Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Just joined the 7mm/120 gr fraternity........

Yeah, yeah....what took me so long?

When I finished my 284 a few years ago, I just started right up with 139-140 bullets 'cuz...........uhhhhh.........just 'cuz I guess.............. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

But repeated posts by DZ and Stick had gots me to thinkin' so I tried a few out in the last couple days. Five groups, two bullets, two powder charges = 0.585" avg group size.

Rifle: Modified Rem 700 Ti S/A. Kreiger fwt. bbl. @ 21" Scope VX III 3.5x10. Rifle weight 5 lb. 9 oz.

Kreiger gets the credit for making this ridiculously easy.

Note the two groups on the right were dumped not weighed. Never tried this with a "log" powder before.





JimF

Groups are Lookin good <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I'm a member of the 120 grain .284 bore Fraternity too. I run them in my .280 AI.

HBB

And now Grasshopper you are ready for the final step..... the 120 gr. TSX !
I just bought a box of 120 gr. Hdys, and more 120 gr. NBT's. They shoot like your rifle does out of my .280. E

i am working on the 120 TSX in my 7mag but it is not coming along like those ones... yet it is getting there.. slowly!

The TSX is on the agenda although I dunno if I really need it what with the glowing reviews that DZ has been giving the Btip. I tried SW in Reno yesterday, and they were sold out of 120's (@ $27/50) and the only other store had 'em @ $31/50. I'm re-painting it today, so the TSX's can wait until a care pkg from Midway gets here.

After a year or so of playing with the 6.5 x 284 and the .308 (which is actually for somebody else) I just pick up the 284 and go out and it does this. Makes me wonder why I'd bother with anything but this rifle......... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

True, it's a little heavier than the 6.5 but it balances better than anything else I have, and basically shoots lights out with about everything I've tried. It even is much more pleasant to shoot than the 6.5 (due to stock design).

The 6.5 in it's current configuration may be done for. I'm thinkin' about ordering a Bansner blank for the 6.5 and maybe turn it into a 250/3000 or some such over the winter. (I think I might just have Kreiger do the barrel too......... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />)

This 284 is just too good for me to be messin' around with anything else in the big game calibers.

JimF

How about throwing some pics and details of those rifles back up? I know they've been up before, but it's been a while.

OK:

A couple old pics from my old Canon camera.

Top pic is 6.5 x 284 in MPI stock, Zolatone Desert Camo
..Rem 600 action Octagoned, Bolt fluted and drilled etc.
..Shilen s/s #1 @ 21" fluted
..MPI "UL" stock reinforced by me with Carbon and other stuff. Foam recoil pad
..Burris Zee Ultra Lows on Weavers
..Weight = 4 lb 14 oz as shown w/Leo compact 2X7





284 in Bansner Sheephunter, Zolatone Anthracite(?)
..Rem Ti S/A opened to 2.970 Wyatts box
..Kreiger fwt contour @ 21"
..Talley LW bases/rings
..Weight = 5 lb 9 oz. w/Leo 3.5x10 (shown w/ 6x42)





JimF

Good shooting.And even better looking shooting stick's.
In the spring I will try working up a load for the 120 TSX and my 7.

Here are a couple pretty typical groups using 120bt's out of my 7-08CDL in a Ti SAUM stock. Not great pics but it was starting to rain that day IIRC.

Thanks Jim. I love those 2 rifles. Just from the pic's and weights, I'd probably tote the .284 most of the time too.

JimF,

Thought some folks might be interested in this shot of 120gr & 140gr BTs I sectioned a couple years ago.


The 120grBT has a beefier jacket but the 140grBT is no slouch on deer sized critters. Both are excellent choices for deer in 7mms...................

MtnHtr

Thanks for the pic, I wouldn't a thunkit. Mebbe that Stevezapper guy knows what he's talkin' about.

There just doesn't seem to me to be any crying need to go running after the TSX for the size critters I'm likely to shoot with this rifle. Eventually I'll try 'em I guess. If for some reason, I decide that the 120 Btips are not enough bullet, I have great loads in the can for the 130 XBT, 139 Hornie, and 140 Npt.

I just sanded off the old Zolatone paint that was heavily scraped up on the 284 and repainted with black/grey Duplicolor over some "Firm Foot" as a base coat. It's easy enough and cheap. I'll have to see over the course of the year how it holds up. It's possible that the rock bangin' I did to it on that bear hunt a few years ago would have roughed up about anything.

JimF

JimF, just want you to remember that I called first dibs on that 6.5x284 when you were building it...Just a reminder <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Jim, I switched over to shooting alot of the 120's a couple of years ago in my 708's...While I don't propose to be any kind of authority, and don't have wound pictures, stories, ect., they do the job on the medium sized game I have shot with them.. This includes Kansas white-tails and wild hogs.. On the deer I have shot, they don't seem to show as much expansion and damage as the 140's did.. On the hogs, they had good penetration and held together well.. I will continue using them for both.. The only place I can see they might give up something is at long range..FWIW..

JimF,

You are on the right track on both bullets and paint. Zolatone might have been thick but she's not waterproof (you know whadda I'maa talking about! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />) As for dupilcolor, you can touch her up after every season, not a big deal.

If you ever venture over towards Morgan Hill, pay a visit with James Tonkin the B&C measurer. He's a great guy to shoot the bull with and you will be in awe over all his and his wife's Nosler BT kills/mounts. A first class couple of the first order...............

MtnHtr

I didn't forget at all. I sorta' hoped my blossoming plans to change her out would slip past 'ya............ <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Actually, I'm just not planning to sell her at this stage.

While the 6.5 (DID) turn out to be all the things I wanted it to, there are a couple of issues. One is that the MPI stock while stable enough and all that, is not nearly as comfortable to shoot as a Bansner. Two, even the fairly mild loads with the 85's are not easy going for more than 20-30 shots or so. Three, is that it basically duplicates the capabilities of the 284.

I've built and shot enough of these stupidly light rifles to know that this 284 is truly exceptional. It seems that with a minimum of effort, EVERY dang load has capablities similar to what is posted above. Despite what one reads on the 'net, most 5.5 lb rifles just don't do this.

As such, the 284 remains sort of the mainstay of the battery. The 338-08 holds down the heavyweight spot well enough so that leaves the "Light" caliber of the three gun battery as not quite right.

If you recall, when I worked out the 6.5 project, I went at it with the intent of a mild 25 cal (probably a Bob) But, fate intevened. You were giving me the elbow about 6.5's, Julio had a new orphan 6.5 barrel laying around that he about GAVE me, and a tight neck reamer that he was dying to break in. As a result, I ended up with the 6.5 X 284 for very little money. No regrets at all, but it gets aced out for that middle slot by the 284.

In any case, I'll probably restock it as is this fall and see how it feels. Realistically though a true small case 6, 25, or 6.5 would be a better fit for me. Probably something off the 250 Sav case or something like that is where I'll end up.

JimF

Little slips past me, I'm highly trained to catch the little things, it's the big ones that I miss! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

To be honest I don't have the money even if you were selling, and see your line of thinking perfectly on the .284. A 5.5 lbs. .284 that shoots like that can get a lot of stuff done. Sub 5lbs, might even be a little too light.

Just to add fire to the confusion if you are shooting 120gr. pills out of the .284 I don't see any reason for a 6, .25, or 6.5, but what the heck do I know?

Only thing I do know is that I wouldn't mind being you, when the need for a light rifle was upon me! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I'm thinkin' a walkin' varminter that matches the balance of the 284. Something in the 70-80 gr. 3000-3200 (ish) range. That'll bang the heck out of the rocks that I practice on during my canyon hikes, plus the occasional 'yote or woozel that I might trip over.

Come to think of it..........there's a cartridge called the "Varminter" that would do that as well......... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> (and I have dies)

I hate it when you get me thinkin' 'cuz I get myself all cornfuzed and stuff........... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

JimF

Me too!
After reading about the 120 Ballistic Tip combo here I finally managed to try it - got my reloading set up unpacked and working - loaded up 3 lots of 5 rounds with this bullet - ADI 2208 powder (Varget equivalent) - used the same OAL as the Hornady 139gr SST factory loads I was using. All 3 lots were under inch and half - not bad considering am pretty rusty and rest was 'expedient'. I'm hooked on this weight - can feel the difference in my Kimber.
What other 120 7mm's are there - there's TSX, pro hunter and ?

I have been shooting a 284 for close to 20 years. Always used a 140. First it was the sierra gameking then the ballistic tip. Tried some 100 Xs when they first came out, while they stopped the coues they didn't kill outright like a good 140.

In more recent years I dabbled with the 120 nbt and made a coues kill seem easy at just over 400 yds. Vel was around 3300 at the muzzle. Was using H4350 but had inconsistent results and had to give up on the 120 nbt for a while.

This year Big Stick menitoned using RL-15 and I gave it a try. But first I had my smith lengthen the magazine to 3". Finallly it all came together. Seating depth based on the throat and a healty dose of 15 and it now works consistently.

While my 284 is not as light as your's, Jim, it feels great and handles well. It is a M77 in a Mickey ultralight stock, S and K lightweight rings and a Fx 6 power scope for weight of 7 lb 9 oz.

The best part of this package is the barrel. I use new rem takeoffs that were originally 7 mag barrels. Lawson's has all I would ever need. I am on #4. Cost to install: $ 125 total. So I can go out and wack jackrabbits, rock rats and coyotes to my hearts content and not worry about wearing out the barrel. There is alway another ready for me on the cheap.

FYI: I turn the necks of the 284 just enough to get a more consistent neck tension and release. I believe it makes a differnence. If you haven't done this you at least need to see just how out of round the walls really are.

JimF: you sure whittled down those rifles! Did you do all the metal trimming yourself? I am envious of the light weight package you have.

Enjoy.

Ross