Custom 6.5-284 Build

Weatherby Fan

Weatherby Fan

CGN Regular
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Location
Maple Ridge,BC,Canada
I was wanting a lightweight sheep hunting rifle and thought 6.5 Creedmoor but gunsmith Gary Flach says nope lets do a 6.5-284 Norma on a Kimber Montana 84M action, Ill open up the mag box for factory ammo as thats what I normally shoot, so here we are and so far Im extremely happy with the outcome and as usual Garys workmanship was first class.

Kimber Montana 84M Action Trued, Squared & Slabbed and an alloy bolt knob, lightweight trigger guard
Factory trigger set at 2.5 lbs
22" SS Benchmark 1-8 twist, 5R, #1 contour barrel, custom built muzzle brake, holes angled forward on 3 sides but not on the bottom, barrel 24" with brake
Talley Lightweight Rings
Zeiss V4 4-16x44 scope will put a lightweight scope on at a later date.








First trip to the range and the rifle is a dream to shoot with that brake on there, I was trying out 3 Factory Nosler loads, 130gr AB, 140gr AB and 129gr ABLR

I started with the 130gr @ 2800 fps, two to zero the rifle, a good cleaning and the first 3 shot group did not disappoint, no fouling shot required by this rifle !



Group 2 was with the 140gr Accubonds @ 2700 fps, group 3 was with the 129gr ABLR @ 2820 fps and nope it certainly doesn't like those bullets

Group 4 was with the 140gr AB again and was so so, and the 5th group I went back to the 130gr AB and pumped 3 shots out as fast as I could.
Cant complain about those Benchmark #1 barrels they sure do shoot.

 
elker said:
You are having the 6.5 creedmoore speed from a 6.5x284
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Yes pretty anemic for speed, it is factory ammo, a new barrel and its 22" long so Ill give it a little time to break in,

Ill do up some handholds and see if we can get it up to where I would hope it to be.

On my other 6.5-284 we got 2940fps with 52gr of R22 with a 24" Benchmark Barrel

kamlooky said:
Great looking unit.
Looks s'pensiff.

Try poi with the screw on thing at the end off.
Might be worth knowing if the poi is affected.
Click to expand...

Yes I will give it a whirl on this one, last rifle I tried it on no difference....300 wby


 
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Very nice rig you have and a great cartridge! Can't complain about those groupings as well........stick with the 130 gr. Accubonds.
 
I like that! I was told the 284 case couldn't be chambered in a kimber 84m, due to not enough meat on the receiver ring, obviously that info was wrong. What length can you load the ammunition too? I would like to have one built on a 284win.
 
elker said:
ZBR reticle? I'm used to rapid z, so zbr should be the one I may choose.
But I keep hearing not nice comments on V4, why do you like it? I have ordered another 6.5x284 in Blaser R8 through Wanstall, and am weighing which scope to buy
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I prefer the Z-Plex reticle of the bunch they offer, Clarity wise they are as good as any scopes Ive looked through, zero stop turret is awesome, they're tough as nails, tracks perfectly, I have 4 of the V4 4-16x44, 1 of the V4 6-24x50 of them and one V6 3-18x50 scopes,

we did a low light comparison with a Leupold VX3i 4.5-14x40 30mm, VX5 HD 3-15x44, VX6 HD 3-18x44, Swarovski Z6 2.5-15x44, Zeiss V4 4-16x44 and a Zeiss V6 3-18x50 and and 4 of the 5 guys preferred the Zeiss over the others,

one other thing is from a 100 yard Zero my Leupold scopes have 27 MOA of vertical adjustment up and the Zeiss has 52 MOA of vertical adjustment up.

Hope this helps
WF
 
Good looking gun. Interested to see what it will do with hand loads. My one 6.5X47 shoots the 130 AccuBond really good. I have only taken it to Texas last winter, but that bullet worked extremely well on deer and one hog. I would think you should get a 140 gr going closer to 3000 fps as my X47 shoots the 130 AB at 2900 fps out of a 25" #3 Benchmark. Please update once you start loading for it.
 
beeman2 said:
Good looking gun. Interested to see what it will do with hand loads. My one 6.5X47 shoots the 130 AccuBond really good. I have only taken it to Texas last winter, but that bullet worked extremely well on deer and one hog. I would think you should get a 140 gr going closer to 3000 fps as my X47 shoots the 130 AB at 2900 fps out of a 25" #3 Benchmark. Please update once you start loading for it.
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Im off to the Range this morning with some 140gr AB and 143gr ELD-X and R26, see what velocity I can scrounge up but its gotta be a little more than that factory Nosler ammo !
 
Let us know how it goes! I'm interested in knowing for sure. I never thought of a 22" for a 6.5X284 Norma but the way it's designed kind of makes sense.
 
pete dobinson said:
I like that! I was told the 284 case couldn't be chambered in a kimber 84m, due to not enough meat on the receiver ring, obviously that info was wrong. What length can you load the ammunition too? I would like to have one built on a 284win.
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Gary made the Mag box 3" , I tried some dummy rounds at 3" and they hung up on the ejection port so I'm restricted to 2.9" COAL, they fit the mag box and cycle and eject smoothly, factory ammo is 2.880 and it shoots well so I can live with the 2.90 COAL.

I loaded up some 140gr AB with 52gr R19 and got 2830 and the same in 143gr ELD-X 2812


130gr AB with R19
52.0gr-2820
52.5gr-2860
53.0gr-2920

130gr AB with R26
53.0gr 2794,2796,2797
53.5gr 2848,2856,error
54.0gr 2897,2904,2903
 
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I’m working in something similar in 6.5x55ai. Rebarreling a 280ai Hunter to 6.5x55ai with a 22” creedmoor takeoff barrel. Wouldn’t the whole process go smoother starting work at 84l? Any reason you didn’t flute the barrel and bolt?
 
98ssuck said:
I’m working in something similar in 6.5x55ai. Rebarreling a 280ai Hunter to 6.5x55ai with a 22” creedmoor takeoff barrel. Wouldn’t the whole process go smoother starting work at 84l? Any reason you didn’t flute the barrel and bolt?
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Fluting is mostly cosmetic and the barrel is a #1 contour Benchmark, Benchmark will only flute a #2 nothing smaller, I don't like fluting barrels after they have been stressed relieved and yes I know lots of guys do it without issue.

I could have built it on an 84L action as I have a donor in the safe, and then could load to any length but wanted to to do an 84M, I normally only shoot factory ammo so no isuues for me, it mostly bothers other handloaders !

I was at the range today with some more handloads and was shooting one hole groups with 143gr ELD-X and 54gr of R26 at 2840 fps so 2.90 coal is working just fine.
 
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