6.5X284 loads

littlebighorn

Long Time Member
Messages
5,302
I'm about to get a new toy and I'm wondering if any of you have worked up loads that work well for this cartridge.
I'm planning to shoot 143g ELDXs if they will group in this rifle (or something similar)
 
I shoot 140 gr partitions in my 65x284. I use 51.5 gr H-4831sc, Lapua brass and federal primers. Get a 1/2? group. Not the fastest load but accurate.
 
I have tried h4350, h4831 and h1000 and h4350 worked best for me. Always shot 142 SMKs and CCI BR primers.
 
140 Berger is a proven killer in that cartridge. Load it up to 2900-2950 and it will do everything you need it to.


2a0fcsk.gif
 
Sounds like Zeke finally got to you. ? But I guess it doesn't take to much to talk us into a new rifle.
 
Yep BJ,
It started with thoughts of re-barreling a shot-out 257 Roberts, and ended up as a whole new rig! Zeke is a smooth tonged devil when it comes to rifles...and houses...and everything else! But yes, I'm easy prey when it comes to being talked into new toys. All he really had to do was suggest it.

It's a "purdy little thing" and if it shoots... well :) :) :D
 
>Yep BJ,
>It started with thoughts of re-barreling
>a shot-out 257 Roberts, and
>ended up as a whole
>new rig! Zeke is
>a smooth tonged devil when
>it comes to rifles...and houses...and
>everything else! But yes,
>I'm easy prey when it
>comes to being talked into
>new toys. All he
>really had to do was
>suggest it.
>
>It's a "purdy little thing" and
>if it shoots... well :)
>:) :D


Well why haven't we seen the new rig ! You know we all like to see a new set up. Even if it isn't our own.
 
so.....you made the right choice and made it a long action instead of rebarrelling the roberts...??



497fc2397b939f19.jpg
 
Every 6.5 I own...(6.5x47 lapua, 6.5x284, 6.5 Swede, 260 rem) all shoot damn near anything really well. I shoot 140 Berger?s over H4350 with my 284 tho. Just shy of 2800 FPS.

))))----------->
 
Yep Homer, but that old Bob used to be a tack driver and a delight to shoot. Now I'm hoping this 6.5X 284 will do the same, with a little more punch. Thanks guys, and keep those pet loads coming!!!
I'll probably shoot the barrel out of this one too, trying to find that perfect recipe.

BJ, as soon as I get the scope on, I'll post a pic for ya.
 
>Yep Homer, but that old Bob
>used to be a tack
>driver and a delight to
>shoot. Now I'm hoping
>this 6.5X 284 will do
>the same, with a little
>more punch. Thanks guys,
>and keep those pet loads
>coming!!!
>I'll probably shoot the barrel out
>of this one too, trying
>to find that perfect recipe.
>
>
>BJ, as soon as I get
>the scope on, I'll post
>a pic for ya.

Ok ! I know the 6.5x284 is a classic sheep round. But I think my next gun is going to be a 6.5 PRC. Except I am trying to finish up my long range muzzleloader. Just need to buy a scope and rings. But I am rescoping my daughters 270 right now. For her youth elk hunt. I want to try the SIG BDX system for her.
 
Sounds like a winner LBH! I'm sure Kyle will get you dialed in.
I'd start with Retumbo with the 143. RL26 would be a good choice but it's very hard to find lately.
 
Just finished my load workup on my 6.5 X 284. Shot several powders and decided on H4350. I use this powder in 243, 6.5 cm and now 6.5X284. Anyway started at 46.5 grns and did group size with 5 shot strings tossing out any called flyers. Increased loads by .2 grns until I was at 48.7 ,at that point my primers started showing presure signs. I had best groups at the 47.2 to 47.7. I have to admit I was disapointed my velocity at 47.7 was 2840. This rifle is on its second barrel, its a bottom bolt release mod 11 lrh. I bought this barrel off savage shooters for $115 unfired but its only 24". My origonal was 26" and I could stuff the case with Rutumbo and get 2930 fps. I get 2716 fps in my 26" creedmoor with 40.5 h4350 and 143eldms anyway, shows h4350 like the extra 2" of pipe. So, after playing around and back and forth I decided on Lapua cases ,cci 200 primers, 47.5 grns H4350 143grn ELDX chrono at 2811 fps at 90F what did suprise me was .34 5 shot group @ 100yds and 3-3/16" 5 shot group @ 500 ! This rivals my creedmoor! I couldnt be happier with how it all came together. 5 months ago I bought the cheepo barrel with the idea of selling this gun off and building a new one. I think ill keep it now lol.
 
Oh my HE!!, that's beautiful....but you left out the best part of the photo. THE RAM'S HEAD, replete with Booner horns!

Zeke

#livelikezac
 
>Just picked up this little beauty
>from the Zekester
>I promised a picture BIGJOHNT so
>here you go!
>
>
61310img1606.jpg



She's a beauty ! What does she weigh ?
 
We are focused on your work Zeke, not the taxidermy! :) The backdrop was only a tease. If I ever draw a desert bighorn in Nevada, I'll be taking your handiwork with me!

I don't know the weight BJ! It's got a long tube and action so it's not a super lightweight!
But it's definitiely a mountain rifle because I don't own anything else. I'm too old to pack a cannon. Maybe Zeke weighed it before it left his place?
 
I did not weigh it.

The thing is certainly a mountain hunter's rifle but it's not a featherweight. We all shoot better with a bit of mass. Besides, LBH is way tougher than he leads on.

For a long action and a long barrel, its about as light as it can possibly be with fluting and a Wildcat blank.

We could have saved a couple ounces but LBH wanted it bedded and painted. LOL

Zeke

#livelikezac
 
Zeke, i may need your services in the near future for this same cartridge... Based off of my Dads Husqvarna Model A action....
 
>I'm about to get a new
>toy and I'm wondering if
>any of you have worked
>up loads that work well
>for this cartridge.
>I'm planning to shoot 143g ELDXs
>if they will group in
>this rifle (or something similar)
>


Take it for what it's worth but I had/witnessed horrendous results with the eldx this year. Had a small raghorn bull take 2 175eldx?s in the boiler from a buddies 28 nosler at under 300 yards. Both hit 4 to 5 inches behind the shoulder, neither one passed through wound channels were less than impressive. Bull made it another 100 yards before I dumped him with a 140 Berger out of a 6.5x47 lapua because the bolt was stuck on the 28 after the second shot.

Second was a muley my brother shot with a 212 in a 300 win.
485 to 500 yards
First shot tucked behind the shoulder
Second shot 2 inches above the first
Third shot hit him in high shoulder and dumped him finally.
Zero pass throughs, rather pathetic on a mule deer with a large 30 cal.

Never again, back to Berger?s for me
 
Wow,
That's a super impressive group Cboy! I'd easily take that in my rig! :)

I'm now totally torn because a friend just came back from Africa and said the first four
animals he shot with his 180g Bergers out of his 7Mag blew up and didn't penetrate at all. They never did find one of them.
So he went to his back up Hornadys for the rest of the hunt.

No question the Bergers are more accurate. My concern is performance since it's a hunting rifle.

So have you shot anything with your 156 EOLs? If so how did they perform?
 
>Wow,
>That's a super impressive group Cboy!
> I'd easily take that
>in my rig! :)
>
>I'm now totally torn because a
>friend just came back from
>Africa and said the first
>four
>animals he shot with his 180g
>Bergers out of his 7Mag
>blew up and didn't penetrate
>at all. They never
>did find one of them.
>
>So he went to his back
>up Hornadys for the rest
>of the hunt.
>
>No question the Bergers are more
>accurate. My concern is
>performance since it's a hunting
>rifle.
>
>So have you shot anything with
>your 156 EOLs? If
>so how did they perform?
>
Berger?s in my 300 Tejas do group better then my Barnes both 168 grain bullets. But I worry about the Berger?s on large thick skin game. Like large bull elk and bigger animals. I have seen to many bull elk after getting hit in the shoulder with a Berger get up and are never seen again. So I choose to hunt with my Barnes bullets. Which in almost every case are complete pass through .
For those that believe in the Kinetic energy theory and pass throughs are bad. I don't. It's about what the bullet hits or destroys that puts a animal down. Not some magic energy the bullet releases on the animal. If you can't even get threw the shoulder to get to the vitals . That's the first strike against you. Do you need energy to push the bullet threw the animal,yes. I also worry about the performance of the Eldx?s bullets as well. A good old Nosler Partition I believe out performs the Eldx. I would still shoot it in my 300 Tejas if it didn't come apart when I shoot it. But it most normal rounds a Partition is still a great bullet as long as it is not pushed to fast.
 
Just started testing them for the 6.5x284 and 6.5 prc.

I can only speak from personal experience; I personally have taken 35 plus biggame game animals with Berger bullets. Ranging from 105 grain 6mm to 230 grain 30 cal, antelope to elk. And have had clients, buddies and family members kill another 30 plus with my rifles using Berger?s.. I've personally only one Berger failure and that was on a cow elk at 450 yards with a 210vld in a 300 lrum. The bullet penciled through her lungs with no expansion. The second bullet performed as it should and killed here DRT.

I've personally killed 3 animals with the eldx/eldms and witnessed another 4. Not saying they won't get the job done I? haven't been that impressed with them at closer ranges along with Hornadys quality control and manufacturing doesn't seem to be that of Berger?s. Along with they can be a little finicky to tune in certain guns. I've found the slower you push them the better they shoot.

Coloradoboy
 
Personal experience is all any of us can ask for, so I appreciate your feedback Cboy. I've never shot a group as good as the one you posted, so obviously your formula is working for you.

I haven't even shot this rig yet, so the ideas on what kind of medicine to feed it is very useful. I am starting with some H4831sc just because I have a pound. I also want to try some RL26, but it's not available anywhere. I may have to pick up other powders and bullets to see where it takes me.

I appreciate the feedback guys, and any other ideas are welcome.
 
4381sc runs well in the 6.5x284. Won?t produce the highest velocities but it's very consistent. The accuracy node for me running 140 to 143s has been at 51.5 grains .

Coloradoboy
 
I promised a report so here it is.
I shot 10 rounds this weekend with pretty poor accuracy results. I was breaking in the barrel so I was cleaning between rounds. I didn't get any MOA groups with different loads.
The velocity was also disappointing. I eventually got to 51.5g of 4831sc with an average of 2790 fps. No signs of pressure so I suppose I could go up, but I'm more concerned about the accuracy.
The eldxs may not work for this rig so I'll probably be looking at some 140 Bergers. I may also try some different powders. Hopefully I will find a combination that works for what I am after.
 
LBH
I'd give the 140 Berger?s a try with H4831 and see how that turns out as your next test. RL26 or Retumbo will give you higher velocity also.
 
LAST EDITED ON Dec-24-19 AT 06:12PM (MST)[p]>I promised a report so here
>it is.
>I shot 10 rounds this weekend
>with pretty poor accuracy results.
> I was breaking in
>the barrel so I was
>cleaning between rounds. I
>didn't get any MOA groups
>with different loads.
>The velocity was also disappointing.
>I eventually got to 51.5g
>of 4831sc with an average
>of 2790 fps. No
>signs of pressure so I
>suppose I could go up,
>but I'm more concerned about
>the accuracy.
>The eldxs may not work for
>this rig so I'll probably
>be looking at some 140
>Bergers. I may also
>try some different powders.
>Hopefully I will find a
>combination that works for what
>I am after.

I am sure it will do better as you break in the barrel ! Don?t Loose faith. Maybe try some factory loaded ammo while you a breaking in the barrel . I saw that HSM has some 140 grain Berger?s loaded up already for you. Merry Christmas by the way. ?
 

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