Looking to purchase a 6.5 * 284 cal rifle, selection not very large, anyone out there who can recommend which manufacturer or any advise on the cal.?

Outside of some semi-custom rifle builders, I'm unaware of an "over the counter" manufacturer that chambers a 6.5-284 (although Norma makes brass for the caliber). So if you want one, you'll most likely have to have it built or at least custom-order it.

The cartridge is the ballistic equivalent of both the 6.5-06 and the 6.5 Remington Magnum (recently revived by Remington). Any of them will yield up to about 3200 fps with a 120 grain bullet or 3000 fps with a 140 grain bullet (given the right load and a barrel of at least 24 inches).

If you put a 6.5-284 in a "short" (medium) bolt action magazine it will crowd the overall length of the cartridge and require deeper bullet seating than most people prefer. On the other hand, if you build it on a standard-length action, you would be as well or better off with a 6.5-06 or 6.5-06 Improved, since the action would accomodate it just as well and you would have no worries about altering the magazine rails, reducing magazine capacity, or finding scare/expensive brass.

Some people claim magical qualities for the short .284 case in terms of accuracy, thus the 6.5-284 reputation as a 1000 yard target round. Personally, I question there being any real potential accuracy difference in it and a 6.5-06.

Thank you for you reply, found it very useful. I have managed to find a Custom rifle manufacturer within my budget. They suggest and have used the remington 700 action with one of their own Border Barrels with a twist of 1-9 they claim a clover leaf at 100 yards.

The cost of the rifle is £1850.00 sterling, but when you break it down it still seems a little expensive, especially when you can purchase a Cut Stainless fluted barrel fitted for £550 sterling. Just out of interest what price is the Remington 700 BDL action in the USA?

You can cannibalize a 700 ADL action from a brand new synthetic model for around $350. A used BDL will cost you anywhere from $350 to $500, or maybe a tad less if you can find a "beater" rifle to take it from. Almost all custom rifles use actions salvaged from other guns. Ironically, the whole gun can be bought for around the price of an action alone, and then you may get a little bonus from selling the surplus barrel and stock.

If the Lb is still around $1.8, then that barrel would be virtually $1000 all by itself. That would be considered rather steep anyplace I'm familiar with.

The "short" Remington 700 is too short for a practical 6.5-284, so I hope your gunsmith is intending to use the long action.

In the US, you could pick up a good cheap 30/06 at a discount store for around $350-400. The Rem ADL is available as well as the Howa/Weatherby Vanguard and the Savage (which can really be used as a switch barrel if you buy a barrel wrench). IT&D custom in Cleveland will install a new Douglas barrel and blue it for less than $300. On that basis, you could get a new rifle starting in the $650 range. A little tinkering would make it a great shooter. Anything past that is for target work or show.

Keep in mind that the 6.5x284 was developed as a target round for 1000 yd shooting. I like the round, since I already have a couple of 6x284's, but realistically from a sporting standpoint, it is not much different from a 6.5x55 or a 260 Rem. As mentioned, it doesn't have the short action advantage of the 6x284 due to the length of the bullets. Buy a modern rifle in 260 or 6.5x55 and you will not be able to tell the difference in the game fields. When you decide to sell it, you will recieve a lot less for the 6.5x284. Take this from a guy who owns 25 or 30 wildcat or proprietary rifles. They are yours for eternity, as a general rule.

I have one as a sporter. first of all I am sure norma makes factory ammo for this round. Mine was made from 700 BDL long action I had on hand from an older rifle. If you stick with 120grain and below a short action will do. 100 grain partition at 3350 fps will put a lick'n on most deer size game. anyway in the USA figure $400 for action. Good chrome moly barrel 300. Installation with truing of action and any feed ramp work 200. My stock is a medalist with a full length bed block cost 220. so ..1120 + tax all you need are bases rings and scope but then you'd by those with an over the counter gun. Oh I forgot KG guncoat finish $75. If you get a super premium stainless with fluting and a custom wood stock then $3000 comes and goes real quick. Good luck with whatever you decide.

No doubt its a fine round but you can accomplish the same thing and more with a .264 Winchester Magnum.

Poddy

I am in the U.K and have had a 6.5-.284 built up on a Mauser 98, no particular make. Bell and Carlson stock but had Callum Ferguson at Precision Rifle Services barrel it up from .240 Wby to 6.5 using a Krieger barrel.

Still undergoing load development but looking good.

If you want to send me a PM I will go through my findings with you.

JT

Johnathon,

How does the 6.5-284 feed from a 98 action with it's rebated rim? Did it require much work?

quote:

Originally posted by Poddy:
Looking to purchase a 6.5 * 284 cal rifle, selection not very large, anyone out there who can recommend which manufacturer or any advise on the cal.?

Try Montana Rifleman or Serengeti Rifles and Stocks. You can order a barreled action from Montana rifleman to ylour specs for length and contour in their short action 1999 model which has a magazine of 3.125 inches which should be perfect for a 6.5x284. I think you can get a lamaneted stock from Boyd" or something from lone wolf. You can contact Serengeti Rifles and STocks and they will build you one using a Montana Rifleman action or any other action and their patented Lamanated process that looks like fine wood. You select the gade you want A through Special Selection any any options you want. You can even get the loads worked up for you. I hunted with them last year in Montana and they brought a 6mm284 and a6.5-284 and they were real shooters. If you want a 6.5-284 then get one as some of us like things a little different. I have a 376 Steyr from Serengeti that I am taking to Africa in Sept. I also own a 284 Win a couple of 7x57 single shots and only one 30-06 and it is a Drilling

Dakota Arms offers 6.5 x .284

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:
Johnathon,

How does the 6.5-284 feed from a 98 action with it's rebated rim? Did it require much work?

I have worked with and loaded for a friend's .25-284 built on an FN 98 action for years. It feeds perfectly. I don't know what work the gunsmith may have done on it (it was built in 1969), but it illustrates that a 98 action is perfectly adaptable to the .284 case.

By the way, the .25-284 was chosen over the .25-06 (both wildcats at the time) because the .25-06 had a reputation for blowing up actions, presumably due to Secondary Explosion Effect using too-small quantities of surplus H4831. Given a regular length action, I would prefer the .25-06. Only if I were trying to stuff maximum power into a shorter action (now done with the "short mag" series) would I select the .284 case over the '06 case.

Unless the 6.5 X 284 chambering is a must have there are factory solutions that will give similar results.

The cartridge has caught on some with target shooters and some long range varmint blasters however.

If you could be more specific with us on what your budget is and the purpose of the rifle we could advise.

Here is a link to an all out 6.5 X 284

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5.../668101592#668101592

My own 98 Actioned 6.5-.284 feeds fine, although rebated, the extractor groove in the cartridge is the same mauser/06 dimension and slots in behind the claw extractor no -problem.

Action modification of the feed rails at the front of the magazine opening was all that was required to cater for the slightly larger case diameter than that of the 06 size case, this modification was minimal and amounted no more than 10 minutes of careful work with the dremel. Any competent gunsmith will take care of this for minimal cost.

You may also find that you have to experiment with different magazine followers (platforms) until you find one that feeds best, as most are made for the standard 98 to fit the 06 diameter of case.

Many will argue that the 98 action is passe and will not return groups like the more modern custom made actions, this may well be true, my own rifle wil turn in sub 3/8" groups at 100 yards.

Whilst I am sure other actions may be more suited, the 98 is just fine and certainly makes for an affordable rifle, mine is inlet into a Bell and Carlson stock.

Hope this helps

JT