.284 Winchester

Downeast

Downeast

Happy to be here
Benefactor
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
3,389
Location
28433
Rating - 100%
3   0   0
I'm seriously considering re-barreling a Savage 12 Benchrest to this caliber for LR shooting. I have never messed around with 7 mm (.284) calibers except a 7mm-08 for deer hunting. I've read good things about this old round with 160-180 grain Berger and Sierra bullets. I'm trying to stay away from magnums so that leaves the .284 Win or the .280 Rem (including the .280 AI and Shehane). Does anyone shoot this caliber and have any tips?
 
https://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/7mm/

No hands on with either cartridge. I remember that the 6.5x284 was a very popular benchrest cartridge for a while, which I believe was just a necked down version of the .284 Winchester. I'm not saying brass in .284 Win is rare...... but it's not very common either. I went with a 7mm SAUM and that was my only regret...... brass is less common.
 
Want just a 7mm? The 6.5 world is where it’s at...6.5 Creedmoor, 260 Remington, 6.5x55....easy loading and better ballistics and a lot more of supply’s in stock.
 
Downeast said:
I'm seriously considering re-barreling a Savage 12 Benchrest to this caliber for LR shooting. I have never messed around with 7 mm (.284) calibers except a 7mm-08 for deer hunting. I've read good things about this old round with 160-180 grain Berger and Sierra bullets. I'm trying to stay away from magnums so that leaves the .284 Win or the .280 Rem (including the .280 AI and Shehane). Does anyone shoot this caliber and have any tips?
Click to expand...
7saum
 
.284 Win might as well be a magnum, just no belt on case. Kicks like a mule. I had one in an F open class gun that weighed 17#'s and it still kicked. Took the bbl off and sold it and all my 284Win bullets, brass and dies. Rebarrelled the gun into a 6BR. My 284 was incredibly accurate with a Brux bbl and 180 grain bullets. 284 ruled F open 1000 yd at one time.
 
Thanks for the info. No brake allowed in F class either. :eek: It looks like the .284 is still quite popular. I have a 6mm Creed and three 6.5 Creeds. My 6 is not a 6BR but I really do enjoy it. I just received my 600 and 1000 paper targets yesterday so I'm going to see how I do. If I feel comfortable I may go to Butner and shoot. All new to me.

swn2020fopcart.png
 
Last edited:
F-open cartridges are like a circle jerk. One guy will start winning with this cartridge or that cartridge then everyone joins in. Ray Bowman built a 284 for Charles Ballard and he did really good with it for awhile and set a national record. Then here came the 6.5-284, a barrel burning little bitch of a round. Then the barrel makers couldn't keep them in stock. I shot FTR cause I couldn't afford to keep up with the equipment race.

I like the 284 caliber, but remember if you have any good proven round and you have a good gun and you can read the conditions and you can control your rifle and the moon/stars/sun line up right to too can win at the 1000. But if you lack any of the preceding only luck will let you win. Look at the scores for the 308 Palma rifle sling guys and you will see what I'm talking about. I have the utmost respect for those folks.

If I wanted the best flattest shooting 284 round I'd probably go with the 7STW. There's a good reason why it was developed.
 
Right now I just enjoy shooting using the F- Class framework. And I have access to a 900/1000 yard range (depending on ReelDoc conditions :D) on my property. If I ever do shoot a match it will be simply to have fun. Some of my friends shoot PRS but I like shooting groups and handloading and I still haven't figured out where they set their beers on some of those stages? :confused::)

My neighbor just traded his 7STW for a new Bergara in 6.5. He seems happy with it but that 7STW was a lazer on deer! Zap! Dead!
 
STW is a great caliber. I have a 30-378 that does the same thing. I've heard why own one of those when barrels burn out at 1,000 rounds, or even less. My answer is "who cares"? How many of you are going to shoot a 1,000 deer or elk or moose in your lifetime. The same with the high cost of their ammo. Again, who cares? A box will cost you $100 or better but that equals 20 potentially dead critters. That a lot of backstrap for $100.

I think I'm going with the .284 Win if I can find a decent smith to put it together. By the time I buy a vise, barrel wrench, go no-go gauges I doubt I''ll save a lot of money. It should weigh somewhere near 18-20 pounds with optics so I don't think recoil will be that bad. Can't be any worse than a standard 30-06 weighing less than 10 pounds.
 
Recoil on a 7mm mag is similar to 30-06 imo. My 7mm SAUM weighs in around 17-18 pounds. Recoil is not a big deal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom