Saltydog235
New member
Is anyone out there shooting this round? What are your opinions?
6.5-284 Norma
- Thread starter Saltydog235
- Start date
Inspector3711
New member
I've got a bench rest rifle chambered in this cartridge. Savage action, Pacnor barrel, Mcmillan stock.
Haven't had alot of time to shoot it yet. Need to spend some time in the reloading room working with the BR dies.
I did get it sighted in at the range about a month ago. Noise was less than I expected considering it has a brake installed. I was shooting test rounds at 100yds. I decided on a powder weight but need to spend time playing with seating depth next.
Haven't had alot of time to shoot it yet. Need to spend some time in the reloading room working with the BR dies.
I did get it sighted in at the range about a month ago. Noise was less than I expected considering it has a brake installed. I was shooting test rounds at 100yds. I decided on a powder weight but need to spend time playing with seating depth next.
Depends on your intended use.
# 1. It's a handloader's round. I know that some outfits are loading factory rounds for it, but they're not cheap. If you don't reload, you might think about something more conventional.
For a LONG range target rifle, it's a popular round. It is fairly effective at slinging long skinny bullets at reasonable velocities with moderate recoil. It is especially well suited to a long action rifle so that you can take advantage of both the case capacity and the long bullets, though the parent case was originally designed for a short action rifle. (IIRC the Winchester 88, though I'm hazy on that)
For a hunting round, it's effective, but does nothing a host of other calibers won't do just as well. My sister hunts with one, and pretty well kills anything she shoots, but hers was a special case. I bought the rifle (a customized Mexican Mauser) for her from a man who did not reload. He had purchased it for a song, then found out what what factory ammo costs (at the time, $75 a box from Norma). Knowing that I reload, he sold it to me for next to nothing. Realistically, out of her rifle's 20" barrel, it shoots about like a .260 Rem, if that. If she didn't have me to keep her in ammo, the gun would never be shot.
Far be it from me to discourage anyone from a new gun purchase
, but I think that unless you're going to play the long range target games, you'd be better off with one of the more conventional calibers in the 6-7mm class. I'm a big fan of a 6.5mm bullet, but not necessarily of the 6.5-284.
Some other calibers you might consider that are in the same basic size range, all of which are factory loaded and some are even readily available.
.243
6mm Rem
6.5x55
.260 Rem
Any of the new boutique XTC rounds (6.5 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmore, 6.5 XTC etc.)
.270 Win
There are a lot of others, but those spring readily to mind.
FWIW, I think the barrel burning thing is a non-issue for the average shooter. Not only do most of us never shoot enough, but we won't notice any accuracy degradation until way later than your average benchrester or hi-power shooter. Even 1000-1500 rounds is a lot for a normal shooter through a hunting or target type rifle.
# 1. It's a handloader's round. I know that some outfits are loading factory rounds for it, but they're not cheap. If you don't reload, you might think about something more conventional.
For a LONG range target rifle, it's a popular round. It is fairly effective at slinging long skinny bullets at reasonable velocities with moderate recoil. It is especially well suited to a long action rifle so that you can take advantage of both the case capacity and the long bullets, though the parent case was originally designed for a short action rifle. (IIRC the Winchester 88, though I'm hazy on that)
For a hunting round, it's effective, but does nothing a host of other calibers won't do just as well. My sister hunts with one, and pretty well kills anything she shoots, but hers was a special case. I bought the rifle (a customized Mexican Mauser) for her from a man who did not reload. He had purchased it for a song, then found out what what factory ammo costs (at the time, $75 a box from Norma). Knowing that I reload, he sold it to me for next to nothing. Realistically, out of her rifle's 20" barrel, it shoots about like a .260 Rem, if that. If she didn't have me to keep her in ammo, the gun would never be shot.
Far be it from me to discourage anyone from a new gun purchase
, but I think that unless you're going to play the long range target games, you'd be better off with one of the more conventional calibers in the 6-7mm class. I'm a big fan of a 6.5mm bullet, but not necessarily of the 6.5-284. Some other calibers you might consider that are in the same basic size range, all of which are factory loaded and some are even readily available.
.243
6mm Rem
6.5x55
.260 Rem
Any of the new boutique XTC rounds (6.5 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmore, 6.5 XTC etc.)
.270 Win
There are a lot of others, but those spring readily to mind.
FWIW, I think the barrel burning thing is a non-issue for the average shooter. Not only do most of us never shoot enough, but we won't notice any accuracy degradation until way later than your average benchrester or hi-power shooter. Even 1000-1500 rounds is a lot for a normal shooter through a hunting or target type rifle.
I've got two 260s and a 6.5-06, so I love the 6.5. Have been drooling at the Norma offerings by Savage. My '06 has a 9" twist, but throws 140s to 2935 in 24". Savage has a Long Range Hunter with a 26" barrel, so you could throw 140s like a 264WM. Cases are about $5 more per 100.
Saltydog235
New member
The reason that I asked the question is that I have a Savage 111 in '06 but can't seem to sell it and have always wanted to do a rifle build. Being a long action I'm not certain if I could do what I wanted and set it up in a heavy target/varmint barrelled 7mm-08 so I started looking at something that no one else has. Other than the initial cost of dies and brass that costs more, I don't have a concern on ammo being that I handload pretty much anything that I shoot.
I know that Savage is chambering the gun in the Model 110 Predator Hunter but finding one was a problem when I was looking for my Model 10 in .243 Win, I can only imagine what it would be like for the 6.5-284. Thats why I'm considering the build.
My preference would be the 7mm-08 in what I want just because I already have dies, powder, bullets, and a ton of brass and loaded ammo.
I know that Savage is chambering the gun in the Model 110 Predator Hunter but finding one was a problem when I was looking for my Model 10 in .243 Win, I can only imagine what it would be like for the 6.5-284. Thats why I'm considering the build.
My preference would be the 7mm-08 in what I want just because I already have dies, powder, bullets, and a ton of brass and loaded ammo.