Thread: Short barreled 6.5-284

No experience in the 284 but have a 16" 6.5 Creedmoor and love it. About 2500 ft/s with a 129gr projectile and a mild load of 2209. Around 2700 ft/s doable with a 120gr pill and factory ammo was doing 2600 ft/s with a 129gr SST. If you want more speed, RL17 is something to look at which I will in the future.

The 120gr pill out of a 16" 6.5CM barrel gives you literally the same ballistics as a 175gr pill coming out of a 22" 308 barrel within 1000m...

Originally Posted by JaSa

No experience in the 284 but have a 16" 6.5 Creedmoor and love it. About 2500 ft/s with a 129gr projectile and a mild load of 2209. Around 2700 ft/s doable with a 120gr pill and factory ammo was doing 2600 ft/s with a 129gr SST. If you want more speed, RL17 is something to look at which I will in the future.

The 120gr pill out of a 16" 6.5CM barrel gives you literally the same ballistics as a 175gr pill coming out of a 22" 308 barrel within 1000m...

Yeah....... but which one is gonna hit you harder?

Originally Posted by 257weatherby

Yeah....... but which one is gonna hit you harder?

The .308 by around 100% BUT irrelevant as you, Antwalsh and I are smart enough not to try to shoot anything living at that distance

If you have a long action I would rather go 6.5x55AI. Cheap lapua brass too.

Why not just go .284?

Could go 284 but already have 280ai which would pretty much be the same thing. Looking to do something different hence the short barreled 6.5-284. Could go creedmoor but the 6.5-284 has a greater case capacity which I would assume would lead to increased velocity as appose to the creedmoor. 6.5x55 is another good option tho! More just after anyone who has a short barreled 6.5-284 or even 6.5x55 to see what sort of speeds one could expect from the shorter barrels..


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Originally Posted by Antwalsh

More just after anyone who has a short barreled 6.5-284 or even 6.5x55 to see what sort of speeds one could expect from the shorter barrels..

@25 /08 IMP mostly wrote the answer to your question based on his experience:

I've done most over the years 6.5/06 and the AI version also 6.5x 284 which I think was either a 18 or 20" I'm not sure.
I really struggled to get the speed I thought I should.
I now have a .260... as I can get 2880 fs from a 20" and 2810fps from my son in-law 18" and the (6.5x)284 I had only just made it over 2800 with the 130 Nosler AB although that was with 2217 and it probably would have gone better with RL26.

Originally Posted by Antwalsh

Could go 284 but already have 280ai which would pretty much be the same thing. Looking to do something different hence the short barreled 6.5-284. Could go creedmoor but the 6.5-284 has a greater case capacity which I would assume would lead to increased velocity as appose to the creedmoor. 6.5x55 is another good option tho! More just after anyone who has a short barreled 6.5-284 or even 6.5x55 to see what sort of speeds one could expect from the shorter barrels..


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nice way to pass the time wondering what cartridge to go for. Straight 284 be similar but different application and prolly be a good 200 to 300fps behind your full length 280ai?

30/284? Would make use of the short barrel nicely I would think.

30/284 would be an interesting one, should go really well in the shorter barrel too.

Go the 260, @superdiver had one that performed really well with a short barrel. So do a few others. The 6.5x284 doesnt tend to respond well to the chop. You could go 30/284 which has been done here but then you could also chop a 300wsm and put a can on it, or a 300saum if you like wild cats. Both known to respond well to short barrels, and then youd still have an extremely capable rifle down range. I'm currently taking the alternative route and building a 24" 284 to try and chase every last fps out of the cartridge. (But that's just me) alot of guys like the bush pig style of rifle and they serve a purpose. At the end of the day everyone will have an opinion, trust your gut and enjoy it

This might sound a bit boring but the the good old 308 goes good short. At 16 inches I have shot 2 goats with one shot @450 yards. 18 inches 650 yards is no problem to drop an animal with a 168 eldm
Depending on what the goal is?

What about a 6.5 PRC? Is that not basically a magnum version of a 6.5 creeedmore?

Had 2x death machines now(18" bbl 260). Both chucked 140eldms @ 2730-2770 with 43.5gr-45.5gr 2209. Both are owned by other forum members now and I doubt they would sell them back or on as they were good to 750yds~ on a red deer sized animal. Don't overcomplicate things trust me

Originally Posted by superdiver

Had 2x death machines now(18" bbl 260). Both chucked 140eldms @ 2730-2770 with 43.5gr-45.5gr 2209. Both are owned by other forum members now and I doubt they would sell them back or on as they were good to 750yds~ on a red deer sized animal. Don't overcomplicate things trust me

Yip you are right you won't be getting that 18".260 back, mind you nor will I now my son in-law has it.

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Go for it man. Variety is the spice of life. With the heavier bullets you absolutley will get better velocity than a 6.5 creed or 260. It's just physics.

I would be looking at rl16 as a good powder to work with