280AI. Need info

[Turnbolt53]

Agree with everything J E said about the 280AI. It's my favorite round.

That's only a problem if you make it one a lot of us run long actions with short cartridges for other reasons but they do work fine. I run a 338short in a LA. While I did this for bullet seating on bug bullets I a,so did this for future builds.

Not sure why anybody would try to talk the OP into chambering his barrel in a lesser round, when he has the ability to have so much more. The barrel will cost the same.

 

[wwbrown]

I built a couple of 280 AI for F-class and used the original chambering, that way I could use Lapua 30-06 brass as the parent brass. One key part of an accurate build is to start with high quality brass so starting with Lapua brass is a good start. Fiorming the brass was trivial as I ran the brass through the sizing die which necked down the brass to 280 most of the way leaving a false shoulder.

To fireform just use 280 load data on the light side as the non-fire formed brass has a little less capacity than fully formed 280 brass as the shoulder is blown forward a little way on the 280.

Both of the builds were very accurate at all ranges up to and including 1,000 yards using 180 bergers and Lapua scenars.

wade

 

[Deputy819]

Maybe my thinking is wrong though since so many people are encouging me to go a different route

Not at all, Sir. I wouldn't allude to that especially on something that I'm no expert on. The .280AI is GREAT and I certainly love mine. I just don't use it as a "woods rifle" where I don't even have a 100-yard shot. For that type of hunting I have something in the .35 caliber flavor. Build that .280AI and you certainly won't be sorry. Good luck, Sir.

 

[okie man]

If it were me I'd just go 280 rem. One reason the 280ai runs faster than the Remington is its higher maximum pressure , not just the small difference in case capacity. I had my 280 rem sending 140 grain gamekings out a 22" barrel at 2950 with no pressure signs. 100 FPS and all that brass work wasn't worth the effort

 

[L.Sherm]

You can easily run 140's at 3200 fps and faster out of a 24" tube with RL23 I've did it with 3

 

[Turnbolt53]

If it were me I'd just go 280 rem. One reason the 280ai runs faster than the Remington is its higher maximum pressure , not just the small difference in case capacity. I had my 280 rem sending 140 grain gamekings out a 22" barrel at 2950 with no pressure signs. 100 FPS and all that brass work wasn't worth the effort

For sure the vanilla 280 will do everything the OP wants, but there is no extra "brass work" if he goes SAAMI 280AI. Hornady, Nosler brass are off-the-shelf, as are the dies.

And if he ever decides that those brands just aren't good enough, then fireformed 30-06 Lapua will satisfy the need.

 

[L.Sherm]

Extra brass work, once you get AI brass fireformed it's no big deal. You trim all to the same length and your pretty much done. That wont be the case with non AI rounds.

 

[sw282]

KENNY JARRETT built me a 280Ackley in the 80s. l think he's built a couple THOUSNAD over the years too. Next to his 300JARRETT the 280AI is his most popular caliber... l had mine before SAAMI made it legitimate. l shot 280Rem ammo 90% of the time.. Along that same period l ''discovered'' the second GREATEST big game ctg of all time. The mighty 270WINCHETSER.. Half the recoil of a 280AI or 30-06 and just as flat shooting... Its THOR'S HAMMER on WhiteTail Deer with plain ole factory 130gr bullets at 3200fps. God Bless Jack O'Conner and Winchester Arms.. May the BOTH 'Rest ln Peace'

 

[Coyote_Hunter]

I have been looking at a 280AI for a while. But I keep coming back to.. Is it really
different from the 7MM Remington I already have? Convince me..!
Skip the belted non belted thing. The 7MM RM flat out works! period! I have used it enough I know!

KyCarl -
Like you. I have a 7mm RM and it works great. It was my first centerfire and I've used it for elk since I got it in 1982. For the first 20+ years it was used exclusively and has taken more elk than all my other rifles combined. My last elk (2015) ws taken with my hunting buddy[s 7mm RM and the same load I used for the first 20+ years - a nice 6x5 bull at 411 yards, 4 steps and down.

These days I have a .280 Rem as well. I feed it 140g bullets for 7mm-08 velocities (2942fps) and it serves very well - light recoil, deadly and very accurate.

Why chase the 7mm RM with an AI when you already have a 7mm RM? Make it a .280 Rem and enjoy a versatile cartridge that will do 95% or more of what you want done (the 7mm RM can do the rest).

If you really want an AI cartridge that performs, a 6.5-06AI is the way I went. Fire-form loads using .25-06 brass results in a 5% loss in velocity compared to standard 6.5-06 data but mine are super-accurate. My 24" 6.5-06AI pushes a 130g Scirocco II to 3161fps, recoil is light, it remains supersonic to over 1200 yards and accuracy is superb (hit rates on clay pigeons on the 600-yard berm have been up to 80%).

 

[Ernie]

If you want a 280 AI, build it!
If you want it to be a soft shooter, get a Holland Radial Baffle brake and be amazed.
I would go with a 1-9 twist.
I would run the 162 ELD-M for deer and antelope, and then move to a 160 AB for elk class animals

 

[mpayne]

I bought a new Rem 700 in a standard 280 and a standard 280 die gave both of them to my gun smith he made both into 280AI's. My AI shoots great groups while fore forming regular 280 reloads. This was about 15 years ago still shoot it.

 

[olyeller]

I've been a 270WIN fan all my life, started reloading it in 1964.

Had a Weatherby rebarreled from 270WIN to 280AI about 4 years ago. I simply love it. Boringly accurate. Easy to load from 7mm Waters up to 7MM Rem Mag.

Fire-forming '06 brass results in cases a little short, best to use 280REM.

My sporter-wt Weatherby 280AI will shoot 175gr Sierra GameKings under 1.5MOA at 1000m.
I use 162gr ELD-X for deer usually, but 140gr SGK is Hammer of Thor on whitetails.

Can't have too many rifles........

 

[J E Custom]

I bought a new Rem 700 in a standard 280 and a standard 280 die gave both of them to my gun smith he made both into 280AI's. My AI shoots great groups while fore forming regular 280 reloads. This was about 15 years ago still shoot it.

This is normal when the chamber is cut like PO Ackley recommended.

If the chamber is cut .004 thousandths short, the accuracy is great while firing standard 280 ammo. Most of the guys that I have built 280 AIs for did/do what I recommended and hunt with the 280 ammo and fire form at the same time. Done this way, there is no brass prep required and the end results are fire formed cases in your chamber, with no lose of components or time.

After firing all that is recommended is to size to fit your chamber and trim to a uniform length. With the improved shoulder angle and the body taper, case growth is almost non existent.

Accuracy should be less that 1 MOA and in many cases with the right 280 ammo it has been less that 1/2 MOA while fire forming. The main advantage to the 280 AI is the increase in efficiency and case life once AI'ed.

With very little capacity increase the 280 AI will equal the 7 rem mag because of improved efficiency with most bullet weights the 280 will not, so if you want 7 mag performance the 280 must be AI'd. SAMMI Pressures should be held to the same standards because more pressure is not required for the AI to perform, and case design remains the same so more pressure is not recommended.

The 280 rem is also a great and capable cartridge and can do almost anything that the AI can.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Sam Summey]

If you already have a 7mm mag, there is no need to go to a 280 AI. if you want a standard bolt face (Many are built on a 30/06 action with little change) The 280 Can duplicate the performance of the 7 rem mag in a 30/06 size case.

J E CUSTOM

You loose around 100 fps using 20% less powder. One of the more efficient cartridges out there. Mine is a 280 AI Ruger 77 action. I will hunt elk in November with Hornady 162 gr ELD-X