Thread: 6.5-284

Anyone here loading for this? I'm currently playing around with 142gn SMK's and AR2209 powder. Any thoughts or "common recipes" that get results.

I won't use 2209 in my 6.5AI. 2209 is a quite aggressive powder for some reason. I use WW760 (and 142gr SMKs) in my AI which has fractional better performance than a 6.5/284. My barrel life is looking to be a lot greater than a 6.5/284 with similar performance. In Ackley speak that is to be expected.
Mate has 2x 6.5/284s. Uses 139gr Scenars. First barrel toast quite early using 2209. Now he is using 2217 which gives as good accuracy and to date his throat advancement at the same round count is less than when he used 2209.
2217 may be too slow though for shorter barrels.

Originally Posted by zimmer

I won't use 2209 in my 6.5AI. 2209 is a quite aggressive powder for some reason. I use WW760 (and 142gr SMKs) in my AI which has fractional better performance than a 6.5/284. My barrel life is looking to be a lot greater than a 6.5/284 with similar performance. In Ackley speak that is to be expected.
Mate has 2x 6.5/284s. Uses 139gr Scenars. First barrel toast quite early using 2209. Now he is using 2217 which gives as good accuracy and to date his throat advancement at the same round count is less than when he used 2209.
2217 may be too slow though for shorter barrels.

What's a good starting load with 6.5ai with 760? using 140's

Originally Posted by Toby

What's a good starting load with 6.5ai with 760? using 140's

Surly a starting or mid range 6.5x55 load would be sufficient or do you think they are completely different?

Originally Posted by zimmer

I won't use 2209 in my 6.5AI. 2209 is a quite aggressive powder for some reason. I use WW760 (and 142gr SMKs) in my AI which has fractional better performance than a 6.5/284. My barrel life is looking to be a lot greater than a 6.5/284 with similar performance. In Ackley speak that is to be expected.
Mate has 2x 6.5/284s. Uses 139gr Scenars. First barrel toast quite early using 2209. Now he is using 2217 which gives as good accuracy and to date his throat advancement at the same round count is less than when he used 2209.
2217 may be too slow though for shorter barrels.

What sort of round count are we talking here, my experience being with relatively mild loads in 6.5x55 with 2209.

In my mates 6.5/284 (running 139gr Scenars at around 2960fps) less than 1000 rounds with his first barrel on a diet of 2209. Usually 6.5/284s they last around 1100 ish is not pushed. With my 6.5x55AI (running 142gr SMKs @ 3030fps) I am expecting around 1500 and that appears to be on target to occur. My mate using 2217 is well on the way to exceeding the life of his first barrel.

Originally Posted by zimmer

In my mates 6.5/284 (running 139gr Scenars at around 2960fps) less than 1000 rounds with his first barrel on a diet of 2209. Usually 6.5/284s they last around 1100 ish is not pushed. With my 6.5x55AI (running 142gr SMKs @ 3030fps) I am expecting around 1500 and that appears to be on target to occur. My mate using 2217 is well on the way to exceeding the life of his first barrel.

Roger. Good to know thanks. Will have a look at some other powders down the track. It wont be getting high use at this point but I'd prefer to look after it.
Thanks for the input guys, gives me some ground to work on.

Originally Posted by sdogg73

What sort of round count are we talking here, my experience being with relatively mild loads in 6.5x55 with 2209.

I wouldn't get 2 worried about the effects of 2209 in your Swede. The dynamics between the 6.5x55 and warmly loaded 6.5/284 (a known barrel burner) are quite different. 2209 is one if not the recognised powder for the Swede.

50.5gr of 2209 with 140 Vld here

52.5gr Of Reloader 22 with 140gr AMAX for 2960fps from a 26" tube for me

I have read use 6.5-284 loads but am not 100% sure.

I tried 2209 in my 6.5-284 but didn't get the speed or accuracy i was after. Ended up going to RL17 and get around 3k with a 140gr berger hybrid from a 30" barrel.

toby your going to be using x55 cases to fireform so why should there be any reason to swap loads, you should get some good speed tho.

going to chrony my 6.5 again tomorrow but not sure if chrony playing up as gun shoots lazer

So I'll fireform using factory ammo and then start a test load from inbetween max and min. How high do I go?

Originally Posted by Toby

So I'll fireform using factory ammo and then start a test load from inbetween max and min. How high do I go?

Toby - when will your AI be up and running?