KTP
11-06-2012, 08:15 PM
Gang,
I tend to read and study a good bit before I take on any project. I'm gearing up to build a hunting rifle. Deer, antelope, coyotes, possiby elk (more than likely pull out the 300 WM for that). I've been thinking about a 6.5 x 47, or 6.5 Creedmore, or 260 Remington, all short action rounds. Lets not make this a comparison of those 3, for the sake of argument lets call them ballistically very similar. As i stumble through this process I keep coming back to the question: if I can build any of those 3 why not stay with a long action and build a 6.5 x 284? OK its a given, the 6.5x284 might croak on the barrel way quicker than the aforementioned shorty 6.5's but it's a hunting rifle, not a bench gun. I'm not concerned about the barrel. (I've owned a .270 for years and shot almost every species under the sun and I don't think I've got 1000 rounds through her.) I want a round that flattens out my trajectory a bit over the .270 but does not sacrifice downrange energy. Also, I want to make this rifle a DBM. I already have a 6.5 x 284 bench gun so the dies and brass & powder are not an additional expense. I understand that short actions are supposedly stiffer and possibly more accurate. OK... Having said that, why not build everthing on a long action in order to allow complete flexibilty? Talk to me guru's of gun building!!
I tend to read and study a good bit before I take on any project. I'm gearing up to build a hunting rifle. Deer, antelope, coyotes, possiby elk (more than likely pull out the 300 WM for that). I've been thinking about a 6.5 x 47, or 6.5 Creedmore, or 260 Remington, all short action rounds. Lets not make this a comparison of those 3, for the sake of argument lets call them ballistically very similar. As i stumble through this process I keep coming back to the question: if I can build any of those 3 why not stay with a long action and build a 6.5 x 284? OK its a given, the 6.5x284 might croak on the barrel way quicker than the aforementioned shorty 6.5's but it's a hunting rifle, not a bench gun. I'm not concerned about the barrel. (I've owned a .270 for years and shot almost every species under the sun and I don't think I've got 1000 rounds through her.) I want a round that flattens out my trajectory a bit over the .270 but does not sacrifice downrange energy. Also, I want to make this rifle a DBM. I already have a 6.5 x 284 bench gun so the dies and brass & powder are not an additional expense. I understand that short actions are supposedly stiffer and possibly more accurate. OK... Having said that, why not build everthing on a long action in order to allow complete flexibilty? Talk to me guru's of gun building!!