\06 but when I took it to my gunsmith he showed me pics of my Lands peeling up in 3 spots in my barrel after only 38 rounds so I've decided to rebarrel in a different caliber. So I like the 6.5x284 and was set on that but after reading up on that caliber I've learned barrel life maybe an issue. Mind you it's soul purpose would be hunting Deer and Bear and the odd trip to the range to play around with some loads. So my question is how long of a barrel life can I expect out of this caliber and what length of barrel should I install ?gun)

 

[J E Custom]

Not trying to change your mind but the 280 or the 280 AI would be the easiest re barrel because it is based on the 30/06 and everything would fit without any modifications to the action.

The 7mm would also have a little more knock down if used on bears. Barrel life is excellent and recoil is very manageable.

Ammo and brass Is readily available for the 280 Rem and a wider variety of bullet weights.

Nothing wrong with the 6.5x284, it is just a though.

J E CUSTOM

 

[MudRunner2005]

Agreed, .280 AI would be your best bet, or .30-06 AI. I don't subscribe to the fact that bigger is always better, but when it comes to bear hunting, well, I don't know if I'd go hunting yogi and booboo with a 6.5-anything... They've been known to get pretty ****ed off when you shoot at them with pea-shooters. JMO.

If I was going bear hunting, I'd be taking my .30-06 AI or .300 Ackley, depending on the size of the bear.

JE, don't forget, Nosler makes .280 AI brass... So, minimal work on loading for it, you can load for it just like any other standard cartridge now. Minimal fire-forming, too just like a standard SAAMI cartridge.

 

[FEENIX]

Hello everyone,
New here and have a few questions about a new build. I recently purchased a used Forbes Rifle in 30\06 but when I took it to my gunsmith he showed me pics of my Lands peeling up in 3 spots in my barrel after only 38 rounds so I've decided to rebarrel in a different caliber. So I like the 6.5x284 and was set on that but after reading up on that caliber I've learned barrel life maybe an issue. Mind you it's soul purpose would be hunting Deer and Bear and the odd trip to the range to play around with some loads. So my question is how long of a barrel life can I expect out of this caliber and what length of barrel should I install ?gun)

Glad to see you took my advice and re-posted it here for better visibility. Now prepare yourself to decipher the recommendations that best fits your personal situation/application.

You've gotten excellent advice thus far. My personal choice would be is to stay with .308 cal with the venerable .30-06 (or improved variant) chambering ... plenty of brass available to choose from.

I'd get the barrel with the recommended twist rate for the bullet your going to use (i.e. 1:9" of faster for Berger 215/230s). My personal choice would be 1:9" twist in 26" barrel.

We have a few guys here that are propelling the 215s at the 1500+ yard mark.

Good luck on your project and happy safe hunting/shooting.

Cheers!

Ed

 

[shortgrass]

Agreed, .280 AI would be your best bet, or .30-06 AI. I don't subscribe to the fact that bigger is always better, but when it comes to bear hunting, well, I don't know if I'd go hunting yogi and booboo with a 6.5-anything... They've been known to get pretty ****ed off when you shoot at them with pea-shooters. JMO.

If I was going bear hunting, I'd be taking my .30-06 AI or .300 Ackley, depending on the size of the bear.

JE, don't forget, Nosler makes .280 AI brass... So, minimal work on loading for it, you can load for it just like any other standard cartridge now. Minimal fire-forming, too just like a standard SAAMI cartridge.

The .280 AI IS now listed by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufactures Institute. Not "just like a standard SAAMI cartride",,,, it is.....

 

[MudRunner2005]

The .280 AI IS now listed by the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufactures Institute. Not "just like a standard SAAMI cartride",,,, it is.....

I'm well aware of this, it has been for several years now. I'm sure JE knows this, but I'd be willing to bet that most of your average folks out there are not aware of this. The reason I stated it was to make an example of the fact that now with actual factory-offered .280 AI brass and ammo, it is no different than any other standard cartridge. I thought about using the term "standard", but continued-on, not realizing it was note-worthy.

 

[sable tireur]

Guide1971,

My first thought after reading your post is that maybe Melvin would like to know that one of his barrels has had an unexpected failure. Send him the pictures and let him decide if he wants to hold the barrel maker responsible. I certainly would after only 38 shots from an '06. That's a pretty short barrels life!

As to choices of cartridges and barrel life, there are some ideas to take into consideration:

If you include bear, be sure to be able to accurately shoot some of the heavier constructed bullets, especially if you are left with slightly long shots. My bear hunting was limited to 20 or 30 yards so I used a hand gun successfully for several years on somewhat smaller black bears.

Barrel life can be aided by a couple of factors commonly referred to in posts like this. Use a longer neck. This protects the throat from some of the hotter plasma at shot start. In conjunction with the neck, a slightly steeper shoulder such as 30 degrees will help channel the same plasma into the center of the neck instead of into the sides of the throat.

The one factor I usually look at to extend the barrel life is to work up loads utilizing cooler burning powders in the cartridge/bullet combination I choose.

I think the .280 or more, the 280AI would be nearly perfect for your uses since they both meet the criteria above.

But depending on your marksmanship, I certainly wouldn't hesitate on the 6.5x284 either. Yes there's more receiver/feeding work but if that's your 'have to have' cartridge, make it happen. Choose the proper bullet.

In addition, you could also look at the 6.5x280 AI or it's slightly shorter brother, the 6.5-06 AI.

I don't know how much you will really shoot this rifle but even if you accept 800 rounds as the accurate barrel life, you can hunt and shoot at the range for about 10 years. Save a few dollars every year in order to replace that barrel without the bigger expense of paying for it all at once.

Enjoy the process!

 

[IdahoCTD]

Why not send it back to Forbes to have them replace the barrel? It should have some kind of warranty if it only has 38 rounds through it.

 

[FEENIX]

Why not send it back to Forbes to have them replace the barrel? It should have some kind of warranty if it only has 38 rounds through it.

lightbulbExcellent point!lightbulb

 

[Gene]

The 6.5-284 is a great one, but mine was toast after 1100 rounds. The 280AI is a good choice.

The prominent issue with a Forbes rifle is the light weight -that is what most look for. I would have Melvin rebarrel it with one of his original tubes. You can choose the caliber, and this will retain the value of the rifle, while keeping the weight down.

 

[sable tireur]

This is what I answered in the previous post:

09-24-2016, 06:16 PM

Guide1971,

My first thought after reading your post is that maybe Melvin would like to know that one of his barrels has had an unexpected failure. Send him the pictures and let him decide if he wants to hold the barrel maker responsible. I certainly would after only 38 shots from an '06. That's a pretty short barrels life!

Regards.

 

[clambdin]

Why not send it back to Forbes to have them replace the barrel? It should have some kind of warranty if it only has 38 rounds through it.

Forbes Rifles folded a long while back !

 

[Sully2]

Depending on what I intended to hunt, Id go with a .260 or a .280. You can kill anything with a straight 280 and barrel life couldn't be better

 

[Greyfox]

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the 6.5x284. Its reputation for short barrel life was earned by its use in bench rest competition where it was routinely shot very hot in high volume in the warmer months of the year. In my experience, most of the calibers capable of its performance on game at long range will experience similar barrel life if the degradation of accuracy is measured the same. For typical hunting and the associated practice shooting you should get 5-10 years of solid performance. I'm going on seven years with one of my 6.5-284'sl used for LRH. I expect 1000-1500 rounds. With 700 rounds down the tube, the rifle still bug holes at 200 yards and will hit a baseball sized target consistently at 1000 yards.. Some argue this accuracy can't be utilized or is needed for hunting. I'm not one of them. Some say that it's my rifle that delivers the performance more then the cartridge. Perhaps, but I have three 6.5x284's from factory to full custom that perform equally.
I can't remember the last time that I had to adjust the zero on my scope. While not neccessary, if a muzzle brake is used, recoil is about the same as a 22-250. The original 60 pieces of the superb Lapua brass still in use, looks and functions like new. The real attraction to the 6.5x284 is the uncanny performance on game at long range. The 140 VLD's from Berger and JLK seem to have been made for the velocity range of 6.5x284 as they are absolutely deadly on game from 50 yards to 1000+ yards. I have more DRT's on medium game at long range with my 6.5x284 then all my other calibers combined using these bullets. I apologize for the hard sell and in no way would claim that there aren't a whole host of very good cartridges available to choose from. But there are very viable reasons that the 6.5x284 is one the most prolific medium game cartridges in use for LRH. IMO.