My next project...

[Brian in Montana]

My next build is going to be something light weight, backcountry/backpack hunt sort of rifle. Going to build off a Savage 110 Ultralight short action with a .308 bolt face. I've been leaning towards, and pretty close to settled on a .284 Winchester. However, I have this idea, crazy as it is, to actually make it a .270-08AI. Just kind of like the idea and I think a short action .270 would make a darn great backpack gun for medium size game - deer, antelope, black bear, etc.

So the forming of brass for such a creature would be a 2 step process - necking up/down existing brass, and then fireforming to the Ackley chamber. Question is, would it be preferable to neck up .243 casings or neck down 7mm-08? Any of you guys ever done this or something along those lines?

 

[p_ham]

Neck up when possible, necking down can leave the "donut" you have to deal with.

I would build a 260AI over the 270, then again I do have 2 already so I'm biased.

Given my latest project though, I shouldn't be talking about why you shouldn't build a crazy cartridge you want.

.284 is a good round too.

 

[brockel]

I’m the last guy that should be telling someone to just build the easy but man if I’m building on a short action I’m going with a 7mm-08 or 260 or I might get wild and go 7mm-08 ackley or 260 ackley or even a 6.5 creedmoor. 284 jammed into a short action sucks. 270-08 ackley seems like a lot of work and money to shave 0.007” to still shoot the same bullet weight.

Savage bolt heads still easy to change out? 7mm saum or 6.5 saum would be a good one.

If you are set on the 270-08ackley I’d get some lapua 260 brass

 

[MThuntr]

6mm SST, 25 SST, 6.5SST, 6.5SS, 7SS

 

[deer_shooter]

25 Souper is interesting too. 308 necked down to 25.

 

[std7mag]

I have a 284 Win. Had a 7mm-08 Improved, 40°.
Ackley never did any work on the 308 family of cases.

Realistically, i didn't gain anything by improving the 7mm-08, other than having a conversation starter at band camp.
With 22" barrel using 140gr bullets i ended up with the following accuracy nodes.
RL17 was speed king at 2,916fps. Note, while accurate it was on the hot side.
IMR 4350, H414, gave in the 2,830fps range.
Best accuracy was Alliant PP2000MR, at 2,832fps.

So not really any faster velocities than standard 7mm-08.

Short vs long action is only gonna save you a couple of ounces.

You could easily do a 270-284.

 

[std7mag]

Note, the added capacity of the 284 case is just a bonus.

Add to that, you can Shehane it too.

You won't reach the capacity by AI ing the 308 family.

 

[Addicting]

With a 260ai I gained about 100fps. I’m sending a 127g LRX around 3100fps. Thats a little warm but the rifle and brass handle it fine.

With that being said, I’ve done a Sherman and AI. The rest of my rifles will be standard cartridges. There is fun at first having something different. But always having FF to do gets old. I won’t do another Sherman, it was fun but a expensive lesson. Now I have dies and brass that I have a fortune into that I can’t sell.

 

[std7mag]

With a 260ai I gained about 100fps. I’m sending a 127g LRX around 3100fps. Thats a little warm but the rifle and brass handle it fine.

With that being said, I’ve done a Sherman and AI. The rest of my rifles will be standard cartridges. There is fun at first having something different. But always having FF to do gets old. I won’t do another Sherman, it was fun but a expensive lesson. Now I have dies and brass that I have a fortune into that I can’t sell.

Fire forming never bothered me.
I still consider it good trigger time.
And the cartridges being formed can still show good accuracy.

 

[p_ham]

Fire forming never bothered me.
I still consider it good trigger time.
And the cartridges being formed can still show good accuracy.

I've got a FF load with varmint bullets that shoots .4MOA avg. I really love that load, gun barely even wiggles.

 

[cahunter805]

Nothing wrong with a 270-08 or 284win. Both will easily work for all the game you listed and bigger.
How lightweight are you trying to go? Weight goal? What scope?

 

[BackofBeyond]

I’ve been thinking really hard lately about a 6.5x.284

I blame Hunt Talk.

 

[mtmuley]

Why not the 6.5 GAP? If I were to build a rifle like the op wants, seems like a perfect fit. mtmuley

 

[marksjeep]

I’ve been thinking really hard lately about a 6.5x.284

I blame Hunt Talk.

124 Hammer Hunters at 3250fps

 

[Brian in Montana]

You could easily do a 270-284.

This would be taking .284 win brass and necking it down to .277, right? By pressing into a resizing die? I like the idea of a .270-.284 but seems this would be complicated as you already need a custom-made die set before forming brass. And I've never tried necking down, but I do know how easy it is to buckle a casing at the shoulder when I've gone too deep with a neck-sizer.

 

[Fire_9]

I’d take a look at the 7 SAW

 

[Deleted member 16014]

What bullet(s) do you want to shoot? I'd start there every time.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Long been a fan of the .277 cal bullet, but also 7mm and .308. For my purposes if think the .277 or 7mm would be just about as good.

 

[cahunter805]

Long been a fan of the .277 cal bullet, but also 7mm and .308. For my purposes if think the .277 or 7mm would be just about as good.

Specific bullet weight is also important. Trying to shove a 195gr 7mm into a 284 requires different aspects than say a 140gr 7mm bullet.

Do you already have the action? Everyone always assumes a short action is needed for a lightweight build. A SA vs LA Rem 700 is only 3oz difference. You can save weight other places also.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Already have the action, and planning for this to be a backpack, primarily medium-size game rifle. So thinking of bullet weights between 130-154gn Hornady Interbonds or Nosler Accubonds, or the like. I'm not interested in jamming a 195gn bullet into a .284 casing. I have my .280 AI for that if the mood takes me.