Well, Sir -

Picked up my rebarreled 1917 Eddystone action this morning. It now sports a light varmit 27" fluted, blued barrel that is .720" at the muzzle. A heavy sucker, but then, I don't intend to lug it over hill and dale - that's what horses are for!

Will see most of it's life on the bench or in a stand, so weight doesn't matter, too much.

Took my new Hawkeye Borescope to the 'smith to check out the rifling - he makes his own barrels from blank round stock. The last barrel had lots of chatter marks from the rifling button. This time, things looked a lot smoother. Guess the 6mm button doesn't get used much!

Spent the whole of the afternoon routing out the cussed barrel channel in the stock. Had a pencil thin barrel on it before that was Microbed glass bedded clear to the forend tip. Ever try to rasp out glass bedding? Man, what a chore! Finally got it shaped and the barrel freefloated just before suppertime. Used some Fromby's Tung Oil to seal it good and set the stock aside.

Remounted the scope mounts and had to fight with one that didn't want to level up with the Brownell's ring alignment tools. Finally got it aligned with the Burris "Z" rings. Won't mount the scope until everything is back together. Have an older Redfield straight 12X (long tube) that has the parallax adjustment mounted on the side of the turret. Has a very fine crosshair and a 1/4 moa Lee dot. Should make a good setup for this chambering.

Checked some random loads previously loaded to assure function and everything checked out OK - even the unprimed brass that was reduced from .284 Win down to the 6mm.

Made up a gauging dummy round and determined the OAL for about a half dozen various bullets. Set the dimensions to allow for .020" standoff of the lands. Had requested the 'smith leave me some extra throat because I'm more interested in the heavier bullets (100 and 105 grain) for this rifle. Man, I can sure seat them out and not crowd the case capacity! There's so much room in the magazine well that I may make a filler block to take up a little room. Will function fire it first to see if really needed.

Will be at the range the next couple of weeks breaking in the bore (nothing fancy) and begin to tweak loads. Should be fun! :D

If anyone is interested, I'll list the 'smiths barrel break-in formula.

That should keep you off the streets and out of the bars for a few days! :D

Kdub..........I use a Dremel TOOL! It sure cuts the time down in a big hurry and doesn't leave your hand sore either.

Yup, 2bits - used one for a bit, but was afraid of possible stock damage, so ended up with half round rasps and wood dowels wrapped with sandpaper.

kdub: Brownells sells barrel channel rasps for that task that work a lot better than 1/2 round rasps, but still need to do some sanding. Like you, I don't trust myself with a dremel tool for barrel channels. If your 1917 still cocks on closing, you might look at their cock on opening firing pin assy. It really shortens lock time.

Lee L.

Thanks, Lee -

Yes, I've looked at the cock-on-opening system and am not all that impressed. It is a Dayton-Traister and requires both the bolt sleeve and the trigger be replaced with their products.

I've converted a couple of 6.5x55 Swedes with their system to make them cock-on-opening and know first hand that the quality doesn't compare to Timmeny, Canjar, Bold, etc.

Think I'll pass on the Eddystone and go with the old system.

BTW - took it to the range today and ran the first 50 rounds down bore. Was shooting some moderate loaded 87 Gr Hornadys (rifling twist is set for the heavier 100 and 105 gr bullets) just to lap the bore and see what it would do.

The last 10 shots were loaded with VVN165, a BR-2 primer and put all 10 shots into a ragged hole! Got some 95 gr Hornady SST's loaded back up for the next trip! :D

kdub: With those results, I don't think I would touch a thing. Pasture Poodles beware!

Lee L.

Well, Sir -

Picked up my rebarreled 1917 Eddystone action this morning. It now sports a light varmit 27" fluted, blued barrel that is .720" at the muzzle. A heavy sucker, but then, I don't intend to lug it over hill and dale - that's what horses are for!

Will see most of it's life on the bench or in a stand, so weight doesn't matter, too much.

Took my new Hawkeye Borescope to the 'smith to check out the rifling - he makes his own barrels from blank round stock. The last barrel had lots of chatter marks from the rifling button. This time, things looked a lot smoother. Guess the 6mm button doesn't get used much!

Spent the whole of the afternoon routing out the cussed barrel channel in the stock. Had a pencil thin barrel on it before that was Microbed glass bedded clear to the forend tip. Ever try to rasp out glass bedding? Man, what a chore! Finally got it shaped and the barrel freefloated just before suppertime. Used some Fromby's Tung Oil to seal it good and set the stock aside.

Remounted the scope mounts and had to fight with one that didn't want to level up with the Brownell's ring alignment tools. Finally got it aligned with the Burris "Z" rings. Won't mount the scope until everything is back together. Have an older Redfield straight 12X (long tube) that has the parallax adjustment mounted on the side of the turret. Has a very fine crosshair and a 1/4 moa Lee dot. Should make a good setup for this chambering.

Checked some random loads previously loaded to assure function and everything checked out OK - even the unprimed brass that was reduced from .284 Win down to the 6mm.

Made up a gauging dummy round and determined the OAL for about a half dozen various bullets. Set the dimensions to allow for .020" standoff of the lands. Had requested the 'smith leave me some extra throat because I'm more interested in the heavier bullets (100 and 105 grain) for this rifle. Man, I can sure seat them out and not crowd the case capacity! There's so much room in the magazine well that I may make a filler block to take up a little room. Will function fire it first to see if really needed.

Will be at the range the next couple of weeks breaking in the bore (nothing fancy) and begin to tweak loads. Should be fun! :D

If anyone is interested, I'll list the 'smiths barrel break-in formula.

OK for your gun, now I'll tell you my problems.
The MarkV Predator Master rebarreled from 308 Win to 6.5/284 looks great but won't chamber and eject properly.
So now my gunsmith has to put a new magazine on it. That will be another two weeks.
We are going on three months and counting.
By the way, the magazine is on him-$$

Anyway, I hope you have better luck shooting that new rod then I've had getting mine away from the gunsmith.
Deer season is approaching without a new toy for Tom

I'm interested in knowing how your new one shoots. Let us know.
Tom

Dang, Tom -

That Mark V magazine should have handled the 6.5-284 rounds with no problem! Sorry to hear it's still being worked on. Hope you have it back and tuned up by the end of next month - we need to have a shoot-off!! :p

Have now pushed some 280 rounds downbore on the 6mm-284 and have inched up in loads for 3 different Hornady (my favorite) bullets and styles, using the VV N165 and H4831SC powders. All loaded with CCI BR2 primers. Have finally picked the best of the lots, as far as grouping, best velocity and no undue pressure signs. They are:

95 gr Hornady SST - 52.5 gr VV N165 @ 3400 fps avg and .750 MOA avg.

100 gr Hornady FBSP - 52.0 gr H4831SC @ 3382 fps avg and .840 MOA avg

105 gr Hornady A-Max - 50.0 gr H4831SC @3212 fps avg and .780 MOA avg

Interested in trying the 100 gr Nosler Partition prior to my trip out that way in a few weeks. If it does as well as the Hornady, might load up some and see what they do to those varmits of yours. :D

Dang, Tom -

That Mark V magazine should have handled the 6.5-284 rounds with no problem! Sorry to hear it's still being worked on. Hope you have it back and tuned up by the end of next month - we need to have a shoot-off!! :p

Have now pushed some 280 rounds downbore on the 6mm-284 and have inched up in loads for 3 different Hornady (my favorite) bullets and styles, using the VV N165 and H4831SC powders. All loaded with CCI BR2 primers. Have finally picked the best of the lots, as far as grouping, best velocity and no undue pressure signs. They are:

95 gr Hornady SST - 52.5 gr VV N165 @ 3400 fps avg and .750 MOA avg.

100 gr Hornady FBSP - 52.0 gr H4831SC @ 3382 fps avg and .840 MOA avg

105 gr Hornady A-Max - 50.0 gr H4831SC @3212 fps avg and .780 MOA avg

Interested in trying the 100 gr Nosler Partition prior to my trip out that way in a few weeks. If it does as well as the Hornady, might load up some and see what they do to those varmits of yours. :D

Update on my delimma-

My wildcat 6.5/284 in the Weatherby Predator master is turning into a worse situation every day.
Seems my gunsmith can't get it to feed properly. About every 4th or fifth round will jam as it is feeding.

The shop says that it will replace the gun if it can't make it work, before season which is rapidly approaching.
I think it will be difficult to replace a gun like that, and the new dies, and reloading equipment, with equal value.

I was well satisfied with the other rifle they rebarreled, but this one is a mess.

By next week, I will either have my gun feeding properly or
a new Weatherby of some kind.

This is going to get interesting-

Keep your foot on their neck, Tom - don't let'um up easy!!

The .284 case is a little chunky compared to the 30-06, so I lost one round capacity in the '17 Enfield. Most rounds chamber well - just don't want to be slow with the bolt throw. There isn't much of a feed ramp and really can't be polished or modified. May make a spacer block to take up some of the excess magazine space and work a feed ramp into it - future project! Might run the idea past your 'smith and see what he thinks for a quick cure.

Keep your foot on their neck, Tom - don't let'um up easy!!

The .284 case is a little chunky compared to the 30-06, so I lost one round capacity in the '17 Enfield. Most rounds chamber well - just don't want to be slow with the bolt throw. There isn't much of a feed ramp and really can't be polished or modified. May make a spacer block to take up some of the excess magazine space and work a feed ramp into it - future project! Might run the idea past your 'smith and see what he thinks for a quick cure.

Well, My gunsmith finally gave up. For those who are thinking about doing the same as me,,,don't.

A Weatherby Mark V action will not work for the 6.5/284. The magazine is just too narrow and about every third round will jam during feeding.
Since it was their fault, my gunsmith let me go over and pick out a new Mark V Varmintmaster. I selected a 7mm-08 Rem, which is rapidly becoming my favorite.
They bought the barrel and all of the reloading supplies that I had purchased for this new caliber, so it was a wash.
I'm just as happy with the new gun.
My wildcat days are over before they started.

FYI
Tom

That's OK, Tom -

If we get together, you can shoot the '17 Enfield 6mm-284 and see how you like it! :p

I am currently in the planning stages of putting together a 6.5-.284. Can anyone give me some pointers on where to start?
I recently read something in one of my predator magazines where the editor bought a Howa barrel and action and started there.
I just need some pointers on approx. area to start looking at putting together a rifle.

Thanks in advance

Well, Sir - First off, Welcome to the BTB board and hope you enjoy your stay here! :D

Next, I'll stick my neck out and anticipate you're wanting a bolt action rifle in this chambering. At www.brownells.com you can find a variety of barreled actions to consider, or just the actions and the barrels individually.

You can haunt the gun shows, gun shops or pawn shops for used rifles with the idea of just rebarreling in the chambering. Your local gunsmith may have some stripped actions or barreled actions for your consideration. You'll need the 'smith for the chambering and headspacing work, anyway.

Just about any modern action will be suitable, the standard length being my choice so that heavier bullets that are longer may be seated without crowding the case capacity, yet still function through the magazine. The .284 Win case is a fat bodied one and sometimes requires some guide rail, feed ramp work. This should only be done by a competent person. The case head, being rebated, will fit any bolt face that accepts the 30-06/.308 Win family of cartridges. You will normally lose one round of magazine capacity with the .284 Win case.

Hope this answers some of your questions - if not, fire away and we'll see if the collective wisdom here on the board might be of further help.

Yes you were correct with the bolt action. I want to create a thing of beauty. A great shooting rifle that I can use as a jack of all trades. I plan on using it for coyotes and deer at first and maybe a few other things later on. Maybe including elk. We were thinking about using a 24" barrel on the rifle. I'm not sure If I want a bull type barrel or a tapered barrel. Any hints on putting one of these together would be great. I myself have a number of guns (rifles, shot guns, and pistols), but have never actually built one myself. Plus recipies for a wonderful shooting combo for the ammo would be very helpful. I won't be getting the reloading equip until this spring, but I wanna start doing my homework early.
Oh yeah thanks for welcomnig me. This place is already great.

Best advice I can give is to find a good gunsmith that you want to do the work, then discuss the situation with him to settle on the type of action, barrel and stock. He will have his own prefrences on those things that work best for him. Especially discuss the feeding reliability of the action.

The barrel weight is going to depend on how much you're willing to lug around. If considering something for elk hunting, you're talking about high rugged country which will tax you with climbing and thin air. Probably the best compromise would be a heavy sporter. Barrel length should be as long as you want to manage. On high performance rifles, all mine sport anywhere from 24" to 27".

Since you will really have no need for open sights, invest in sturdy scope mount/rings and a quality scope. Don't need to get the biggest glass and highest power rating - a 4x12x40 should suffice nicely at the higher end. Normally, a 3x9x40 does quite well.

The stock should have a comb of sufficient height to put the eye in alignment with the scope without crunching down on the stock (need a good cheek weld, just not smashed into it) or head sticking up like a turkey. Your 'smith can adjust the proper length of pull and install a quality pad.

You'll notice the deliberate advoidence of an action brand. Again, let your 'smith guide you on this. Same with chrome/moly or stainless materials. An adjustable trigger is a favored item, along with a hinged floorplate for ease of emptying loaded ammo.
The same with extra detachable magazines is considered nice by some - I think it's just one more thing to lose and really not necessary. If you haven't connected with the 3 or 4 rounds in the one magazine, another is not really going to help much.

Loads for the 6.5-284 are contained in several reloading manuals and on some reloading boards. There may be folks here that could help you.

Good luck on putting your rifle together and getting it tweaked in - nothing like a good project to keep a guy interested! :D

FYI - I was looking for some dies on eBay and noticed a few 6mm-284 listed under Sporting Goods, a search for Redding had a few misc. dies listed (all new). This is not a standard caliber and I would think reloading equipment might be difficult to find......just suppositin on my part. Anyway, there are some things being auctioned this week if you want to take a look.