.280AI Loads

What length barrel? I was shooting a 26" with 4831SC but when I went to a 22" barrel I just couldn't get the velocity I wanted. Now I shoot RL26. I did experience great accuracy with RL22 but I gave that up because of the temp sensitivity. If you've got some RL22 you might as well work up a load with it to practice with. Maybe a dumb question but have you done the other stuff like playing with seating depth?
 
R 22 is a great powder for many rifles including 280AI. Don't over stress the temp stability. If you hunt close to same time a year the variance is negligible. Also shoot in different temps to see how it affects POI. Usually will find it not very meaningful inside of 600 yards
 
What length barrel? I was shooting a 26" with 4831SC but when I went to a 22" barrel I just couldn't get the velocity I wanted. Now I shoot RL26. I did experience great accuracy with RL22 but I gave that up because of the temp sensitivity. If you've got some RL22 you might as well work up a load with it to practice with. Maybe a dumb question but have you done the other stuff like playing with seating depth?
26" barrel. I have factory Christensen Arms Ridgeline and tolerances are real tight. Nosler claims their bullets like a "jump" so I have been going by the book on my AI. I have some 162 ELD-X that I can try also. Did RL 22 in your rifle like near max loads? Thanks
 
26" barrel. I have factory Christensen Arms Ridgeline and tolerances are real tight. Nosler claims their bullets like a "jump" so I have been going by the book on my AI. I have some 162 ELD-X that I can try also. Did RL 22 in your rifle like near max loads? Thanks

I was shooting 168 Berger Hybrids at 2900 or so.

I must have listened to the modern day sniper podcast with Scott Satterlee like 4 times to wrap my head around how he does load development. I haven't applied it to an Accubond yet but that was real eye opening on load development focusing on seating depth first, and it definitely works.
 
I was shooting 168 Berger Hybrids at 2900 or so.

I must have listened to the modern day sniper podcast with Scott Satterlee like 4 times to wrap my head around how he does load development. I haven't applied it to an Accubond yet but that was real eye opening on load development focusing on seating depth first, and it definitely works.
Thanks for info.
 
a) 1949 Win M70 280AI Bartlein barrel, McMillan stock
b) ~1980 Sav110 280AI Bartlein barrel, Bell and Carlson stock Timney
c) 2018 Kimber84L 280AI unmodified

Nosler 140 gr Ballistic Tip bullet, Nosler 280AI brass 56.2 gr IMR-4166, 3.34", 3110 fps
 
a) 1949 Win M70 280AI Bartlein barrel, McMillan stock
b) ~1980 Sav110 280AI Bartlein barrel, Bell and Carlson stock Timney
c) 2018 Kimber84L 280AI unmodified

Nosler 140 gr Ballistic Tip bullet, Nosler 280AI brass 56.2 gr IMR-4166, 3.34", 3110 fps
If the accuracy is acceptable, then you have a pretty impressive load. One of the very few times hearing of IMR 4166. Bullet must be near jam. Thanks
 
i would take the accuracy of the h4831 especially if it is repeatable. its obvious that both will get the job done tho. what would matter to me is how wide the powder charge is to keep you in the accuracy node. h4831 keeps mine in a nice wide node of about a whole grain. i found something to be interesting in mine. when i ran rl26 and h4831 up to where i saw pressure, both produced about the same velocity. rl 26 definitely ran higher velocities with less powder but i could run h4831 up to some good velocities too. i run h4831 and 160 tmks, and also h1000 with 180 eldms. The 280 ai is a joy to reload.
 
This was my OCW with RL26 that produced the best results. I really should be visiting the node at 61.2 because it's probably the most stable. I should probably also run a little hotter than 61.5 to confirm things. I couldn't find much load data on RL26, so I wasn't quite sure on the max. I never ran into pressure issues with any of these charges.
 

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This was my OCW with RL26 that produced the best results. I really should be visiting the node at 61.2 because it's probably the most stable. I should probably also run a little hotter than 61.5 to confirm things. I couldn't find much load data on RL26, so I wasn't quite sure on the max. I never ran into pressure issues with any of these charges.
I'm running 61.7 with no pressure signs so I think you'll be ok.
 
I posted this on the forum years ago. I was so proud at the time because this was the best group I'd ever shot in my life. RL22.
 

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