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6.5x284 Opinions

gunluv280gunluv280 Member Posts: 178 ✭✭

Am considering a Savage Long Range Hunter in 6.5x284 Norma as a deer rifle. Anybody have any opinions to share on the rifle or the caliber?

Comments

  • Ricci.WrightRicci.Wright Member Posts: 5,129 ✭✭✭✭
    Nice but by the time optics are screwed on it is gonna weigh ten pounds so don't want to have do do a lot of walking or climbing. Oh, and do they have it in 30/06??  :)
  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,649 ✭✭✭
    To me a 6.5 X 284, has the same drawbacks as the old .264 Winchester. A expensive barrel burner. The higher velocity achieved over and above the more common 6.5's. 6.5 Swede, .260 Remington, 6.5 C, etc. Just not worth, the more expensive brass, higher powder charge, and reduced barrel life.
  • gunluv280gunluv280 Member Posts: 178 ✭✭

    .308 yes, but not 30-06.

  • gunluv280gunluv280 Member Posts: 178 ✭✭

    I was tempted because the price was under $600. It’s the new style, not the old one. Rufe-snow —valid point for sure. I’m not all that concerned about burning up a barrel though, because I probably wouldn’t shoot it enough to do that anyway. I figure it should last me years as just a deer rifle.

  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    gunluv280 said:

    Am considering a Savage Long Range Hunter in 6.5x284 Norma as a deer rifle. Anybody have any opinions to share on the rifle or the caliber?

    First, the 6.5x284 Norma is a cartridge. The term 'caliber' is a reference to the bullet diameter.

    rufe-snow said:
    To me a 6.5 X 284, has the same drawbacks as the old .264 Winchester. A expensive barrel burner. The higher velocity achieved over and above the more common 6.5's. 6.5 Swede, .260 Remington, 6.5 C, etc. Just not worth, the more expensive brass, higher powder charge, and reduced barrel life.
    Respectfully, these comments are out of time with the forward movement of advancements in powder technology. The awful reputation that the .264 Winchester amassed when first released was a result of poor powder formulation for the cartridge capacity and caliber at that time. Since that release there have been significant improvements in virtually all powder across the range. Powders have been designed specifically for those cartridges mislabeled as 'overbore' originally and are now very successfully deployed not only as hunting cartridges but in competition as well.

    The 6.5x284 cartridge is not only a superb choice for hunting but has taken the fields of several competition venues due to the accuracy and consistency of its performance. This would not be the situation if the cartridge was still mislabeled as being 'overbore'.

    Buy your rifle in confidence and look for the appropriate loading data for both barrel life as well as performance.

    Best.


  • MillironMilliron Member Posts: 271 ✭✭
    So where does my NIB 6.5 Remington Magnum fit.   I might shoot it if fodder was available.  Oh well.
  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    Milliron said:
    So where does my NIB 6.5 Remington Magnum fit. 
    Fit? With regard to what parameters?

    Brass for the 6.5 Rem. Mag. is listed as seasonal by Remington which means they produce a large run whenever they get around to it, usually somewhere between 3 - 5 years. You should be ready to buy the minute they announce the release since the entire run sells out in a matter of a couple of days. The hoarders and scalpers step in immediately so the run disappears into closets only to reappear in auctions at disturbingly higher prices.

    Ballistically, this is the original belted version of the 6.5 x 284 and the newest 6.5mm cartridge, the 6.5 PRC. But at 2.170" in case length, there is limited room left in standard magazines (2.800") for the longer VLD bullets. Generally the factory loads used the 120 gr. Core-Lokt bullet for hunting combined with 18-1/2" to 22" barrels yielding about 3,000 fps. from the shorter barrels. It wasn't loaded for target shooting sports. Loads using the standard lead cup and core bullets will make for great hunting solutions for larger deer size game.

    Berger currently makes a 130 gr. Hybrid bullet optimized for the AR platform which performs well using this case and DBM load length (2.925"). My 22" barrel with a suppressor has recorded standard average velocities of 3,000 fps. with excellent accuracy at longer ranges out to 1,000 yards.

    New cases are available through Graf & Sons manufactured by Quality Cartridge. Cases can be made by converting standard belted magnum cases as long as you remember to turn necks for the existing chamber.

    Best.

  • Butchdog2Butchdog2 Member Posts: 3,834 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2020
    May be hard to find but I use 6.5 x 284 from Lapaua brass. I shoot a 6 x 284 running a 115 grain Berger VLD at 3000 fps.
    Deadly on deer sized game and a tack driver.
    The 284 off springs can be used in long or short actions.
    Not real sure ii the 6.5 Norma is the same case as the 284 Winchester, but I bet someone here does.
    Edit, google is your friend, 6.5 Norma is a child of the 284 Winchester.
  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    The .284 Winchester is the parent case for all of the derivatives including quite a few wildcats from .22 cal. up through .35 cal. It was originally designed for the short action M88 and M100 rifles released by Winchester to approximate the performance of the .270 Win. in those short actions. As both of these rifles faded, so did the .284 cartridge to a certain extent. The emergence of the 6.5mm bullets as having greater BCs by comparison to other more popular bullets brought the development of many cartridges and wildcats. The 6.5x284 was one of these which when applied to shooting in competitions, excelled to the point of domination. It was initially held back slightly until newer powder formulas caught up with the need.

    Bill Shehane created his 'improved' version of both the 6.5 and the .284 aptly named for himself. The degree of improvement is minor to be sure but it has stuck as a viable cartridge and so has the name. F-Class competitors have swung their support to the straight .284 Shehane case for their accuracy cartridge out to 1,000 yards. But there is some wavering occurring with the introduction of three newer 6.5mm bullets:
    153 gr. Hornady A-Tip
    153.5 gr. Berger LR Hybrid Target
    156 gr. Berger EOL Elite Hunter
    The initial testing I've completed indicate that the accuracy is very high with reduced drop and drift yet retaining lots of energy past 1,000 yards for some extended hunting ranges. They surpass the 7mm heavies being fielded for the .284 cartridge.

    The slight drawback is that these longer bullets need the use of an intermediate length action (3.200") or unfortunately a long action. Be that as it may, I am rethinking my hunting rifle for this fall.

    Best.


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