Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 6.5 284 Loads & velocity

I now own a LH MRC 24" 6.5 X 284 1in 8.5 twist want to limit load development with the short barrel life.

What loads work well and what kind of speed.

Best load so far is H 4831 51 gr,WW Brass, Rem 9 1/2 primer,140 gr Hornady Interlock, around .5" 2780-2800 FPS.

With IMR 4350 -5 F, Lapua brass , Rem 9.5 Primer , 49.5 Gr IMR
4350, 140 Gr Hornady Interlock, around .7", showing pressure signs.

RL 17 shows promise at 2850 FPS with same components with mild pressure. Tried Hornady 140 gr SST lousy accuracy.

Here is some good pet load information at the link below. But your loads look very good already. Many prefer Hodgdon powder over IMR due to the temperature sensitivity. I'm partial to the CCI BR-2 primers. I also think the 140 grain Bergers are worth a try if you have the twist for them. They make them in Match and Hunting versions.

6.5x284 Cartridge Guide

I load RL-22 in mine with the 142's,Lapua cases,F-210M primers.+1 on the link above,good stuff! Lightman

I've had best results w/ H4831SC, personally.

Remember that the rep this cartridge has as a barrel burner comes from its heavy use in competition where one cannot stop shooting to let the barrel cool, not from anything inherent in its design. The expansion ratio is similar to the 25-06 and they don't have that rep.

Good luck,

efw

I used to do a lot of loading for the 6.5x284 and could never get the velocities I wanted using every load I could find. That was before I bought Quick Load. I had never really played with QL for the 140s as the only 6.5x284 I still own is a little hunting gun I run 129 interbonds in. I read some posts here the other day and got to thinking about giving the 6.5x284 another go. So I got to playing with QL and think I would try the 140 Amax and Vihtavouri 560 loaded to 3.2ish length. That is the best powder I can plug into QL for velocity in the .284 case. Loaded to 60K pressures QL estimates 3044 with a 25 inch barrel. I have run a whole bunch of peoples loads claiming 3K fps with 140 in the last few days pressures are usually higher, or these people are the lucky few who get barrels that run 200 fps faster than QL estimates. I find the estimates from QL to be a very accurate guide for reloading.

QL is not to be trusted. Though I do use it to get me in the "ball park".

I have a great success with RS Magnum in the 6.5-284.

from the norma manual- norma brass , WLRM, - 130 NORMA 58.7 MRP-2 3173 ( have not shot that one yet). 56.5 with a 139 scenar 3156 out of my 28" match gun. 56.9 of mrp-2 with a 123 scenar 3247 out of my 28" match gun. for hunting i use a 49.5 of H4350 and a 120 balistic tip 3075 out of my 26 inch sendero.

I find that it will get me within the correct quadrant of the "ball park" You always have to work up with any data and check other sources, but I like it for the 30 or so chamberings I have used it for over the last few years.

There really are some "fast" barrels just not very many. I have a fast 340 WBY barrel. I get 3200+ fps out of factory Norma 250 Woodleigh roundnose loads; all this with a 26" barrel. I can reload my brass 8-10 times after that- can't duplicate the velocities with any other bullet though!

2800 FPS is about as high as I can go with I & H 4350 & H 4831 powders before I see pressure with 140 gr bullets. In my 24" barrel.

Does this mirror others experiences with the 6.5 X 284 ???

Need slower powders and accuracy if I want more speed in my rifle.