I'm in the planning stages of a custom live varmint rifle and need a little input. I've decided to go with the 6-284 and now need to decide if i can use a repeater action. I want to shoot the 95gr berger vld bullet and was wondering what oal everybody loaded theirs to. I realize every gun will be a little different, so i'm just wanting to get a few numbers to kick around. If i can go with a repeater, i'll use a badger detatchable mag bottom plate in an A5 stock. This will restrict oal to 2.81" (though i've been told with a few mods you can get it up to 2.95"). Is this a viable option with this bullet? I'll also use the 75g and 87gr vmax bullets (if they'll shoot good!) for shorter rang p-dogs, but those shouldn't pose a problem. Thanks in advance everyone, and any additional advice is appreciated (although I am set on the 6-284, as i'm sure i'll have objections to that choice!)

No objections to that choice by me. I contemplated that a couple years ago, and ended up having a 240 WBY made. It has factory brass, and a reasonable amount of load data available. And the performance of it and the 6/284 are very close.
I used a Rem 700 SS long action, shilen 26" & McMillan hunter stock. It turned out to be a great antelope & coypte rifle.

adhumston, I think that you will encounter some minor difficulties using the Berger 95 VLD only based as you surmise on the COL issues. Depending on what you consider short range for a 6/284 I think you would be amazed at it's performance using 70 Nosler BT's or 75 V-Max's. If you have available to you a ballistic program like Sierra Bullet's Infinity or other, I would suggest you run some numbers mainly focused upon the wind drift factors. Good luck and good shooting.

308Sako, the main goal with this rifle is a longer range prairie dog gun. I plan on using it primarily at 600-100yds. but I might get the itch to blow them sky high from shorter distance (say 300-600yds), and thats where I'll use the lighter 70-87gr bullets. I was thinking the berger 95 because I've heard good things about them for a low drag, shorter bullet. I'll probably go with a single shot, but if i could use a repeater, I would. And i could always load the heavier bullets singely, but that kinda negates the point of having a repeater.

Adhumston,

If this is going to be a dedicated LR pd shooter, and most likely shot from a bench, what is the problem with using a long action?

Am I missing something?

6-284 is good choice IMO.

I am just finishing up a 22/6mm on a LA Rem. So far things are working out.

Jim

pdhntr1, the action that I am planning on using is a surgeon, which is only available in a short action. I also considered the 22-6mm as well as the 6mm improved. I think I will probably end up building this one in a single shot version, then building a 22-243 middlestead in a repeater with a slower twist for lighter bullets and shorter work (I've been bittin by the custom bug!). I'm starting to realize that loading the 6-284 to fit in the magazine will not allow it to reach potential with the heavier bullets.

adhumston, If you are building on as fine an action as the Surgeon is supposed to be, and a single shot then 6/284 would be quite viable. There would be an advantage to you not to have to fireform something like the 6 Rem AI et al. The heavier bullets (105 - 107) can also be launched with devastating effect.

Adhumston,

FWIW, I load all my bench guns one at a time.

But I also shoot very "deliberately", trying to achieve the highest kill percentage possible.

When I inletted my stock for my 300 WM bench gun I only took out enough wood to let one round into the mag well. The only time I use a repeater as such is when I go on a walk-about or are using my AR.

Jim

Thanks guys. I've pretty much decided to go with the single shot surgeon target action. For what this rifle will be used for, I won't need any quick follow ups anyway. Now I need to decide on a twist rate. I'm thinking 1-8.5 will work. That should stabilize the longer 105-107gr bullets, and still let me shoot the lighter 75-90gr bullets for medium range work. I'm really looking at Bartlein for the barrel, but don't know if I want to wait 6 months. If i don't go that route, I'll probably use a krieger.

adhumston,

Depending upon whom is going to do the assembly of the rifle a barrel from any one of the true premium manufacturers will do well for you. Bartlein as I understand it (IIRC) is a company realtively recently formed from some of the Krieger barrel employees. Lilja and Hart or many of the benchrest record holders can work equaly well. Mike Rock would be my choice only because I want a cut rifled barrel for my next project. There are several benchrest shooting supply houses which stock barrel blanks in the caliber and twist you desire, possibly even a Bartlein! You may want to try that route. Good luck as I think your project is shaping up nicely.

One last passing thought. You may wish to have the barrel throated just a little bit short, because it will be sure to lengthen in this dimension.

Just a little mine you.

quote:

Originally posted by 308Sako:
One last passing thought. You may wish to have the barrel throated just a little bit short, because it will be sure to lengthen in this dimension.

Just a little mine you.

308 Sako is right on IMO.

This (I believe it is still considered a wildcat) can eat up throats pretty quickly and if I was investing my hard earned money into a custom action, barrel and stock,etc., I would consider buying a custom reamer that would compliment the bullets I would like to shoot. When compared to the cost of other components of your build it may be the cheapest item.

Then plan the barrel dimensions so as to allow for one barrel set-back.

Start with the longest barrel you want and then add an inch or two.

This will allow you to use slow powders, achieve the velocity you desire and still keep throat erosion to a minimum.

If you decide you don't like the 6-284 chambering, you may lose $50 on the resale of the reamer that was used twice. Certainly not much in the scheme of things.

And because it is Friday night..........

Jim

You might check what velocity the bergers will be accurate at..... I have read and been warned a couple of times that these VLDs do not like being launched at excessive velocity. No point in building something intrinsicaly flawed.

1894mk2, thanks for the heads up, i'll check it out. I was planning on pushing the 95gr pills about 3400-3500fps (3500 may be a little optimistic).

I remember reading about this persons experiments with heavy bullets in (from memory) a 6mm Ackley.

http://ncvarminter.com/heavy22.htm

From memory he found that the berger VLDs would only shoot at velocities one could get from a standard 6mm/243. Unfortunately the link to his old page no longer works.

If you read his 22-250AI you can see that he seemed to have the same problems with that and VLDs..... I doubt the 6mms are that much stronger in jacket etc>

My investigations with a well known accuracy smith who builds F class rifles, long range bench etc was that the VLDs did not like to be launched too fast.

Soooo I would be really careful. I should say I have zero real life experience of all this because I decided it wasn't really for me and that I could do all I needed with a 26" sporter weight 243 shooting 87gr Vmaxes!