#4 or #5 barrel contour for 280AI???

[Ridgerunner665]

How do you like it? I've been looking at the Nosler 280 myself, just don't know anyone that has one.

I have no regrets... I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.

 

[FEENIX]

I didn't see this 1st but I responded to your other thread as ...

It boils down to personal preference and purpose. My .270 AI has a 30" Lilja #6 contour (.750" at the muzzle,
non-fluted) that I carry atop Montana's wilderness. I also, carry ~ lbs pack with me but I try to condition myself all year around for the hunt.

Good luck and happy safe shooting/hunting.

 

[elkaholic]

I too would go with the #4 for what you want. I have a 26" fluted Lilja on my 6.5 Sherman. It is a 700 action with a HS thumbhole sporter and a 6.5-20 Zeiss scope. It weighs in at about 9 1/2 lbs. I would have built a 280 Sherman, but nothing wrong with an A.I. LOL!.....Rich

 

[Elkwonder]

its all done, I ordered it this morning in a number 4. Only problem is it came in a 9.5 twist, and many people are telling me It should be 8.5- 9 at the most.

 

[7magcreedmoor]

Unless you're going to hunt at sea level in very cold temps you'll be alright with 168s at decent velocity. I ordered 9 twist to have the option of running 180s, but the 168s only call for a 10 twist.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Hey Ridgerunner, I thought I may hear from you. I decided to of Montana rifle due to having hands the size of a little girls...lol
The Montana is MUCH thinner in the grip area than the Patriot. That custom Nosler you have is one fine fine fine looking rifle I must say. My mind is made up.... I am going to go with a #4 and have them flute it. I will top it off with a Swarovski Z5 3.5-18x44 with ballistic turret and 4W reticle for wind holds. This should be about the perfect do it all gun for my style of hunting. Thanks guys

Yeah, those B&C stocks with the aluminum chassis are a little thick for my tastes too...thats why I got the Custom instead of the Patriot...

1 in 9.5" twist will be fine as long as you don't want to shoot 175-180 grain VLD type bullets...traditional 175 grain bullets such as the Nosler Partition will be fine, and any type of 168 you want.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Since the OP has gotten what he needed from this thread...the hijack shouldn't cause a problem...

Ridgerunner665
Don't mean to Highjack,
nice looking rifle, what contour barrel? Is this a Nosler factory build rifle? or modified?
Thanks

I didn't answer this clearly the first time...was in a hurry...it took almost 10 months to be built...but it is worth the wait.

Nosler only offers the 280 Ackley in one barrel contour...magnum contour...my rifle is an M48 Custom, the only difference between it and a Patriot or a Heritage is the stock...

I wanted a synthetic stock but not with the aluminum chassis...I wanted pillars, the Custom has stainless steel pillars installed the way McMillan says they should be installed ( https://www.mcmillanusa.com/pillar-bedding-article-part-iii/ ) ...Nosler does NOT use McMillan stocks...they're pretty tight lipped about who makes the stocks for them, but after handling mine I think I know...not gonna speculate though...if you buy just the Kevlar/Carbon fiber stock from Nosler...its expensive, $890, mine weighs exactly 24 oz.

Nothing against any other way of pillar bedding (all methods have their pros and cons)...I'm just explaining the way Nosler does it...with the barreled action removed, you cannot see the pillars from the top, only from the bottom (see the link above for an explanation)...

The options available on an M48 Custom are listed below...the stock upgrade isn't clearly stated....see the bottom of the post for that info.

OPTIONS AND UPGRADES INCLUDE:

Options:

Choose Stock Color
Choose Cerakote Color
Upgrades:

Length of Pull Adjustment
( 12.5" - 14.5" | Standard L.O.P. is 13.5" )
Barrel Length Adjustment
( 20" – 26" | Standard is 24" )
+ Muzzle Brake Addition - $200
+ 3-Position Rocker Safety
+ Engrave text on floorplate - $100
+ Open Sights - $250

Stock:
Fiberglass Gray Color w/ Black Webbing ( Hinged Floorplate Magazine ) (-$200.00)
Fiberglass Black Color w/ Gray Webbing ( Blind Bottom Magazine ) (-$200.00)
Fancy Grade Walnut (-$100.00)
Extra Fancy Grade Walnut ( w/ Blackwood Endcap & Gripcap ) (+$100.00)
Kevlar / Carbon Fiber ( Hinged Floorplate )

 

[morcey2]

I can't help you with the barrel choice, but I really like the PAST recoil pads for taming recoil. I've got one of the Field pads that I wear whenever I'm shooting anything with significant recoil and it works great.

I'm building a 280 AI and I'm probably going to go with a Magnum profile barrel from McGowen, if I can ever free up the funds to actually buy it.

Matt

 

[Elkwonder]

Im torn on trying the 162 amax vs the 168 berger. I may have to try them both...lol
Im hoping to not get into length issues like some people do.

 

[clambdin]

26 inch #3 Brux on mine can't imagine needing a #4 on a 280 Ackley...

 

[JMshooter]

Ridgerunner665
thanks for the info

 

[cowboy]

its all done, I ordered it this morning in a number 4. Only problem is it came in a 9.5 twist, and many people are telling me It should be 8.5- 9 at the most.

Like everyone has said - you'll be fine with a 9-1/2" twist up to the 168 gr bullet weight - the 180's are going to be questionable depending on the elevation.

My rifle and my son's rifle are 1-10" twist and they handle the 168 Bergers from 3500'-10,000' very well. When I built mine I was thinking I would use 145-154 gr pills then tried the 168 Bergers out to 1000 yds and never turned back.

 

[JMshooter]

Berger's reload manual, 168gr is calling for a 1-10 twist, how well do you think a 24" barrel with 1-9" twist will do with the 168gr ?

 

[cowboy]

Berger's reload manual, 168gr is calling for a 1-10 twist, how well do you think a 24" barrel with 1-9" twist will do with the 168gr ?

I know of a number of guys that are using the 168 Bergers with a 1-9" twist in 280AI that had their rifles built after I had mine up and running and they do very well with that combo. The only difference from your question is that they are using a minimum of 25" tubes and I think one guy finished his barrel at 26-1/2". We are at 3600' elevation.

With that said - when my 1-10" twist ever starts to go south I will replace it with a 25-26" long 1-9" twist. I would then probably try some 180 gr. bullets to see what the velocity/results were. I don't know why I need to switch from the 168 Bergers though to be quite honest with you. I have worked on literally dozens and dozens of animals taken with the 168 gr and really can't guess what the difference would be in using the 180's. A little better wind resistance and ft-lbs, a little less velocity etc but I don't think an elk at 4-700 yds would be able to tell the difference. Dead is dead.

I will tell you that the Beger VLD's are not 100% the cure all - I finally had one that wasn't text book, as they say, that I retrieved this past year out of an elk but that is a whole different story.