Which 6.5 Chambering?


Left-.308 Winchester, Right 6.5-284 Norma-image Wikipedia
Left-.308 Winchester, Right 6.5-284 Norma-image Wikipedia

Q: I would like to add a rifle in 6.5mm calibre to my battery, one suitable for taking everything from varmints to pigs and deer. I want a cartridge capable of driving the 140gn bullet to 3000fps, and would prefer it not to be the .264 Win., Mag., 26 Nosler or 6.5 Creedmoor. I know the 6.5-06 Improved will reach that velocity, but I don’t want a wildcat. Could you recommend something better?
Tim Jones

A: The 6.5-284 Norma is based on the .284 Winchester case necked down and it is my favourite cartridge in 6.5mm. I started playing with this cartridge back in 1991 when it was still a wildcat and picked it up again after Norma adopted it and made it legit. I got a rifle for it in 2003 and the highest muzzle velocities I attained with handloaded 100, 120, 130, and 140gn bullets were 3420, 3290, 3150, and 3050fps respectively. Modern 6.5 magnums beat its performance but only with the added expense of nearly double the amount of powder burned and greatly lessened barrel
life. Almost Any .260 Rem. rifle can be rechambered for the 6.5-284.

The 6.5-284 Norma shooting the Barnes 130gn Triple Shock at 3150fps dropped the fallow buck running flat out at at 200 yards.
The 6.5-284 Norma shooting the Barnes 130gn Triple Shock at 3150fps dropped the fallow buck running flat out at at 200 yards.

 

 

 


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Marcus O'Dean

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