Thread: 6.5-284

Gday team, I have always wanted to give 6.5-284 a nudge, i had a spare set of 270wsm dies sitting around which I have swapped with another member for some 6.5-284 dies so now I guess im gonna have to get a new rifle on the boil. In all honesty i just want a simple honest gun that works in a hunting scenario, probably wont even bother with supressing it, just something I can slap a vx3 on and go hunting. Im not looking to build a full custom so was thinking my best option would be buying something in 6.5 and having the chamber reamed. Theres a few options floating about at the moment and im just after any opinions and any advice from others that have been down this route. One is a ruger M77 hawkeye in 6.5x55, and another option would be either a winchester model 70 featherweight or a new T3. Had a model 70 featherweight (270) a few years back and I really liked it, also owned a hawkeye in 6.5x55 which was a nice rifle once the terrible trigger was sorted.
If I buy a new rifle to have reamed im guessing I would be best looking for a 6.5x55 rather than the likes of a 260 due to action lengths?
Also, I have heard that lots of gunsmiths dont like reaming tikkas as it wrecks their reamers, any truth in this?
Keeping in mind I would try keep the cost down on this rifle am I on the right track? What sort of cost am I looking at for a new re-barrel instead?

Go T3 6.5 x55 and rechamber, really simple but don't cut the barrel. There is a T3 super light on trade me in 6.5x55 at the moment ex demo. Mine was 20" and had no more speed than my .260AI and used 10 grains more powder and the barrel heated up real quick I would just get a .260 and slap a AI reamer up it.

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Only problem with a T3 is a lot of gunsmiths won't rechamber the barrel because the steel is very tough.

Savage make a few factory 6.5-284 options if you want to save the hassle of rechambering etc. Whether you can find one for sale here might be another question though.

Gunworks do work on Tikka

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Yea, have had my play with 260, im not fussed on using a bit more powder just been interested in the calibre for quite a few years but never got round to getting one sorted.

I might have a chat to Robbie next week as I need to grab a few things from GWs. Tikka sounds like the easy route, but I am liking the idea of a Model 70, wood blued, full length barrel, one piece mounts and a vx3. Simple. Beautiful. Works (hopefully...)

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

I might have a chat to Robbie next week as I need to grab a few things from GWs. Tikka sounds like the easy route, but I am liking the idea of a Model 70, wood blued, full length barrel, one piece mounts and a vx3. Simple. Beautiful. Works (hopefully...)

+1 for Mr Tiffen.

A good friend went the T3 6.5x55 re-chamber route. Was getting great results with the 22" barrel. @Timmay was making noise about selling his?

95 V-max very nasty on rabbits.

The Mod 70 is a great platform... self admitted softie for Mod 70.

Mines got the chop to 18.5", heaps for a 6.5x55 only really lost 100fps with 140s and that's with out messing around with powder, but probably way too short for a .284

You'll need a bit of barrel length or you will achieve not much more than your old 260 in way of velocity. Robbie has done a few 6.5x55 to 6.5-284 from memory on Tikka's. To re-chamber a Tikka he needs to be able to cut a reasonable amount or else it doesn't clean up well, as Stug said the barrel steel is very hard. Start with a long action so you can seat those 140 VLD's out where they belong.

Um you already have a Saum why not another one in 6.5

Originally Posted by mikee

Um you already have a Saum why not another one in 6.5

Because he has 6.5 284 dies

Originally Posted by Gibo

Because he has 6.5 284 dies

but he already has the brass to make 6.5saum

Why not buy a 6.5x55 and have it AI'ed the 6.5x284 seating die will work and the size die will probably be ok for neck sizing 6.5x 55 brass is way cheaper than the 6.5x284 the case capacity is pretty much the same quite a few F class shooters had them built back in the early days of F class could not tell the difference in performance at 1000 yds

I have my own reamer for 6.5x55AI, am considering doing my 6.5x55 T3 bush rifle, T3 steel is not kryptonite, would you even thing twice about reaming a Sako barrel if it was to be the donor for the calibre you wanted?.