6.5 x 284 Win. and 6.5 x 284 Norma, What's the difference?

[Minnesota1]

Just a quick question to find out the difference between the Winchester and the Norma 6.5 x 284?  I'm looking for brass and I see both but am unfamiliar with the differences or if they are interchangeable.  Thanks for your input.

[jedman]

  They are the same round, interchageable, If you have a 6.5 X 284 FL sizeing die you can size a 284 Win. case in one pass. I use to have a Mauser 98 in that caliber and make my own  brass all the time.
284 win brass use to be easy to get but cost about 50 to 75 % more than 30/06 or 308 new.  I have not seen what it goes for lately or if it's hard to find.

[stimpylu32]

Minnesota1

Their not quite the exact case but you can form a Win case with the Norma brass , the biggest differance it that the Norma case is longer from the base to the first angle of the shoulder by .204 , both use a 35 deg. shoulder but the Norma has a much shorter shoulder .

I don't think that a Win round would properly Headspace in a Norma chamber without first forming a false shoulder to allow it to fire form .

http://stevespages.com/page8d.htm

stimpy

[jedman]

  The confusion between the two cartridge drawings on stevespages is the dimention to the shoulder on the 6.5 x 284 Win. is at .200 from the rim .    Jedman

[stimpylu32]

jedman

Very good catch , I did not notice that when I was looking at the drawings , looks like they changed the Norma brass just enough that they could avoid a patend problem .

I stand corrected  you were right .

stimpy

[jedman]

  What is confusing to me on some of these cartridge drawings is, usually the major head diameter is given at the point where the case head goes from solid brass ( expands very little ) to where the case has powder capacity (expands to chamber at fireing ).  Most common brass that is at .200 from the base, but take for example the 7 MM Dakota it is .130 ? the 6.5 Jap and 6.5 Carcano .150, alot of the belted mags at .219 / .220 but some at .250   
 I notice quite a difference in powder capacity between different brands of brass of the same caliber, due to the brass thickness and possibly due to how much of the case head is solid.
Back when I owned a 6.5 X 284 it was a wildcat that you made your own brass for, and remember a smith telling me that when chambering the 6 X 284, and the 6.5 X 284 he used the same ( 284 Win. ) headspace gauge for all of them.
I take these drawings for what they are, a general guideline but if you compare fired cases of the same cal. from different brand guns ( factory, custom, target rifles ect. they are all a little different because of the reamer used or headspace.    Jed

[GregP42]

Guys,

The one really big difference is that Norma set the neck at .297 outside diameter. My 6.5x284 has a .293 neck on it. With the wildcat version the neck can be just about anything, that is the one thing you really have to watch out for. That .005 of an inch can make it so the brass can not release the bullet and then your pressure goes through the roof. I have thought about getting a standard Norma reamer to run in mine to open it up, but then I have all my brass already turned and reamed for that chamber, maybe when I burn out the throat and have to set back the barrel then I will do it and replace all my brass.

Greg