Good information indeed but I will have to respectfully disagree with the statement, "both will smoke a barrel within 1200 rounds". I am just now having a 6.5x284 barrel made and installed, before I made the decision on caliber, I did about a years worth of exhaustive research. I have seen detailed studies that show the barrel life of the 6.5x284 with different loads and also statements from owners of this caliber who tell of the barrel life they have gotten out of their barrels. Depending on the load, the type of shooting and speed which those bullets are sent down range, barrel life can differ greatly. Some of the people I have spoken with and articles I have read talk of barrels that last past 1600-1800 rounds. There is a quote on the American Rifleman website, taken from the Nosler website that shows a user has a barrel with excess of 1600 rounds that has shown no change in accuracy or velocity at all. Also from the Nosler web site a quote that shows the expected barrel life of the 28 Nosler is 1500-1700 rounds.Of course, each barrel, load and shooter is different so these numbers vary quite a bit... which is my whole point. With that being said, with the exception of PRS and active target shooters, most of the general population won't shoot 1600-1800 rounds in many, many years. Some, probably most hunters won't shoot that many rounds out of one gun in their whole life. Of course, everyone says they will or think they will but for the average guy, which most of us are, 1200 rounds out of a bolt gun is a lot!
Another thing to consider is recoil... the recoil of the 6.5x284 is practically non existent, with a brake on it, recoil is non-existent! The 28 Nosler on the other hand is a hard kicking round!
Last, the 6.5x284 is not expensive to reload, there is a ton of information and load data out there and it's also easy to reload. The 28 Nosler is far more expensive and has far less information and load data out there.
The popularity of the 6.5x284 has exploded over the past several years and for good reason. Just my 2 cents. I hope this helps you make your decision a little easier. Stoti
All barrel life depends on LOTS of factors.
Load. Barrel. Speed of strings. Cleaning regimen. Luck of the draw. Bullet used. Powder used. Time of year its shot. And probably 100 other factors we don't even comprehend.
I haven't "EXHAUSTIVELY RESEARCHED" the 6.5-284. I have burned probably 15-20 barrels off of various actions using many different powders and barrel makers over the years in the 6.5-284.
1200 is a GENERAL AVERAGE of accuracy loss with it. Some can run further. Some go south at 800. Once again, depends on a MYRIAD of factors that no one can fully explain as there are just too many variables.
Also there is some difference in what people call ACCEPTABLE ACCURACY LOSS. Mine is pretty tight. If a barrel is a hummer and starts cracking I might set it back and get a few more out of it. If it's not.....well I grow tomatoes.
Noslers claim of 1500-1700 for the 28 Nosler should be about as reliable as the BCs on their bullets and the velocity comparison of their cartridges versus cartridges running 20% more powder and yet SUPPOSEDLY running slower than the Nosler round. In other words, absolute complete #*&*(&(*.
The OP asked about getting into LRH. That takes more than 1200 rds to get a working feel for this sport. LRH people are not AVERAGE and anyone who hunts LR and doesn't shoot 1600 rds in a lifetime has absolutely NO BUSINESS doing it. LRH is an unforgiving sport and after 30+ yrs of it and going thru hundreds of barrels, I still learn something new all the time. Kinda like I just learned a 28 Nosler will last 1600 rds LOL.
The 6.5-284 hasn't come on strong at all in the last few yrs. The 6.5-284 came on strong about 1980 LOL. It has been a long range rig since I started LRH 30+ yrs ago. Great round but it isn't MAGIC or SUPERNATURAL.
It is very well researched and has great component availability, many cartridges will do exactly what it does and do it well.
Anyone getting into LRH should PLAN on shooting A LOT. This isn't picking up 1 box of ammo the night before deer season and sighting in with your trucks headlights. If you don't shoot 500 rds a yr AFTER becoming COMPETENT you PROBABLY shouldn't be shooting at anything that bleeds at LR.
It takes 300 rds ON AVERAGE just to find the right load, chrono it sufficiently, play with seating, verify drops and wind, tweak ballistic app and that's not counting any ISSUES that MAY crop up or just getting COMFORTABLE with the rig. Some rigs you MAY find an ACCEPTABLE load quicker but I would guess 300 is a decent AVERAGE for LRH readiness. Maybe I expect more precision than some or maybe I am just an IDJIT and take forever to figure stuff out that the guys who don't shoot 1200 rds in a lifetime can figure out with one box of AMERICAN EAGLE super duper ammo.