Does a 6-284 chambering make any sense in an application where COAL is limited to 2.995"? Specifically with something like the 103 gr ELD-X or other similar hunting bullets in the 103-108 grain range? It's my understanding that ideally COAL would be more like 3.1", however, I'm limited by the the action I'm using. Could I match 243 AI velocities even if seating the bullets a little deeper than optimal? (I'd like to avoid all the fireforming song and dance). Thanks!
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6-284 questions
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Seabeeken
Well-Known Member
ibuilt my 284 on a long action and my 243 ai on a short. Glad i did. Id never do a 284 on short action but thats just me.
I understand that I would be somewhat limiting the 6-284. However I'm looking to maximize the action, and I'm trying to figure out how to get there. My questions are will a more deeply seated 6-284 work well enough to be functional and what will the velocities be like compared to a 243 AI, even though I'm fully aware I wouldn't be using the case to its fullest potential. Somebody has to have tried running a 6-284 in a Wyatts box, I'm curious to hear experiences and results.
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Ever consider a Sherman cartridge?
Sure, if you can find the 6mm short action standard bolt face version.
Frank in the Laurels
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Had one of the beasts, but that's a lot of powder to be burned in a .243 bore...mine lasted about 350 shots with the 87 grain v-max...insane devastation on any varmint at any distance..
Have had quite a few 6-284s. Typically a quality custom barrel will be worn out in about 1000 rounds. Will not last that long if used in 1000 yd BR type shooting where there are a few sighters and 5 or heaven forbid 10 for record.
My current 6-284 is a SA Rem 700 is a repeater with OAL of 2.985" with a 105 Berger hybrid.
IMO it is best to buy a reamer setup to your specs. I neck turn mine as the chamber neck dimension is .277"
My current 6-284 is a SA Rem 700 is a repeater with OAL of 2.985" with a 105 Berger hybrid.
IMO it is best to buy a reamer setup to your specs. I neck turn mine as the chamber neck dimension is .277"
You're just the kind of man I was hoping would chime in! Care to share some ballpark velocities at this mag length with bullets in the 105 weight class? Also barrel life isn't a big concern, this will be a hunting rifle and 1000 rds should last me a lifetime. Thanks for the thoughts!
You asked for some details, well here you go:
I am going to share with you what I tried with a 30" 1 in 7.5 twist 5R Bartlein:
Brass was necked down Lapua 6.5-284. Neck turned for the .277" chamber neck. Used .002" neck tension. Fed 210 Match primers
( Randy Derks set a world record a long time ago, which I am certain has been beaten @ 1000 YDS His load:54 grains of Reloader 22 - Federal 210m primer - Sierra 107 grain Match King bullet - 3425 fps)
RL-22 with 107 SMK All the above loads with the 107 SMK had the bullet close to lands (single shot)
52 gr 3210
52.5 gr 3250
53 gr 3283 most accurate
anything past this showed pressure
===========
. Retumbo and 107 SMK close to lands (single shot)
57 gr was most accurate velocity 3363 ave of 5 shots
=====
At this point I had an issue I discovered with a recently acquired borescope:
At this point I had to remove 1 3/4" of barrel due to an anomaly in rifling close to crown. Bartlein sold me a new barrel at a reduced price due to the issue. They said they didn't know who did it me or them. I ordered a new 30" 1 in 8 twist which became a 6 BR.
Switched to the new 105 Berger hybrid
The 28" barrel and 105 Bergers. Seating depth is set so loaded ammo would fit and feed from a Wyatt's mag box in a SA Remington. Jump to lands .065":
58 gr of Retumbo was most accurate with velocity of 3307 fps with shorter barrel
===
At this point I had 890 rounds through the barrel!
RL-33 shows on the scene:
Using same seating depth and other components I worked up some loads.
62.5 gr 3376
63 gr 3414
63.5 gr 3453
64 gr 3484 most accurate load requires a drop tube to get the powder to fit
64.5 gr some pressure signs
WARNING. Another guy on LRH tried to work up to 64 and got pressure far earlier than my rifle. My load was jumping .065" and rifling was severely worn with 928 rounds through it, which reduces pressure.
I used the 64 gr load with RL-33 to shoot a coues wt at 525 yds using the 105 hybrid berger. That buck wasn't huge and the bullet killed just fine.
I continued with the 64 gr load to round count 1040. At this point the barrel would shoot fine for perhaps 8 rounds then the group size would open up. Bore scope view showed a horror show of cracks/crazing plus long fissure like cracks running longitudinally with bore. It was not fun to clean either.
This action later became a 6 BR with the second barrel Bartlein gave me.
=====================
Seeing I have a lathe and the reamer, I made another 6mm-284. I took a sporter SA Rem that was a 24" 243. Rechambered in 6mm-284.
55 gr nosler bt fed 210 primer Lapua brass fits and feeds from wyatts magazine
53 gr of Varget
Velocity 4178 fps
Later I worked up a load with RL-17 for the 95 gr Berger Classic Hunter bullets. To repeat that was 54 gr of RL-17 for velocity of 3433.
I pulled the barrel and stuck it on my friend's LA Remington. Darned if it didn't headspace perfectly. He now owns that barrel. He killed his largest Coues Wt with it November 2015. It made book, a stunning animal.
95 gr berger Classic hybrid hunter with 54 gr of RL-17
Lapua 6.5-284 necked down to 6mm Fed 210 primer
45 degrees 3433 (12-15-2014) 80 degrees 3465 fps
==========
Another 6-284:
Used a SA Ruger tang safety in a McMillan ultra light stock that has a mag box lengthened to 3.1". Rifle is also 338 RCM. (I trade bolts with another SA Ruger.) I tried some 6mm-284 dummies in it and it fed like a dream. I took another 243 win Rem takeoff and rethreaded and chambered it for the Ruger. Shot 55 gr ballistic tips at 4100 with varget accurately and also some 95 gr Berger classic hunters @ 3433 with RL-17 Twist was too slow for a 105.
=========
Just got my hands on two 6 BR takeoffs from a guy at the range. He said he chased the lands till they got too far away. Guess he doesn't know about the hybrids. Anyway I have a model 7 in a custom shop kevlar stock that begs for one of these fast twist SS barrels to be installed. Will set it back to fit barrel channel and chamber it. Unfortunately unless I want a single shot it will not work with a 6-284 case and feed from its very short magazine. Still debating on making it a 243 or a 6 BR.
==========
I kept looking at the original 1 in 7.5 twist Bartlein 5R I burned out. I had heard that you could chop off some of the chamber end and rechamber. chopped off 2 1/2". Was amazed that it shot accurately again. That lasted a few hundred shots and it now will finally be retired.
========================
The lesson with the 6mm-284 is find a load early and stick with it!!!!!
I hope this gives you a clue as to what can work with your rifle. Be sure to work up slowly to some of the loads I used as there are variables that will dictate what your particular rifle will be able to use.
Ross
I am going to share with you what I tried with a 30" 1 in 7.5 twist 5R Bartlein:
Brass was necked down Lapua 6.5-284. Neck turned for the .277" chamber neck. Used .002" neck tension. Fed 210 Match primers
( Randy Derks set a world record a long time ago, which I am certain has been beaten @ 1000 YDS His load:54 grains of Reloader 22 - Federal 210m primer - Sierra 107 grain Match King bullet - 3425 fps)
RL-22 with 107 SMK All the above loads with the 107 SMK had the bullet close to lands (single shot)
52 gr 3210
52.5 gr 3250
53 gr 3283 most accurate
anything past this showed pressure
===========
. Retumbo and 107 SMK close to lands (single shot)
57 gr was most accurate velocity 3363 ave of 5 shots
=====
At this point I had an issue I discovered with a recently acquired borescope:
At this point I had to remove 1 3/4" of barrel due to an anomaly in rifling close to crown. Bartlein sold me a new barrel at a reduced price due to the issue. They said they didn't know who did it me or them. I ordered a new 30" 1 in 8 twist which became a 6 BR.
Switched to the new 105 Berger hybrid
The 28" barrel and 105 Bergers. Seating depth is set so loaded ammo would fit and feed from a Wyatt's mag box in a SA Remington. Jump to lands .065":
58 gr of Retumbo was most accurate with velocity of 3307 fps with shorter barrel
===
At this point I had 890 rounds through the barrel!
RL-33 shows on the scene:
Using same seating depth and other components I worked up some loads.
62.5 gr 3376
63 gr 3414
63.5 gr 3453
64 gr 3484 most accurate load requires a drop tube to get the powder to fit
64.5 gr some pressure signs
WARNING. Another guy on LRH tried to work up to 64 and got pressure far earlier than my rifle. My load was jumping .065" and rifling was severely worn with 928 rounds through it, which reduces pressure.
I used the 64 gr load with RL-33 to shoot a coues wt at 525 yds using the 105 hybrid berger. That buck wasn't huge and the bullet killed just fine.
I continued with the 64 gr load to round count 1040. At this point the barrel would shoot fine for perhaps 8 rounds then the group size would open up. Bore scope view showed a horror show of cracks/crazing plus long fissure like cracks running longitudinally with bore. It was not fun to clean either.
This action later became a 6 BR with the second barrel Bartlein gave me.
=====================
Seeing I have a lathe and the reamer, I made another 6mm-284. I took a sporter SA Rem that was a 24" 243. Rechambered in 6mm-284.
55 gr nosler bt fed 210 primer Lapua brass fits and feeds from wyatts magazine
53 gr of Varget
Velocity 4178 fps
Later I worked up a load with RL-17 for the 95 gr Berger Classic Hunter bullets. To repeat that was 54 gr of RL-17 for velocity of 3433.
I pulled the barrel and stuck it on my friend's LA Remington. Darned if it didn't headspace perfectly. He now owns that barrel. He killed his largest Coues Wt with it November 2015. It made book, a stunning animal.
95 gr berger Classic hybrid hunter with 54 gr of RL-17
Lapua 6.5-284 necked down to 6mm Fed 210 primer
45 degrees 3433 (12-15-2014) 80 degrees 3465 fps
==========
Another 6-284:
Used a SA Ruger tang safety in a McMillan ultra light stock that has a mag box lengthened to 3.1". Rifle is also 338 RCM. (I trade bolts with another SA Ruger.) I tried some 6mm-284 dummies in it and it fed like a dream. I took another 243 win Rem takeoff and rethreaded and chambered it for the Ruger. Shot 55 gr ballistic tips at 4100 with varget accurately and also some 95 gr Berger classic hunters @ 3433 with RL-17 Twist was too slow for a 105.
=========
Just got my hands on two 6 BR takeoffs from a guy at the range. He said he chased the lands till they got too far away. Guess he doesn't know about the hybrids. Anyway I have a model 7 in a custom shop kevlar stock that begs for one of these fast twist SS barrels to be installed. Will set it back to fit barrel channel and chamber it. Unfortunately unless I want a single shot it will not work with a 6-284 case and feed from its very short magazine. Still debating on making it a 243 or a 6 BR.
==========
I kept looking at the original 1 in 7.5 twist Bartlein 5R I burned out. I had heard that you could chop off some of the chamber end and rechamber. chopped off 2 1/2". Was amazed that it shot accurately again. That lasted a few hundred shots and it now will finally be retired.
========================
The lesson with the 6mm-284 is find a load early and stick with it!!!!!
I hope this gives you a clue as to what can work with your rifle. Be sure to work up slowly to some of the loads I used as there are variables that will dictate what your particular rifle will be able to use.
Ross
WOW. Thank you very very much Ross. Precisely the info I was looking for and definitely enough to make an informed decision. I greatly appreciate it!
