How to get a cheap 6mm-284
I have an itch for a cheap 6mm-284 to make a camo stocked predator/whitetail/antelope medecine stick out of it. Is it advisable buy a cheap 243 and have it reamed out to the 6mm-284? and if so what is a reasonable price to expect to pay a Smith to do the work? Signed: A Novice.
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Savage makes an F-class ready 6.5-284, MSRP is around 1200 .. 0 -
Welcome to the forum. $1200 does not equal cheap in my book. Not sure you give much away by just keeping it a 243 vs rechambering to 6-284. The 6-284 will give you maybe 200 fps more at the expense of barrel life. But if you just have to do it a gunsmith can rechamber it. Cost will be about $125 to $200. You will probably have to address some feeding issues out of the magazine too because the case is bigger around. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by 5mmgunguy
Welcome to the forum. $1200 does not equal cheap in my book. Not sure you give much away by just keeping it a 243 vs rechambering to 6-284. The 6-284 will give you maybe 200 fps more at the expense of barrel life. But if you just have to do it a gunsmith can rechamber it. Cost will be about $125 to $200. You will probably have to address some feeding issues out of the magazine too because the case is bigger around.
Exactly.
Having and shooting both, I will tell you, you gain as much by going with a good longer barreled .243. That way you get the velocity without burning out your barrel...as fast. Right now Remington makes the SPS varmint with a 26" barrel that can be had for around $500.
If you really want to do this go the cheapest route and get either a Savage/Stevens 200 or a Marlin XL-7. Those would run you $300-$400. Anyhow, you can do it if you want. It will take a little working of the feed rails to get it to feed right too.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Imbwana
I have an itch for a cheap 6mm-284 to make a camo stocked predator/whitetail/antelope medecine stick out of it. Is it advisable buy a cheap 243 and have it reamed out to the 6mm-284? and if so what is a reasonable price to expect to pay a Smith to do the work? Signed: A Novice.
Why don't you just buy a plain old 6mm Remington? There are 722s and 788s out there - just make certain you don't buy the 244 Remington version with the "too slow" rate of twist for heavier bullets. I suppose if 6-284 is a must have the remington can be reamed.0 -
Getting the feedrails right alone could take it out of the economy budget you have in mind. You could always go with a .243/06 if the capacity and extra fps were the main concern. If it has to be based on the .284 case then you may have to raise your $$-sights a bit and the $1,200 Savage option may look better than you'd think. 0 -
Unless I have misinterpreted what you are saying, the 6mm is balistically NOT the same as a .284 caliber. The 6mm IS the same as a .244 caliber.
The .284 is essentially a 7mm, not a 6mm.
It sounded like you were stating that the 6mm and .284 were one in the same.
Aaron0 -
Mooned,
Sounds like you may have mis-interpreted what someone was saying, but I'm not sure who. Original question was about the 6mm/.284 wildcat; essentially a 7mm (284) case necked down to .243. Suggestions included simply going with a .243 or .244, or possibly considering the 6.5/284.
Any clearer now?[:D]0 -
quote:Originally posted by Imbwana
I have an itch for a cheap 6mm-284 to make a camo stocked predator/whitetail/antelope medecine stick out of it. Is it advisable buy a cheap 243 and have it reamed out to the 6mm-284? and if so what is a reasonable price to expect to pay a Smith to do the work? Signed: A Novice.
Hey Guys, Thanks for your input and help.... I never considered the feed rail problems of converting a 243 over to a 6mm-284. Now that you guys have put things in perspective for me a little bit, I guess I am learning the there is not any cheap shortcut way to get into a Wildcat caliber. It Gives me an entire new appreciation for what you caliber pioneers out there really go through.
Just to clarify a little bit. I have a 17HMR,222(HB)243,25-06,270,280, & a 338.
I consider the 17 HMR to light for serious predator callig work, My 243 is just to darn good of shape and pretty of wood to drag out and abuse the way I will a varmit calling rifle especially in incliment weather, the 25-06 (old faithful) has downed a lot of game of all sizes but is still heavier than I like and the same goes for all the rest of what I own.
I was just studying the Ballastics of the 6MM-284 and thought that one of those in a camo, synthetic stock would be a good beat around varmint calling rig and could double as a loaner rifle for my family Huntng trainees on Whitetails and antelope. I was thinking that a 55gr. ballistic tip at 4000 FPS would be double dynamite on song doggies and a 95gr Hornaday SST at 3300 would be a good treatment for 300# whitetails.
So much for great ideas though... After you guy's opened my eyes a bit
I am thinking maybe a new Ruger in the Gray laminated/Stainless in 22-250 might be a good varmit calling rig... and possibly think about picking up a 7mm-08 along the way for the new and upcoming hunters in the family..... This way I get to have 2 new guns instead of just one.... whoopeeeee!0 -
Imbwana,
Definately approve of your 2 gun solution. Would also feel much more comfortable with the 7-08 for those big whitetails than with any of the .243's. Even the standard .243 has certainly taken many of the large deer, but the day that 300 pounder crosses my path I hope I'm carrying my .270 or .308 and not the .243 or even .257.0 -
quote:Originally posted by RCrosby
Imbwana,
Definately approve of your 2 gun solution. Would also feel much more comfortable with the 7-08 for those big whitetails than with any of the .243's. Even the standard .243 has certainly taken many of the large deer, but the day that 300 pounder crosses my path I hope I'm carrying my .270 or .308 and not the .243 or even .257.
RCrosby,
"Oh, the shame!"[B)] My fellow .257 Bob guy not believing in it? Trust me, it'll kill big deer quick.[:D] It takes elk pretty quickly as well[;)] I know a guy in CA who has hunted elk many times over the years and killed them all with a .243. He puts a premium on hunting skill and bullet placement. BTW, that .243 is a deer killing machine out where I'm from in NV and also in MT.
Imbwana,
I too like your idea of a .22-250 and a 7mm-08. I just started down the road with a 7mm-08 project that is going to have a 27" barrel and a ten round drop mag. That so I can get way, way out aways when I shoot. It'll knock down deer at close range too though.[;)] The .22-250's only drawback IMO is that for years everyone has barreled them with slow twists. In today's market there are a ton of heavier bullets that the .22-250 could use to get better downrange ballistics, but can't because the twist is too slow. Maybe someone will change that soon (Savage probably). But, it's a great varminter if you don't cook the barrels on them (like most any other hp round incl. a .243.) But, in all honesty your .243 willdo it all.
So, getting back to the original thought you had. I don't want to deter you from getting the hyper-varmint cartridge you want. Race cars wear out faster than regular cars but regular cars don't go that fast. If you wanna go fast your gonna wear something out. But, it's fun to do. My 6mm-.284 has a 1-10 twist and I can get 95 gr. Bergers out to 3375 fps. That's a little over what I can do that out of my 25" barreled .243. That 200 fps gives me about 200 more yds of supersonic travel with the bullet. And no, it doesn't stay stable going transonic. Sometimes they restabilize. But, with both I'm well past 1k before that happens. It will take any bullet from 100 gr. (nonVLD/high BC) down to 55 gr. So, it's still got the same versatility that the .243 does. If you don't plan to sit out on some PD town and shoot it all day you probably won't wear it out. Keep in mind 1k rounds isn't going to cause the same wear shooting casually vs. that same 1k rounds shot in competition. In competition, the barrel is going to get hotter as shots follow each other more closely. You probably won't have to do a ton of work to the feed rails as the case has roughly the same taper as the .243. It may take a little but not horrendous. My 6-284 sits in a Mauser action and there is a lot more taper to those feed rails and it doesn't have a lot of feed problems.
Bottom line: I like the 6mm-.284. However, I wouldn't pick it as an everyday rifle. I'd sooner go with a .243 or 7mm-08. Even the .260. If I did go with one again, I would get a 1-8" twist to stabilize the 115 gr. bullets. Then it would really shine for you.0
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