It’s funny. The 7-08 and the 280 AI get a lot of ink but the 284 splits the difference perfectly. And R17 is tailor made for it. Its one of the best cartridges not in widespread use. And still one of the best among those that are.
Cream usually rises to the surface, so if the 284 was really a better choice, more people would have chosen it. Of course, the fact that Winchester chose not to catalog the Model 70 in 284 didn't help it any and JOC's treatment of it in THE HUNTING RIFLE couldn't have helped it either.
I still have 8x 284s; 4x Savage 99 and 4x Winchester 88. I've also owned 284s in the BLR, Ruger 77, Winchester 100, and a few bolt action part guns.
For the guy who doesn't reload, the 150 grain Winchester/Olin factory ammo has about the same performance as their 150 grain factory ammo in 308. From my perspective, the 284 with factory ammo is just an expensive to buy and expensive to feed 308. It does win the "cool factor" category, but the average guy has never gone out of his way to own a rifle that requires any extra effort.
Or so it seems to me.
