Short Chambering a Barrel

3

300magman

New member
Lately I've seen a few good prices on the savage target rifles, and I was thinking of picking up a fun little 6.5mm to do some long range shooting with. Well, I don't like the fact that only Hornady makes brass for the Creedmore, its hard to come by, and not great quality.
So I was thinking about the 6.5x284, only I want a more moderate chambering that is going to have longer barrel life.....

SO my question is, could I have a gunsmith turn (maybe 2 tenths) off of the barrel and off of a set of dies. So that I would be shooting a cheapo wildcat of sorts (6.5x284 short). That way I have Creedmore like case capacity, but with lots of quality brass available.


I know there are other routes I could go, like buying a custom barrel in 6.5x47 lapua, but would shortening the 6.5x284 as I described above be as simple as it sounds?
 
I guess you COULD, although I don't know how easy setting the case shoulder back that far would be.
But with Lapua making .260 Rem. brass now, it is hard for me to see the point of a 6.5 wildcat.
 
As far as the 260 Rem goes, that would be an acceptable solution, but it would require a custom barrel (or build) as well. Savage does not appear to offer its target rifles in that chambering...though, I think they used to.


I'm not too concerned about setting the shoulder back...maybe I should be...but I've seen 338 norma shortened to 7mm Fatso, and there are some people who use WSM cases to form what amounts to a SAUM case with an improved shoulder. So it is doable, its just a matter of trying it, and seeing how much work is involved...I expect to have to turn the necks to my desired thickness, but hopefully that will be it.


I really just wondered if changing the rifles chamber & dies, would be a simple matter of shortening both or if I would run into problems there.
 
For about the same cost as what you are considering, you could just buy a pre-threaded Savage barrel in 260 and replace the barrel on a rifle. That way you wouldn't have the "oddball cartridge" problem if and when you decide to sell the rifle, and you could just buy standard brass and dies.
 
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