SmallCaliberCentral

Here's a question for those more experienced. After returning from my second prairie dog trip, I have a want to take a larger, longer range rifle out west with me next year. A couple guys took out their new 6mm ackley improved rifles this year and had a blast.

I have always wanted a 6.5x284 and after shooting my buddies Cooper chambered in .243, I feel the need to own one of their rifles. I have decided on the Cooper Phenoix since it will be a field gun. My question, I would also like to use this rifle for antelope. Good choice or not? What would you reccomend for bullets?

Thanks for the help!

Go with a 6.5x55 or 6.5x55 AI instead (or a 260 Rem).

With 120 or 140/142 gr bullets, Antelope and varmints are a done deal.

6.5x55 AI 700 yard group (and yes, I pooched a shot) 1/2 MOA.



Pic of rifle (Rock Creek barrel, Savage long action single shot, Savage BVSS stock, Burris Black Diamond).



Personally, go with the 6.5x55 and use off the shelf dies and brass. The x55, in a modern action will do wonders in the varminting, antelope, or deer category with 142 gr or lighter bullets. The BC of the bullets is unreal. The projectiles look like pencils, they are that long.

I would not have the chamber throated for 140 gr AMax's, they are llllooooong, but stick with the 142 gr Sierra SMK or GK, Bergers, etc.

The SMK's are NOT adequate to kill a deer at 750+ yards.

For Elk, yes, the big boys, believe Norma makes a 160 gr bullet that is a thumper (not the round nose variety).

Forgot to add, all of the reloading data listed in just about every manual or online resource, is relegated the original M94/M96 Swedish military weapon. The reloading data keeps the chamber pressure down a bit from what a modern action can handle.

Wolf: I agree completely with acloco, go with either the 6.5x55 Imp. or the 260 Improved. The 6.5x284 is a fine long range round, but is a real barrel burner by virtue of case vs. bore capacity.

One of my sons built up a full custom M700 in 260 Improved, and shooting at 1,000 yards using the Hornady 140gr A-Max, he's in the black every time. It's a fine LR caliber, easy on the barrel, the checkbook, and hard on varmints at extended ranges. He had Darrell Holland use a blueprinted M700 action, Kreiger barrel, Holland/McMillan thumbhole tactital stock, Jewell trigger, Leupold MK-4 LR scope, Holland Quick-Discharge brake...awesome rifle. Did I mention it's accurate? Very cool rig, and very, very good at extended ranges without burning 60+ grains of powder to get there.



Action closeup:



Holland's Quick-Discharge brake (you can see your hits easily with this baby, and no dust signature when prone):



He also attended Holland's Long Range Shooting School when it was finished. Combined with his former military training and his ability to make "operator grade" ghillie suits, the lad is VERY dangerous with this rifle.

Also keep in mind the price of components, 6.5x284 brass is much more expensive than 260 Rem brass.....it all adds up.

Acloco & Rick - Thanks for the input. From my readings it sounds like the 6.5x284 is very rough on barrels and brass is crazy expensive but you end up with high end brass so that is somewhat expected. This rifle won't be having thousands of rounds through it like my little .204 or my new AR but still, having to replace a barrel at 700-1,000 rounds seems like a hobby in itself.

The .260 Remington is something I have been interested in as well, hadn't thought of doing an AI version. It doesn't look like Cooper offers the .260 AI (at least I couldn't find it on their website) but I may have to make a phone call to find out. I'm not apposed to doing a custom rig either but it would still leave me with a hankerin' to get a Cooper but there is always the next one!


I'll have to do some research on the .260 Improved...if there is any other information you guys could provide, I'm all ears!

Thanks again,
Matt

Matt - you definitely need a Cooper in your herd. No doubt about that.

However, I'm not sure that I'd go with a Cooper in this particular application. I'd be afraid that the relatively light weight of a Cooper coupled with a larger caliber would make it tough to see your hits (unless you add a break and/or weight). My Cooper is in .204, so the above is pure speculation on my part. Just the same, I'd hate for you to get an excellent rifle that failed to meet your needs in this particular application.

Mike - I've thought about the Cooper and it's weight paired with the caliber I'm expecting not to see many of the hits. The reason I went with a lighter rifle was for the antelope portion. One of the places some of the guys in my group shot down in Texas asked up to come back and shoot some antelope!

I've been tempted to get Savage's new F class rifle in the 6.5x284 but didn't want to lug around a 13 pound rifle + scope and rings for antelope hunting. On the bench or in the PD field, it would be spectacular though! I see the need for two new rifles...now if I can convince the wife of that...

The 6.5x55 AI, with 142 gr SMK's running next to 3K fps, recoils half the amount a 308 and 168's at 2650.

Waiting on a 28" barrel from Rock Creek so I can build two walk around 6.5x55 AI's. Using a light magnum/light varmint/heavy sporter contour barrel and a long action repeater. Should easily come in under 9 pounds.

Rick - I forgot to mention in my last post...that is one very SWEET rig your son has put together, looks like it's a blast to shoot.

Acloco - Sounds like you are going to have a couple of nice setups yourself.


So here's my next question, having never put together a custom bolt gun, where do I start? What do ya'll recommend for actions? Stiller, Kelbly, Farley? I've had good luck with HS-Percision stocks and the McMillans look dandy as well so one of those should work. Scope is a no brainer, it'll be a VX-3 from Leupold, rings will probably be Burris Signature Zee or Badger Ordinance. Barrel I'd most likey go with a Krieger.

Figure out the MAX amount of money you want to spend. It is VERY easy to spend 3500-5000 on a custom.

The Savage above, including the used scope, cost $900.

I would use the rings pictured on RIO's son's rifle or Burris XTR's. Neither flavor will allow the scope to move. If weight is a consideration, go with the Leupy Mark 4 rings.

Of course you will hear this from me.....go with a Savage. If you want a repeater or single shot....they have you covered. (Contact Jim at Northland Shooter's Supply, tell him Tom in Nebraska sent you - no, you won't get a discount and neither will I - he is GOOD guy).

Both 6.5x55 AI's and the 338 RUM that I built are "nutless" Savages. Would lose the stiffness of the barrels (5R profiles on the 6.5's and a straight shank on the 338) if I cut them down for barrel nuts.

With the Savage rifles, you can swap barrels and headspace in about 10-15 mintues (including a bolthead change if needed). Use a McCree Precision barrel nut wrench, they are THE best and less expensive than the others out there (about $32 shipped - tell them I sent you).

So, if you want to shoot 223 to 30/06, you would really only need one action (and mag boxes if repeaters).

Personally, the accutriggers are ok. I am waiting for a new aftermarket trigger manufacturer to finalize theirs.

You can buy aftermarket barrels already threaded, chambered, and crowned in just about any caliber now - 17 fireball to whatever - in Krieger, Broughton, etc, etc, etc.

acloco..........."You can buy aftermarket barrels already threaded, chambered, and crowned in just about any caliber now - 17 fireball to whatever - in Krieger, Broughton, etc, etc, etc".............
To have these barrels set up this way, are they set to SAMMI spec and extra on freebore per cal............from a libality point? Will this set up work with custom chamberings or just standard calibers? Out here in N.E. Pa guys like the Savages with barrel nut and can swap out different barrels/calibers..........per factory take-off barrels. Haven't seen any custom one's like you mentioned above.......yet.
Thanks for sharing. Good write up and suggestions.
Later
Ray P

Chambers can be cut to your spec. Ask any of the barrel companies, some have "match" or tight neck reamers or the normal SAAMI spec'd reamers as well.

No extra freebore, etc....just normal SAAMI specs.

I have a light-weight 6.5-284 built on a Ruger 77 action that is set up to shoot 130 grain and lighter bullets. It was chambered with one of PacNor's 6.5-284 "no-throat" reamers. It shoots extremely flat for game like antelope and coyotes, and I have put a bunch of rounds down the tube. It will still shoot a nice shaped clover leaf at 100 yards. I also own a 260 Rem and a 6.5X55 built on a Win Model 70 action. Anything in the 6.5 bore diameter is a good round.

I think the idea that a 6.5-284 is overly hard on barrels ranks with the "all 17 calibers foul badly" and a few other related internet myths and theories borrowed from the now defunct gun rag scribes... If it were true, I should have had to replace the barrel on mine, but its still doing fine... I just don't let it get too hot, like any other high velocity cartridge I shoot.

Long range shooting can be hard on any high performance cartridge chambered barrel just by the rules and requirements of the discipline itself.

-BCB

Whoops....! double post....

-BCB

On my way up to northeast Iowa, I stopped at Scheels in Iowa City since they always have a selection of Coopers. They had 7 Phoenix's but none in 6.5x284 or .260. They had several in .223, a couple in .17 hmr and then another one or two in .270.

I did get to handle one and drool a bit over it before they stuck it back in the cabinet!