25-284- help and opinions.

[ol mike]

Hello,
I got a friend into varmint huntung several months ago and after returning from Wyomoing's windy praire's he wants a gun with a little more ummph than a 22-250.
He bought a Savage bvss in 22-250 and now has about 8-900 rounds down the barrel.Shooting in a 30 mph crosswind and missing isn't something he can take lightly.He has did some reading and searchs and tossed around a few ideas but hasn't locked onto exactly what he thinks will do the job.
I've read alot about the 6.5-284,25-284 and 6-284 and told him maybe he could buy a savage vss 22-250 [choate stock,single shot]rifle. Take off the barrel to be used down the road and get a something -284 barrel put on the new choate stocked savage.Also of coarse get the smith to give it the tune up-blueprint,bed,plus a brake, etc..

I did a little reading when i got home this evening now i'm not sure if a short action will work or not.My actual suggestion was a 25-284 since the 85 gr nosler bt is the biggest true varmint bullet i know of.I'm sure he'll move up to some heavier bullets also 100 gr.smk's and bt's.Will the short savage action eject a 25-284 with say a 100gr smk ,without removing the bolt?
I've had a Rem bdl 25-06 since 1980 and will never part with it.IT has performed very well on varmints for me so of coarse you understand my 25 cal suggestion.
By the way the goal is "ONLY" to shoot varmints at 600-700 yds. or 400yds in the stiff winds.
Any thoughts or help will be appreciated,Mike.

 

[Charles A]

Personaly I would go with the 6mm or 6.5mm, for better bullets, and higher BC's. However they all will work fine. I dont see any reason why it wouldnt eject a live round, but it want feed from the mag, which I think you already know.

 

[sewwhat89]

Berger makes a 115 VLD with a published bc of .522. With the right twist, Wildcat Bullets will buck the winds. At the ranges you are speaking of shooting varmints, I would bet the 25-284 will beat the 6.5-284. Just intuition talking. I guess I'll crunch some numbers and see myself.

 

[sewwhat89]

I was dead wrong! 25-284 comes in a distant last in both elevation and wind drift values. 6-284 has the least drop to 800 yds by 20 to 25 inches, but 6.5 has 2 inches less wind drift.

6.5-284 147 Clinch/140 Berger bc .625 MV 2950
6mm-284 107 SMK/105 Berger VLD/105 AMAX bc .525 MV 3300
25-284 115 Berger VLD bc .522 MV 3100

I guess the 6-284 and 6.5-284 would have comparable barrel life expectancies. I would have to give the 6 the nod. Bullets are cheaper!

 

[ol mike]

Charles,
My mentality with the 25 cal was the flat trajectory. I'm sure the 6.5 will win at longer ranges but i don't expect more than 600-700 yd shots will be taken.I thought it[25cal] might also be a little easier to load for than the 6mm-284.
I guess what i read earlier was long vld bullets seats into the lands[live round] might not eject without giving it more room by easing the bolt partially out.
Sewwhat89,that bullet is on my list,with the bullets i listed plus the berger 115 vld ,all the way to the wildcats the 25 cal. bullets have a good selection these days- imo-.
Also he's new to reloading,what other cartridges would you guys suggest?I also thought 243 AI maybe?
I thought an "inherently" accurate cartrige would be a good starting point.

Thanks Mike

 

[Charles A]

[ QUOTE ]
Charles,
I guess what i read earlier was long vld bullets seats into the lands[live round] might not eject without giving it more room by easing the bolt partially out.

Thanks Mike

[/ QUOTE ]

Umm... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif You might be right. Someone with more experience with those rounds in a short action will have to let us know. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I think the 243AI is an exellent round. Really anything in 6mm or 6.5mm will work great. Not that 25cals wouldnt. It might just be easier with the smaller ones. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[dakor]

The 6-284 will shoot flatter then the 25-284 and the 6.5-284. If he wants a varmit rig go with the 6-284. I shoot 95 Berger VLD's out of mine with a 9 twist 28inch Hart barrel at 3450fps. I have shot them all the way up to 3560fps but the accuracy was a lot better at 3450fps. That bullet has a bc of .524 and would be a good varmit bullet. If he is looking for A higher BC bullet the 105 Berger VLD has a bc of .565. You also have the 105 A-max but I have dusted them when I went over 3350fps and the 107 Sierra SMK. If I was going to go with the 25-284 I would use bullets 120 grains on up otherwise you do not gain anything over the 6-284. Now if he does not want to have to neck brass down the 6.5-284 with 140gr bullets would also be a good choice. Any of them will get the job done.

 

[ol mike]

Thanks for the help guys.
I also didn't think about the point of using the heavy bullets in 25 cal or there wouldn't be any gain over the 6mm.
The 6mm -284 looks like the winner to me with the flat trajectory and bullet selection as you'all said.Should make a good LR varmint knocker in the wind.
I'll do some more reading on barrel twist and such for it.> Mike

 

[lerch]

Mike, I am currently using a Savage 25-06 with Wildcat 125gr ULD RBBT and I am getting good results. I think it is grouping around 3" at 500yds and I am pretty sure I can tighten this up. I also had good luck with the Berger 115 vld.
Also you could try the Savage 12bvss in a 243win. Using this gun and a hornady 105gr a-max me and Bill Bailey were able to pop 4 pdogs close to 1100yds a few months ago.

Good Luck
Steve

 

[reed mosser]

I am thinking about a 25-284 myself. Excellent brass very accurate and great ballistics to boot. The 25-284 shooting wildcats bullets 142 grain ULD in a 28 to 30 inch barrel is no slouch. It has a Projected B.C in the .7 range. ( Kirbys drop chart info) If you run those numbers it is a hard thing to beat.

 

[srhaggerty]

I have an APS 25-284 and love it. 1/2" at 200 yards with 125 ULD bullets. Could not be happier. Shoots right at 3000 fps in my 28 inch tube.

 

[ol mike]

Thanks guys i've did more reading on the wildcat bullets and they really make a showing at long range for sure.
The berger 115's seem to be in short supply ,i want to give them a go in my 25-06 sporterweight rem..
My varmint hunting pal is now on the 243-AI craze ,it's a great cartridge i know he'll like. Mike

 

[Nomosendero]

Ol' Mike
When you say it will be only for varmits, I believe that the
6-284 will have an edge, though not by much when you look at
the .25 cal. 125 Wildcat. If he ever wanted to add Deer & Antelope to the mix, things would change. I just got back from Wyoming & we used APS modified 25-06AI Sendero's to
harvest 6 Antelope & 3 Mule Deer. The velocity of our load is just over 3,250 & after Kirby got through with my gun
it will group these 1/4 - 9/16"!!! For long range varmits in
the wind & Antelope, I believe this is about optimum unless
you jump to Allen Mags. A friend's daughter took digitals &
as soon as she e-mails these to me, I will post results, exit wounds, etc.

 

[ol mike]

Nomosendero,

How'd you come up with that name?
My friend is new to all this long range stuff-- bc's--sd'--es- is all greek to him.
I'm just kind of helping him shake out the ideas for the rifle.It's definitly going to be a 243 AI now ,he has rooted around and found some info on one and >>locked on<<.
I would like to see the pictures when you get them.Be talkin to you!!!!Mike