Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Savage III Long Range Hunter 6.5x284

Sheri Gallagher won with a .260 remington caliber. but she did not use a savage action and barrel

Correction:
I noticed when updating my load data log and running the JBM calculators that my jump is only .010", not .015" as previously stated.

In my neck of the woods, it hard to find a donor 700 action for less than $400 and that isn't always easy. I agree that the action needs truing when a good barrel, like the Krieger, is fitted. That would raise the ante to around $300 plus the $300 barrel. Pillar bedding with glass is also warrented, although I do all that myself. If outsourced, the price would take another bounce.

You may have put one together on your budget. But, I don't think it's something that could be counted on over time. I think $1,000 is a more reasonable figure before the stock is figured in. Good aftermarket stocks, like the McM, can run in the $500 range. That kicks it up to $1,500.

DF

i bought a used 700 varmint synthetic 22-250 ( had been advertized on the internet for a year or more ). (it has the h-s precision stock) $500. added a barrel 300+ 150 (6mmbr 8 twist). i just got it back from the gunsmith a week ago. i shot it in phoenix friday, 115 degrees. two three shot groups and a 6 shot group. the biggest was .287.

At 115 degrees, you must have been really motivated to get out there and try out your new gun.

Sounds like you got a good one.

DF

Salvage, uglier than a turd in a punch bowl but they can shoot!

Found a used 7 Mag LRH in 95% for $639 might pull the trigger on it.

On the other hand, SU35 has all the necessary data on the 6.5x284 to make me want one.

DF- more like dumb. the low at my house was 51. but the benches in phx are cement, and more stable than my portable bench.

Most probably aren't square to within .0005" but most of them can shoot just fine with a new barrel if the original barrel is not up to the task. I haven't had a lot of 700s but the ones I have had, have shot nearly as good in untampered form to convince me that I won't ever true another one unless I am just looking for something to do. I did an experiment one time. I paid one of the more renowned accuracy gunsmiths in the country to square the action, recut the threats, recut the locking lugs, bush the bolt, bush the firing pin, surface grind the recoil lug, and install a special firing pin and spring and on top of that, have the whole damn thing cryo-treated.

My accuracy was improved from about 1.4 MOA to about 1.2 MOA. I had a third barrel installed and got it down to about 3/4" MOA now. The other 700 family rifles I have will all shoot about that good with factory barrels on them.

If you are trying to build a competitive benchrest rifle out of a 700, you might want to do all those things to wring that last 1/8" out of it but for a sporter weight hunting rifle, it's like buying a 400 HP diesel pickup to get your groceries, sure doesn't hurt, but hardly effect use of your resources.

If I really want a tack driver with a heavy barrel, I buy a custom action and start from scratch- have way better luck that way than polishing a turd.

The most accurate rifle I own (sporter) is a long action Savage in 22-250. It is an honest 1/4-3/8" rifle with most good bullets. I once won a club BR shoot at 500 meters with it and it had the factory tupperware stock and only upgrade was a Timney trigger.

I think that most of the Savage's inherit accuracy comes from the floating bolt head which makes up for a lot of the other short comings.

She may not be the prettiest girl at the prom, but she is the best kisser!

mine shoots great. i use 140 berger, 57.5 grns hodgdon retumbo seated to 3.10 norma brass n cci 250 primers.

I saw one for the first time yesterday. But all the salesman talked about was long range competition shooting. Would you guys fill me in on the cartridge and rifle for hunting?

What is it best used on? Do heavier than 140 grain bullets accurate? Are critters heavier than 400 lbs appropriate with a 140 grain bullet?

And I see that Savage has a wood stocked hunting rifle with a 20" barrel. Is that too short for the cartridge in your opinions?

Probably good pick for deer but not for heavier game. I shoot 142 grain bullets and they come out at 2875fps/sec with primers starting to ridge in a 30 inch barrel. 20 inch barrel don't sound like a long range unit. The Lapua brass hold out well for many reloads with annealing after 10 useage. Some fellas are having good luck with TSX in hunting purpose , can't comment on accuracy but the 142 sierra are deadly accurate in my Savage 12F. Although not recommended for hunting, I've blasted coyotes and they didn't go far after lung shots.

The longrange hunters have 26" barrels

The 6.5s are perfectly fine for shooting up to and including elk. In fact, I wouldn't have a problem shooting an elk out to 800-900 yds with a 140 out of a 6.5-284.

Look how many elephants have been killed with 6.5s and how many moose the Finns and such kill.

I have shot horses with 130 AB with perfect results. They are as big as an elk and bigger that most.

As for using bullets heavier than 140 grains, I don't see why. The canadian test that was posted on here a while back showed no improvement with the 150-160s over the 140s. There isn't anything in North America that I wouldn't intentionally hunt with a 6.5-284 pushing a 140 Partition excepting a brown bear.

I agree on your post, I was speaking about the 142 SMK and after shooting coyotes with it wouldn't recommend for any hunting application, same as Sierra warns. TSX or other brands will no doubt be great choices. Personally I use fatter/heavier bullets with more hitting power for long range hunting. Each is own I guess.

0.4" @ 212 yards
140gr SST 2920fps
H4831SC
easy, all day long