Henry: I have followed the AccurateShooter Forum since 2008. Dies for an Improved .284 Win Cartridge This has proven to be a valuable tool in my load development. This state-of-the-art .284 Shehane F-Open rifle belongs to Forum member Willow. The .284 Shehane Accurate and Forgiving Wildcat The action is from the first rifle I purchased with my own money 21 years ago (700VSS). The rifle now sports a 24 Brux barrel chambered in 6mm Creedmoor, with aftermarket PT&G Bolt and DBM metal. I asked him to modify my stock and fit it with the new forearm rails, shown in the photo below. Heres a tip for guys who shoot the 6 PPC, 6 Dasher, 6 BRA, .284 Shehane, or other wildcat cartridges that require fire-forming. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); Heres another handsome .284 Shehane F-Open rifle. For most jobs, Darrell tells us, he gets the processed brass to the Post Office within three business days. Smooth entry gives the bullets a smooth release. IMPORTANT: Contact Darrell for shipping instructions BEFORE sending brass for processing. Other components are: Borden BRMXD LBRP DLC-coated action, Bartlein 32, 4 groove, 1:8.5-twist 400MOD steel barrel, and TriggerTech Diamond trigger. Here is why: You have to shoot a 30 Cal Magnum with a 240gr bullet to equal the performance of most 7mm chamberings with the 180 Berger VLD. Long-Range Only F-Open Cartridge After he cleans his barrel, Joel knows it takes two or three shots to foul in the bore before accuracy returns. Do you tune the barrel to the load? Fellow .284 Shehane shooter Erik Cortina notes that the .284 Shehane has a velocity edge over the straight .284 Win because it holds more powder: The Shehane has more capacity than the .284 Winchester. Forum member Darrell Jones offers a full range of brass prep, brass forming, and brass restoration (annealing, ultra-sonic cleaning) at very affordable prices. The rifle was smithed by Dave Bruno., Share the post "Sunday Gunday: Pride & Joy Guns of Summer from Our Forum". Next I sort the cases into one-grain lots, for example 194.0 to 194.9 grains, then 195.0 to 195.9 grains, and so on. I have shot this in 3x600 matches with good results. These upgrades make it a thoroughly-modern Henry lever gun for the 21st Century. In moderate conditions, the 6mm Dasher is unbeatable. Load Data. The rear bag is a Edgewood EDGEbag Gator. He tells us: I found this piece of wood as a return at a lumber yard about 7-8 years ago. Kovan Match Rifles LLC, www.matchrifles.com. [Editors Note: Jerry Tierney is no longer with us. The accompanying data was developed using Sierra bullets fired in a 26-inch Match Grade Machine test . Darrell says: Simply send me the brass you need or have it dropped-shipped to me along with a fired case that has not been sized. How does this improve rifle performance and how do you set the tune? Grimstod currently runs 95gr Berger VLDs in Lapua brass. Just five years ago Forum member Henry Pasquet (aka HenryP) got started in 1000-yard benchrest shooting. According to the official C.I.P. But in reality, on average, the .223 Rem, regardless of what powder/bullet combo is used, cannot compete with the .308 Win. I am thankful for Robert Ross providing the only match location that I can shoot regularly. In African Obeche wood (any color choice), the price is $795.00. For accurate dispensing, put very little powder into the Omega so you can drop one kernel at a time. Q: You are in your 70s now and have only been shooting competitively for a few years. Darrell took the time to advised me every step of the way to allow me to shoot a 3.158 (5) shot group to win my first round of my first competitive match ever. Mike Youngblood, Share the post "Save Time and Barrel Life Let DJs Hydro-Form Your Brass". NOTE: If youre skeptical of those single-digit chron readings, click on the Video Playback screen below to view Ballard test-firing a load that delivers an ES of 5 and SD of 2 for five shots. Ians father, Ken Klemm, finished third among High Masters, and also nailed the highest score among ALL shooters in the 1000-Yard F-TR team match. The cost of reloading the .284 Win is roughly $.07 more per round than that of the 6.5-284. In 1999, Norma submitted it to CIP. Using 24-inch pressure barrels, maximum velocities for the .284 Win. Its throated for the 180gr Bergers. Hydro-forming by Darrell costs $0.60 per case with 100-ct minimum. I contacted Darrell to hydraulically form 6mm Dasher from Lapua 6mm BR brass. 7mm (.284) remains the caliber to beat in F-Class Open Division (though some shooters have had success with .30-Cal short magnums.) Locally, I use a Champions Choice soft bag. This made the extraction of fired cases very difficult. That is almost exactly where I run my 26 7 Saum with 180s and RL 23. With the .284 Shehane, you have a .308 bolt face, medium action, and Lapua brass. Kovan Match Rifles LLC, www.matchrifles.com. Tommy made my other stocks as well. The .284 is my hands-down choice for shooting F-Class. The extra boiler room is enough to drive the 180s at 2900-2950 fps with H4831sc. I have high hopes of it being an great gun. The proud owner, Forum member Aeon, tells us: This is a Gary Eliseo RTM chassis with pickle forks. ), Darrell Jones of DJs Brass Service went far beyond the call of duty, to assist me [with my first] IBS match. NOTE: Darrell offers Free Annealing with hydro-forming services, which starts at $60 per 100 cases. He was 66 at the time. I agree with your fireforming load. Here he is with parents Karen and Ken Klemm. Gun builder Ryan Pierce of Piercision Rifles explains: Heres a 5-shot 0.191 group at 100 yards with my .284 Shehane fire-forming loads. Since 2009, Forum members have posted photos and descriptions of their most prized firearms. Big accuracy windows allow loads to perform well in different conditions and geographical locations. Want to try a Dasher or 6 BRA but dont like the hassle of fire-forming? Share the post "Sunday GunDay: Back-to-Back Championship Winning .284 Win". Ballard won the NRA Long-Range Regional, setting a new National Record in the process 200-23X at 1000 yards. I clean my barrels at the end of each day when I get home. I've chronicled its development on social media, as well as in prior posts focusing on my decision making process. I will occasionally mess with the tuner and tighten things up if possible. A lot of novice (or hard-headed) shooters make the mistake to push their cartridges to the max, and disregard more accurate loads at lower velocity. The shooters then exchanged rifles and we repeated the test a couple times. I will travel to the F-Class Nationals in Raton as well. I'd think throated properly and with the right powder, RL26 maybe, you'd be able to reach 2700 or more with just a straight 284. Along with these popular cartridge types, DJs Brass can hydro-form 6 PPC, 30 PPC, 6 BRA, 30 BR, .260 AI, .284 Shehane and other wildcats. The best bullets for it by far (in my opinion), are the Berger 180 Hybrids. Unless you really get some exotic woods they all seem to blend together. With N560 or Reloder 17 you can go even faster. That makes the stock stiffer in the vertical plane, reducing the hinging effect forward of the action. Many eye-catching rifles start with a great paint job. Note I selected that load based on accuracy, NOT raw speed. Editors NOTE: These numbers are 10 years old. At least with regard to brass the situation should improve this year: https://www.lapua.com/new-lapua-brass-cartridge-cases-for-2021/. Improved by definition means made better, I took a great cartridge, and modified it to increase capacity, reduce pressure, and increase brass life. 2016 F-Class Open Canadian Championship, Silver Medal (tied for first on score), 2015 F-Class Open National Championship, Silver Medal, F-Class Open National Championship Teams, 2015, 2014, 2013, Shooting Team Member, Over 15 wins in Regional and State Championships in Palma, F-TR, F-Open, 2017 U.S. National Development Team Member, Share the post "Sunday GunDay: The Modern F-Open Rifle". I prefer these because because of their size (large bedding footprint) smoothness, timing, options available, and last but not least visual appearance. Henry: I try to keep my charge weights consistent to one kernel of powder. It takes a great rifle to approach that goal, but it is also up to the shooter to learn and experiment as much as possible in order to achieve success. Q: Henry, you have been a Forum member for many years. Powders include IMR, Hodgdon, Winchester Note how the vertical centerline of the stock is very close to the barrel. Note the heavy-contour custom barrel with brake. Is the .284 Shehane Inherently Accurate? However, by blowing the sidewalls out 0.010, the .284 Shehane picks up about 3.3 grains of extra case capacity. The .284 is able to drive 160 grain bullets at 2800fps and while this may not be considered an optimum velocity based on the potential of the case, it is nevertheless a substantial step up from the short action 7mm08 cartridge giving 2600 to 2650fps with this bullet weight. The Lapua brass is worth the difference. I have been interested in long range shooting for a long time including ground hog hunting. With a standard .284 Winchester, or better yet, a .284 Improved, you can drive the high-BC Berger 180gr and 184gr bullets to competitive velocities. Among BAT Machine Co.actions, I like BAT models M, MB, and 3LL best. Compared to the original Master Class F-Open stock, the barrel sits about an inch lower. Now, we are pursuing sub-one-inch vertical at 600 yards! is formidable indeed. Darrell is a hydro-forming wizard who has perfected the process over the last couple of years. That enhancement makes a BIG difference. Does this really help reduce extreme spread? One of the biggest reasons why I like Master Class stocks, is the pistol grip. Comparison: 6.5-284, .284 Win, and 300 WSM This is a 1:9 twist, 1.250 straight contour for 32. Enjoy this trip back in time to when the .284 Win was the new kid on the block. I encountered vertical, vertical, and more vertical. Henry: I use a tuner or tuner/brake on every barrel. I use Erics tuner/brakes on all my new barrels.) If I have switching conditions, I will remove all wind from the scope, slow down, use the flags and mirage, still holding off. The 6.5X47 Lapua necked down to 6mm is also a great option for mid range matches. Load development for me starts with each new barrel. The rear bag also has the new 3M material on contact surfaces (photo at right). The load consisted of BR2 primers with H4831SC powder. This cleaning and annealing process is included in the $0.60 (sixty cents) per case price thats all part of the Hydro-forming service. A great barrel and great batch of Berger 180gr VLDs all made a difference. I had used the ball expander in the die to neck the cases up from 6.5 to 7mm. You Better Believe It". He is always trying new ideas. Henry: I had true Heavy Guns with 5-inch fronts and 3-inch rears. Here are testimonials from recent customers. It had 2000 as a straight .284 Win and then I set it back to .284 Shehane to form brass with. Velocities vary between barrels approx 2850 to 2880. My version, the 284 KMR IMP, shares the .010 blown-out sidewalls of the .284 Shehane, but I have further increased the case capacity by changing the shoulder angle from 35 to 40 degrees. Single digit ES (Extreme Spread) is the goal. Henrys Championship-winning rig is shown below. With a 5-wide hammerhead front and a special 3-wide bag-rider plate in the rear, this 17-lb rig is ultra-stable in the bags, and tracks like a dream. He decided to go with a Brux 1:8.5-twist, 4-groove cut-rifled barrel. Bryan Litz won both the Mid-Range and Long-Range 2015 Championships using 215s. We offer new reloding data for: .284 Winchester, with bullets: 140 grs / 9,1 gram Nosler E-Tip 150 grs / 9,7 gram Hornady ELD-X I actually shot the hydro-formed brass in a match [without further fire-forming]. I start 0.6 grains lower than my last charge that worked. Q: What are the advantages of your stocks 5-wide fore-end and 3-wide rear plate? That enhancement makes a BIG difference. The Dasher had actually been giving tighter groups under perfect conditions, but seeing the impact is important. The .284 Shehane Accurate and Forgiving Wildcat I shot the .284 Win in heavy gun. That enhancement makes a BIG difference. All these components have been a successful combination that has worked flawlessly[.]. My painter said awesome! and he was able to airbrush the stock with a little yellow and brown to give it that vintage paper look. Note also the tuner on the barrel. I put any variables aside for sighters. After sizing, the case mouths are cleaned with a spinning bronze brush. Load development for me starts with each new barrel. Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C 17.25" Sight-in Target - 5 Targets This was the first five rounds through it after I cleaned it after the last match. We also compared notes and made each other better. Ian Klemm shot great to win the F-TR National Championship. Just wondering if it is enough for 284W f class. What can you reveal? Not enough gain to be worth the trouble, IMO. He can also turn the necks to your specs (for an additional charge). It is chambered (no surprise) for the 6 PPC cartridge, which dominates the short-range game. Once you get it formed I would push it faster than that or I wouldnt even bother with the Shehane. and F-class cross the coarse shooting. The photo above shows multiple wood-stocked Palma rifles belonging to Forum member SParker. After trying Federal 210m primers, CCI BR-2 primers, light tension, heavy tension, jamming, jumping, we settled on 56.0+ grains of H4831sc with CCI BR-2 primers. It shoots better then I do. The rifle features a single-feed Alpin action, with Hart 26 1:8-twist barrel, chambered for the 6BRX (6mmBR wildcat) with .269 neck. Since I have only reloaded for hunting or magazine fed rifles I was not familiar with proper seating to allow land engagement of the bullets for 1000-yard accuracy. Let DJ do the work for you! Mike Wilson (3 Time IBS Record Holder; 2013 and 2014 1000-yard IBS Shooter of the Year. History [ edit] The parent case .284 Winchester was created around 1963, but did not see extensive commercial use. Typical load for a Shehane is around 57.0 grains of Hodgdon H4831 SC. By blowing the sidewalls out 0.010, the .284 Shehane picks up about 3.3 grains of extra case capacity. I use Lapua brass (6.5-284 necked-up), CCI BR-2 primers, Hodgdon H4350 powder, and Berger 184gr bullets. Case Prep: I start with Lapua 6.5284 brass necked up to .284 with an expander mandrel. On a bench you do notice the recoil. The 284 is already a pretty straight case and comes with a 35 shoulder so I'm not sure it would be worth the extra time and money to blow it out to a 40. I do not weigh brass, bullets, or primers. The .284 Shehane is a slightly modified wildcat that retains the same 35 shoulder as the parent case. Home. 0. The action is topped with a stainless BAT tapered (+20 MOA) Picatinny scope rail. Mike Plunkett finished second, while also setting a new F-TR record, 200-16X, also matched by Ray Gross. Base collar is gold metallic, followed by the red. Rifle SpecificationsAll the Hardware Other components are: Borden BRMXD LBRP DLC-coated action, Bartlein 32, 4 groove, 1:8.5-twist 400MOD steel barrel, and TriggerTech Diamond trigger. [Editor: The equipment lists at major F-TR matches will confirm Kovans conclusion here. This barrel has 2200 rounds through it. In this story, Henry explains his set-up plus his processes for loading super-accurate ammo. He posted: Got this 6.547 Lapua back from my smith about six months ago. I would not go any hotter in the interest of case life. Its amazing what you can learn from a rifle that is as sensitive as this one., This impressive rifle features an antique 1917 Enfield action chambered for the .338 Win Magnum cartridge. The action area of this stock has been beefed up to house the large BAT MB action. Thanks for reading and good luck Emil Kovan, Share the post "Best F-Class Cartridge Choices For Mid-Range and Long-Range". This gave me the right amount of wind to work with. 14ozs. Its the new pride of the fleet as it shoots as good as it looks. My face rests on the stock and my shoulder is placed firmly into the buttplate. If you look at that 5-round group you might think it was shot with a 6 PPC or maybe a 6mmBR. Every long-range shooter can benefit from some of tips revealed here. 284 Shehane - donuts - Reloading and tuning - Cortina Precision Forum About Us Home About Cortina Precision Become a member Cart Checkout Contact Us Dealers and Installers EC Tuner Home Forum Forum Account Login Merchandise My account Shop Thank You Tuner Installation $0.00 0 items Home / Forum Forums Unread Posts Recent Posts Member-Only Forums To read the accompanying article click here. This article covers only the (currently) most popular cartridge/bullet combos for F-Class (F-Open and F-TR). Without revealing any trade secrets, we can say the Darrell has very special dies and Darrell doesnt use a mallet or hammer he has a system that is much more consistent. Hydro-Form Specialty cases (such as Dasher) $0.60 (sixty cents) each minimum of 100 pieces plus actual return shipping cost From this point we worked up in half-grain increments until pressure signs developed at 2950 fps. This would provide better support for a very long barrel and give more bedding surface. })(); To comment on a post, click Post Title or "Comment" Link. On the following Monday, we went back to the test bench and chrono. Cleaning Procedures So I did it myself my first Candy Apple red. Darrell says: Simply send me the brass you need or have it dropped-shipped to me along with a fired case that has not been sized. This is the .284 Winchester rig that Charles Ballard used to win back-to-back F-Open titles in 2008 and 2009. My old straight .284 load at 2890 fps had ES spread in single digits for 10 shots. After my first string this load started hammering. On this build, I am trying a BixN Andy trigger for the first time. Annealing plus ultrasonic cleaning starts at $35 per 100 cases ($45 for magnum cases). In F-TR competition, the choice is clear a .308 Win throated for Berger 185gr BTLRs and 200gr Hybrids will win in mid-range AND long-range comps. The Ultimate F-Open Rig Ryan is using 54.0 grains simply as a fire-forming load. You are using an out of date browser. BC rules in the wind. MV is 2680 FPS. If you want more than a standard 284 Win in a short-fat, move up to a 7mm WSM. Others will tell you that the rifle must be on to win. I use Hodgdon H4831sc powder, CCI BR2 primers, and pointed 180gr Bergers., Share the post "Accurate Cartridges The .284 Shehane, an Improved .284 Win", Tags: .284 Shehane, .284 Winchester, Erik Cortina, F-Class, F-Open, Improved, Ryan Pierce. EDITOR: Guys, there is a ton of solid gold information in this article take your time and read it carefully. I will occasionally mess with the tuner and tighten things up if possible. It has already demonstrated great promise, scoring second place in its very first match, a 320 at 1000 yards in Wyoming. Typical load for a Shehane is around 57.0 grains of Hodgdon H4831 SC. By blowing the sidewalls out 0.010, the .284 Shehane picks up about 3.3 grains of extra case capacity. recoil reduction system (hydraulic-damped buttpad), Bix N Andy trigger, and Nightforce Competition scope. So I had the idea of painting the stock because there are so many wood stocks with clear coat these days. After hydro-forming, Darrell can also neck-turn the case for an additional charge (call for combined quote). 6.5-284 (Hodgdon Data) reloading data with 196 loads. And F-Class guys if youre shooting a .284 Win-based case in F-Open you should definitely read Henrys precision reloading advice. What methods are you using to ensure consistent bullet release? He loaded Sierra 100gr Pro-Hunter bullets, and took this nice Roe Buck at 240 yards through a gap in the foliage. The stocks track perfectly. The .284 Win is currently dominating in F-Open competition. Thats where the .284 Shehane comes into play. The ST-1000L & F are used in IBS, NBRSA and Williamsport 1000yd. (Thats with a reasonably fast barrel. With the price of premium brass topping $1.00 per case for popular match cartridges, it makes sense to consider annealing your brass to extend its useful life. One of the most popular features of our Shooters Forum is the ongoing Pride and Joy thread. At my age I am not good at computers. Well there IS a better solution you can have your new brass hydro-formed to your exact specifications for a reasonable cost. Then the 180gr bullets are seated using a Redding Competition Seating Die. The extra boiler room is enough to drive the 180s at 2900-2950 fps with H4831sc, with long barrels. The lovely Maple stock was hand-carved by Forum member Spitfire_ER. 284 Winchester Load Data - (Archived) And if youve got a bucket of brass to neck-turn, thats fine with Darrell he recently neck-turned 1500 pieces of brass for one customer! Jason Cohens We the People patriotic .284 Shehane F-Class rifle. Many championships have been won, and many records set with those two bullets in the .308 Win. Our discussion will analyze cartridge selection based on the four different F-Class sub-disciplines: Open Mid-Range, Open Long-Range, F-TR Mid-Range, and F-TR Long Range. At the end he holds the Oehler Chrono up to the camera so you can view the readout yourself. WHIDSIZSN284SHE Product Manufacturer: Whidden Gunworks Whidden Gunworks Product Description: For precise, consistent OAL handloads, the internals of Whidden's sizing die are designed to keep your rounds . Just before Nationals, I tried going up and down one marker. .284 Shehane Load Development My .284 barrel now has 1,036 rounds, and by all indications it will shoot well to 3,000+ rounds. Register for the Forum and you can add your favorite gun to the list. DJs Brass Offers Specialized Custom Services Jays metal-work is so precise that I can screw any barrel hes chambered to any BAT action I own. He has learned a few special techniques along the way to ensure uniform case-forming. I had a one custom die that would not size the bottom of the case enough. The case issues seem to be with previously softer batches of cases. Owner Aeon tells us: The 7 SAUM was as easy a gun as I have ever shot to find a good load for H1000 gave great consistency and tuning was not hard. Thats way too hot. We started with all white on the stock and came up with the idea of an American Flag on the buttstock. The most common problem is wait-time custom die orders can take months to be completed. The price starts at $60.00 per hundred for standard cases or $75.00/100 for magnum size. Ian, who won his first title last year in Lodi, Wisconsin, said this year was tougher. I found this very important in holding good elevation (minimal vertical dispersion). My action of choice was a beefy 1.55-diameter, round BAT MB, Left Bolt, Right Port. In this match I found the first weakness in my beloved .284. Team Pierce Engineering won the F-TR Mid-Range Team event. Jay Cutright chambers my barrels. Q: Some people say the .284 Shehane is not as accurate as the straight .284 Winchester. We ran about .002 neck tension with the 180s seated just touching the lands. The only goal I have is to obtain the lowest ES and SD I possibly can. Tips for F-Class Competitors _gaq.push(['_setDomainName', '.accurateshooter.com']); I use the Omega powder trickler with a Sartorius GD-503 lab-grade balance to achieve that. Products. This has proven to be a valuable tool in my load development. At IBS matches I studied other shooters equipment and techniques. But my .284, with its high-BC Berger 180s, shot inside both the 6.5 and 300 by at least 3 every time. I was sold! Share the post ".284 Shehane Winning Wildcat for F-Open Competition". Its low recoil along with its super grouping ability and good ballistics make it my number one choice for Mid-Range. Bolt timing, ejection, and feeding is going to be messed up. For these photos, he removed safety glasses. Sighter Strategies In second place was Team McMillan with 1553-53X: Paul Phillips, Derek Rodgers, Jeff Rorer, Brad Sauve, John Droelle (Captain), Ray Gross (Coach). You may not reproduce original text or photos without advanced permission in writing. Share the post "Henrys Hammer State-of-the-Art .284 Shehane for 1K BR". Some barrels are faster than others. I screw on the new barrel, fire 25 rounds of whatever I have left over and then clean it. The only cons I can find are that 284 brass is kinda hard to find! Dale also threaded the barrel for a Woolum Accuracy tuner. For cost comparisons sake, lets use 1,200 rounds for the 6.5-284 and 3,000 rounds for the .284 Win. The key here is both calibres are going to shoot around the 2850fps mark accurately with good case and barrel life. Norms F-Open rig features a McMillan Kestros ZR stock and Bartlein barrel chambered for the .284 Shehane, which has a bit more case capacity than a standard .284 Winchester. Light Gun competition (16 1/2 & 17lbs.) Primer pockets start to get a little looser and the brass seems to need more sizing than the newer brass with less firings.. The 6.5 caliber allowed for the use of long, aerodynamic bullets. Well, guess what that relay I shot a 200-19x, and the next relay I shot a 200-17x (these scores were on the old, larger F-Class target). I would stay away from the .223 Remington. Q: Tell us about the combined tuner/muzzle brake on some of your barrels. Henry: I can shoot 1000 yards on my farm. If you look at the F-Class and Long Range benchrest equipment lists, you will see that cut-rifled barrels are currently dominating. You Better Believe It. If you do this with your fouler shots you get your fire-forming accomplished without using up any extra barrel life.. Yes old dogs can learn new tricks. Henry also runs a combo tuner/muzzle-brake. Custom Neck-Turning Services The variable power and unobstructed DD-1 reticle of the NF were deciding factors. Amazing..!! 7mm Short Magnum Options The Vortex Golden Eagle HD scope showed the mirage I needed in order to make timely wind-hold decisions.. Us old guys need all the help we can get. My load for all barrels is 52g 2209 with 180vlds. But, the added recoil of the .284, even with front and rear rests aligned, took me off target. Go to page. Is there a big difference in tracking and/or stability? Despite the issues I explained in the load development section with low initial velocities on new barrels, I would say the .284 is fairly easy to tune. My first impression was Wow thats a long stock the forearm is significantly longer than on the original Master Class F-Class prone stock. The stock is a Deep Creek Tracker with 4 forearm and rudder system (the toe of the stock adjusts for angle, allowing better tracking). ), Norm Harrold Won 2018 F-Class Open Division Nationals with .284 Shehane Rifle. But no, this was done with heavy 180gr Berger Hybrid bullets and the .284 Shehane, an improved version of the .284 Winchester.