Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Why or Why "NOT" a 284 Win. over a 7mm-08 in a custom short action rifle?

I've loaded well over 10K of Winchester/Olin 284 cases in the 284 and 6 284 based wildcat cartridges and have never had a single problem with the brass. I believe that Winchester/Olin recognizes that a significant % of their 284 brass will be wildcatted, often at max-plus pressure, so they make an extra effort to insure that it is made to the highest quality specs.

Jeff

When I can find 500 pc lots I buy 284 Win brass. Use it for 284 and 6.5x284 (and previously 6mmx284). I do sort them by weight for batchs, but have personally never had a brass problem.
JMHO
Tim

I own a 7mm-08 Rem M7 from the Remington Custom Shop. It is my Whitetail rifle. Its pet load is a 130 bullet at 3000 fps.
I own an ULA in .284 Win. It is my Mountain rifle. Its pet load is a 140 gr bullet at 3000 fps.
Both are <MOA guns. Both are a dream to carry and shoot. I will never sell either rifle.

I have shot them both and killed plenty with them both....I cant say I "PREFER" either over the other, but they sure are a great cartridge and each have their own attributes no doubt.

The 284 is definatly faster than the 7-08. My new rifle is a 7-08AI and although it doesnt quite split the difference, it makes me happy and seems to do any job I ask of it!

How fast will a .284 push a 150?

Why not consider the 7mmWSM? It has a significant power gain over both the 7mm08 and the 284, yet is still packaged in a short action cartridge.

IMO this is really a matter of what you like. I had a 7-08, have SA Ruger tang-safety M-77s in 284 and in 6.5-284, also had a NULA M-20 6.5-284. I've kept the ones I use and only sold the NULA (under duress) to finance a rifle purchase.

FWIW, I wouldn't replace the 7-08 as it gives me no advantage over the other similar cartridges on this list, but that's just my opinion. If good enough is OK, then the 7-08 (or 260, which I also shoot) is OK, but IMO the 284 and 6.5-284s can do the same thing and then some. YMMV.

Thread lift!

Im stuck between 7-08 and 284 for my next build. It will be a 90% deer rifle but i also want to be able to shoot target with 150-168 grain vld's. Bl is 24 with 9 twist. I was at 7-08 but my mag accept 3.0 OAL cartridges so i begun to look at 284. Then i realize you have to fill it up with a whole lot of more powder to get not so much more velocity than a 7-08 if bl is a 24!? Anyway it feel like the 284 will handle 168 way better than 7-08 but again it takes like 7-10grains more powder. I just dont know, 7-08 with 3.0 OAL could be good too...

I would go 7mm-08. Then magazine constraints aren't even a consideration. Make sure you put some thought into how much freebore you have the 'smith cut.

John

Given that brass is available, it's a matter of preference IMO. There is a subtle shift in the ratio of portability to power in each of these cals. Sure, the 7WSM is the powerhouse, but launching a 180 Berger at 3000 fps is going to get your attention. In the field, not a lot of difference until the longer ranges.

However, brass for the 7 WSM isn't that easy to find either. As for bullets, the 7MM is an embarrassment of riches.

In a rem 700 I think I would choose 7-08. But I have done 2 284s on Mexican mausers. This is a better choice as they just fit better..

I think either would suit me good. But .284 would mean I have to necking up norma and lapua 6,5x284 brass. 7-08 means either buying new norma brass or necking norma and lapua brass down or up. There is no 284 brass in sweden, sometimes you can se win brass but its rare and expensive in relation to quality.

7saum and 7wsm - sure nice calibers, but i cant afford the barrels. American quality barrels like Krieger I have to wait 6-10 months for them and pay twice what you pay. I need someting not so overbore. 7-08/284 is what im at now. Im still leaning to 7-08. Would not a 7-08AI with 3.0 oal and the right free bore be darn effective sending 140-168 slugs?

Easy choice.......7mm 08 and Lapua now makes brass for it!

The "argument" is similar to .308 Win vs. .30-06 where both are good but you get more performance from the bigger case. You only need to find brass once, and get enough of it then.

Lapua also makes 6.5x284 brass that's just a neck sizing away from becoming 284 cases.

I have a SAUM box and follower just in case I get the urge to have a 284 built. The 2.825" COL constraint isn't that big of a deal to me. Still more capacity than a 7-08. Had a 284 NULA and already miss it. Great cartridge.

huskyswede, look up Border barrels of Scotland , just as good as Krieger ,and closer to you, get your bbl twist rite 1/9 for sure,next is bbl Length, this is many a persons stumbling block,(longer bbl gives more speed)! look at Long range target & hunting, bbl conture & weight , what can you carry and be happy with , 708s the clear winner here & cheaper to feed , ai a round is more expensive all around, when a longer bbl does the same for less, funny how many talk speed ,then hot-rod their shorter then normal bbl lengths to get it 0r worse complain about it. My choice was 708 ,1/9 twist #3 Cm 27 inch Lilja bbl, very happy 120s 3100 +. 140s 2900 easy 168 Sierra MK @ Berger Vlds 2780 fps . " so choose wisely Grashhopper " their all expensive ,Oh and Welcome to this forum!!!

Dang. Did not see he was in Sweden!

I just can't slum a barrel longer than 22" on a hunting weight rifle.

Why not a 7x64? I would guess that's easier to find than any 284 in Europe.

I am a fan of odd balls. 280 Rem does nothing for me, but I am having a 7x64 built right now. What's the difference, 25fps?

fwiw,
I personally HATE case forming... Outside of the .223 AI I simply can't get excited with necking up, down, looking for donuts, and worst of all turning necks... I would have zero problems building a 6.5x284 to work with Lapua Brass, however, I'd pass on necking it up or down. It has enough horsepower to do fairly impressive things with 140 grain High BC 6.5mm Bullets. I see no need to try to make a .284 over again... They tried, flawed as it was, and it largely failed short of folks like Melvin Forbes who built it on a dedicated intermediate action that was long enough to take advantage of the boiler room AND there was a reason to make it work. I guess. What it would do that a .280 or a 7x64 would not I don't know, however, cartridge weirdness is a rifle looney's right... Personally I'd build a 7mm-08 using Lapua Brass and try to erode the throat on game AND practice shots. Mild pleasant round to shoot you might as well get good with it. Hell add a suppressor and really learn to use to it's potential. No fear of recoil or noise...

Regards, Matt.

If you wind up going 7mm-08, I would AI it. The benefits of AI don't justufy the expense to having it done on a factory tube, but if you've got to have anew barrel chambered anyway, it doesn't cost any more. An extra 50-75fps and no case trimming are nice pluses. Factory 7mm-08 ammunition will likely meet or exceed velocity in a tight chambered custom tube, with no perceptible difference in accuracy. That's the way it works in my 7mm-08AI....

David