6.5 284 loading problems

[RCS65]

I purchased a new Savage 6.5 284 F class rifle about a year ago. I am having problems getting a load to group better than .561 at 100 yards. I have tried various powders, powder weights, bullet manufacturers, and bullet weights, at different O.A.L. I use Norma brass and Fed match primers. Has anyone run into this problem also? This is the first Savage rifle I have reloaded for that I could not get to group. Every other savage rifle I have, shots .35 or better at 100 yards. I do alot of praire dog hunting and wanted a caliber that I could use out to 1,000 yards.

I have come across posts on other sites that have stated that Savage had a problem with the barrels on the 6.5 284 f class. Any truth to that statement?

[sniper15545]

My f class 6.5x284 was the same way. I finally found it only liked 140 nosler custom competitions 43.5 grns. IMR 4831 and it shot consistent
.19's.

[BobT]

I purchased a new Savage 6.5 284 F class rifle about a year ago. I am having problems getting a load to group better than .561 at 100 yards.

What will it do at 300 ? FWIW I always had the best luck with Lapua brass in mine.

Bob

[RCS65]

Thanks for the feed back. I have not tried it out to 300, because it never shot how I thought it should out to 100. I will get the Nosler and Lapua ordered and see what I come up with. What was the Over All Length of the cartridge using the 140 grn Nosler competitions? I will report back on how the load shots.

[Jamie]

I purchased a new Savage 6.5 284 F class rifle about a year ago. I am having problems getting a load to group better than .561 at 100 yards.

What will it do at 300 ? FWIW I always had the best luck with Lapua brass in mine.

Bob


That is the correct question. Most of the time the best 100 yard group is not the best 300 yard group. Sounds odd but that is the way it is, especially with long high B.C. bullets that need time to settle into flight. When working loads for a long range shooter I get zeroed and then shoot at 300 for groups. I keep track of the load and then shoot at 600 yards. If it works well there I then go to 850 and so on. If it doesn't work at a given yardage then I work a load for that yardage and write it down.