My 280 AI finally arrived last week. I got the scope mounted and headed to the range for barrel break-in and load development.
I currently have two excellent loads hovering right at half MOA groups at 100 yards. The first is the standard 160 grain accubond over 60 gr of H4831sc, loaded 50 thou off the lands. With my 26" Bartlein barrel, they are chronographing at 3025 fps with no bolt stick or pressure signs.
The other promising load is the 168 gr LRAB over 59 gr of H4831sc, and 30 thou off the lands, which clocks in at 2950 fps. I'm going to try a few batches of test loads with the LRABs set back a little further off the lands...as soon as my bruised shoulder heals up. Because its a pack rifle primarily for off hand shooting in the timber, its built fairly light and not wearing a muzzle brake. It doesn't recoil badly at all, unless you're so excited to shoot it that you keep going back to the range and end up sending 50 rounds into the target within a 24 hour period. Then your shoulder gets bruised and sore, as I have learned.