Been thinking about doing something with a XS7 Marlin action for a while so I looked into Brass/Ammo availability and it is there to be had, Ammo very expensive but Brass not so bad. How hard would it be to get it to feed properly? Is it worth the trouble over a 7-08?

Would I buy one?
Oh hell yes. It's an oddball. That is cool and useful.

I wouldn't make one.
7-08 or is close enough, and less likely to give feed issues.

If you want more, and are willing to pecker around with potential
issues, there are the short mag cases. Bolt face would need alterations.

I'd go 7-08 if building. I looked at building a 284 Win on a Rem 700 SA. and I couldn't get much more velocity out of it with COAL restrictions. Just using Quickload and mocked up several cartridges with a few bullets that I wanted to try with 2.825" COAL. I couldn't find a reason to build it.

If I wanted a 284 Win, I'd look for a used NULA/ULA (extremely difficult to find). I had one and wish I still had it. but I've heard even Melvin now recommends a 7-08 chambering over a 284 Win in his rifles. Or I guess you could rechamber a 7mm-08 Fieldcraft. But I have a 7mm-08 Fieldcraft and I don't see a need to rechamber it.

I rebarreled XS7s in 25-284 and 6.5-284. They shot fine, they never fed as well as they did when they were 243s. About 10 years ago someone on this site rechambered an XS7 from 7mm-08 to 284 and I think that he wasn't satisfied with the feeding either.

Since the 284 case is the same length as the 6.5x55, it quickly runs into COAL issue in short actions.

Winchester/Olin's 150 grain 284 factory load produces approximately the same performance as the 150 grain 308 factory load, but costs at least twice as much and is probably 10x as hard to find.

If I was going to put another rifle together for a 284 based wildcat, I'd probably do a quick twist 6-284 if the COAL would work with the longer VLD bullets. Sort of a 6mm CM on steroids.

EDIT: I think that the guy who did the 7mm-08 to 284 rechamber job was DMSBANDIT.

I have a R77 that I bought rebarreled in 284 Win. It feeds fine, but do not know if it was tweaked or not.
I also have FN that I bought rebarreled in 6mmx284. It feeds fine and is now a 6.5x284, but again do not know if it was treaked.

I had a friend who was putting together a pair of mauser action 6.5x 284s for his sons when he passed away.
I used a competent gunsmith to make sure they feed well and worked up loads for them.
They feed fine also.

With a short action, the 7mm-08 is best bet, but I really like the 284 brass in a long action.

A buddy just built one on a Defiance short action, Manners EH1 and Carbon 6 barrel. He shoots Berger 175’s to 2800 ish and is very pleased with it. He uses 308 Accuratemag AICS-pattern mags with smooth feeding.

I point this out as a positive example in case you aren’t completely deterred from 284 yet. It shoots well, good ballistics, good bullets, quality brass is there.

His build was start to finish designed around the cartridge and that bullet.

If I use a long action it won't do anything my 280 AI won't and I am a fan of the 7-08. I shot out a 6mm-284 many years ago built on a short action Ruger 77. It fed just fine and I wish I still had the rifle to rebarrel. Back to the drawing board, my original plan was to make a 358 on it but now I am thinking 338 federal. I have plenty of 35 caliber bullets but no .338 bullets. Probably should start looking for some good deals on .338 bullets!

The only 6-284 that I've played with was a rechambered Savage 99C in 243. This rifle had a 22" 1-10" ROT barrel, so not the best platform to squeeze the most performance out of a 6-284. I wonder what the 6-284 would do with a quicker ROT in a longer, 24" or 26", barrel and a stronger/stiffer action with a magazine box that would handle the newer VLD bullets.

A 20" 338 FED would make for a handy timber rifle.

Years ago I bought two tang safety Ruger 77 short action rifles chambered in 284 Winchester. One is still a 284 and the other got re-barreled to 6.5-284 maybe 15 years ago. The short action has never been a problem of any kind with either of them with factory or hand loaded ammunition. I never shoot either of them "long range" so I don't worry about long VLD bullets, but instead I shoot normal length 7MM 140 grain and 130 grain 6.5MM hunting type bullets in the two rifles.

Melvin tempers his recommendations based on brass availability. If .284 brass is available, he still likes that cartridge. Similarly, when 6.5 Creedmoor brass was hard to get, he recommended the .260 Remington, which remains a good choice, of course.

What about 270 Redding or 270-08AI?

My Dakota 76 in 284 Win in the left. I also have a custom model 70 SS Classic Pushfeed in 284. Great cartridge, super accurate with light recoil.

I’m have two f-class and two hunting 284’s. Love them, yours are classic also !

Absolutely gorgeous stocks!

Gorgeous Dakota!!

Sakohunter beautiful rifles!

Back in 1985 or so I wore out a Ruger tang safety M77 6mm Rem barrel. The late Harry Lawson suggested I make a 284 Win from one of his Rem 7 Rem mag takeoffs. Setback was approx 1/2" and chamber was cleaned up. There was nothing done to the magazine or action and it fed fast or slow perfectly. I used it for years and got my first elk with it not to mention many coues wt and javelina. That rifle is still with me and now on its third 284 barrel, this one is a rechambered Rem takeoff formerly a 7-08 now 23" long. I bought a now discontinued McMillan Ruger Ultralight stock for it and had the magazine lengthed to 3.1" with a useful OAL of 3.050"

Then one day bumped into another tanger. This one also got the Ultralight stock which our Rick B. sold me. I even convinced him to paint it ASAT wtih ASAT's permission.
It had its bolt face enlarged to become the 338 RCM. I also made a 6mm-284 with a Rem 243 takeoff. Both cartridges feed wonderfully. Eventually mag box was lengthened to 3.1"

I can't say it is true for all Ruger M77 tangers but two sure feed the 284 case perfectly.

Here is the 6mm-284, has a different scope these days...

I have two, an A-Bolt Micro-Medallion, and a 1970 vintage Ruger 77. Here’s my license plate. I reload everything, they work for me.

Truth be known, the 7mm-08 is ‘almost’ it's ballistic Twin. The 7mm-08 is much more common of course.

Amen, beautiful

Just, WOW!!