I am wanting to rebarrel a short commercial mauser action and build a heavy barreled target / varmint rifle. I am thinking of going with the 25/284. I am not looking for competition just knocking gongs around at the local range and out at the farm smacking a groundhog or so and still have enough gun if I chose to take it out for deer. I hunt open fields and ride to my spot on an atv so building a heavy barreled rifle is no problem in respect to getting it to the woods or fields.

What little I have read on this caliber makes it look like a good option as I always wanted a 25-06 but never got one. I am looking for guys who shoot this caliber to chime in with their thoughts.

Case capacity puts this cartridge right with the .25-06, so there is your answer if you must shoot a 1/4 bore. But the 6.5/284 is a generally more accurate cartridge, and the 6/284 a bit better woodchuck rifle. Better bullets for the most part to be found in the 6 or 6.5 calibers. All will work for the occasional deer at any reasonable range. I shoot the two which bracket your pick, and a .257 Ackley which I dearly love. Good hunting.

Don,

I have one on a Mauser...incredibly accurate.

Duplicates 25-06 ballistics easily, with no evidence of excessive pressures.

The TSX 100 grain bullet gives me the best accuracy of all the projectiles I've tried.

In my rifle velocities were reached with at least 2 grains less powder than listed for the 25-06.

No reason not to own one.

Garrett

Garrett,
What length barrel do you have?

I've worked off and on for the last 35 years with a .25-284 that belongs to a good friend. I can't say that it does anything that a similar 25-05 wouldn't, but this particular gun (26" HB) achieves outstanding velocities and has always exhibited excellent accuracy. Now that 6.5-284 brass is factory available, I would choose it to form from since it would only take a reduction of .007" in the neck and shouldn't require any neck trimming or reaming as working from .284 brass may.