6.5 x 284 Long Range Hunter

[Hammer]

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Saw a Savage 6.5 x 284 LRH today.

All blue. Looked like a 28-inch barrel, but was morely likely a 26-inch. Factory muzzle brake. Long action. Synthetic stock.

Looked nice.

Thought of JCalhoun when I looked at it.


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[longpoker]

Just picked mine up the other day , I am in the process of breaking in the barrel now. It is a slow and tiring I spent 8 hours at the range to fire just three shoots.
The prepping of the rifle took about 4 hours when I finally got it ready to shoot. The barrel was full of gunk,used Brakleen to degrease it and the rest of it. I adjusted the trigger as low as I could it breaks at just under thee lbs. I have used several solvents and J.B and brushing but I think it will take me a couple more trips to get it ready to shoot groups.This barrel seems to be a copper magnet and won,t give it up easily.
The recoil is very light with the brake on. I took it apart and checked it out,when I went to put it back into the stock the action would not fit,it seemed it was binding but then I realized that the trigger guard assy. had to be left in ,by tightening the screws by finger pressure everything came together ,just follow the instructions to the letter. This M111 has been redesigned so read the Instruction book and go slow.
Stay tuned and I will follow up on it as I get it ready to shoot.

[ellobo]

Clean out the copper as much as you can, then put some 4 aught steel wool on a jag and scrub the bore top to bottom. I have done that to every barrel I ever had and in 60 yrs never had a problem. Keep scrubbing until it doesnt copper up. copper remover on the steel wool wont hurt and neither will bore cleaner.
I just put a little oil on the stl wool.

[longpoker]

After some time off I finally got #6 shot off today, Still scrubbing the barrel with a bronze brush and Copper-Kleenz. I will do this for awhile until it cleans up a bit.I will use J.B. next with a patch wrapped around the brush. Then I will polish it out using patches, More solvent to get any gunk out, then I will try Bore Tech Cu+2 Copper Remover, this stuff is new so I will see how it works out. I hate breaking in barrels,or cleaning them. I used some Steel wool once many years ago on an old well used barrel, I don,t remember how it worked out I think I had a new barrel installed,if I recall I used Fine 0000 steel wool on a bore brush.

[cfvickers]

Get some KG12 Big Bore cleaner off Midway or other suppliers. Took the copper right out of mine. I have had my LRH 6.5-284 and was not nearly as careful in break in, but it shoots 1/2 inch groups at 200 with a 130 grain VLD. Half inch groups with just about anything at 100. If you want to get any small burrs out of the bore quickly, get some KG2 bore restore. Has a mild abrasive in it and it works very well. I used it the first time I cleaned it after firing 6 rounds, and it has been shooting great since. I have heard mixed opinions on doing an exhaustive break in on a factory rifle barrel. Savage didn't mention it in the owners manual that came with mine so I just did what I normally do. 6 shots, clean, 10 shots, clean, 20 shots, clean, shoot it like it ain't yours, clean it when your groups start to open. In that order of course.

you are killing the enjoyment you will get from this rifle by staring at it, just shoot it already!!

Good luck man, you will be happy with your purchase!

[Hammer]

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Why do y'all want to remove the copper and powder fouling which you worked so hard to get so uniformly deposited ?


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[358Hammer]

+1 on the KG 12- best thing I ever used. Only thing better is the miltary's version of it.

Apparently I haven't shot any of the Benchmark barrels enough yet as I do not have one itsee bitsee spot of copper in any or my barrels.

But in answering Hammers question. When I purchase precision and I find chunks of anything in the bore I have to clean the stuff out or I start shaking and twitching until that mirror finished bore is seen again.

Neal

[longpoker]

Hammer,s, You are right I don,t enjoy any of this. I shot my first 3 shot group to day,all three were touching at 100 yards. I installed a Leupold 6x18 VX11 on it today. This will be my last break in shots, next I will try 5 and clean,then 10 and clean. Bore Tech CU+2 really finds that hidden copper, I thought it was clean then I tried it and WOW where did that copper come from!. ::)

[nomosendero]

i BET IT WILL BE A SHOOTER!!

[cfvickers]

Mine is, and i will make the same bet based on it. I have shot several 1/2-.6 inch groups at 200 yards.

[longpoker]

Well I will find out tomorrow morning bright and early. I start at 200 meters and then 300,400 and 500, cleaning in between 5 shot groups. I loaded up a few 142SMK and 123SMK it should be a great time to see how it can shoot.

[pdog06]

So now that you are ready to test it out, do you currently have more money in the rifle or the cleaning materials.?..LOL

Just had to ask. I hate cleaning barrels too, mostly cause it's just too much fun shooting with them. I dont know if I have the patience to clean it as much as you have done though.

[psharon97]

I only clean my barrels when I notice my groups open up.

[Hammer]

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I only clean my barrels when I notice my groups open up.

You don't need to clean the barrel.

Just call Shilen or Pac-Nor and they will send you a new one.

If you want to recycle the first barrel, just send it to Shilen or Pac-Nor and they will put it on a recycling rotation for you.

Shoot one barrel while they clean the other.

Then send the dirty barrel back in while you shoot the one they cleaned.

Much simpler that way.

You can actually keep five barrels in rotation for a given caliber at one time.

Sometimes the rotation gets screwed up and you might get one of Tony Boyer's barrels that he has just won another national championship with and he will get your 35 Whelen Improved sporter, but it all works out in the end.


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[longpoker]

I finally got some shooting in these past few weeks. It shows promise with just about everything I shoot. I
have been shooting only match bullets like Sierra,Berger,Lapua and Nosler they all shoot well I have tried different seating depths and most shoot about.020" off the lands give or take a few. I have loaded mostly H4831sc and several primers R9 1/2 and F210 work well. I have used Nosler custom brass and Winchester. M. V. has been in the 2750 to 2850 fps.
Smallest group so far was .151" and largest 1.210" all 5 shot groups. I am just about ready to shoot the longer ranges to 810 yards.
In the mean time I still clean after every 20 shots. I hate doing so often but I feel guilty if I don,t.

[USAFA71]

I have been looking for a "fun" gun, one that I can shoot a lot, with minimal recoil, and can use for deer. The 6.5-284 might fit the bill, if the recoil isn't too bad. For me, the 30-06 is too much, and the 7-08 is about my upper limit for a long day shooting. Getting old is a real pain! So how would you judge the recoil, with the heavy barrel and muzzle brake, to a 7-08 at about 7-1/2#?

[longpoker]

The recoil is very light,and should not be a problem. I am aging myself so I know what you mean.

[McKinneyMike]

I would think that a 6.5-284 would probably kick at least as had as a 7-08, but having never shot either, I will let the experts determine that one.

[longpoker]

My LRH, weighs 9 3/4 lbs. and with the brake on it,s a real putty cat. The recoil pad does a good job and it soft. It kicks a lot less than my Rem.700 in .270 win.I use the heavy 142 and 140 at over 2800 in the 6.5 x .284 Norma.

[McKinneyMike]

Well a good muzzle brake does help w/felt recoil :)

[longpoker]

I had an interesting day at the local range Friday so I thought you guys would be interested.
First I took my M111 LRH. in 6.5 x .284 Norma apart and removed the Accu. - Wedge then cleaned the latex from the action area and bedding block, then re assembled it and torqued the two remaining screws down to 40"lbs. and shot two 5 shot groups with a known good load. the first grouped into 1.160" and the next grouped into 1.410". These loads have shot into .510'' to .550'' several times, I then put the Accu - Wedge back in and torqued it down to 42" lbs.
Then I shot several more groups the largest was .710" all others were at .50'' or less with all bullets tried. The Wedge does work!. It took about 150 rounds to get the barrel broken in and shooting tight groups.
My stock finish is peeling off when I rub it it comes off easily it looks like latex or some type of thin rubber coating. I called Savage and they asked for the S/N#,The woman told me to send them my stock and they will send me a new one. The LRH is shooting so good now that I don,t want to send it back just yet! It shot so well that it put 5 into one ragged hole that measured .144" not to bad.

[longpoker]

The last post I mentioned a group that measured .144", The load was 51.3 grains of H4831sc and a F210 primer. Since then I have shot a few more around the same size.

[longpoker]

Since my last post I have shot my LRH a lot, I have been using Quick Load Program, I find their recommended loads really accurate!. I have used Several powders that they suggest,Winchester 780 Supreme,Mag Pro,RL19,Retumbo,RL25, H1000,Imr7828. So far Retumbo and RL19 and Win 780 have shot the best.

[powemaker]

ok whats a accu- wedge, found one for the ar-15 but not for a savage

Bob

[longpoker]

Savage makes the Accu Stock,and it has a wedge that is pulled down when torqued, to snug up the recoil lug.