Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 284 Win

I am going to be getting a rifle chambered in 7MM-08 for the soul reason of re-cambering it to a 284 Win. My question is has anyone done this and what rifle would you suggest I buy.

More than just a rechambering, I built a 284 on a left hand Rem SA. Rifles inc. did it and added their proprietary 12 oz stock. I then added a PGT bolt with a longer handle and bolt knob; it also incorporated a Sako-styled extractor. Those are the high lights.

My goal was a very lightweight sporter that with rings, bases and scope goes to 6.25 lbs. and it's accurate. I did nothing with the magazine length as a 140 at 3000 or a 150 at 2900 is enough for me in this rifle at this point.

Remington 700's short action or long (which seems counter intuitive to me) seems to be about the easiest to work with by most 'smiths especially if your project experiences mission creep and you decide to add more bells.

I would look quite hard at a S2 Vanguard

Savage axis would be a great place to start....

I have done it, but doubt that I ever will again. To my way of thinking, the 284 has been superseded, power-wise by the 7mm SAUM and 7mm WSM, and ease-wise by the 7mm-08. The velocity gained by rechambering a 7mm-08 and 284 isn't significant enough to offset the increase in cost and aggravation.

Also, the 284's 55mm case length makes is a "tweener", just a little too long for the best fit in a short action. I use the SAUM follower and magazine box in my 700 SAs and 722 in 25-284 and 6.5-284.

The three word distillation of all this is DON'T DO IT!

DMSBANDIT rechambered a Marlin XS7 from 7mm-08 to 284 awhile back, but I don't recall if he liked the change or not.

My friend rechambered a 700 7-08 to 284 and had terrible feeding problems from the start. Maybe someone else could have fixed it but he sure couldn't. He also had trouble seating good bullets into the short action box due to the longer 284 case length.

In my opinion, the basic 7-08 will do everything you could reasonably expect it to. If you must go 284 I would suggest also adding a detachable magazine for better feeding and more room to seat your bullets.

look at a forbes in 20b that platform works for Melvin Forbes and the nula

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(Also, the 284's 55mm case length makes is a "tweener", just a little too long for the best fit in a short action. I use the SAUM follower and magazine box in my 700 SAs and 722 in 25-284 and 6.5-284.

The three word distillation of all this is DON'T DO IT!)

I,ll second this unless rifle is a mid length action around 3.1".

Thanks for the response. Maybe I would be better off going with the 7MM-08AI then.

Gday

I purchased a Model 70 new in 7mm08 had it reamed which cost $150 nzd and have really enjoyed it. No issues at all with feeding.
I run 140gr game kings at 3150 with Re-17 and could take it further but the accuracy isnt there in this rifle.
Like an old friend said to me, "Theres bugger all you cant do with a 140 at over three grand".

Just start with a .284.

Which rifle?

I have a SA Ruger M77 Tang Safety that feeds the 284 Win fast or slow. Can't say that for my Rem 700 SA with the 6mm-284 even with a Wyatt's mag box. Oh the Rem isn't bad but the Ruger blows it away.

Go find a used M77 tang safety as a donor and barrel it. I use Remington 7 Rem mag takeoffs. 3/4"-1" is cut off the tenon and it is threaded and chambered. Those takeoffs are darn accurate. I just removed my third one. #4 will be installed in the next few weeks.

While you might not find Winchester brass, 6.5-284 Lapua is available. It is easy to neck up to 7mm.

When I put the third 284 barrel on the Ruger I had my gunsmith lengthen the mag box to 3.1". (was jealous of my friend's Ultralight Arms model 20)

I would tend to agree that the 7 SAUM would be better IF you got yourself a rifle with a mag bolt face. Or are willing to pay for the extra gunsmithing. I am tempted to make one. The 7 WSM may need feed rail work with its larger body.

I know I will always have a 284 win. in the safe.

A few comments in general: there is no wrong advice if when finished you are happy with the result.

The 7-08 chambering (and AI iteration) is a fine round but you are still not up to 284 potential all things being equal albeit the difference may not be great.

Feeding problems don't have to be a given with a 284.

I started out wanting to go 7 SAUM which I think is a great cartridge. Lex Webernick of Rifles Inc. deferred to the 284 stating he had more feeding problems with the SAUM than the 284 which could be made to feed easily. Judging by my rifle he was correct concerning the latter.

In retrospect, I'm kind of happy and have often thought that I'm kind of glad it ended up 284 except the SAUM in this bantam weight, 6.25 lb rifle. It's all the power I've needed for this rifles application.

In the end see my first sentence.

With so many excellent chamberings available today, for my money, re-chambering a 7-08 to 284 would be a waste of time and resources that could be better spent elsewhere.

If I were looking for a 7-08 to play with, either AI or rechamber, I would look first at a Kimber Montana.

Me too.

Lots of good advice. I would honestly recommend you go with a 7mm-08 or the 7 short mag. 284 or 7mm-08AI are hardly worth the trouble. I'm speaking from recent experience. I chose 280 AI. After the extra effort of it all, yea I'm better off than a 280, but it was pretty aggravating looking back. I wish I would have just went 280 or stepped up to the 7mm RM and been done. IMO, thats sort of the same as looking at a 284 or -08AI when the 08 and WSM/SAUM are readily available.

Folks often talk about bigger cartridges in lieu of a smaller case in the same platform as if that rig is somehow superior; in some circumstances that may be true depending on need but look at the 308, 6.5-284, and now the 284 again winning 1k matches. Granted, you need long tubes, magazines, and long pointy bullets--a different game than that with a light hunting sporter. But it shows you they can produce.

I have nothing against any of the cartridges or ideas mentioned here but just have come to appreciate the 284 design as a 30/06-sized, early "short-fat" that didn't get the notice it probably deserved other than over time by some loony curmudgeons.

The one-time wine-connoisseur and fine car aficionado, and gun writer (who I'm blanking on now as usual) doted on 7mms once said there was very little one could not do in NA with a 7mm., 150-gr at 3k. True. Even In the cheap seats a 284 can get 2900 with 150 with mild recoil amd good,accuracy.

Yea, nothing magic in any cartridge but Just standing up for the low draft choice here that just keeps producing and has had a long career; it just hangs in there because of the guys who have one.

Edited: oh yea, Jon Sundra.

"it just hangs in there because of the guys who have one. smile"

Amen

3,150 fps with a 140 grain bullet from a 284 is fast for that bullet/cartridge combination. Although factory ammo is loaded mild to work in the Winchester 100 and 88, you must be running your 284 at, or above, maximum prudent pressure.