2023 Season build

[Fuj']

I believe the 284 Winchester was the most highly advanced case ever made. It was released in 1963 and was so far ahead of its time. The shorter, wider case… the negligible body taper… a 35 degree shoulder! These characteristics were unheard of at the time. No wonder it wasn’t more popular. Makes me laugh when I first heard about this “revolutionary” NEW case design that Hornady developed… a shorter case, with no taper and a 30 degree shoulder! (I guess making it 35 would have been TOO obvious!) What’s worse is when I see people regurgitating what they read… about this “not so new” cartridge case design that lends to better accuracy. Uhhhh… this case was made 60 years ago! 60 friggen years! Ain’t nothin’ new no mo folks…

Wild catting has been a huge hobby for me an for a good 40 years or more.
In my younger days, 6.5x55 and Schmidt and Reuben cases were the bulk
of my experimentation. I would buy model 600 Mohawk actions for $50 bucks
and start something new. My most infamous one was to go beyond an Ackley.
I took the Schmidt and Reuben case and blew it out to 45 degrees and necked
it down to .257. Even the .257 Bob could'nt keep up with it. Chucks were turned
inside out at over 300 yards when hit broadside.....Yeah, the 284 is one of those
cases that lends itself for projects. That center case in the pic is my SA284. Its
exactly the same length as the 308, 7-08, and 243 family of cartridges. With it's
35 degree shoulder and being wider, the SA284 simply dwarfs the 7-08. With the
now defunct Emron 4451, I could hit 2830 fps with the 190 gr A-tip topped out,
but acurracy node at 2805.....The ELF started out about 2 years ago. I used ruined
cases from the SA284 project. Just needed to shorten them below the damage. This
cartridge showed promise this past season, so it's getting a complete new set of
clothes.

UPS email shipping alert showed up. My rings and level should be here today or
tomorrow. Chambering is done, along with the shouldering and head spacing.
I'll spin it off so to get to work on the muzzle end. This will be a bit different for
the installation of the Ezell tuner. It's not a simple cut to shoulder and thread.

[charlie b]

Fuj, do you make your own reamers too? Father-in-law did that once for me but I never got the urge to try it. We were working on a way to make bullet molds when he passed away.

[Dave Hoback]

Just wait for the “7mm Creedmoor”. It could be renamed the Creedmost! I bet it will have no problem getting those 190gr pills past 2900fps Fuj’. And do using less powder powder of course! At least that’s what many on-liners will claim.

I’m being facetious in case you’re wondering

Seriously, I do like your SA284 Fuj’. If I was a Wildcatter, that’s one id look to. It’s about perfect. 308 size, but takes full advantage of its space due to the shoulder(like an Ackley). And just a tad wider than an Ackley case, but not Magnum. It’s the perfect blend of case capacity to bore diameter for long range targeting without any overbore. Bet the barrel lasts a long time vs the performance.

[Fuj']

Fuj, do you make your own reamers too? Father-in-law did that once for me but I never got the urge to try it. We were working on a way to make bullet molds when he passed away.

Not for chambers. Once I have what I'm looking for , I send out about 3 dummies and have
a reamer made. In the case of the shortened 284's, I use a .240 throat SAMMI reamer and
short step it. for the ELF though, I still have to hone in the base for a good fit. For the SA284
the SAMMI reamer is perfect. I have made reamers for pistol molds mainly .358 and heavy.
I think I still have one in one of my Kennedy's I never finished. I'll see if it's still there.

And Dave.....I have about 1400 rounds on my current Brux 30" heavy varmint. I'm pulling it'
though for an Lilja 3 groove I have an itch to test with those !90's. I like to start the season
with a fresh barrel and not have one fall off on me. For the round count, the Brux has minimal
fire cracking, and the throat is not as burned out as I have expected. I'll probably set it back,
redo the crown (every 500 rounds for me) and put it away in the safe.

[Fuj']

The Mail man was good to me today. The 34mm Steiner target rings and Hollands
scope level are here.

[charlie b]

I'm officially jealous :)

[Fuj']

I'm officially jealous :)

I'm officially broke....

[charlie b]

Roflamo