I want to build a 6.5/284 for deer hunting. I'm leaning towards another Hart barrel. What length and contour would you suggest?

Bobby B.

24" #4 or #5

If it is for deer hunting and not target, I would go 24" (because of the noise) and #2 or #3. Mine is a #1 with a 20" barrel and it is way too short. Way too loud, louder than my brother's 300 Win Mag and at dusk my daughter calls it the "flamethrower".

Depends on what type of hunting that you do:

For a bean field rifle (sitting in a raised blind shooting past 300 yards) I woud say a 26" #5 contour

For a stalking rifle (although why you would choose a 6.5x284 for this I don't know) I would say a #4 at 22"

For other applications, something in between.

Recently, I had a 26" Hart #4 chambered for 7RM and a 26" Hart #4 chambered for 6/284. Both are in Harry Lawson Cochise Thumbhole stocks. The 7RM was built intened for African PG and the 6/284 for whacking coyotes. Both rilfes are fairly heavy, too heavy for a deer rifle intended for general purpose.

I was thinking maybe a #2 or #3 in 24" chambered for the 6.5/284.

Personally, I think a 6.5/284 loaded with 130 VLD's is a great deer load.

Bobby B.

for me it would be 22" and #1 contour