6.5x284

S

shelton573

Active member
I always thought this was a pretty cool round, but I am curious if there is any advantage to it when shooting 140 gr bullets over say the 6.5 creedmoor, 260, etc. I have been reading on 6.5-284 and the 6.5-06 a little bit here lately. What are some pros and cons of the round in everyone's opinion? Also, if you used a Remington 700 action, would it be best to run a long action?
 
Pressure being equal, the 6.5-284 due to its larger case capacity is going to shoot a little faster, 75-100fps faster give or take.

You can get Lapua brass for all three so neither has any advantage there.

Biggest difference is the 6.5 Creed and 260 Rem can be maxed out to their fullest in a short action.

For me, I'd never do a straight 6.5-06 over a 6.5-284, the 6.5-284 is just to darn easy, has better brass, unless you neck down Lapua 30-06 brass, and they're virtually ballistic twins, but if you want to go 6.5-06AI, then there is a little more velocity to be gained. I have both a 6.5-284 and a 6.5-06AI. The 6.5-06AI will shoot the 140 Bergers about 50-75fps faster than my 6.5-284 but there is much more work and expense involved in the 6.5-06AI.

I'm a big fan of the 6.5-284 but with Lapua now offering 260Rem and 6.5 Creed brass, they're hard to overlook.
 
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Originally Posted By: B23Pressure being equal, the 6.5-284 due to its larger case capacity is going to shoot a little faster, 75-100fps faster give or take.

You can get Lapua brass for all three so neither has any advantage there.

Biggest difference is the 6.5 Creed and 260 Rem can be maxed out to their fullest in a short action.

For me, I'd never do a straight 6.5-06 over a 6.5-284, the 6.5-284 is just to darn easy, has better brass, unless you neck down Lapua 30-06 brass, and they're virtually ballistic twins, but if you want to go 6.5-06AI, then there is a little more velocity to be gained. I have both a 6.5-284 and a 6.5-06AI. The 6.5-06AI will shoot the 140 Bergers about 50-75fps faster than my 6.5-284 but there is much more work and expense involved in the 6.5-06AI.

I'm a big fan of the 6.5-284 but with Lapua now offering 260Rem and 6.5 Creed brass, they're hard to overlook.

Thanks for the info B23! I put together a 6.5 Creedmoor for my buddy a couple years ago and really like the performance and accuracy. I am about to start a 260 rem for another buddy here shortly. I just kind of want something different. Everything I read seems like you can flip a coin on any of those cartridges and they will all perform about the same. The main focus would be deer/coyote/target/steel use...no specific focus really.
 
Long action for sure, unless it is a single shot.
6.5-284 will easily outrun the Creed and 260.
6.5-06 typically will run faster than the 6.5-284
 
I have a 6.5-284 built from what was once a short action Ruger 77 tang safety rifle originally chambered in 284 Win. In 284 Win caliber it didn't shoot worth a hill of beans due to a bad barrel.

Re-barreled in 6.5-284 it's one of my favorite deer sized/big game hunting rifles and cartridge.
 
Ugh, we just went through this whole debate about using a SA 700 for a 6.5-284 build versus a long action.

The problem with using a SA 700 for a 6.5-284 is they always want to throat the thing the same as if it were a LA build and you run out of room in the magazine and either can't reach the lands or you have to single feed it. If the build is throated appropriately for a SA it's no big deal, you seat the bullet a little deeper and just end up losing a tiny amount of case capacity but that'll translate to VERY minimal amount of velocity loss.
 
Originally Posted By: B23Ugh, we just went through this whole debate about using a SA 700 for a 6.5-284 build versus a long action.

The problem with using a SA 700 for a 6.5-284 is they always want to throat the thing the same as if it were a LA build and you run out of room in the magazine and either can't reach the lands or you have to single feed it. If the build is throated appropriately for a SA it's no big deal, you seat the bullet a little deeper and just end up losing a tiny amount of case capacity but that'll translate to VERY minimal amount of velocity loss.

That's what I figured. Thanks for the info
 
Originally Posted By: B23Ugh, we just went through this whole debate about using a SA 700 for a 6.5-284 build versus a long action.

The problem with using a SA 700 for a 6.5-284 is they always want to throat the thing the same as if it were a LA build and you run out of room in the magazine and either can't reach the lands or you have to single feed it. If the build is throated appropriately for a SA it's no big deal, you seat the bullet a little deeper and just end up losing a tiny amount of case capacity but that'll translate to VERY minimal amount of velocity loss.

Ugh, they'll throat it how you want it throated if you use a decent gun smith who knows what he's doing. And in case you didn't notice in your haste, mine was built on a short action Ruger 77 tanger.
 
Originally Posted By: Winny FanOriginally Posted By: B23Ugh, we just went through this whole debate about using a SA 700 for a 6.5-284 build versus a long action.

The problem with using a SA 700 for a 6.5-284 is they always want to throat the thing the same as if it were a LA build and you run out of room in the magazine and either can't reach the lands or you have to single feed it. If the build is throated appropriately for a SA it's no big deal, you seat the bullet a little deeper and just end up losing a tiny amount of case capacity but that'll translate to VERY minimal amount of velocity loss.

Ugh, they'll throat it how you want it throated if you use a decent gun smith who knows what he's doing. And in case you didn't notice in your haste, mine was built on a short action Ruger 77 tanger.

LOL I did notice that Winny, but I wasn't referring to your post, sorry if you thought I was.
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What are realistic FPS numbers out of this caliber with a 140 gr bullet? I plan on running a 24" barrel. There is talk of guys running retumbo, h1000 and RL26 pushing them around 3100 fps. Is that realistic or just internet talk?
 
Originally Posted By: shelton573What are realistic FPS numbers out of this caliber with a 140 gr bullet? I plan on running a 24" barrel. There is talk of guys running retumbo, h1000 and RL26 pushing them around 3100 fps. Is that realistic or just internet talk?

I'm sure you can find all sorts of claims to those kinds of velocities and probably even some that really are getting them but if they are, I'll bet they are pushing them to pretty high pressure levels, too.

With some of the new powders that have come out in the last few years we've seen velocities that before were only attained through running things into the red so even though some of these new powders like RL17 and RL26 have helped increase FPS numbers, running things full tilt and beyond, all the time, just to boost velocities isn't necessarily a good thing.

Without some kind of special throat design, I don't know that 3100 from a 24in tube and 140's is a very reasonable expectation but with a powder like RL26 I think 3000fps would likely be attainable without going crazy on pressure.
 
I didn't figure it was very likely without really pushing the limits. I run a fairly stout load of RL26 in my 6 creedmoor with good velocity and have no pressure signs what so ever, but I know there is a lot more to pressure than just visual signs. My plan would be to run RL26, Retumbo or H1000 in the 6.5x284, but the high velocity claims out of a 24" barrel seem kind of out there. I have a buddy with a 6.5 leopard (6.5-300 wsm) running 130 bergers at about 3200ish if I remember correctly in a 26" barrel with Retumbo, so to think the 140 will do nearly that out of a 24" with less powder seems a bit out of reach to me but just wanted to check.
 
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