need some thoughts on new build!

Got the itch again. Any cons on building a 6.5/284 on a long action stevens CF. I want to build it as repeater for deer hunting. I am worried about the shells feeding out of the new magazine box.

Thanks,

T. Stubbs

I dont see why it wouldnt work as that cartridge is similar to the .284/.308 , body size with less taper.With the long action you will be able to unload it without pulling the bolt.I would get a .270,30-06 ,25-06 model and just use the mag as is.It works with the remington actions quite well. You wont get great barrel life with this chambering,I would suggest the .260AI cartridge in a short action instead.It is alot gentler on the barrel.Another one would be 6.5x47 as it has fairly good barrel life.It's your choice,but I would rethink your chambering for the sake of saving money down the road and shortly the new .260 rem brass from lapua will be on store shelves.Look at the loading manuals and compare to see the .260 is real close to it in the first place and buy a barrel in 8 twist so you can shoot heavier bullets.I just built a .260 rem with a shilen select match barrel and stockade stock.It has turned out real well.

The 6.5 Creedmoor is also a good choice. IMHO it is a better cartridge than the 260 Remington.

I think it would work fine from a centerfeed mag. just bend the lips out.

The 284 case is between magnum and 308 diameter closer to magnum diameter than 308/30-06.
It will feed from a 308 magazine you just have to bend the feed lips out a good bit.
I had a 338-284 on a CF short action so I know that will feed from a massaged 308 magazine.

Never tried to cycle 284 from a magnum magazine but it would probably work.
You would probably need to bend the lips in.

Not sure on the side indents either, since they can be different.

For what it's worth. I tried out some loaded 6.5x55 rounds today out of a center-feed magnum magazine. Worked fine. The 7mm magnum rounds are really tight in this magazine and I would probably adjust the lips a bit if I were going to use the action for the 7 mag but the 6.5x55 were just right.

Thanks for the replies. I picked up a Stevens 200 from Academy Sports in 270 for the donor. It should give me all the room I need in the cartridge length. I was thinking about Savage Varmint contour in a Stockade Woodchuck stock or their sporter version with about a #5 contour

I bought a factory bvss last year in 6.5/284 and love it. Took a while to find a load to shoot, but once I did, I love it. It is a long action obviously, so you should have no problem. Once I shoot it out and I will, it will go back as same caliber. Be careful loading hunting rounds though. I loaded 130 and 140 grain accubonds, and they just wouldn't expand. Fairly new to reloading, and had an old time talk me in to dropping the grain down. Never shot another deer so don't know how its did. But for shooting, its great. If you are shooting prairie dogs, I recommend a break. Jumps just enough you don't see the damage.


PS Reload w/ Lapua brass

Accubonds are bonded and deep penetrating bullets.
Overkill for eastern whitetails.

I would try some regular hunting bullets or maybe the 140 gr Amax. The Amax is a target bullet, but I shot a 250# hog at 300 yards with a 162 gr 7mm bullet and it blew through him like a freight train and left a 2" exit hole. That bullet has a SD of over .3
Dropped him on the spot.

I shot a deer in the neck a couple of months ago with a 308/208 gr amax.
Also over .3 SD.
A real overkill for a neck shot but it left a 3-4" exit hole.

Other than that for regular bullets I like the gameking bullets, sierra pro hunters, regular speer, etc.

They will all probably shed their jacket, but IMO for eastern whitetails it sometimes helps drop them on the spot if the bullet comes apart.

Barnes and deep penetrating bullets just plow right through and go into the next county and most of the eastern deer I have shot with similar bullets, with a heart/lung shot take off like a jack rabbit and I usually find them dead about 50 yards away.

For hogs with regular bullets, I use either a SD of over .3
or barnes TTSX bullets.