6.5x284 start up

[Jim n Iowa]

I am thinking of a long range part bench and part hunting. I mean to say it is not a carry across the mountains gun nor would it be strickly a bench rest gun. Having never ventured into this area, I look for your input. I have heard that the 6mm and the 6.5 with a 284 can produce very good accuracy at say 600 yds if the shooter does their part.
What rifle is recommended  to start with as a base?
And what rate of twist should the barrel have?
Thanks
Jim

[springer222]

Rate-of-twist will depend on the bullet used. Check out one of the barrel maker's website for a chart with recommended rate-of-twist. Shilen has one http://www.shilen.com/calibers.htm as I'm sure others do also.

My belief is the action is personal preference; the right crasftman can make most shoot better than the triggerman.

[jhm]

JiminIowa :  If you decide to go with the 6mm-284 let me know as I have a of RCBS dies you might need.    JIM

[lowertroll]

I have a circa 1950s gun built by FN for Browning and released through Canada.  It was a 6mm-284 with short, semi-shotout barrel when I got it. The 6 worked well for deer, but I wanted a new barrel and opted for the 6.5-284 because it was getting great press for long range matchs and the 6.5 bullets have a reputation as a real killer---what more can a hunter want.
284 brass forms easily to 6.5.  My gun likes the 129 gr Hornadys and the 130 TSX (shot muledeer at 340 yds last year).
I recommend using a long action so you can seat the bullets out where they need to be.  Yes I know the 284 was developed for 308 length actions, but you can get more performance with a longer action. My 284 Ruger is a rebarreled long action.
There is quite a bit of load data out there now for the 6.5-284.  I would share my data if requested---the project is ongoing, and the manuals all seem to be highly underloaded to me.  
 There is no reason not to size down 284 brass versus the high price of head stamped 6.5-284 brass.

[1dahunter]

I took a Jap Arisaka and had it chambered for the 6.5x284 one very accurate and powerfull long distance shooter!

[Nobade]

Nothing wrong with using necked down .284 brass for hunting, but this poster mentioned long range benchrest as well. For that I'd use Lapua 6.5-284 brass that's been match prepped, weighed, etc. You've got to be seeing SDs in the low single digits to be doing much at 1000 yd and not have too much vertical dispersion. As for actions, we've had good luck with blueprinted Remingtons, the large Panda, and using Speedy Gonzales's sleeve to make a Rem look like a Panda so you can use proper stocks. They all work, but a gun to do both this game and hunt as well wouldn't work too well for either. Best to build two rifles.

[blacky1755]

There is 2 articles in the july 2004 issue of the Varmint Hunter Mag ,which might help ya. One by Bill Shehane,  claims to use for varmint hunting is a 9-inch twist barrel , with most of them 28 to 30 inches long.  8" or 8.5" for  1,000 yard bench rest competition. The 9" barrel uses 140- to -147 grain bullets and cruise at 3,050 to 3,100 fps. He be your Man to talk to or setting you up the rifle!