280 AI Youth Gun?

[jeffwhip]

I'm in the process of building a 280 AI for myself and was wondering if I could get some comments on the following questions:

1. Do you think a 280 AI would make a good rifle for my 12 & 14 year old daughters who hunt deer and elk?

2. Would it be possible to make a 280 AI with only a 22" barrel & if so, how accurate would it shoot?

3. What kind of a barrel twist would I need with only a 22" barrel?

Thanks in advance and fire away!

 

[BountyHunter]

IMO not a good match, Ack Imp and youth gun. good chance too much recoil at full loads so what is the advantage?

Just go with the 7mm-08. That is what I started mine on. Much easier to load, no fireforming and readily available "reduced loads" for practice and will take a 120 BTip at 2900 fps or so with the shorter barrel. Load up to the 140s in the Barnes TTSX or other for elk.

Plus the 7mm-08 factory youths are readily available at 1/3 cost of a 280 AI youth custom build

Anyway, just my 2 cents.

BH

 

[jeffwhip]

Thanks,
I already have a 7mm-08 with a muzzle break and with a full load, thought the recoil was a little bit too much for them so I thought I'd look for another possible alternative.

 

[dskd]

Thanks,
I already have a 7mm-08 with a muzzle break and with a full load, thought the recoil was a little bit too much for them so I thought I'd look for another possible alternative.

if that's to big for them, y got bigger ? 280ie is close to 7mm rem mag a lot more kick than a 7/08 with light loads and a brake

 

[liltank]

IMO not a good match, Ack Imp and youth gun. good chance too much recoil at full loads so what is the advantage?

Just go with the 7mm-08. That is what I started mine on. Much easier to load, no fireforming and readily available "reduced loads" for practice and will take a 120 BTip at 2900 fps or so with the shorter barrel. Load up to the 140s in the Barnes TTSX or other for elk.

Plus the 7mm-08 factory youths are readily available at 1/3 cost of a 280 AI youth custom build

Anyway, just my 2 cents.

BH

+1 to BH.

You could do a reduced load for your daughters. There is a chance I am going to be doing some reloading here shortly for a neighbor with a 7-08 for his daughter. You could always go to a 243 or 257 Roberts. Either of those with heavy for caliber bullets would dispatch an elk within 100yrds. At least that is what I have been told. I have heard that guys that live where the elk do use small caliber center-fire's on a regular basis and laugh at the guys that come from other states with shoulder cannon's.

Tank

 

[jeffwhip]

You guys bring up a good point. I did do reduced loads but the last loads I had worked up were some very powerful 175 G Nosler partition buffalo loads. I gave her my 7MM Weatherby to use while buffalo and used the 7MM-08 as a backup gun. I was using the 168 G Nosler Partition for an elk load. Perhaps if I went down to a 140 grain bullet I could have the best of both worlds.

 

[elkaholic]

+1 to BH.

You could do a reduced load for your daughters. There is a chance I am going to be doing some reloading here shortly for a neighbor with a 7-08 for his daughter. You could always go to a 243 or 257 Roberts. Either of those with heavy for caliber bullets would dispatch an elk within 100yrds. At least that is what I have been told. I have heard that guys that live where the elk do use small caliber center-fire's on a regular basis and laugh at the guys that come from other states with shoulder cannon's.

Tank

I've killed elk with my 25-06 out to 400 yds. with the proper bullet. I would also second the reduced load option. You could use 120 grainers for deer to help reduce recoil. The reduced load thing with a .280 would work well and would allow your kids to grow into the same rifle that would be adequate for an adult. Good Luck.......Rich

 

[jeffwhip]

I assume you guys are recommending the reduced load for target practice only? After I watched my oldest daughter shoot a deer and an elk that both got away that were both shot with a reduced load Nosler 168 G partition, I said I'd never do that again.

I have let them shoot reduced loads for target practice but have a hunting load for the field. Has anyone else had problems with reduced loads on big game?

 

[elkaholic]

I assume you guys are recommending the reduced load for target practice only? After I watched my oldest daughter shoot a deer and an elk that both got away that were both shot with a reduced load Nosler 168 G partition, I said I'd never do that again.

I have let them shoot reduced loads for target practice but have a hunting load for the field. Has anyone else had problems with reduced loads on big game?

Not necessarily just for target. There have been a LOT of animals effectively killed with lesser rounds over the years, The trick is to compensate for range and just as importantly, don't use a bullet designed for the big magnums but rather a thinner skinned bullet that will expand at the velocity you will be impacting at. You might be surprised.........Rich