# Need new toy



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I suppose I don't need another rifle, but I think I will get one anyway, just for fun. However, I am having a hard time prioritizing. I already have a 300 Win Mag that will group under 1/4 inch, and with my handloads deer are no problem to 1000 yards. I have a 300 short mag, 270, 308 etc etc.

So here is the list I am thinking about: 
Copper in 6.5 X 284 Norma
Savage F class in 6.5 X 284
DPMS in 260 Remington
DPMS in 6.8mm
DPMS decked out 308
Savage Long Range Hunter in 6.5 X 284
Remington R5 in 300 Remington Ultra Mag.

Which one would I really get the most use out of. My 223 DPMS for coyote often results in a runner. Also, maybe a 200 gr Berger would extend my deer range to 1300 yards. Which would you go with?


----------



## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

You know how I feel about Savage.

The F-Class would be fun, but it is a single shot, not sure I'd like that.

If it were me spending the money I'd go with the Long Range Hunter.

huntin1


----------



## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

I'd probably go with the cooper in 6.5x284. unless you want to build then i'd do a 260 or a 6-6.5x47L.

deano


----------



## MikeyLikesIt (Aug 15, 2010)

I'd have to second the Cooper. Don't think you'll be disappointed.


----------



## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I built a pretty accurate 6.5X284 Norma off a Sav 12 with a McGowen tube, and I have a DPMS 260. Both are great fun to shoot. I also have a 12 Benchrest in 6BR Norma, which is similar to the F class. I like that one quite a bit too.

If it were me, I would take the Rem R5. My next build is going to be a .338 Edge (aka .338/300RUM).


----------



## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

Being the 30 cal guy i am the 300 ultra sounds great but on the other hand the 6.5x284 is intersting so i would have to go between one of those 2. i flipped a coin and the 6.5x284 lrh won the flip so guess i would get that one if i was so lucky to be getting a new addition to the family. Really condsiderng a 7wsm build next spring if i can convinvce the boss of the house i really need one.


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Ya, a guy can't buy them all, but just one is hard to choose. While reading my reloading manuals I am surprised at how little advantage the 6.5X284 has over the plane jane 260 Remington. It makes me start thinking more seriously about the 260 in a DPMS. Oh well, I better be patient so I don't kick myself later. I do appreciate all of your comments and find them helpful. Don't stop now.


----------



## People (Jan 17, 2005)

I have also been looking at getting a new rifle just because. I like the 6.5X284 but tube life is very short. Far too short for me. I like shooting my rifles. If it was to be used strictly as a hunting rifle then it would be fine. The 260 would be a good choice I have looked at them also.

I am not a fan of stating a person should look at this or that when they put up a list of stuff they are thinking about. I have been looking at building up a .284 Win. There are plenty of good 7mm bullets to choose from and tube life is so much better than a 6.5X284. A few long range compititions have been won with the 284. Granted that is not a reason to jump on the band wagon.

Chuck Norris knows everything there is to know - Except for the definition of mercy.


----------



## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Plainsman

Deer to 1000 yards is no problem?! I think you need a challenge.

Go to the next gunshow and buy the crappiest, cheapest, most banged up looking gun you can in a less than optimal deer caliber (like the .243 :bs: ). Don't buy a scope or a bipod and use the open sights. Buy Walmart ammo and shoot with your eyes closed.

Hell, I bet you will still shoot a bigger deer than me. :thumb:

In all seriousness it sounds like you have a good dilemma. Not sure I can give you much advice except have fun with the gun shopping!


----------



## verg (Aug 21, 2006)

Planisman, Kind of odd reading you want to buy a gun. Just two years ago I was on the politics forum and you were one of the leaders of the guys screaming about Obama taking our guns and it was guaranteed to happen. I remember laughing at the time of all that hype and trying to tell people to relax. And now you aren't sure which gun to buy...ideals sure change quick.
Sorry Plainsman..had to rib you cuz I still remember all those posts about all the guns we're gonna lose. Just nipping you, oke: no offense meant and I will say nothing more. :beer:


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

verg said:


> Planisman, Kind of odd reading you want to buy a gun. Just two years ago I was on the politics forum and you were one of the leaders of the guys screaming about Obama taking our guns and it was guaranteed to happen. I remember laughing at the time of all that hype and trying to tell people to relax. And now you aren't sure which gun to buy...ideals sure change quick.
> Sorry Plainsman..had to rib you cuz I still remember all those posts about all the guns we're gonna lose. Just nipping you, oke: no offense meant and I will say nothing more. :beer:


No problem Verg, you had me laughing too. I still say these suckers are trying every back door trick they can to get at the firearms. My mind has not changed there. I think after next Tuesday we are going to be a lot safer. I hope Obama crawls back under his rock in Chicago. Better yet make that rock in Kenya.   I don't hate Obama, I just love the America he hates.

Thanks for the opportunity to express those thoughts.   You may have talked me into another AR. Maybe a backhoe to bury them.


----------



## verg (Aug 21, 2006)

lol....agreed!!


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Can anyone tell me why people like the 6.5 X 284 so well when in my reloading manuals it only has 50 fps over the factory 260 Remington with a 120 gr bullet?


----------



## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

If it makes it any easier for you my Sierra book shows a whopping 100fps advantage in 120gr and 200fps in 140gr. I built mine in 6.5X284 Norma just because I thought I was cursed with the .260. I had one on order from DPMS for well over a year at that point, and the .260 McGowen barrel I ordered came with a 1:9.5" twist instead of the 1:8" like I ordered. I wanted to keep the .264 dia, but needed to get away from the .260.

My DPMS .260 is a great rifle! I have only shot some test loads, and it will most likely out shoot me once I get the proper load built up. Of course, my skill level isn't that high.


----------



## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

my only reason was because you only offered 260 in the DPMS. Now if you would have offered up the Remington 5r in 260 i'd jump on it, or just about any of them for that matter. Not much of a semi guy so i'd stay with the bolts. You have good judgment on what to buy, why are you asking us. 

xdeano


----------



## People (Jan 17, 2005)

What I have seen in my years of shooting is a lot of us follow what the winners of big competitions are using. Good or bad, or a combo of that. We like to get a rifle that allows us to have an easier time putting holes in paper.

Many are using the 6.5X284 with the heavier bullets. The 142 SMK and like bullets seem to be the more popular. I have read that most are easy to load for and easy to tune. Almost all the work has been done for a person wanting to shoot one of them. It seems like it is as easy as getting some SMK bullets some H4831 put 50 to 51 gr in it and then just work on seating depth. I did a search on 6mmbr and most are getting 2950 to 3050 in their rifles most around the 3000 mark. All that power comes with a big cost and that is tube life. Most seem to go south at the 800rd mark, hunting ones seem to last longer but they also seem to go at the 1,200 rd mark.

You know probably better than anyone on this board you can never ignore wind when it comes to long range shooting. Every little helps when the pressure is on.

Chuck Norris never has to wax his skis because they're always slick with blood.


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Ya, I can always fall back on one of my 22-250 if the 60 gr VMax doesn't do better than the 50 in my short barrel DPMS.

Today two rifles have been giving me a hard time. I am looking at 6.5 X 284 in both. I am looking at the Cooper Phoenix, and the Savage F/TR. The Cooper is 8lb with a 26 inch barrel. The Savage is 12 3/4 pounds with a 30 inch barrel. The Cooper has 1/9 twist while the Savage has 1/8 twist.
I like the weight of the Cooper, and the looks. I like the 8 inch twist of the Savage and the barrel length should suck every bit of velocity out of a 140 gr. 
With these two rifles which would you prefer. I could carry the Cooper a lot further, but I could reach further with a heavy bullet at higher velocities out of the Savage. Decisions decisions.  
Oh, the Cooper is $1599 while the Savage is $1299.

Which would you go for?


----------



## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Plainsman

If I were going to be using that rifle for calling, which you seem to be saying you are, I would pick the one that is lighter. So the Cooper.

You also say you like the looks of the Cooper. Shapes go with looks, so if you like the looks I bet the shape fits nicely when you shoulder it.

Of course, I shouldn't talk I don't have over a grand to drop on a gun. LOL :wink:


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Fallguy, ya I have been thinking along the same lines as you. However I also talked to a bench rest shooter who said he shot a perfect score in competition and one of those shelf savages was right on his tail all the way.

I normally wouldn't spend that much on a rifle. It looks like the Montana elk tags are going to be worth more than I am willing to pay. I have been paying the $20 year for points and have three points built up, but decided to give up. When I retired about four years ago my wife said for retirement I should go on an elk hunt or buy a new rifle. Last time with the cheaper tags and $600 for diesel twice the hunt cost me about $1800. This time I am going to get something long range that doesn't have the recoil of launching a 180 gr at 3200 fps. Of course I had thought about one that launches a 180 gr at 3450, but with a compensator. 

I think I will say that 1350 yards is enough for deer and get a long range dog whopper.


----------



## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

I have heard great things of the Savages. I actually wouldn't mind getting a Stevens 200 in 22-250. I have heard hardly anything bad about the Stevens, except that they are ugly as sin.


----------



## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

fallguy, they're ugly, but you can always restock them.

Plainsman, I'd probably go with the Cooper, just to save a bit of weight. Even with the 1-9" twist you'll still be able to shoot some very decent bullets with decent bc's an sd's and punch them from a long ways off with said round. A hair smaller round with a bit more velocity and you'll be ok.  But to be the devils advocate, the little extra twist would be nice to stablize some really nice rounds and still have very decent velocity.

One problem I have with the 6.5x284 is the fact that the barrels burn out so dang quick. Here is what you do, get either one and burn up the barrel and rebarrel in a 260.  lol. Then you can get the 1-8" twist, and if you want the length you can have it too. And it'll already be a long action so you can untilize a longer overall, putting the bullet in the case at the sweet spot, vs taking up that valuable powder space.

xdeano


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I have considered the 260 just because of barrel life. That and dies and brass is cheaper. Tough one. All I want is a high ballistic coefficient bullet of about 140 gr at 3500 fps, why should that be so tough.


----------



## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

that sounds like a barrel burner. If that's the case then go with something like a 6.5x338Lapua. 

If you want high bc bullets put something together in a 7mm.

deano


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

The Cooper is on lay away so I can pick it up between the first and second week-end of deer season. The scope should be in by then too. Lapua brass, Redding dies, and Burris rings are on their way from MidwayUSA. I should have things together to whack one of my three extra doe tags. Darn that Lapua brass is expensive.


----------



## Fallguy (Jan 23, 2004)

Plainsman where are you finding places that still do layaway? I don't think anyplace in GF does them anymore.


----------



## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

Cooper would have been my choice also.

If it were me, I would like to neck down the 300 WSM to .264. I already have the 260 so why not a good barrel burner? The 260 I have now I have thought about having it turned over the an AI. Anyone have experience with that? They say it replicates the 6.5x284 velocities.


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Fallguy said:


> Plainsman where are you finding places that still do layaway? I don't think anyplace in GF does them anymore.


Well, sort of a lay away. I called Scheels in Bismark, they had one, I gave them my credit card number and said I would pick it up next week. I hope I do. I hope I get to go hunting. I went to the doc today and I am feeling rotten because I have pneumonia. I can have pneumonia at hunting camp just as easy as at home right? My camper is warm. Seriously I am nearly to weak to stand, but I'm going to try climbing into my stand on Wednesday.


----------



## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

Get off the internet and get yer butt to bed. eace:

:rollin:

huntin1


----------



## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

longshot,
I'd pick the 270wsm as a downer case, it has a slightly longer neck, i'll push more of the powder further into the barrel instead of burning the throat as much providing a slightly longer barrel life. You know 2 or 3 more rounds. 

It would be a heck of a nice round, 6.5-270wsm.

Get some rest Plainsman, dragging a deer back 1300yds sucks unless it's closer to a road than you are. I've done the whole half mile pull in crp and it sucks. It won't do anything for your cold. Nice work on the Cooper. now you got the 6.5-284 in it right? You'll notice the difference in the Lapua brass over the cheap stuff and you'll start changing it all over, except for your high use stuff like the 223. It's worth the extra coin, because it's so consistent. It'll last longer also.

xdeano


----------



## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

"You'll notice the difference in the Lapua brass over the cheap stuff and you'll start changing it all over..."

Yea, thanks for that Deano!!! I am nearly broke from buying Lapua brass!!! 6.5X284, .308, .223, 6mmBR. You are killing me, and now they make 22-250! :rollin:

I hope they don't come out with a .338 Edge case, those would REALLY be spendy! 8)


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I was reading on the net that 284 Winchester was as good as Lapua. As I understand Winchester only produces a limited run every two or three years. Often those limited runs are expensive, but if they are not inside neck reamer here I come.


----------



## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

So Plainsman, What kind of glass are you going to stick on top of that new stick?

xdeano


----------

