KRG Bravo 1500 in...WHAT??

[Shane Tuttle]

My gunsmith bought up a batch of KRG chassis based Howa 1500 a short time ago. The one I was eyeballing was in 6.5 Creedmoor, 1:8 twist, in a 26" barrel, flat dark earth...and threaded.

I have a Savage Model 12 heavy barrel in .22-250. Love the action. Trigger has been massaged to my liking. Wanted to look at rebarreling it for something that would be more effective beyond 600 yards. This thing is a tackdriver. Very little recoil. But I couldn't bring myself to give up this cartridge. So, I'm leaving it alone and bit on that KRG.

Here's where it gets interesting: Technically, the KRG is a short action rifle. My gunsmith has magazines that will work in this chassis/action combo that accepts a longer cartridge than the Creedmoor. He likes the Creedmoor. Will do anything we want it to up to 1000yards. I told him that was great and all. But I'm looking to shoot up to 1500yds...eventually. I was looking to find a rifle in .338 Lapua Mag. That's when he said, "I'm already ahead of you".

He's going to punch it out to a 6.5-284 Norma. He took a cartridge at 3.228" and test fit it in the mag and action. This is going to get our extra 500 yards. MUCH less recoil than the .338, and less expensive to reload.

I have the dies, brass, and...yes...primers. Patiently waiting for the bullets I want to become available. I have powder that others seem to like. Waiting for the powder that people love to be available, too. Having a hard time making a decision on which glass to put on it and which spotting scope to get. The last time I shopped for a serious scope was for the Savage. Went with Leupold. Now, there seems to be more choices than ever and it's making my head hurt.

If you're in the market for a long range rifle, take this one into consideration. I can't attest to how it fires, yet. But I'm really liking what I'm seeing on the features, price, and the quality of the chassis. Understanding the rifle is Japanese, KRGs chassis is owned/designed/built by veterans here.


https://kineticresearchgroup.com/product/bravo-chassis/

https://www.gunsamerica.com/digest/sub-moa-all-day-howa-1500-krg-bravo-chassis/

 

[taylorce1]

I'd have probably have it made into the PRC cartridge. Similar case capacity to the 6.5-284, but shorter case so it fits better in a short action. If you're not oppsed to wildcats look at the 6.5 Sherman, SAUM, or WSM.

I can't say good enough things about the Howa rifles I've been around.

 

[stagpanther]

Personally I'd stick with plan A and go 338 lapua if I were set on shooting around a mile consistently. Disclaimer: I don't shoot long distance myself so I could be totally talking off the top of my head, but I do shoot both 6.5 284 and 338 LM quite frequently.

 

[Shane Tuttle]

I'd have probably have it made into the PRC cartridge. Similar case capacity to the 6.5-284, but shorter case so it fits better in a short action. If you're not oppsed to wildcats look at the 6.5 Sherman, SAUM, or WSM.

We discussed the PRC. Overall, we chose the Norma over it. I already spent over $300 in dies and brass, alone. So, there's no economically sound way of going to something else. Not a fan of going wildcat. I understand the Norma was a wildcat. However, it's been proven to stick around for a long time. That, and I'm no top end expert on competition shooting/reloading. Those that are have done the dirty work for me on proving the cartridge's capabilities.

 

[stagpanther]

We discussed the PRC. Overall, we chose the Norma over it. I already spent over $300 in dies and brass, alone. So, there's no economically sound way of going to something else. Not a fan of going wildcat. I understand the Norma was a wildcat. However, it's been proven to stick around for a long time. That, and I'm no top end expert on competition shooting/reloading. Those that are have done the dirty work for me on proving the cartridge's capabilities.

It's a great cartridge the 6.5 284, in fact I'm working on some 130 rdf loads right now for it--but make sure you get a set-up that allows easy replacement of barrels; you will be burning through them.

 

[Jim Watson]

When I was shooting F-TR with .223 and .308, the 6.5x284 was the hot number in F Open.
Civilian shooters were getting 1200 accurate rounds out of a barrel, 1400 if lucky or if they were able to set it back and rechamber with a fresh throat for a while.
The AMU was playing it safe and rebarreling at 850 on the taxpayer.

There was a bit of a move to 7mm with rifles in .284 Win and the improved version .284 Shehane. It had gotten to where they had to make brass by necking up factory 6.5x284, there just wasn't much .284 being manufactured.

One guy here wanted more velocity in a short action but not as much as a 7mm WSM. So he necked up the slightly smaller .270 WSM.


Why does magazine length matter? My .308 was a single shot, the .223 (and my old .22-250) have single shot adapters in the magazines.

 

[taylorce1]

We discussed the PRC. Overall, we chose the Norma over it. I already spent over $300 in dies and brass, alone. So, there's no economically sound way of going to something else. 

I don't think you made a wrong choice, I like the 6.5-284 but I like it better in long action. Bullets are just getting longer, and so I try to plan for that eventuality. However, I'm sure you'll find a bullet that works well for your purposes and fit in the magazine COAL constraints.

Why does magazine length matter? My .308 was a single shot, the .223 (and my old .22-250) have single shot adapters in the magazines.

Mag length doesn't matter, until you want to use the magazine. That's when it matters immensely.
   

 

[Jim Watson]

Mag length doesn't matter, until you want to use the magazine. That's when it matters immensely.

My point. If you are hunkered down over a bench or bipod, as I was in F Class, you are single loading. I think the more recent game of Precision Rifle involves sustained fire but am not real sure of that.