"Real world" .284 Winchester velocities?

[MTMilitiaman]

The .284 Winchester is one of those cartridges I've been aware of, but not really knowledgeable about as I considered it primarily a match round. However, it occurred to me that it might be exactly what I was looking for in a hunting rifle.

For years now I've wanted someone to introduce a standard length beltless magnum with a non-funky bolt face and the support of a large name brand company. Options like the Dakota and Lazzerroni just seem expensive to me. Well the .284 meets pretty much all of these requirements. I don't think it has quite the popularity I was looking for and I haven't researched how much available actions (I shoot southpaw so that can further complicate things) and brass cost. Let's start with the basics.

Most of the ballistics I am seeing for the .284 Win seem to be from longer match barrels of 30 to 32 inches, or simply unspecified. I would be primarily interested in creating a light tactical precision rifle for shooting plates, paper, and for game out to the extent of my ethical limit. I would be interested in the heavier match bullets for pretty much everything. I am interested in what the cartridge can do pushing a 168 to 180 gr Berger VLD or a 175 gr SMK out of a 26 inch barrel. Is this cartridge anywhere near the 7mm Rem Mag, which I have experience with, or the .280 AI, which I am also intrigued by?

 

[JimKirk]

A full length .284 brass(2.50") would be an ideal round, a .473 rim with a magnum body and the full length of the 30/06



Jimmy K

 

[MTMilitiaman]

Would putting the .284 in a standard length action have any benefit in terms of seating those long bullets out further, or no?

I think maybe the .280 comes closer to what I am looking for?

I currently have a 7mm Rem Mag. I am looking to replace it more for the rifle than the cartridge, which I am generally impressed with. However, while I know it is possible to load around and probably not that big of a deal regardless, if I am getting a new rifle I am doing away with the belt. Hence my sudden interest in all of the beltless 7mms out there...

What does a .280 AI and a 7mm WSM do with a long, heavy for caliber VLD style projectile in a hunting length tube, comparatively?

Why can't Ruger just neck the .375 Ruger down to 7mm?

 

[JimKirk]

If you'll look at the drawing .... that is a drawing only... my thoughts transfered to a drawing. It is a 284 Winchester case lengthen to 30/06 length. If some of those companies would just make the brass! What it would be is a 280 Remington with a fatter body and more volume and no belt.

I think the 284 is kinda like the 257 Roberts and 7 x 57 ... too long to work great in a short action and too short to work great in a long action.

Jimmy K

 

[Captcurt]

Would putting the .284 in a standard length action have any benefit in terms of seating those long bullets out further, or no?

I think maybe the .280 comes closer to what I am looking for?

I currently have a 7mm Rem Mag. I am looking to replace it more for the rifle than the cartridge, which I am generally impressed with. However, while I know it is possible to load around and probably not that big of a deal regardless, if I am getting a new rifle I am doing away with the belt. Hence my sudden interest in all of the beltless 7mms out there...

What does a .280 AI and a 7mm WSM do with a long, heavy for caliber VLD style projectile in a hunting length tube, comparatively?

Why can't Ruger just neck the .375 Ruger down to 7mm?

Brass or ammo is hard to come by for the 284, plus it doesn't come close to a 7 mag. My Nosler book list a 160gr out of a 284 at 2750fps while the 7mag is 3100fps. The 280 AI runs around 2950 with the same bullet.

Personally, if I wanted to burn a wad of money, I would take a 270 WSM and neck it down to a 264. That could get interesting.

 

[NCsmitty]

After comparing the 280 Rem, 284 Win, and the 7mm Remag on the www.hodgdon site, it looks like the 284 sits about in the middle between the other two for ballistics. Roughly 100 fps either way with the same bullets.

As noted, the 284 has had a resurgence in match competition lately, boosted by the introduction of Alliant Rel-17 powder. It can only be a better game cartridge for the same reason.

Check out the info here.

www.6mmbr.com/7mm284.html



NCsmitty

 

[kludge]

The .284 Winchester is one of those cartridges I've been aware of, but not really knowledgeable about as I considered it primarily a match round. However, it occurred to me that it might be exactly what I was looking for in a hunting rifle.

It was designed to get .270 ballistics in a short action. Great round, very accurate, great bullet selection, not many adopters early on. Those who know it love it. I'm a fan of the 7mm's -- 7mm-08, .284, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm WSM, .280 Rem.

For years now I've wanted someone to introduce a standard length beltless magnum with a non-funky bolt face and the support of a large name brand company.

How about a 7mm WSM? or the .270 WSM? .270 WSM seems to have a better backing right now, but for the reloader and all the 7mm bullets available, I'd be all over the 7mm WSM.

Options like the Dakota and Lazzerroni just seem expensive to me. Well the .284 meets pretty much all of these requirements. I don't think it has quite the popularity I was looking for and I haven't researched how much available actions (I shoot southpaw so that can further complicate things) and brass cost. Let's start with the basics.

You could do a left-handed Savage with a box magazine - this comes with controlled feed bolt face, not the typical push feed of the internal magazines and hinged floor plate magazine Savages.

Most of the ballistics I am seeing for the .284 Win seem to be from longer match barrels of 30 to 32 inches, or simply unspecified. I would be primarily interested in creating a light tactical precision rifle for shooting plates, paper, and for game out to the extent of my ethical limit. I would be interested in the heavier match bullets for pretty much everything. I am interested in what the cartridge can do pushing a 168 to 180 gr Berger VLD or a 175 gr SMK out of a 26 inch barrel. Is this cartridge anywhere near the 7mm Rem Mag, which I have experience with, or the .280 AI, which I am also intrigued by?

What is the hunting range you had in mind? The .284 will do anything the .270 or .280 will. The 7mm WSM will do anything the 7mm Rem Mag will. For either the .284 or the .280 you should plan on reloading. 26" is a long barrel for hunting, and you don't give much up in a 24" for any of these cartidges. My Savage 7mm WSM came with a 24" barrel, unfortunately I didn't think I had time to chrono it before it went to the gunsmith to have a .35 caliber barrel put on it. Turns out I had plenty of time. Oh well, next year.

At any rate the 7mm08 will do 95% of what a .284 will and 90% of what a 7mm magnum will with less hassle and expense.

What you might run into on a Savage short action in 7mm WSM or .284 is fitting long match bullets into the magazine. I don't have an answer to that question.

.284 brass is seasonal, so you get it when you can. It runs about $35/50 when it's in stock.