Just got my 6.5-284 with a 26.5" Krieger barrel (1 in 8" twist). Any load you recommend, especially for the 140 grain bullets?

What velocity?

MRC 1999 -6.5x284 -Sierra 142 g SMK -H4350 47.0 grn -Fed 210M -Lapua brass -2843 fps
MRC 1999 -6.5x284 -Hornady 140 SST -H4350 48.8 grn -Fed 210M -Lapus brass -2960 fps

Both of these were seated .007" off the lands and will hold a five shot group of less than .5" at 100 yards. The 142 grain SMK load had a standard deviation of 4 fps and shot a 10 shot group into 5.2" at 1.000 yards.

These loads are safe in my gun with a 26" Krieger barrel, your mileage may vary.

Frank,

Thanx!

What is your case life with these loads?

How long do the primer pockets stay firm?

What pressures do you believe you're running?

Regards, AIU

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ackley Improved User:
Just got my 6.5-284 with a 26.5" Krieger barrel.

Sounds like a sweet lil thing!
Best of luck with the new rig.
Sorry, no loads since I don't load for one.
Zeke

Zeke, as you know the 6.5-284 has a reputation for going thru barrels quickly, sometimes as early as ~1000 rounds.

My current load is 51 grains of H4831 regular cut, giving 2800 fps with a 140 Berger Hybrid.

Very accurate load and - I think - PSI in the 55,000 range.

This modest load should give me better than average barrel life...at least, I hope.

Any thoughts?

quote:

Originally posted by Ackley Improved User:
Frank,

Thanx!

What is your case life with these loads?

How long do the primer pockets stay firm?

What pressures do you believe you're running?

Regards, AIU

The 140 grain SMK load is my 1,000 yard match load and 100 Lapua cases last me two seasons so that's about 8 reloads. The primer pockets aren't as tight as new cases but still usable. I don't anneal my cases so the sizing gets difficult after this many reloads. If I annealed every four reloads I could probably use them a dozen times.

Frank,

What has been your barrel life with the 6.5-284?

I'm thinking, keep the PSI below 60,000, the barrel life should be good, maybe extending to 2000 plus rounds.

Any thoughts?

AIU

I have heard that the 1:8 , 140 gr accuracy drops off at about 2900.Is this typical ??

quote:

Originally posted by Ackley Improved User:
Frank,

What has been your barrel life with the 6.5-284?

I'm thinking, keep the PSI below 60,000, the barrel life should be good, maybe extending to 2000 plus rounds.

Any thoughts?

AIU

The first Krieger that I had lasted about 1300 rounds before the accuracy fell off but that was when I was just learning the cartridge and trying to get 3,000 fps like everyone else on the internet was getting. Lapua brass only lasted for two reloads.

The last two Kriegers have gone just over 1600 rounds (two match seasons and a couple of hunting trips) and I might have gotten another 400 rounds through them but it would have meant changing barrels mid season and my gunsmith can take anywhere from a week to three months for chambering and mounting barrels.

I have a Bartlien 5R barrel on it now.

quote:

Originally posted by mete:
I have heard that the 1:8 , 140 gr accuracy drops off at about 2900.Is this typical ??

My gun with four different barrels has shot best between 2800 and 2900 fps so maybe there is something to that.

My first three barrels were Krieger 1:8" twists and this last barrel is a gain twist at 1:9 1/2" to 1:8" twist over the first 20 inches. I tried the gain twist because supposedly you get more velocity due to the slower start of the twist but this 27" Bartlien barrel is 40 fps slower than my last 26" Krieger.

Have you tried setting-back the barrels once accuracy fell off?

I just retired from F-Class competition. I had gotten tired of short barrel life and went to a factory profile 284 Win. just before I quit shooting competition. But some competitors that I know that are still shooting the 6.5x284 are reporting equal accuracy and much better barrel life by using H-1000.

quote:

Originally posted by swampshooter:
I just retired from F-Class competition. I had gotten tired of short barrel life and went to a factory profile 284 Win. just before I quit shooting competition. But some competitors that I know that are still shooting the 6.5x284 are reporting equal accuracy and much better barrel life by using H-1000.

I believe this. One should be able to get equal velocity with less pressure and heat, using the slower burning powder. Glad to hear the accuracy is the same. I'll try H1000.

quote:

Originally posted by Ackley Improved User:
Have you tried setting-back the barrels once accuracy fell off?

My barrels were sporter weight barrels (.700" at the muzzle) because I carry the gun for long range coyote hunting and the occasional deer and antelope hunt. If I had bought barrel profiles that had less profile then I would probably would have considered setting them back but in all of my barrels I saw evidence of surface cracking over an inch down the bore.

My first 1k BR rifle was a 6.5x284. The loads it liked best with 142 SMKs and Fed 210 GM Match primers with bullets jammed about .010 into the lands were:

H-1000/56
H-4831SC/51 (Match load)

These were 1/2 moa loads from a 28" 1x8 Krieger barrel at around 2850 FPS. Of course the usual disclaimer--these loads were safe in my rifle but may not be in yours.

I'd only get about six firings on each case and the threat eroded about .010 every 100 rounds meaning barrel life would have been around 1000 rounds, but BR matches are hard on barrels.

take a look at www.accurateshooter.com under the heading of 6.5mm cartridges. Lot of guys at the 3000fps edge with Retumbo with the longer barrels.

My OM 70 (once 30-06) got sent to Bartleins for a 32" medium palma contour and is right at 3000fps. An ice cream scoop of Trtumbo.