[dmsbandit]

As some may recall, I bought a 7-08 last winter to rechamber to 284win.

I have some info for you about the Marlin 284 I have.

Depending on the powders used, I've seen some wide velocity variations with the 139 Hornady SP, and the 140 Nosler BT. Some powders are only about 2600FPS, others 2750-2800fps, and IMR4350 seems to be leading the pack.

I've seen 139gr SST average 2995fps with so-so accuracy, and 139gr Hornady SP average 2948fps with good but not outstanding accuracy. I'll back the SST charge down about 1.5 grains and the Hornady SP down about 1 grain and see if things tighten up and still stay over 2900fps.

As long as I keep the OAL at 2.80 or less, they fit the mag well and feed without any issues. You get 3 in the mag and one up the pipe. The extraction is also fine. The gun even seems to handle some high pressures well.

I got some cases cleaning now and plan on loading up some more IMR4350 under the SST and Hornady SP and see if I can get the groups alittle smaller. All my 284s seems to be fickle like that. Some loads they shoot into tiny little clusters with so-so velocities, but getting them to shoot at MOA with high velocity takes some experimenting.

Once I get things settled some more, I'll post some pictures of the gun and the targets.

 

[JeffG]

Hello DMSBandit,
This is great! I have a .284 barrel coming from DD for my XS7. I have a savage 99 in 284 that loves 4831SC and 140g NBT and 150g NBT. I just started with Re-17 and the same bullet, getting encouraging accuracy, but have yet to do temperature sensitvity and velocity tests.
Jeff

 

[dmsbandit]

I tried Rel-17 and H4831SC and the results were not too good. The Rel-17 was all over the paper, and 4831 was slow [2700+fps].

Winchester 760, and WXR show promise with good accuracy, but the speeds are still only in the 2700+ FPS range. IMR4350 is the powder in this gun so far and I should be able to get a good load without too much more loading.

This is the 3rd 284 I have, and they all like different things. One likes H4381, one likes H380 and BLC-2 and tolerates H4831, while the Marlin seems to prefer IMR4350. This whole situation just goes to show you that every gun is different. :

 

[oscarflytyer]

Interesting info on the 284 Win. I also have a Savage 99 284 Win. Yet to reload for it. Trying to accumulate cases! They are hard to find and expensive!

I am going to start with IMR 4350 as well, and may try 4064, and also Varget for grins. I also found this on the internet, which has a LOT of good and interesting load info in it. Granted, it is with one gun (I assume), but the guy put a LOT of work into it. Most I have seen on the 284.

http://home.earthlink.net/~rfrailey/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/284loaddata.pdf

 

[dmsbandit]

I got to the range Saturday and ran some more loads thru the 284 Marlin, and the results continue to improve.

It still doesn't seem to care for the SST bullets as much as the standard 139gr flat based SP. I think the profile of the SST is the issue. Due to the limitations of the magazine, you are on the very edge of the ogive and I think it is causing the accuracy issues with this bullet. If I were to seat the bullet to 2.790 instead of 2.805 OAL, I'm over the front edge on the ogive.

The standard Hornady SP over 54.5 grains of IMR4350 gave my an average of 2880FPS with a consistant triangular group. While the group size isn't the greatest at 1.4", it is consistant. I'm going to tweak it some more, but if I can't do any better than that, I can live with it. The gun seems to have a long throat and the limitations of the 2.80 OAL doesn't allow me to get any closer to the lands.

I'm going to try a few more 140gr Nosler BT over the same powder charge and see if they do any better.

I've been having an issue with the scope staying put in the rings and I think that may be causing some grouping issues. I have had continuing issues with the scope sliding in the rings no matter how tight I have them. So I pulled things apart last night and lined the rings with some electrical tape to help grip the scope better without crushing the tube. I had the same problem with my 35Whelen and the tape inside the rings solved the problem.

 

[dpe.ahoy]

What kind of rings are you using? What is the scope? I have had zero problems with Weaver Quad-Locs, they have 2 straps on each ring and seem to hold very well. I agree with you on the grouping could very well be affected by the issues of the scope movement. The cheapest place I have found the Quad-Locs is in WalMart, just under $10.00. Good luck. DP

 

[dmsbandit]

What kind of rings are you using? What is the scope? I have had zero problems with Weaver Quad-Locs, they have 2 straps on each ring and seem to hold very well. I agree with you on the grouping could very well be affected by the issues of the scope movement. The cheapest place I have found the Quad-Locs is in WalMart, just under $10.00. Good luck. DP

I've had 2 different rings on it so far. I started out with B-Square and now have Millet mediums on it. I have Quad Locs on other guns, and tried them on my 308 "X" carbine. They didn't hold on that gun either, and I ended up crushing the scope tube trying to get them to hold that scope from sliding.

The scope is a Bushnell 4-12 Banner Dusk to Dawn and I like it very much. Nice and clear and really bright in the low light. The tape solved the problem on the 35 Whelen, and I'm hoping it will on this gun too.

 

[dpe.ahoy]

Hope it works for you, must be a pretty fast, snappy recoil. DP

 

[dmsbandit]

Hope it works for you, must be a pretty fast, snappy recoil. DP

Well, a 139gr bullet at 2900 fps out of a 7 lbs rifle does recoil a little. I'm going tomorrow morning to the range and see what happens. I'm hoping for everything to stay put, and groups to shrink another .4" of an inch. 1" groups is my goal, but I guess I could live with it as is if it consistantly prints that nice triangle group.

 

[dmsbandit]

I've given up on IMR4350 for this gun. Lousy groups and pressure isuues have sent me in another direction. I've ordered up some N150 from the local dealer this Saturday, and have been playing around with IMR4895 and 4064.

The 4895 shows promise with 150gr Sierra gamekings and 139 Hornady SP and 140 Nosler BT. Velocity is right at 2700 for the 150s, and just over 2800fps with the midweights. I got some more playing to do, but hopefully things will straighten out soon. One thing is for sure, this gun fouls like crazy. ???

 

[hogcaller]

I'm thinking about building a 6.5-284 in the near future. The 284 was an option, but I already have a 7 mag in Rem 700 that shoots sub 1" groups, so I really have no need for another .284 cal. I'm betting you can shrink those groups considerably with a little tweeking........it's frustrating finding a load, but a helluva lot of fun! ;D

 

[dmsbandit]

I'm thinking about building a 6.5-284 in the near future. The 284 was an option, but I already have a 7 mag in Rem 700 that shoots sub 1" groups, so I really have no need for another .284 cal. I'm betting you can shrink those groups considerably with a little tweeking........it's frustrating finding a load, but a helluva lot of fun! ;D

I was hoping this 284 would be different than the other 2 I have. All three have issues getting under 1.25" with any regularity without alot of tinkering with the loads. In all reality, the accuracy is good enough if I was just going to use the gun around the house where 200yds is a LONG shot.

But I had hopes of using this gun in NC where shots can be 300-500yds with 200yds being the average shot. I may just have to hope that the N150 works better than the 4350 I've been using.

 

[hogcaller]

What brand barrel do you have on it? Have you tried different bullet seating depths?

 

[dmsbandit]

What brand barrel do you have on it? Have you tried different bullet seating depths?

It's a Marlin barrel, that's why I was hoping this one would be different.

I seat the bullet out as far as the magazine will allow [2.80"] and that is the longest I can fit unless I single load the gun. I have 284 ammo that is loaded for my other 284s [built on Mauser actions] and they chamber fine, but don't do much better with the grouping.

The 139 SST are just about useless in the gun because of their profile and the need to seat them so deep to fit the mag. The case ends right at the end of the bullet shank where it starts to taper forward. I think that is the reason for their spotty accuracy in this gun because there is so little of the bullet actually sticking out of the case.

 

[dmsbandit]

Well, I got to the range again today, and I'm done playing with the 284 for now. IMR4895 has given me the most consistant results without causing pressure issues so it wins be default until I get some N150 to try. Until I get the N150 I'll have to be satisfied with accuracy and so-so velocities.

With both the 120 and 140 Nosler BT will average under 1" with IMR4895 and I think that will get the job done. The best group with the 120s was .312" and the 140s did .326". The other groups were 1.07" for the 120s and .978" for the 140s. This week and run them thru the Chrony to get the ballistic info.