Boonee, talk to me about your experiences in 6.5x284...Are you running a custom? or just a straight rebarral? What action are you using? Who's barrel w/ profile & twist?

I have thought about going with a beater/used WSM platform and rebarrel from there keeping the WSM case head instead of a '06 platform...but the 284 case is also intriguing and holds almost the same amount of powder as a 270 WSM. Looks like you can squeeze a 284 setup in a short action M70 receiver too. I would be looking for about 3-400fps in a 24-26" tube over my stock Tikka T3 Swede bullet for bullet...is that doable?
Ron

Read up on the 6 PPC

Well, I will shorten best I can. I had Lee Koning build me one on a 721 Rem action (long action) because the project started out to be a 6.5-06. then he said the 284 was in his mind better.
So we ordered in a Shilen (? spelling) heavy sporter barrel 26'' and a Shilen hunter trigger set at 3 lbs. We trued the bolt ordered in a new reamer(rented) and set it up for 6.5x284 Norma brass, and 140 matchking wayout for powder room. So far shooting mild loads nowhere near 100%loads its a joy to shoot,!1/2 groups at 100 with gameking bullets. The other one I bought from a retired gunsmith at Mac's in Tyler, GEW 98 action, timmney trigger at 2.75 lbs. ER Shaw barrel, sporter at 26" using same load of 4831sc as the other one seating the bullets deeper to fit the action(.030) off the lands. After zeroing the scope it shot 3 touching with 140 gamekings at 100yds. So that will be its hunting load. Need to work on the Rem. action to find its sweet spot but both will hunt right now... but i bought a friends (gunsmith) 257 Weatherby 26" ER Shaw REM action will put 5 115 nosler BT in a dime. THE 6.5 twist are 1-9 on the Shilen and 1-8.5 on the shaw. anyway thats the nuts and bolts of them,Contact Lee at Worthams Firearms in Forney, they are great gun people. open Tues.-Sat. Good luck, let me know how its going.
Off to the church house now, afterwords working on a hog load for my 10mm Glock.

Dave, Funny that you mention the 6PPC.
When Dr. Lou Palmisano and Ferris Pindell intro'd the 6PPC & the 22PPC in factory SAKO rifles at the New Orleans SHOT Show in ??? 1984 ??? or was it in Phoenix at the NRA Show that year ??? (old age is not getting to be too much fun these days) I was working for Stoeger Industries - who was still owned in a joint venture by SAKO & Llama - as the US S'West Regional Sales Manager.

I still keep a souvenier PPC SAKO comemorative cup above my desk, signed by Dr Palmisano and a piece of factory made SAKO headstamped demo unprimed ammo floating around in my desk drawer as I type this. Ferris Pindell was seriously ill, generally out of the picture as I recall except for the initial introductions the Stoeger people on hand, and soon passed away I was told later so all of our subsequent dealings were with Dr Palmisano who was always a super guy to talk to.

Stoeger's JV ownership was also undergoing severe issues in communications, sales quota's and goal direction of the Stoeger operation, and changed Stoeger's management team 3 times during my 6 year tenure before eventually dissolving the joint venture that George Sodini Sr the President of Stoeger had successfully negotiated prior to the re establishment of the SAKO brand to it's position of premium quality brand acceptance in the very early '80's. This constant chnage in Stoeger management and disolution of the Joint Venture eventually lead the Nokia parent company to later sell SAKO to Beretta. I was introduced to the Stoeger people during the 1978 Houston Shot Show while working for a Dallas based distributor and had filed away the lead as a company to look at for own career path...and made the jump in fall '82. In '84 I was told I represented 22% of the world sales of SAKO during a plant tour in Finland by the SAKO Managing Sales Director while we sat in a sauna with the Managing Director to thaw out from a moose hunt.

When SAKO intro'd these PPC offerings on the SAKO 461 Short actions at New Orleans/Phoenix, I campaigned and solicited orders in my territory for the 6PPC allocations to be increased but in a SAKO Hunter Grade Sporter as well as the Hunter Grade - Semi Bull Barrel version and Target Grade being shown in New Orleans/Phoenix & generated 10 times the sales in the Sporter version as the semi bull barrel as the answer for the youth market to compete with what I saw as the coming youth sized 5lb compact guns other gun companies and the shooting media press were talking about as the new wave of the future. I also wanted a larger caliber based on the PPC case with bullet weights up into the 25/6.5/270 120/130gr range. Needless to say I was not successful with the factory, and the PPC class calibers never progressed out of the bench rest crowd and into the general hunting population range of knowledge and acceptance.

I think it was the following year we got a non catalog caliber commitment at the time in a 300 unit mfg run of SAKO Classic Grades in 17Rem, 222 and 223 ...and sold out everything that SAKO delivered. I sold and delivered over 100 units of the 3 calibers in my territory alone, after all my other bookings were done for the Fall.

Wish't like @#@! I'd kept the stupendous looking circassion walnut Classic Grade 223 I bought for myself!!! OBTW SAKO did not fill that entire 300 unit per caliber world wide commitment and if any one ever finds a 17Rem Classic Grade in the US it is one of only a little over 100 units ever produced.
Ron

Boonee, Your mention of Mac's in Tyler brings back fond memories of Richard "Mac" McBride and his sweet wife Lil, from my days calling on them as a gun bidnizz sales rep 1st as a distributor and later as a factory rep beginning in 1976 thru 1988. I assume they have both passed by now, as the last time I was in the store some years back the son, Marc, had taken over the "name" and answered to "Mac" like his dad had always done since the store opened in 1948 around the corner from the East Erwin St location. Papa, Richard, was always a delight to do business with, and someone I always considered a friend especially after making sure I didn't make a fool out of myself with my own ownership more than once in my early days with the distributor.

Interesting about you using a couple long actions, and good to know about the Shilen & Shaw barrels. If I get to proceed the Shilen profile you have is what I would look at first. You ever look at or use any of the Lapua or Norma boolitz? I uderstand they are super accurate in this caliber.

In a perfect world what I'd really like to have is a Kimber LongMiler only in 6.5x284 instead of a .308Win ... but I ain't won the Lottery lately and be able to order a One Off from Kimber or Cooper, so if I get to go into the project I'll continue to look at using a M70 SA Classic Grade receiver or something similar to address the long seated 140 gr or heavier bullets I want to play with. Never been a big fan of remmy stuff but I know there are lots of people who swear by and not at them like I have been know to do when I've had "issues" arise. Only remmy I have total faith in is my ancient 870.

The idea of the WSM platform came from a couple guys on "another channel" I used to read during my surgery rehabs back in '06 thru '08 whose success at Long Range Mule Deer & speed goat guns were extemely interesting to follow ...and according to them not terrible spendy to do, and possible even nothing more than with a simple barrel conversion as I remember it. Lots of toys to modify cheap Wally World M70's with too.

Where I hunted earlier this month during the Late Season doe/spike Season in Young & Archer Counties is exactly what would be fun for the ++600 meter hunting shots on WTails and hogs I can see coming, and the only thing in my rack right now for those kinds of fun & games is a 300WinMg that will beat me up bigtime doing the necessary prep & practice work.
Ron

2 words on that 300... MUZZLE BREAK!! I got my eye on one for my 300 Wtby, but playing with the 6.5s and the 257 now. I seen MAC and his wife 2 years ago, but only son and grand sons this summer. GREAT folks!!

I've had 2 muzzle breaks and will never have another one. The Savage corncob style on a 300WMg was a worthless PIA, and the BOSS I had on a M70 338WMg was some other worldly kinda loud.

At 66 years old and after some 3-4K rounds of CF bolt action rifle and a couple dozen cases of shotshells at duck & dove a year as well for mebbe 15-20 years, I am fighting gun related hearing problems anyway and usually even hunt with at least one Lee Sonic ear plug in especially inside a blind.

It's too bad I never took the time to stop in at Mac's in the last 10+ years, seeing them both again would have been a real treat.
Ron

Ok, now that all the popular chamberings on the firing line have been covered.

There are no flies on a straight up .243 loaded with the right projectile. If you want to get "Fancy" and re-load.... .243 AI

6mm and 6.5mm boolits are just "slippery" to begin with, so hard to go wrong there.

Here is one ya'll didn't think of. How about a fast twist(1/7,1/8).223AI pushing a 75gr Amax? Efficient, low recoil, does 1K with ease.......


Chupa

Not a bad idea for killing paper, gongs or clay targets at 600+ meters but Me Myself I'm a wantin' to give a dirt nap to mebbe 300lb porkers, aoudad, red deer or axis t'other side of the canyon with 140 gr'ers in .500+ BC's or better...
and why I keep a 300Wmg anyway as the best cheapest LR shooter in my bag after buying a 1/2K of .308 180 gr SGK #2160's for $65, plus 'nuther big batch of .308 165 gr SGK #2140's for almost that cheap in beginner level play toys for the Winnie Shoulder Mangler. Got the S#2160 180's giving me 4 shot 1/2" moa's outside to outside up close at regular distances but have not had a chance to stretch them out much and see if the group size holds up. Slow going using 70+?? gr's of IMR4831 at a time with MY shoulder issues even in a 10lb sporter weight shooter.
Ron

The original poster said it was just for paper, so that's why mentioned some of the ones I did. But if we are talking about making things die at ranges mentioned above......by ALL means disregard any caliber I mentioned above. Now we are talking about a different game all together.


Chupa

Right on the mark. What's wrong with a 75gr AMAX seated way out there doing 3000fps? Just completed this one and it's a dandy.Compared to the 260,243,308 etc it's like shooting a bb gun. I like the fact that's it's burning about 1/2 the powder also.

I do not disagree at all with a fast twist 22cal rifle. Mine will push bullets a little faster than the 223AI while keeping them quite accurate, I need to get back to load development with 90gr Bergers for the 22-243. It wasn't supprising how effective it was this year on deer and hogs with a 75gr Swift Sir0cco at 3400fps MV.

Those AI chassis are sweet, thinking my next build will be a .260AI Remmy action with a Pac-Nor in an AI chassis.......

Chupa

Why look for something new? I have used the tried and tested .270 winchester on everything in N. America. Practice with it and it makes a fine long range round.

338 lapua

Good Lord....

It's on the list, want to have something that's not too expensive to shoot right now, then when I can afford more I'll go with the .338 Lapua

.338 Lapua.

Great round for sure. But it eats more than a 230lb teen ager. And it feeds on $5 bills.

Horrible choice for a beginner.

Starting out.... .308
Starter that re-loads...... fast twist .223AI


Chupa

I like Chupas Answer better!

I hear the .338 Edge is pretty good, the Lapua beats it but just by hair, in most cases it's better to go with the Edge cause it eats less powder.

for a beginner 308 for sure but the effective range for a 338 lapua is nearly twice that of a 308 and slightly less than a 50. Its a much more practical round than the 50 for actually killing game. You can get into a really nice 338 for 2750ish including middle of the road optics (750) so around 3500. If you can save up for i say go big or go home!

6.5 creedmore??

I still like my 6.5x284 but If I need more distance, 416 Cheytec that is IF money is no object!

416 or 408 cheytec