Texas Hunting Forum
6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler
Posted By: NewJeep
6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/16/14 07:51 PM
Which one would you choose and why? I am torn.
Got a rifle boxed up and headed to Horizon tomorrow for a make over.
Currently a .270 that has been well used for a long time.
Posted By: Gravytrain
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 07:56 PM
Tough choice, do you reload any calibers now?
Posted By: NewJeep
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 08:04 PM
Yes I do reload.
Posted By: Gravytrain
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 08:16 PM
Any of it 6.5 or 7mm? Or just the 270?
Posted By: NewJeep
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 08:47 PM
Have another .270 going to him to get a tune up.
Posted By: Buzzsaw
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 09:00 PM
flip a coin...the .280 barrel might last longer, both are fine cartridges in my opinion. As far as any HARD facts why one over the other, don't know, components should be readily available for both too.
The boys at Horizon are really getting my attention here . I may have to buy a Wally World 700 and send them a project??
Posted By: RiverRider
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 09:12 PM
Is .280 AI on the radar? If I was thinking of a conversion to .280 anyway, I'd sure look at it.
Posted By: NewJeep
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 09:15 PM
What about the 26 Nosler? Thinking I might
Posted By: Buzzsaw
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 09:27 PM
short Barrel life, if it matters, I had to make that call when I had my 6.5 Weatherby built. 6.5's are all the rage now. Sometimes bullets are hard to get.
Posted By: Buzzsaw
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 09:27 PM
Does Horizon have a .26 Nosler reamer?
Posted By: NewJeep
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 09:35 PM
Not sure
Posted By: dee
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 09:40 PM
280AI would be my choice.
While we're on the 26 Nosler topic I think a 7mm-26 Nosler sounds like a great idea. Very similar to the 7mm LRM but maybe cheaper brass.
Posted By: NewJeep
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 09:42 PM
Only thing that is steering me away from .280 is I have a 7mm. Lol
Posted By: glb1955
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 09:46 PM
I have both and I like them. Both shoot very well. Depends on what you want to do with it I guess. Derrick built the .280 that I used in Utah a few weeks ago. It flat out shoots. Shoots the 160 Accubonds very well. Derrick will make sure it is a shooter. That is the second rifle I have had him build for me and he is working on another. Great guy to work with.
g
Posted By: RiverRider
Re: 6.5x284 or 280? - 11/16/14 09:47 PM
Yeah, I'd pause right there too. But then the 6.5 x 284 wouldn't be all that different from the 7 Mag either. So how about 6mm x 284? It's a hotdog!
Posted By: glb1955
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/16/14 10:24 PM
Hey Jeep
You know that Derrick can do a 6mm Creedmore too, just to muddy the water some more for you.
g
Posted By: NewJeep
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/16/14 10:33 PM
Sticking with long action. Since this is a rebarrel.
Posted By: NewJeep
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/16/14 10:36 PM
I plan on doing a .22 creed next
Posted By: WileyCoyote
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/16/14 10:46 PM
No bad choices there IMO but brass is an issue for the 26 & 284 I'm told and not something you can make out of something else. Go bigger than 7MM Caliber have any interest...or you could do a 6.5 x'06 instead of the 284 version....6.5x47 ??
Ron
Posted By: NewJeep
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/16/14 10:49 PM
Wiley-why the popcorn?
What are your thoughts?
Posted By: WileyCoyote
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/16/14 11:47 PM
I'm going the other way and downsizing what's left of the "herd" to simplify stuff to not more than 2 TWO dos zwei calibers. Right now I'm running a 260, 270, 300WSM and a 9.3x62, which is down from mebbe 6 or 7 calibers and a dozen shooters 5-6-7 years ago. I'd rather spend my money on Hunts and travelling than on keeping an inventory of shooters stocked with supplies at todays prices and limited availabilty, TMI for here.
I seem to be gravitating to not more than 1 or mebbe 2 calibers either in 6.5 or 7mm ...& mebbe a cheap TC Venture grade plinker in 223, 308 or Mauser M85 7.62 x39 aka cheap ammo to find or load for. The 308 TC Venture Weathershield & MO Camo I bought earlier this year and sold last week could fulfill that short range deer sized plinker carbine role too with Milsurp brass. I saw a used cherry Beee'S2 standard blue/syn 300WBy on GB couple hours ago go unbid on with No Reserve and a starting $ at $ZERO...thought about it @ $100 or mebbe $200...but what would I do with another mouth to feed large chunks of powder that'll melt C&C boolits outta 'spensive brass!!!
However, I'm not looking to become another LR shooter, nothing against it but don't feel like I have enough usable time left to acquire the skill set... just want something for under 200+ yards in a carbine length to still hunt & use in a 1 Man popup with tight quarters & limited elbow room, and then a longer range up to 4-500 yard 24-26" barrel shooter like a 264 in x55, CM or 260 something and mebbe a 280 AI - cheapest too shoot powder wise too out of the Big 7's!! or WSM even a STW something for MPBR at 400 yards with a decent 2nd FP Duplex...or 2 shooters set up the same way in 284's like a 7x57/7-08 & ? ...who knows right now.
FWIW I'm going to use a couple mid price range factory built platforms and spend the rest of the budget money on as Good a Glass as I can afford. Hence my focus on T3's & Vanguards right now as IMO the Overall Best Value on the market tight now.
FYI Wby lists a 6.5 Creedmore on it's Web Site's data sheet as being available but I can't find one anywhere. Ruger has a new med weight Bull Barrel Lam stock 9lb? 26" barreled Hawkeye in CreedMore too at just past T3 SS/Hunter MSRP's too...a little lighter than their VT....not Derrick's quality for sure, but I'm on a thin shoe string budget, with all the never ending Med Problems in the house. A para legal buddy got my DinL's Will & DNR paperwork executed yesterday just in case.
Thought about a 257'Beee & and a Rbts too but believe the 120gr max sized boolits are too limiting & had that problem years ago with a std MV Fwt Rbts that would not shoot anything heavier than 100gr'ers, loved using it for the Short Gun paradign I'm talking about, that both a 264 or a 284 provide a better solution for.
Anyway those are my thoughts. Just gotta sell what I got to fund in cash what I can afford to do, and only limited by my imagination, steal off GB and a desire to make things simpler & easier to control.
Ron
Posted By: HorizonFirearms
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 12:40 AM
Does Horizon have a .26 Nosler reamer?
Yes but I need to check I believe its a magnum bolt face
Posted By: HorizonFirearms
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 12:41 AM
Hey Jeep
You know that Derrick can do a 6mm Creedmore too, just to muddy the water some more for you.
g
Ask D stroud that is a bad little round for distance shooting
Posted By: kmon11
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 12:45 AM
Does Horizon have a .26 Nosler reamer?
Yes but I need to check I believe its a magnum bolt face
It is a magnum bolt face.
Posted By: J.G.
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 12:50 AM
Only thing that is steering me away from .280 is I have a 7mm. Lol
My knee jerk reaction from reading the title was 280. Load it with a 168 gr and let it eat.
But since you have a (what I presume is) 7 Rem Mag, I lean away.
So you have a 30-06 action? And Horizon's 26 Nosler reamer is mag bolt face?
The answer to this riddle is 6.5-06
Posted By: kmon11
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 12:58 AM
Bought a Cooper M52 in 6.5-284 a few years ago, no regrets on caliber or rifle. Lapua and Nosler brass are not difficult to find. The case design much like the Ackley Improved cartridges does not stretch as much as more tapered cases so case trimming is not required as often.
If you are thinking about a barrel less than 24 inches I would look at other cartridges, but with 24 inches or longer barrel I really like the 6.5-284. Be it at the range or hunting it works great.
Posted By: HorizonFirearms
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 01:44 AM
6.5-06 is a good option so is the 6.5-284 with factory ammo available tuff to beat
Posted By: NewJeep
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 02:50 AM
Y'all are killing me! Lol
I might just tell Derrick to surprise me when he is done! Lol
That way I don't have to make the decision.
Posted By: J.G.
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 03:04 AM
Since you have a 7 Rem Mag (the big brother) why build a 280 or 280 A.I. (the middle brother)?
You have a 30-06 action but no 6.5mm cartridge. So 6.5-284 or 6.5-06 is the next logical choice.
Or run a 6mm at lightening fast, barrel burning speed, as Riverrider suggested.
There's three options. Pick one.
Posted By: J.G.
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 03:06 AM
If you do go 6mm, might as well get the twist to stabilize the heaviest 6mm bullet you can get your hands on.
Posted By: HorizonFirearms
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 05:28 AM
6-06 with the 105s is interesting
Posted By: NewJeep
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 12:38 PM
Posted By: Brother in-law
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 01:13 PM
6-06 with the 105s is interesting
I wonder how fast it would go?
Posted By: J.G.
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 02:03 PM
I bid 3200 fps +
Posted By: 505ed
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 02:28 PM
With something like Reloader 22 or 7828 you might even edge that by 50-75 fps...
Ed
Posted By: kmon11
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 02:30 PM
Sounds about right. Was going to say about the same as 240 WBY but this sums up the 6mm-06
http://www.rifleshootermag.com/ammo/ammunition_rs_6mm06wildcat_200808/
Posted By: Judd
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 03:18 PM
6.5-284 would be my vote. I'd run one in our benchrest matches if I could get more life from a barrel or I chambered them myself.
Posted By: Texote69
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 03:43 PM
Another vote for the 6.5-284
Posted By: NewJeep
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 07:42 PM
6.5-284 it is!
Posted By: J.G.
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 07:48 PM
Good call!
Now get you some 140 gr 6.5 mm bullets.
Posted By: NewJeep
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 07:50 PM
That is the plan. I am going to start buying all the stuff now.
Reasons I went with 6.5-284
Barrel life is better than 26 Nosler
4350 and 4831 are good powders for 6.5-284 (I already have a bunch)
Only a few hundred FPS slower
It is a proven caliber
Posted By: NewJeep
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 07:54 PM
After Derrick finishes this one he will be finishing out the New barreled action I got. Along with restocking and timney trigger in a .270. But I want to get this one knocked out first.
Posted By: Judd
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 09:35 PM
Congrats & good choice...I don't see any way in the world you won't be happy.
Posted By: Buzzsaw
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/17/14 10:33 PM
If finances allow and you shoot allot, maybe buy two barrels and have Derrick chamber both at the same time??
Cant wait to see it.... I like what Derrick is doing.....
Posted By: 505ed
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/18/14 02:30 AM
That is the plan. I am going to start buying all the stuff now.
Reasons I went with 6.5-284
Barrel life is better than 26 Nosler
4350 and 4831 are good powders for 6.5-284 (I already have a bunch)
Only a few hundred FPS slower
It is a proven caliber
Love the 6.5x284. I want to take to task barrel life. I have a 220 swift with 680 "ish" rounds down the tube, I am going to make an effort the next 2 years to shoot it out just to prove that it is harder than you think...no long shooting strings, just treat it normal, most guys worried about barrel life will never shoot it enough to replace a barrel. I can afford 22 bullets and some powder...so here we go...
Posted By: J.G.
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/18/14 03:22 AM
Go prairie dog shooting with it, and report back.
Every year I shoot about 500 rounds in 2 1/2 days. So about every three years I have to replace the barrel on that rifle.
Posted By: colt45-90
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/18/14 03:52 AM
don't mean to high jack the op, I have a couple of 700 BDL's with varmit barrels, 22-250 & 6MM, I don't shoot either, both are 99% condition, what could I go to & not change barrel, I already have a 6MM-22
Posted By: J.G.
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/18/14 04:06 AM
22-250 could be turned into a 22 Creedmoor or 22-243. But with the twist it has I wouldn't mess with it.
The 6mm barrel could be rechambered in 6 Creedmoor or 243.
My smith says setting back or rechambering is more work than a barrel blank, though.
Posted By: 505ed
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/18/14 04:10 AM
Go prairie dog shooting with it, and report back.
Every year I shoot about 500 rounds in 2 1/2 days. So about every three years I have to replace the barrel on that rifle.
Sounds like a grand idea. I have been a few times. I have a friend in eastern WY that I have a standing invite to, it was fun, but the time away when the hunting is good is tough. I go to my friends in Raton almost every year, but it is more spot and stalk dogs as the density in the towns is not that good, here I am 2 years ago wacking a few dogs with a 222...
You should try to salt bath nitride your barrel (QPQ), it will sure extend the life of your barrels...I have a friend that has one that has over 8,000 rounds of 8x57 down the tube. It will still hold MOA. They use it in a Cinema in Germany. Lots of rounds get shot
Ed
Posted By: J.G.
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/18/14 11:26 AM
It's a ton of fun when you're in a dense town isn't it.
I'll look into the salt nitride.
Posted By: Judd
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/18/14 03:03 PM
I'll look into the salt nitride.
I had a "batch" of BR buddies that sent some barrels off to have it done. My smith swears by it...he says it can double the life of his 6 dashers. It also hardens the barrel to the point that a set back is impossible.
Oh and as I understand it salt nitride = melonite, same same.
That "batch" of buddies don't have many rounds down it so I'm waiting to see. My main point of hesitation is there are barrels that are better than others (aka "hummers") and if I don't have one then I don't want it coated. If I do have one and I do have it coated is it going to mess with its properties and change it. For me it really is a catch 22 situation. Plus, I like new barrels
I need to break down and put a lathe in the garage and learn how to do it.
Posted By: oulufinn
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/18/14 03:10 PM
Nice! Be sure to consider using Lapua brass. I use it in my 25-284 & it lasts a looong time if you don't hotrod it too badly. If I had it to do over, I'd have done the 6.5 version over the .25 version.
I'd also be sure to not get a tight chamber that requires neck turning though you shouyld be ok with not having to neck down like with a .25 cal.
Posted By: kmon11
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/18/14 05:02 PM
Good choice of the 6.5-284
Lapua and Nosler brass are both good choices for the 6.5-284 or any other caliber.
H4381SC is the only powder I have tried in the 6.5-284 and with the way it shoots with it I might never try another powder. My shooting ability is by far the most limiting accuracy factor of accuracy with this rig.
I bet Derrick will make it into a great rifle.
Posted By: Revoman
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/18/14 06:49 PM
280 AI, currently shooting a Remington LSS 280 and love it. If I ever re barrel it will be an AI. Dang near same performance at 7 mag without recoil and noise. I'm pushing a 140 gr Accubond pretty hot
Posted By: ccoker
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/18/14 07:11 PM
Love my Nosler 280AI
Posted By: Branden
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/18/14 07:36 PM
That is the plan. I am going to start buying all the stuff now.
Reasons I went with 6.5-284
Barrel life is better than 26 Nosler
4350 and 4831 are good powders for 6.5-284 (I already have a bunch)
Only a few hundred FPS slower
It is a proven caliber
may look into Retumbo aswell I get little more velocity out of it with tight groups 4350 is really good to, haven't found the recipe for 4831SC yet with 1/4-1/2" groups. You will like the 6.5-284 he just did mine this spring and just got around to mess with it, due to building new house I'll post up pics tonight.
Posted By: colt45-90
Re: 6.5x284 or 280 or 26 Nosler - 11/18/14 07:50 PM
22-250 could be turned into a 22 Creedmoor or 22-243. But with the twist it has I wouldn't mess with it.
The 6mm barrel could be rechambered in 6 Creedmoor or 243.
My smith says setting back or rechambering is more work than a barrel blank, though.
thanks for the input Jason, guess I will try to sell or trade