Favorite loads for .280AI, .30-06 and .300 Win Mag

[meatyrem]

You must have used Clark griswalds cooking oil inside that barrel.

 

[cape cove]

I use the Barnes 175 LRX in my 300 WM with a Rem case with 76.5 grs RL-26. Vel from my 24" tube is 3225 ft/sec with .75 MOA. Best load I've ever used in it.

 

[southpa]

I use the Barnes 175 LRX in my 300 WM with a Rem case with 76.5 grs RL-26. Vel from my 24" tube is 3225 ft/sec with .75 MOA. Best load I've ever used in it.

3225 is smoking. Have you ever shot 200-215s through this barrel?

 

[Calvin45]

Oh I got about a half dozen .300 win mag loads I like haha. But the standout performer has been the 225 hornady eld m seated to max magazine length in my savage 111 over a compressed load of the sadly discontinued imr enduron 8133. Fed 215M. Winchester brass (but it’s pre-2000 win brass that was virgin when I bought it, not at all the same as anything they’ve made in the last 20 years I don’t think).

 

[cape cove]

3225 is smoking. Have you ever shot 200-215s through this barrel?

I've tried 200 Nosler Part, but with IMR7828. Vel was appx 2950 ft/sec. Never tried it with RL-26. I have tried many other bullets with several different powders but once I got the 175 LRX load that was it for me as for load development with my 300 WM. Got a moose last year with the 175 load. Appx 300 yds, DRT, dropped like a sack of potatoes.
Edit to add: I also tried the 200 gr LRX but found it too long of a bullet for the 300 WM. Took up too much powder space for my liking.

 

[Karey Kimmel]

I found that my Browning 30-06 A-Bolt loves the following combo:
Lapua brass cases trimmed to 2.488"
Winchester standard large rifle primers
56.0 gr IMR 4350 powder
Sierra Game King 165 gr SBT bullets
Bullets seated to 0.002" off the lans
Zeroed concentricity of the bullets after seating

It consistently shoots inside the diameter of a dime @200 yards on bags from the bench.

I've used this load for antelope, whitetail deer, mule deer, elk, and some very unfortunate ground hogs and coyotes....

 

[canguy]

Custom .280AI. 24"Bartlien 2B. 1) 140gr BT 60gr IMR4831 BR2 Petersen brass 3206 avg fps 2) 143gr Hammer Hunter 61.5gr RL26 BR2 Petersen brass 3236 avg fps

Christensen Ridgeline 26". 160gr AB. 59gr RL23. BR2. Petersen brass 3028 avg fps

All loads shoot .5" - .75" moa consistently

Good info. What twist rate for the 140's and what twist rate for the 160?

 

[john k]

My custom .280AI has a 1:8.7 and Ridgeline has a 1:9 twist. The Ridgeline (1:9) will shoot 168’s with no problem.

 

[canguy]

Thanks for the twist rates.

 

[john k]

Thanks for the twist rates.

 

[Alibiiv]

Looking to see what everyone else is shooting! Share you favorite loads for .280 AI, .3006 and .300 Win Mag here.

I am currently fine tuning .280AI for 140 Nosler BT, Peterson brass, CCI200 and 60 gr of H4831 at 3.300 COAL. I will also be working a load up with 140 accubond and possibly 140 partitions as well

My current loads for 3006 are 180 gr Woodleigh RN and 54 gr IMR4350 in Rem brass and CCI200 as well as Norma Oryx in the same weight with same components. Great deer killer. I am thinking about testing some random bullets I have lying around including 150 and 165 GMX, 165 Trophy Bonded Bearclaw, and 150/165 gr Fusions.

300 Win Mag I am continuing load development but I hope to find something in the 180 class for a mountain rifle I just picked up off the classifieds.


Edited for pics. Deer killed with Tikka 3006 Hunter. Also, the Kimber Montana 280AI I have been loading for.
View attachment 579823View attachment 579824

I do not own a .280 Ackley Improved, however I do have a 30-06 data for you. For the 30-06 it is 48.5 grains of IMR 4350 with the Hammer "Sledge Hammer", 199 grain bullet @ 2500fps; Ruger 77, 26 inch Lilja 1:10 barrel. The attachment is two "five-shot" groups with a scope adjustment in there.

 

[AkleyFan]

My contributions with the standard disclaimer - these are my loads and are safe in my rifles ONLY :

300 Win Mag (Ruger M77MKII)
175gr Barnes LRX - 73gr H4831 - CCI 250- Federal brass - shoots .5" @ 100 yards

30-'06 (Mauser K98)
130gr Barnes TTSX - 56.3gr A4064 - CCI 200 - 3200fps - Remington brass - shoots .5"-.75" @100 yards (19" barrel - 10 twist)

280AI (Mauser M98) ***ALL LOADS ARE IN HORNADY BRASS WHICH HAS MORE CAPACITY THAN NOSLER AND OTHERS***
160gr Partition - 58.4gr RL-19 - CCI 250 - @ 2.797" CBTO - shoots .5"-.75" @ 100 yards (25.5" barrel - 8 twist)

140gr Barnes TTSX - 59.4gr RL-19 - CCI 200 - @ 3.270" COAL - shoots cloverleafs @ 100 yards

145gr Barnes LRX - 57.4gr RL-19 - CCI 200 - @ 3.30" COAL - shoots .75" @ 100 yards (load is still in development)

140gr Partition - 61.5gr RL-19 @ 2.797" CBTO - shoots .8" @ 100 yards (load is still in development)

154gr Interbond (remember those?) - 58gr H4831 - CCI 250 - @ 3.345" COAL - shoots .5-.75" @ 100 yards

139gr Interbond - 58gr Ramshot Big Game - CCI 250 - @ 3.333" COAL - shoots .385" @ 100 yards

Hornady goofed up when they stopped making the Interbond!

 

[birddog 68]

Hornady goofed up when they stopped making the Interbond

Agreed. I’ve been using the 139’s for years and just started playing with the 154’s that have been on my shelf.

 

[1stpitch]

Don't have a 300WM, or a 280AI. (Got a regular 280.) My favorite 30-06 load is a 165gr Interlock, Winchester brass, Federal 210M, and 60gr H4350. Fair warning, this load might be too hot in any other gun.