Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 6.5-284 custom build ?

Guys looking to build a 6.5x284 trying to see what are your thoughts about barrel contour, rate of twist, lenght of barrel, and barrel maker. Will be shooting 120-140grn bullets being that it will be a hunting rifle on a Stiller Preadator action with a McMillan Edge or Bell and Carlson stock thanks in advance Gentleman!!!

My 6.5-.284 is built on a Ruger #1 stainless action with an 8 twist Broughton barrel finished at 26". I don't remember the contour but it is a fairly heavy barrel similar to the Ruger varmint contour. I'm still doing load development but so far I have several loads that will shoot sub. 1" 5 shot groups at 200 yards with both Nosler 140 partitions and the Berger 140 VLD. I also tried the 125 Partition but my rifle much prefers the heavier bullets. My hunting buddy has a Savage 110 with a lighter contour Broughton 8 twist and his will shoot a bit better than mine on most days. I'm very happy with my barrel choice but I'm sure that there are a bunch of good ones out there. I think the person who barrels the gun has more effect on the accuracy than the barrel maker.

That's my story!
bob

Fantastic! Quick question, so a 8 twist did well in stabilizing your 140grn bullets, why not 1-8 1/2 twist Mr Bob. I did hear a barrel maker say go with the 26" tube to get the most out of the bullet, would a 3 or 4 contour be sufficient for this cartridge?

Mines Built with a 23" Lija. #2 Conture.It Did Wear A Mcmillan Mt,Rifle Stock{Broke It In a Fall}. It's Light, Under 7 Pounds all Up and ready To Go with a Swarvoski 4-12-50.I Haven't Played with it Much. But did Worked up a Load with RL-22 and 120TSX.Killed a 5X5 Elk on the first trip out.I Like it.

I heard a couple of years ago that Tim North at Broughton barrels had a button for 8 twist .264 that was turning out some very nice barrels. So we ordered one for my father's build in .264, and it shoots better than he can. So I would echo BobT and suggest that you pursue that option.

Another key question is how tight a neck are you going to use. I have a .290 neck on mine, and my father's is more like .294. I wouldn't go any tighter than that.

I know people that use a 1-8.5" twist barrel's with 140grainers, but personally have only used 1-8"twist barrels. use at least a 26" barrel. the Stiller Predator action is a good choice but comparing a McMillan Edge to a Bell&Carlson is like comparing Dog food to Dog poop.
My choices would be 1-8"twist Krieger barrel 26" at least #5 contour McMillan stock (of your choice),Predator action with Jewell trigger.
B

I don't want the neck to tight and will be going with what my smith suggest as per that what do you recommend and why utah? I like the 8 twist but been hearing ALOT about the 8.5 twist have anyone experienced it(8.5)?

Roger on the 26" barrel and other info!!!

Popapi,
I went with the 8 twist specifically because I wanted to shoot the 140 grain bullets and at the time it seemed like most of the 1000 yard guns were running 8 twist barrels with the 139-142 grain bullets. I would think at least 26 inches of barrel. I run a .296 neck (I don't like to turn necks) and find that 99% of my loaded rounds will fall between .2935 and .2940. I took a standard Redding FL size die, removed the de-capping pin and expander ball and opened the neck to .2920 on a Sunnen hone. I get sufficient bullet pull and so far have not lost a case, I have some that are on the 5Th. loading and I have not had to trim them yet. I have some more powders I want to try but so far RL22 is the most promising with the Berger and IMR 4350 works best with the Partition. I have found the best accuracy at around 2700 FPS. for both bullets. If I were building another one today I would go the same route only I might use a bit lighter barrel but it would definitely be an 8 twist Broughton.

Bob

1 in 8 wil stabilize up t0 160 grain bullets. 1 in 8.5 or 1 in 9 maxes out at 140, I'm told

Go 1/8 twist on a Rock #3 or #4 fluted at 24". You can easily
get 3,000 fps with 140's. That would be my target speed for a hunting rifle.
I run 130 Swifts at 3,050 out of my 22" 6.5x284.

McEdge stock all the way. Don't mess with the BC, been down that road.

This is what I'll more than likely do just stumpped on finishing it at 24OR25"!

I shoot 1000yd BR and have had Rock, Krieger, and Broughton barrels in both 8 and 8 1/2 twists and didn't see any differences shooting 140 or 142's.
I've been working lately with a stock Rem VLS in 260 with a 9 twist and it's making round holes with either bullet.

Al

Mr. aalf which barrel was more accurate of the 3 above mention excluding the VLS. I figure with the 8 1/2 one could shoot a lighter bullet. I do want to shoot the 120grn Barnes TSX, and the Nosler Accubond 130 out of this rifle...

I ordered a barrel from Tim North and he had exactly what I wanted in stock. #4 contour 8 1/2 twist. This is the prefered twist right now. It "hot-rods" a little better than the 1:8. With a 1:8 twist (I used to shoot 1000yd BR) you would ALMOST always see best accuracy at 3000-3050 fps. With a 1:8.5 you can easily find best results at 3100-3150. I don't know why, but this seems to be the case. If you build a 6.5-06 imp the 8.5 twist is even more important.

The 1:8.5 will easily stabilize the 142 SMK and the 140 Berger VLD. I mostly use the 130 Normas these days. Hope this helps

Dennis that's great info. I'm calling Mr. North on tomorrow to see what he have. Just want you all to know I wholeheartedly appreciate this valuable info. seems like when I say I'm done something else intrigues me and this 6.5x284 in 8.5 twist(depending) is really on the brain!!!!

Marcus- My bad- Broughtons didn't have one in stock and I got mine from Mark Chanlynn (sp) in Colorado Rocky Mtn rifle works (I think). He doesn't stock them just had it because it was the wrong contour for what the original customer wanted. There are several guys that specialize in these 8.5" twists and have had very good luck with them. I would buy one from Rock Creek, Bartlein, Krieger, Danny Pederson or Rocky Mtn. They are all single point cut rifled barrels. These seem to do better on sporter contours. On heavy barrels, I actually prefer a button barrel and like Schneider. If I couldn't have found the one in stock, I wouldn't have got one from Mark unless he was making a run of 6.5 barrels. I would have gotten one locally from Danny Pederson.

Ok well I call Paul at Rock Creek as well. ADL or BDL Dennis?

ADL

This was very timely! I'm starting the exact same build right now. Even using the same action. I was also wondering about twist rates, as well as, which barrel maker to go with. Thanks for bringing it up.

Chuck