6.5/284 loads

[rcol317]

CogburnR,s right but all Savage are not created equal. Be careful! I just sold my 6.5x284 LRH and my 10 Predator Hunter and both had sticky bolts with 51.5/52gr loads. Each gun is different and need to start low and work up.

 

[ShootnMathews]

Thanks for they help everyone. So for hunting out to say 750-800yards would I be fine with they Redding 3 die set or should I spend the extra money to get a sizing die with changable bushings?? gun) Ha Ha that's the coolest smiley face I've seen. New to this forum if you can't tell.

 

[backwoods83]

The best die set would be a Redding type S necksizer 3 die set, comes with a bushing neck die, a body die to set the shoulder back, and a comp seater die. But the 3 die will work to 800 yards ok, just check the runout of your loaded rounds, if its more than .003-.004" then you might wanna try something a little different. I like no more than .002" but I'm picky.

 

[Greyfox]

Thanks for they help everyone. So for hunting out to say 750-800yards would I be fine with they Redding 3 die set or should I spend the extra money to get a sizing die with changable bushings?? gun) Ha Ha that's the coolest smiley face I've seen. New to this forum if you can't tell.

You may be OK with the standard Redding dyes. The expander plug will need to be used to get in the .292" range of neck tension which works well with e 140VLD/Lapua combo. The crapshoot will be whether the use of the expander keeps your runout within a reasonable range of .003" or less. Some sets do, some don't. For 800 yard work these details become important. At the very least, I would get a bushing dye. It doesnt have to be the one with the micrometer. The competition seater just makes life a lot easier, but you can get away with a standard one. It's just more effort to adjust an accurate seating depth.

 

[ShootnMathews]

I have only been reloading for about a year so I still have lots to learn. If you are getting runout is there anyway to correct it? Or do you just have to buy a better seating die? Can you recommend a set of reloading die that will serve me well for 800 yards?? I've seen some of the LRP guys use Hornaday I believe.

 

[backwoods83]

All the dies I use for my match rifles are Redding bushing die for 6br and 300wby I have fl bushing, neck bushing, and micro seater, for 6.5x284 I use what I reccomended for you Redding type s bushing die, body die, and micro seater. Wilson competetion and Forester benchrest dies are also very good. RCBS makes good competition dies, Hornadys are pretty good, Lymans ok, Lee pretty much sucks. CH tool and die makes great custom dies and standard dies very similar to Redding or RCBS.

 

[ShootnMathews]

I sure do appreciate your help. I'm new here so I don't know how to paste in links. I believe I found the set you are talking about at midway USA. Product #299559. Are these the right ones?? Again. Many thanks

 

[backwoods83]

No, if you want the set with the micrometer seater die its Midway part# 374137, if you want a standard seater die instead it # 691805, as Greyfox stated you can get the same results without the micro seater but it sure does make seating depth adjustments a lot easier.

 

[ShootnMathews]

Got it. Thanks for the help. Would like to make this an 800 yard deer gun and 1000 yard target gun

 

[dennisinaz]

I have built a number of 6.5-284s. My reamer has about .180 freebore if I remember right. The neck is .298 and is pretty much a no-turn. I mostly shoot 130s for hunting. I like the extra velocity I get with them.

I run R17 (50.5 grains) and a 130 Norma Diamond line (moly bullet) I am getting about 3230-3240 fps out of it. I can't get the velocities that you guys seem to get with H4831. When I was shooting 1000 yd BR, I used H4831 and N160 but needed a 29" barrel to get 3000 fps. With my 25" hunting barrels, there is no way I can get 3000 with that powder and the 140s.

Berger sent me some 140 hybrids for testing last year. I shot the whole box up at 100 and 800 yards. I had best luck with MagPro- easily getting 3000 fps and shot .4 MOA at 800 yards with that powder and Lapua brass. I cannot get sub MOA accuracy with reformed W-W 284 brass so I don't try anymore.

Another powder that seems really good is Ramshot Magnum. I got slightly better accuracy with MagPro so I stuck with it.

All three of the 6.5-284s I built last year run really well with 130s and R17. If you live where it is really cold, you may want to test R17 and see how it does. It rarely see anything below freezing and it is completely stable between 32 and 90; the stuff I shoot in.

 

[rcol317]

I'm also in AZ and was curious how you felt the Hybrid compared to the VLD's from Berger? I use the extreme powders just because of temp issues, saw a big difference in RL19 in my 6mm AI from cold to hot weather conditions. I use my 6.5 for coues deer mostly in Mexico so the temps are about the same as AZ. I'm going to give the RL17 a try. I get about 200 fps more push in my 6mm AI with the RL 17 so can see why it will work better in the 6.5's.

 

[dennisinaz]

I'm also in AZ and was curious how you felt the Hybrid compared to the VLD's from Berger? I use the extreme powders just because of temp issues, saw a big difference in RL19 in my 6mm AI from cold to hot weather conditions. I use my 6.5 for coues deer mostly in Mexico so the temps are about the same as AZ. I'm going to give the RL17 a try. I get about 200 fps more push in my 6mm AI with the RL 17 so can see why it will work better in the 6.5's.

The hybrids are easy to find loads for and seating depth is not as critical. The problem with them as hunting bullets is that they have the thicker jackets and need more velocity to expand. I would not hunt with the 140 hybrid. If I am shooting far enough to enjoy the windage gains of the 140 over the 130 I am too far to get it to expand.

I feel the same way about the 250 vs 300 in the 338. I think you get better terminal performance with the additional velocity afforded by the 250s.

 

[65WSM]

My handle is 6.5WSM (I own a bolt and a falling block for that cartridge) but I also have a M70 in 6.6-284. It is my favorite deer rifle. I tried MagPro with 130 Accubonds and found a lot of pressure South of 3200 fps. The SD was also not impressive (54). From my load notes below:

130 AB MagPro 58.50 3117 CCI 250 54
3155
2.963 OAL Extractor Mark Stiff Bolt lift 5/10/2012 130 AB MagPro 59.00 3200 CCI 250

3200

Very stiff pulled the rest of bullets 5/10/2012 58.5 gr of MagPro led to a stiff bolt lift and ejector mark over the headstamp on the case. I fired 59.0gr once and pulled the rest of the bullets. How much MagPro are you using? Is my primer the problem? Why was your velocity so consistent?

130 AB N-560 56.90 3291 210M 7
130 AB N-560 56.90 3283 CCI 200 20
130 AB N-560 56.60 3256 CCI 200 13
130 AB 4000-MR 53.39 3164 Wolf 12
130 AB N-560 56.40 3263 Wolf 17
I have gotten better velocity with Vhitavuori N-560.