[QUOTE]Dont have a Hornady case for 6.5x284 OAL gauge yet.[QUOTE]
Red, the Hornady case will be your best friend. Any reason you don't have one yet? I have the bit and tap, all I need is two spent cases to make one.
I have not seen any information on Savage changing their "freebore" on any barrels.
Jim and I use to custom throat the chambers, I still do on my personal barrels.
Personally, I always made sure the bullet had 100% of the bearing surface in the neck only, then cut the freebore based on this bullet "only" loaded case. No primer or powder. This bullet was then the bullet for the barrels life. I am sure bullets close to the 142 would work as well.
My experience with the SMK 142's is they performed best "kissing" the lands, or up to .010 "in" the lands.
This method "always" produced sub MOA barrels!
I used a split case neck with just enough tension to hold bullet, chamber, extract carefully and measure
I also determine my bearing surface contact with split cases. I like my bullet a little tighter in the case. I use a RED Sharpie to color the bearing surface on the bullet. I can clearly see when the complete bearing surface is in the middle of the neck. And if anything, I would rather it be further out vs. further in the case. I sometimes use a few cases and bullets, anywhere from 2 to 5 to make sure it's almost 99% perfect.
I use the same method to determine when the bullet kisses the lands, plus inspect the bullet to make sure all lands are touching the bullet. No box of bullets are perfect, sometimes I found .003 difference with bullets touching the lands. In this case, with inconsistences, I would always put the bullet a little into the lands, like .002 +/- .001 .
I had the privilege of shooting a match with "John Brewer" several years ago. I managed to get a few tips from him. He shot the 6.5x284 in matches. There is still a few articles out there with John Brewer, I often refer back to them. RIP John Brewer!
Also the "Hoover Clan" still has a few articles out there with great information as well.
JMO, Dennis
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