Anyone load for Browning A-Bolt 284 win

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98s1lightning

98s1lightning

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Im wondering if anyone owns and loads for a Browning A bolt in 284 winchester (super hard to come by) I'm wondering if there is OAL issues with magazine length regarding 160 to 165 grain bullets. Im interested in shooting many of the Nosler bullets including the LR and the Hornady 162gr ELD X which I predict is a long bullet.

Also wondering if you might know if this is built on the same length action A Bolt that the 7mm-08 is built on? Possibly rechamber a 7mm-08 for it?

Thanks
KAD
 
I've never even SEEN a short action abolt in person, but from my reading max coal is about 2.85, which would be uncomfortably short for how I would want to run a .284win and vld type 160s.

If I were going to use a .284 in an action that short I'd probably limit my weight to 140s tops, and probably shoot fast 120s.
 
I'll add to @LoonWulf's sage advice that double checking twist rate for stability with longer bullets may be in order, my stw came 1:9.5. if you can imagine irritation, that's close to it.
 
I assume this is for hunting?

I’ve realized that loading for mag length limits my ability to find optimal accuracy since I can’t adjust seating depth. The problem is compounded when using long, VLD type bullets like @LoonWulf mentions
 
I'm not sure on the length I don't have one... this is research before I buy

I like the short action idea of the 284. The A bolt 284 is super rare, I could possibly get a 7mm 08 A bolt and have chamber reamed to 284, I'm not sure on cost or if it's possible but the 7 08 has a 9.5 twist. Not sure what the 284 comes with. It's barely documented that it was produced.

Or go 280 in a long action but they are 1 in 10 twist....
 
98s1lightning said:
I'm not sure on the length I don't have one... this is research before I buy

I like the short action idea of the 284. The A bolt 284 is super rare, I could possibly get a 7mm 08 A bolt and have chamber reamed to 284, I'm not sure on cost or if it's possible but the 7 08 has a 9.5 twist. Not sure what the 284 comes with. It's barely documented that it was produced.

Or go 280 in a long action but they are 1 in 10 twist....
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Short action standard is 2.8 or less (there are exceptions but here we are), last I knew, browning used red loctite on the barrel threads, so with that in mind I have a series of suggestions, but at the end of the day, you do you.
#1 rebarrel to the chamber/twist of your desire, if you're considering reaming just do this.
#2 pick up the .280 and run it with standard hunting bullets until the barrel is shot out then see #1.
#3 grab a savage or age a rem (remage get it? Haha) and slap a prefit custom barrel on there.
#4 take a bighorn action, prefit custom barrel, trigger of choice, stock of choice, and build that thing to your dream gun. (Option 3 gets the most fun/$, option 4 gets the most legacy/$, option 1 and 2 keep you with the browning).
 
I picked up the mag for this 284 win A Bolt build. I have 2.840 inside the mag. I figure I will have to limit my OAL to 2.830. Which may mean I will have to limit my bullet weight to 150 grain. I'm not sure yet. I'm waiting to get some more bullets in hand to experiment with. Right now I only have a 165? (Or 168,160 can't remember) Sierra Match King which is too long a bullet for application. I had to load it at 2.900, any shorter it was starting to lose diameter from the nose profile.
 
98s1lightning said:
I picked up the mag for this 284 win A Bolt build. I have 2.840 inside the mag. I figure I will have to limit my OAL to 2.830. Which may mean I will have to limit my bullet weight to 150 grain. I'm not sure yet. I'm waiting to get some more bullets in hand to experiment with. Right now I only have a 165? (Or 168,160 can't remember) Sierra Match King which is too long a bullet for application. I had to load it at 2.900, any shorter it was starting to lose diameter from the nose profile.
Click to expand...
I've got some 160tmks, 175sgks, 162amax, and some 120 hps if you want some to play with....I may have a few other randoms but I'd have to look.
 
I'd honestly take a pretty hard look at the 139sst or 120, 140, 150 balistic tips. Ive had good results from all of them in my 7mags
 
98s1lightning said:
I picked up the mag for this 284 win A Bolt build. I have 2.840 inside the mag. I figure I will have to limit my OAL to 2.830. Which may mean I will have to limit my bullet weight to 150 grain. I'm not sure yet. I'm waiting to get some more bullets in hand to experiment with. Right now I only have a 165? (Or 168,160 can't remember) Sierra Match King which is too long a bullet for application. I had to load it at 2.900, any shorter it was starting to lose diameter from the nose profile.
Click to expand...
Realistically, if a 140 ab or 160 partition (both should fit acceptably) can't get the job done, there are some unrealistic expectations of the rifle's limitations.
 
Nosler is deceiving for affordability, they sell boxes of 50 others sell boxes of 100. I didn't catch that at first. However they are a premium bullet. I buy some bullets from them regardless of price because they are the only one making it.
 
Part of my goal is to have say 2 to 4 different hunting bullets I load for the gun. I want them all to have good BC values so when I experiment with increasing my range I don't have to develop new loads. The gun is going to be 24" heavy sporter barrel.
 
Loonwulf I'm real curious if you might have a #1634 speer 160gr BTSP?

I shoot this style bullet in my 06 with good results and they are real affordable.
 
98s1lightning said:
Loonwulf I'm real curious if you might have a #1634 speer 160gr BTSP?

I shoot this style bullet in my 06 with good results and they are real affordable.
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I may, I have shot those before. I switched to shooting Amax and TMKs exclusively some time ago and I've got a bunch of random bullets laying around. I know I've got some 160s tho I'm not positive what they are, I saw them this morning.
I'll go dig thru my stash of crap tomorrow.

And yeah I ment the hunting balistics, I don't believe nosler offers varmint btips in 7mm. Even the 120s are pretty tough comparatively, I ran those at 3400fps from my 7mag.
 
I've found some of the 7mm bullets I had, not sure where I put my box of loose bullets but I know there's more in there if I can find it.

I've got mostly 160s but there are some 120vmax and 175s sgks. They should all give you an idea of what each weight class will be like in your mag.

Theres some 160s that I've never used, I THINK I got them from @Dudedog a while ago and did some basic load work up but never hunted or accuracy tested them.

IMG_20181231_103936360-2004x2672.jpg
 
RMR could not say who made them other than a bonded bullet but I think they might be Federal Fusions.
They were pulls but I thought they looked pretty good.
 
Dudedog said:
RMR could not say who made them other than a bonded bullet but I think they might be Federal Fusions.
They were pulls but I thought they looked pretty good.
Click to expand...
Thanks, that's what I THOUGHT I remembered being the case, but wasn't sure.

The only thing that makes me think they may not be fusions, is the cannulars are different than what I've seen on other fusions....I sorta wonder if they arnt grandslams done in boattail for someone, they have a similar profile to the flat base grandslams
 
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I don't know what they are that was just a guess. (the .223s at the same time were Fusions)
All I really know is a bonded something.

Did you by chance ever get to use one on game and see how it performed?
 
I just ordered 200 Speer #1634 BTSP. The tip profile looks correct for the bearing surface to be properly located in the neck of the case with the OAL of the short action. Speer also has published load data for 284 win with this bullet on their site. These two thing make me feel confident I'm not spending the money on too long a bullet that wont work for me. The Speer BTSP are my go to hunting bullet in 30-06. They are cheap and shoot good. Between this and what Loonwulf is sending I will have plenty to start with. I would rather start with the affordable bullet just to get shooting, I have to fund building the rifle right now too, so expensive bullets can wait till i have the gun running. And if the cheap bullets shoot good then thats icing on the cake, no need to go spend more money with 200 on the shelf!

Thanks guys
 
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