If you want a new rifle, I'd really forget about the .284 Winchester. It's a great cartridge that's built on a strong case, and it's capable of superb accuracy alright, especially if you neck-turn the cases. The trouble is, no one makes a magazine that is properly dimensioned for the .284 Win. cartridge (.308 Win. boxes don't work properly), and feeding problems are common.

I'd go with either the .270 Win. or .280 Remington cartridges as first choices, and there's still nothing wrong with your familiar 7X57. All will work well in .30-06 size actions with .30-06 size boxes, and all will deliver the same level of performance.

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I have an old Mauser G33/40 in a 7x57 I have packed for years. We are best friends and there is only one hunting trip in 15 years I haven't carried it, and that trip I regretted not having it.

Problem is it is an old friend, it just about the perfect rifle. Short custom barrel, awesome wood, nice furniture pieces, and condition in about 98% or better. It is getting where I don't want to take it out and take the chance of beating it up, every nick in the stock hurts and I have just got it back to 100% up to snuff. I plan on using it this year but I want to semi retire it and use it only on hunts where the terrain is friendly, so I was thinking of next year building something new.

Here comes the problem I have looked at just about every rifle currently made, and either don't like the rifle, or the cartridge or both.

So a new custom is in order and cartridge determination has come into play. It must be a 7mm, I toyed with a 6.5x284 concept and determined that it is unsuitable for a short barrel. I don't want over a 22" tube, my old mauser is a 20". I wouldn't mind a little more FPS, so I have entertained different 7's. Mag's are out, too much recoil, and don't work well in short barrls.

I have done a lot of studying on this and the 284 Winchester has caught my eye. Has anyone got any experience with this? It seems to burn more effeciently than the 280 in a short barrel, and 2850 FPS with a 140 grain bullet looks to be a real possibility. How accurate is this round? Any negatives or positives for that matter? All comments good or bad are welcome.

A hunting friend of mine loads his 284 with 150gr at 3000+ out of a 21 inch barrel. This is a fairly high pressure load, but the 284 case is designed for it. He admits that he spent most of a summer working up the load looking for velocity AND accuracy. He thinks that in this round especially, little changes magnify accuracy problems.
He also shoots the 7x57 Ackley Improved and likes it better than the 284. He thinks that accuracy is easier to find with this round. It gives up about 100fps in 140 and 150 gr but approaches the 284 at 160 and equals at 175.
Personally, i'm still shooting the 7x57 and am running 150fps behind the Ackley with imr 4350. (I too am using a short barrel and am going to try to work up a load with H414 at a suggestion from online here)
Retiring your friend, huh. Bet that has mixed emotions !!!

If you're that tickled with your 7x57, why not have a smith make you up one like it. If not, get you whichever factory rifle scratches your itch in a 7-08. I know Ray will scream about this but the 7-08 and the 7x57 are ballistic twins.
One of those M48 actions ought to make up into a dandy short actioned rifle but still have enough room for the 7x57.

I'm with Beemanbeme. There are so many good factory guns now I'd do one of those. I don't know the ranges you shoot, but I haven't owned a factory gun (M. 70, A-Bolt, Rem. 700 or Seven) in 20 yrs wouldn't shoot 1/2" at 100 yrd.s with a lightened trigger and cryro-treatment. I've killed deer at 400 with the 30'06 A-Bolt and my .223 700 varmint gun shoots @1/2 at 200 yrd.s.

I quit sweating scratches on the furniture years ago so I do stainless and composite. Have you seen a Kimber Montana or Rem. 700 Titanium in 7mm 08? If you don't like stainless and composite there's the Sako, Tikka T-3 (avialable in 6.5x55), Win. Featherlight or A-Bolt Medallion...or you could re-barrel a Model Seven to 22".

Friday I picked up my new Rem. 700 titanium in 7mm08. It's well balanced and points easily with the 22" brl. I had the trigger lightened and had the metal cryro-treated. With Talley rings, Leupold 2-8 VX3 scope, polycarbonate swivels and a nylon sling it weighs @6.5 lb.s. that's almost 3 lb.s less than my M. 70 in .270. At 6.5 lb.s it'll probably be too light to shoot well at 350 but I bet it'll do any deer inside 250. A composite stock is hard to scratch and if it does, who cares. Ivan's rains kept me from shooting it in yesterday but I'm hot to trot. If you'd like I'll send you a range rpt...when I finally get to the range.

I'm with you, I think for what it does the 7mm is excellent. When people ask about deer/hog I often recomend the 7-08. I only have one 7-mm at this time, a 7-08. My next one will be either an intermediate small ring 98 7x57, or a #1 Ruger in 280. capt david

Actually if I did a 284 I was looking at an intermitten (G33/40)or a large non magnum action and not a short action. I figured that would get around most of the magazine problems, and let me seat heavier bullets out farther. Rails are still an issue but that can be addressed by a good smith.

I need to check out some AI information. I am not worried about a wildcat but my boys aren't loading yet and not thrilled that they wouldn't be able to eventually shoot it.

Uuuhhhh, not to piss in your Wheaties 'cause most AI advocates are very sensitive about their rifles (alledged) achievements but what is your need for the extra 100fps, if that, that the AI is gonna give you? If you have a need for speed, then go with the .280.

Hi schromf, I have a Savage Sierra in 7mm-08 that I use and it will probably fit all of your criteria. Ya, I know it's a Savage and it's probably the ugliest thing around but it's very accurate out of the box, I don't have to worry about it getting dinged up and it's tough as hell. Might be worth a look.