284 Win or 7mmRM

[pyplynr]

Here's the scoop guys. Criterion is making me a 7mmRM barrel for my Savage 110 right now..... But, I'm having second thoughts about if I should just go with the straight .284 Win. My personal range goes to 1000 but it may be extended later on in life.

What say The Hide?

 

[JCH]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

i wanted a 284 win really bad!! But I went 7saum....

Personal choice. The 7mag has better range but the 284 probably has a little better barrel life.

 

[Texar2]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

7WSM hands down

 

[flyboy]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

wsm all the way, best of all worlds.

 

[TEAMSENDIT]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

stick with the 7rm, why not have the fastest 7 barrels are cheap and cheating the wind is priceless.

 

[AF_TT]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

I am building up a 7RM right now. I wanted to start there and then when this factory Sendero barrel is shot out (I am thinking a year or year and a half) I will either go down or up. I have seen reports of all of these rounds getting 3000+ FPS.

I like the 7mmRM because I can also obtain good to match grade ammo in 30 minutes if needed.

Have you written off the .280 Rem?

 

[kyreloader]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

What is your rifle going to be used for? For hunting, I would suggest the 7RM due to the availability of factory loads in a bind.

For steel/target shooting, I would load the 284 Win. Better brass, known loadings. Looking at the 7mm page on 6mmbr.com, the 7RM is not even listed. 7SAUM, 7WSM, 284, 7-08 are the calibers listed. The 284 and its derivatives are the calibers of choice for BR/Fclass currently. If a target/steel shooter, I would definitely go 284 Win. Better barrel life and 2850 fps with 180g Berger/SMK in 30 inch barrels.

 

[bohem]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

I have a 7 BAT (7/300 WSM) and it's fantastic, but it's really overkill for competitions that stop at 1000yd and I'd feel the same about the 7 RM.

The 284 is a great compromise between the 7-08 and the magnum calibers. Plus, you already have a long action to use with the long heavy bullets.

Mark Gordon recently built a couple of absolute hammers in 284 on long actions, the reamer he's using works like a charm.

162 Amax's @ 3000fps and 3.15" oal fit in AICS 300 WM mags great
180 Bergers @ 2800fps and 3.16" approx

Flounderv2 and Mark have a pair of matching rifles that make me drool whenever I see them.

 

[VjjR]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

Never doubt your initial decision, If your thinking extending past 1000 yards stick with the rem mag. I have 2, I'm thinking of turning the savage into an ultra mag. What twist rate did you get?

 

[pyplynr]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

95% of the life of the rifle will be for target steel from 100-1000 yards unless I break out the dozer and make my range longer. I've never headspaced a belted case, but I hear different ways to go about headspacing these cases. i.e. using the belted headspace gauge vs just headspacing the shoulder of a FS case. The ammo situation will not matter b/c I haven't bought a factory rifle round since I started handloading. This rifle is going to wear a XLR chassis w/AICS DBM that will get here Thursday and it will have a NXS 5.5-22x50 on top.

The barrel being made right now is a 9 twist

 

[former naval person]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

Well...the first firing will headspace off the belt unless you expand up to .338 and neck down, or start with .338 brass and neck down to a false shoulder for the first firing. After that, definitely headspace off the shoulder.

 

[pyplynr]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

Ok I understand now. Use the belted hs gauge to install the barrel. Then after the first round of firing the brass I resize my brass of the shoulder. That makes a lot more sense.

 

[shoot4fun]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

Between the two you mention, I would stay with 7RM. Reason being, IMHO, is brass is more available and ammo can be found almost any where any time.
My own calibers of 7MM persuasion are the 7MM08 and the 7 WSM. I run 168 SMK @ 2800 FPS in the 08 and 180 Berger VLD at 2980 in the WSM. I think either would do fine in the 7RM with proper twist rate.

 

[VjjR]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

How long have you been waiting on the criterion and whats the specs on it?

 

[pyplynr]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: VjjR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">How long have you been waiting on the criterion and whats the specs on it? </div></div>

Ordered 4/4/11. Was quoted 6-8 weeks. Called Northland 7 weeks after ordering and he told me another 6-8 weeks because my order was still on his desk. I've had hell getting savage barrels. First prefit I had made was from SSS and that was a 5 month wait. Now Northland is doing the same thing. At least Jim @ Northland answers the phone when you call. Next barrel I'll try SinArms.

Std. shank, 9tw, 26" long, varmint contour, muzzle threaded 5/8x24 for supressor.

 

[VjjR]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

uh oh... I'm on week 11 I think or 10 since he called me telling me he placed the order. I just figured since I ordered a fluted and threaded it would take a little longer. I better call Him.

 

[pyplynr]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

I called Jim @ Northland today around 11am cst. No 7mm barrels.

 

[Aubrey]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

accurateshooter.com has a good "7mm Cartridge Guide" page. Unfortunately it does not have info on the 7mm RM.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/7mm/

Optimal case capacity for the .284 bore is probably somewhere between the .284 Win and 7mm SAUM. The 7mm RM is pretty overbore IMO, but for a hunting-rifle-only barrel life may be adequate. There are few fleas on the .280 Rem or .270 Ackley Improved either, if you are going long action.

 

[raptor99]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

I just had a 284 built and its a "HAMMER". I have shot it out to 1200yds so far and I love it.

I used to shoot the 6.5x284s and thought they were the cats nuts (And they are) but barrel life sucks. I don't like rebarreling every winter.

The 284s are good for 3000+rds on average and if your going to shoot them in a comp out to 1200 or 1300yds you can't do much better. I shoot the 162AMAXs because I have a 27" barrel and didn't figure I would gain anything with the 180s with the shorter barrel.

My first 5 shot group at 1000yds was 5" wide and 2.5"s tall. I shot a 3 shot at 1100yd and it was 6.5"s and the 3 shot group at 1200yds was 4"s whats not to love about the 284s!!!

The recoil is another thing to think about. My 284 has a tad more recoil than my 308s and a lot more than my 260s. So it is noticable. The 7MM mags would be more yet. Before anyone starts calling me a "Pussy" I have shot the barrels out of a bunch of 300WMs so I am not unfamiliar with what I am talking about.

I don't think you can go wrong with any of them but the 284s have some nice advantages over the mags unless your going to do a bunch of shooting over 1200yds. Just my thoughts on it.

 

[michael_aos]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bohem</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The 284 is a great compromise between the 7-08 and the magnum calibers. Plus, you already have a long action to use with the long heavy bullets.

Mark Gordon recently built a couple of absolute hammers in 284 on long actions, the reamer he's using works like a charm.

162 Amax's @ 3000fps and 3.15" oal fit in AICS 300 WM mags great
180 Bergers @ 2800fps and 3.16" approx </div></div>

I'm probably going to wind up around there. Currently loading the 180gr Berger VLD at ~3.14". 30" barrel.

50gr RL17 - 2841fps
51gr RL17 - 2907fps
52gr RL17 - 2968fps

Part of the reason I went with the 284 is that my suppressor isn't rated for "magnum".
--

 

[pyplynr]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

Well, I have found a .284win barrel in stock that's 28" and an 8 twist. How would the 162 AMax's do with the 8 twist? If the 1/8 twist will be ok for the 162 amax then I think I'll pick it up as well and just have both.

 

[AF_TT]

Re: 284 Win or 7mmRM

Should be fine, I would shoot the Berger 180's out of 7mmRM with that twist rate.

If you do go that route please keep us posted with results. I am trying to gather data for my next barrel. I found one round that seems interesting. 7mm Practical