6.5x284 vs 300WM???

[BEEMAN]

I don't have a 6.5x284 but I do have a Sherman. I plugged in some numbers into SHOOTER.
6.5 SHERMAN: MV=3300 fps
: bullet 140 Berger VLD
: ELEVATION 1450
: TEMP 32
: Energy at 1000 yds= 1012 ft lbs
300 WM MV=3000 fps
: bullet 215 Berger
: Energy at 1000 yds= 1541 ft lbs
I like both calibers. But if I had to choose just one of them, it would be the 300 WM. Regardless of what I was hunting; deer or elk.

 

[Greyfox]

I agree I dont need a 300 to shoot deer. I want to be just like GreyFox when I grow up ...what a great buck. And yes, a 264 WM would be a great longer range deer round.

My main interest here was if that article I linked was accurate. I know the 300 is VERY versatile. But if I can get the same or better trajectory and foot pounds to 1000 yards with half the recoil, the 6.5-284 would be a much more economically sound choice. But I've not run enough numbers or know enough about each to know if the article was skewing things one way or the other.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

LOL..........my wife would tell you that I never grew up....and I don't recommend it!

I think the theme of the article is valid but it understates the effect of bullet diameter and energy for the 300WM. If I load a comparable high BC bullet (215 Berger Hybrid@2900FPS) there will be around 400 foot pounds of additional energy over the 6.5x284 at 1000 yards, and will deliver at least 1000 foot pounds of energy at 1500 yards with a heavier and larger diameter bullet. The drop and windage values are just about identicle to 1200 yards. If I'm going for larger game and/or want to extend my shooting to ELR, the 300WM has the ballistic advantage. For my hunting of medium game to 1000 yards or so, the numbers become more academic. Other factors can easily tip the advantage to the lighter caliber. Weight, recoil, shoot-ability, cost, accuracy and bullet choice/performance, etc, can be taken into account and make an important difference depending on the hunters particular needs.IMO.

 

[4xforfun]

Why are you worried about trajectory? What difference does it make if you need to dial 22 MOA instead of 20 MOA at 1k? The deer does not care. I know I don't care, and I am pretty sure that even GOD won't care.

Now, wind drift and energy.....those things matter!! Also, there are a bunch of different ways to measure "killing power" by a number of "experts". I would venture a guess that the 140 grain 6.5 would not even come close to the 210-215-230 grain .308 in any of those comparisons.

Just my .02,
Tod

 

[WildRose]

I'm looking at setting up a long range mule deer/sheep/goat rifle.

I am considering:

26 Nosler
6.5-284
6.5 WSM
300 WSM
300 WM

I came across this article which basically shows the 6.5-284 as superior or at least equal to the 300 Win :

Head To Head - The 6.5 -284 Norma Vs The .300 Win Mag, By Daniel Lynn


I thought I would check in with the vast experience base here (as this is my initial foray into long range shooting), and see if you thought that was an accurate article? Seems an apples to apples comparison?

AND

I could pick up a Christensen Ridgeline in any of the calibers above other than the 6.5 WSM. It seems like a reasonably priced, portable, accurate "starter" rifle for long range "alpine" hunting. Opinions?

The two calibers aren't even in the same class.

The 6.5-.284 is a heck of a cartridge and capable of phenomenal accuracy out to 1,000yds. Many a bench rest match has been won with this caliber and it also has a great reputation among hunters who love the 6.5's.

All that being said it isn't even in the same league with the 300wm or 300wsm. Loaded up with good quality high BC heavy bullets it retains dramatically higher energy at long range with the same capability for extreme accuracy as the 6.5.

Beyond 600yds if you use the right bullet and can put it exactly where it needs to be the 6.5 is adequate but the .300 gives you much more room for error due to the higher energy and higher BC.

The 300wm will also not have as much problem in the wind as the 6.5.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

I'm still reaching for my .300wm when the words big game and hunting are used. Nothing wrong with the 6.5/284 other than driving you to the Looney bin getting one to be consistent.

 

[tbrice23]

i'm still reaching for my .300wm when the words big game and hunting are used. Nothing wrong with the 6.5/284 other than driving you to the looney bin getting one to be consistent.

.

Amen, the 300wm is so easy to load, I've fantasized about wrapping a couple of 6.5 284s around a tree.

 

[FEENIX]

I'm still reaching for my .300wm when the words big game and hunting are used. Nothing wrong with the 6.5/284 other than driving you to the Looney bin getting one to be consistent.

.

Amen, the 300wm is so easy to load, I've fantasized about wrapping a couple of 6.5 284s around a tree.

... and another amen to that!lightbulb

 

[Greyfox]

I can't understand while you guys feel that way about the 6.5x284. The few I have owned have been very easy to load and maintain accuracy. Same with several of my buddies rifles.

 

[tbrice23]

I can't understand while you guys feel that way about the 6.5x284. The few I have owned have been very easy to load and maintain accuracy. Same with several of my buddies rifles.

I swear, if I understood the reason than I would have more kind words for the cartridge. 4 different bullets and at least 6 different powders to find a load is ridiculous. TWICE ,2 different barrels.

I apologize for my attitude about it. And congratulations for your good fortune.

I was so excited with a good outlook to begin loading 6.5 284 then a few weeks later and much effort on th 1st I thought it was just a bad barrel.

Then the nightmare started all over again.
My 300 wm shoots tighter groups with minimal effort.

 

[Hotolds442]

We had similar results, 7 different powders, 6 different bullets, finding the right CBTO, neck thickness. And then everything just came together, almost by accident. Sometimes it pays to set CBTO using the wrong insert in the comparator. And now, cold bore shots are predictable and accuracy is stellar. We had to give up some BC, but at least we're done with all the trials and tribulations. Now it's time to find a bruin and his vitals.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

Being the range master at one of the groundhog matches for 10 years I got to see countless 6.5/284's under bench rest match conditions. I can say honestly I heard more people complaining about this cartridge than all the rest combined. Most yelled out phrase often yelled out after 3 shots.."that's impossible, yesterday....", It's the only cartridge I ever saw that could shoot the same group size at 200-300-500 yards, it was always something, brass, bullets, powder, neck walls etc. When it first appeared everyone was all smiles but for a variety o reasons it slowly disappeared, but some still use it but mainly as practice for hunting.

 

[Greyfox]

Being the range master at one of the groundhog matches for 10 years I got to see countless 6.5/284's under bench rest match conditions. I can say honestly I heard more people complaining about this cartridge than all the rest combined. Most yelled out phrase often yelled out after 3 shots.."that's impossible, yesterday....", It's the only cartridge I ever saw that could shoot the same group size at 200-300-500 yards, it was always something, brass, bullets, powder, neck walls etc. When it first appeared everyone was all smiles but for a variety o reasons it slowly disappeared, but some still use it but mainly as practice for hunting.

Having participated in those paper games., your points are well taken, and I have also seen much of what you describe.
Interestingly, I would expect that any cartridge capable of effectively taking game at long range and subjected to target sports would emerge with the same impressions and reputation. We shouldn't forget the 6.5x284's reputation as a barrel burner. I wonder how a 7mmMag would do under the same conditions. Having participated in those games, just about every 6.5x284,(having been a wildcat for many years), on the line was cut with a different chamber (and still is). Everybody seemed to jump on that bandwagon which was loaded with variation. The very few that dominated and produced top scores did it with the 6.5x284. Now, the current darlings of the bench games are lower intensity cartridges that do better on paper, and much better suited to the free recoil crowd. After years of reading the posts on this site I would speculate that of the less then 10% of the hunters that consistently take game at +800 yards, many have done so using the 6.5x284. As with any rifle used for serious long range hunting, the 6.5x284 does not suffer fools, but when mastered, it's an addiction that is hard to shake and easy to defend. IMHO.

 

[Jokostel]

I've had **** good luck with ANY 300 WM, and 280 Rem, 280 AI I have had my mits on...
The M48 Patriot I have in 6.5x284 I sent in because some chucklemonkey left a bur in the chamber.
Nevermind the fact that its only consistency was inconsistency.
1/2 moa groups one day, 3 the next, then back again.... same temps,etc.
We'll see if I keep the thing when I get it back.... If I don't, I have some stuff getting pieced together for a 338 Lapua, and I'll use that rifle as trading fodder.

 

[roninflag]

I can't understand while you guys feel that way about the 6.5x284. The few I have owned have been very easy to load and maintain accuracy. Same with several of my buddies rifles.

my 6.5-284s are awesome. maybe it is just the rem 700/ Krieger barrels that make them so consistent. and deadly.