6.5x284 Deer rifle????

[Waceyf]

Alright guys I no the bad news the barrels dont last long. What about the performance? From most what I've read really flat shooting and fast, dont know much else. How about for a deer rifle? Anyone usen one for a deer rifle?

[Fjold]

Deer, coyotes and antelope. I sight it in at 300 yards and have my dope out to as far as I can see. I've taken deer and antelope out to 400 yards with mine and coyotes past 700 yards.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/Fjold/AntelopeHunt009.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/Fjold/AntelopeHunt025.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/Fjold/Guns/Buck.jpg

[Waceyf]

Fjold,

Thats awsome. How has your barrel life been? I am waiting on the new long range hunter to come out of the factory and cant wait to shoot it. Do you load your own ammo for this caliber?

[Fjold]

I shoot in F class matches monthly and have just over 700 rounds through it now. The throat has moved forward .027" since new. I handload for all my rifles.

I don't load it to the firewall, my match (and long range varmint) load is the 142 grain Sierra Matchking with 46 grains of H4350 for 2790 fps. For bigger game I use the 120 grain Barnes TSX with 48 grains of H4350 for just at 2980 fps (26" Krieger barrel).

[Waceyf]

Thanks for the loading info!
What would a good comparison for recoil be? I dont know anything about the recoil of this gun? It would strictly be a hunting rifle and on and of at paper, I'm no avid shooter by any means, hell I'm barely an amature for that matter. Just like distance ;D

[Fjold]

I feel that it is less than my 308 but my gun weighs about 11 Lbs loaded (26", #5 contour barrel, varmint stock and a big scope). In a regular sporter rifle configuration it should recoil between a 25.06 and a 270.

[Waceyf]

Those are some nice animals in the pics where do you hunt? Not many places Whitetails and Antelope run together. I also see you were in the Navy, What was your rate? I was in Aviation Ordinance On The Roosevelt.

[Fjold]

Those are some nice animals in the pics where do you hunt? Not many places Whitetails and Antelope run together. I also see you were in the Navy, What was your rate? I was in Aviation Ordinance On The Roosevelt.


The antelope and coyote were taken in Wyoming a couple of years ago, the whitetail was taken in Texas last December.

I hunt California, Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, New Zealand, Africa, pretty much everywhere.

I'm ex-Navy. I used to be a first class, Nuke, Machinist Mate on Submarines.

[bajabill]

why is this round widely know to be a barrel burner?

If so, why not the referenced 25-06 and 270 also? I see the bore diameter and case capacity as being very similar to other common rounds, so except for the rebated case, there is nothing new here. Not bad, just not anything out of the ordinary.

[Waceyf]

Great question bajabill. I wonder the same. At first I thought it was velocity shooting up to 3000fps but what about the .270 WSM shooting 3150fps and more in some cases???????

[Fjold]

why is this round widely know to be a barrel burner?

If so, why not the referenced 25-06 and 270 also? I see the bore diameter and case capacity as being very similar to other common rounds, so except for the rebated case, there is nothing new here. Not bad, just not anything out of the ordinary.


The 6.5x284 was popularized by the "F" class crowd where they are using 30" barrels and burning 49-50 grains of H4350 under the 142 grain SMK's for 1,000 yard shooting. (Hodgdon's max load is 46 grains) Since they were the one's with all the experience and were burning the barrels out so quickly the reputation has stuck.