Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 284 making me nuts

I think you have a mechanical issue with the gun, but I will send you 5 brand new
pieces of Winchester 284 brass if you want to take that step.

Is it ever too late to install a new, or at least different, barrel if doing so makes the rifle more useful?

Jeff,
I dont think it's ever too late.
But don't you suspect that rost has an issue within that chamber...and if so, wouldn't that be more of an issue versus his C.O.A.L.?

And maybe, if there's enough shank, the barrel can be set back a twist, and the existing chamber can be cleaned up.?


I'm just asking, in light that it could be my situation and I'd want to know what is causing that issue.

Thanks.

Have you slugged the bore? It might be undersize, causing pressure issues. Once I loaded ammo for a fellow with a beautiful Griffin & Howe custom 270 on a Mauser action. It had all the bells and whistles. However, my standard 270 load (55 grains of IMR 4350 under a 130 grain bullet) was too hot at about 3,150 fps. I backed down, and ended up several grains under what I started with. I didn't slug the bore, but have little doubt that was the problem. An undersize chamber was not the problem.

Another thought - a chamber cast would show whether or not you have a tight chamber. If that is the case, a small base sizing die might solve the problem.

A friend brought me a 788 in 6mm a while back, said he was having a hard time getting the bolt open after a shot and thought his rifle was screwed up. Turned out to be the brass...Federal factory loads. When I fired a round of my handload put up in Hornady brass extraction was as normal as can be. Could be anything though...the possibilities are endless.

Well yeah but I want to try to work this out. LOL. Hate to waste an expensive Rock tube if its something else.

Sure tells me weird though its just that last 10 percent of camming open hard thats tough.

I hope it does not quit raining, but when it does I"ll fire a few more tests to see.

maybe time to order cerosafe for the first time in my life too.

Undersize barrel, yes, could be but IIRC I was under the impression that pressure was related to MV to an extent. IE I should be getting a better speed but at less powder...

KK AK, your PM box is full....

Rost its mt now

had a 99F savage in 284. couldn't find brass. bought Hornady 6.5x284.
would have to rod tap the fired cases out to get the lever open. tried turning necks and every other damn thing I could think of to solve it.
finally solved it by throwing the Hornady brass away and getting some Winchester. never did figure out WTH.

That would be wild... but sure could be. Like I said I had similar making 257 wtby from once fired RP 7 mag until I annealed cases really good before running into the WTBY die. Solved chambering issues.

had a 99F savage in 284. couldn't find brass. bought Hornady 6.5x284.
would have to rod tap the fired cases out to get the lever open. tried turning necks and every other damn thing I could think of to solve it.
finally solved it by throwing the Hornady brass away and getting some Winchester. never did figure out WTH.[/quote]

6.5 X 284 Brass is larger than 284 WW brass when you fire form it not much room for expansion in a 284 chamber esp. a tight chamber.

Go back to the basics Brass, Dies & chamber should be similar. Or you will have issues, cost me a lot of money and time to figure that out.

Jeff,

Had a similar mystery a few years ago, with another cartridge. Turned out to be soft brass. Had used the same brand for years with no problems, but you never know.....

Do you have other obvious pressure signs on the primer or case head? Bullet drop in a fired case? Brass not too long for chamber? Rings or weirdness in fired brass? .284 varies, by that I mean geometry of the saami lever chamber and a “match” chamber differ.

No real pressure signs until I hit about 3050 or so but by then you had to open the last bit of bolt by mallet. But brass didn't expand that I could measure much. Primers not flat but had lost round edges but that varies so much by brand at times.

I don't see a mark on the brass for the chamber IE being to long, but I have not ordered cerosafe to cast chamber YET.. maybe today is that day. No way to find what chamber since Mickey died.

Nothing weird on fired brass really, other than some mild scratches that match what the retiming guy said rough chamber. but nothing deep.

If I had a set of 308 size Redding plus/minus shell holders maybe I could size it more... am waiting out some new brass from a campfire member before ordering lots of brass..to see if it makes the difference or not.

bullet drops into fired case.

I despise brass trimming and have no clue where my trimmer is right now since the move. BUT I'll have to look and trim some back under the trim length and fire one that way with same load just to see.

Will keep on this bit at a time as I have time for the next month or so to see what gives or if I'm going to run the 338-06 instead this fall if I can even get back to Alaska and we even hunt. LOL.

I had a 270 Wby that the dies wouldn't quite resize the brass enough. I took a spare shellholder in vise-grips and used the bench grinder to take a little off the top allowing the dies to resize just enough. Just a thought.

Good luck.

Buy some 284 win brass . Joe Russo has new 284 brass for sale at Long Range Hunter site.

Try a box of factory ammo....
I know that it is expensive and can be hard to find, but if I have a gun that is not shooting reloads as expected, I try a box of factor ammo as a standard..
So far as brass, try Buffalo Arms...
https://www.buffaloarms.com/284-winchester-cases-made-by-winchester-284win

If your LGS doesn't have factory ammo, here is a link for you
https://ammoseek.com/ammo/284-winchester

Have WW new brass coming to try.

Haven't seen a box of factory 284 in a long time, but its easy enough to order. That thought totally slipped my mind.

But I am fairly confident at this point the different brass will make a difference. If not there are a few other things I"m checking in the meantime... and will get it figured out.

Cerrosafe on the way too...

If it had came in my shop with that complaint, I would coat a factory loaded round with spray on "prussian blue" or "steel red" or last choice, magic marker. (do not use any dye product with a lubricant medium)....fire it, extract it and read the evidence. Handloads in the diagnostic phase just introduce more variables into the possibilities. My early suspicions would center on the bolt handle re-attachment, (the handle is timed to perform primary extraction at the exact degree of rotation that the locking lugs clear the locking abutment in the receiver) IF a belled chamber is eliminated. Full floating reamer holders, that many gunsmiths like ( I don't) by their very name imply a degree of risk of runout. The reamer is dependent on the pilot and the absence of flaws or changes of hardness in the barrel steel, to cut a good chamber. Reamers, like people, if allowed want to take the path of least resistance. Before I get flamed for picking a side on the proper technique for reaming, there is old skool, and new skool, each has it's advantages.