extended mag, .280AI

[petenz]

Will I need an extended mag box for the 160gr accubond/162gr amax to work properly in a .280AI built on a remington long action?

 

[kiwi3006]

I wouldn't have thought so, depends on the throat length. I had a rem 700 30/06 that had to have the projectiles seated waaay out to reach the lands and they fitted in the mag. I currently have a 7 mm mag using 162 amax and they fit comfortably in the mag also.

Stu.

 

[cowboy]

Unless you have something really out of the ordinary you should have no problems with the standard magazine on a 700 long action using the bullets you mentioned. My son and I both have 280AI's built on 700 long action and have both switched over to using Berger 168 VLD's and have encountered no problems with OAL. He has his bullets at .010 off the rifling and I have mine at .015. Both have lenght to spare in the magazine. Good luck - if i can help out in any way please feel free to PM me - we have played with the 280AI with a number of different bullets/powder etc.

 

[petenz]

Thanks guys, looks like I'm good to go then.... rifle heads off to the smith this week


Cowboy I would be interested to know which powders you found to work best with the 16Xgr class bullets,


I'm aiming conservatively for an accurate load somewhere in the 2900fps range out of a 26" barrel

 

[cowboy]

Both rifles - RL22 gave us the best velocity with 168 Bergers. Found that different lot numbers of this powder along with putting some loaded ammo in the freezer-transfer to cooler with ice and proceed to range. Shot this thru the chrony alongside identical ammo at 80F and did not like the results. We are in Montana - one week it could be 70F on the prairie chasing antelope and the next week 6-7000 feet higher and zero degrees chasing elk.
We tried Retumbo, RL19, RL22 as well as H1000 and H4831sc.
We have settled on the H4831sc in both rifles due to what we have found to be consistant for our area and our use. Both rifles have 25" Kreiger barrels. I have settled in at 2800FPS and my son is right around 2875 fps with the H4831sc.
You should have no problem reaching your desired vel with RL22 - a lot of people say there is no more temp variance with this as any other powder. The more I test temp and altitude variations the more I lean towards the H powders. If H4831sc was not available my second choice would be H1000 - But each to his own. Good luck

 

[petenz]

thanks Cowboy, sounds like the 4831SC is the go since I get pretty big temp variations here


VV N165 looks good too, looking at Noslers website



Now the wait for the rifle