Fireforming .280 AI from .280 Remington brass or .270 Win brass?

[Longtooth32]

And if you want dumpster dive, once fired Nosler brass for 65 cents a round. I have ordered well over 10 times from this vendor. Both pistol and rifle. I have never been disappointed...

https://www.oncefiredbrass.com/federal280remf-c.aspx

 

[KyCarl]

I think I'll just buy these? Good brass and they are ready to go at $48.38 a box?
I think it will be easier in the long run and less for me to mess up.
They should be fine for deer.
https://www.classicfirearms.com/nosler-60116-280-ackley-improved-150-gr/

 

[Longtooth32]

I think I'll just buy these? Good brass and they are ready to go at $48.38 a box?
I think it will be easier in the long run and less for me to mess up.
They should be fine for deer.
https://www.classicfirearms.com/nosler-60116-280-ackley-improved-150-gr/

slightly cheaper at Graf's and you can get 140 ballistic tips for $29.69

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/category/categoryId/178?

 

[Longtooth32]

Just an off the wall question...are you able to fire form a 280 Sherman out of a 280 AI brass?

 

[MudRunner2005]

Graf's has Nosler in stock for $76.99

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/11697

Having shot lots of Nosler brass, it's worth the money, IMO.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Just an off the wall question...are you able to fire form a 280 Sherman out of a 280 AI brass?

Rich has stated that you can, but you might end up with short necks. Probably would be best to form from .270 Win or .280 Rem brass.

 

[DocDoc]

longtooth,
The 280 Sherman has the shoulder further forward of that for the 280 AI, so you would have to use a false shoulder on the case before fire forming, just like you would on a straight 280 Rem.

 

[RevJim]

The Whiddon hydro dies make sense to me for any of the Shermans. I've made false shoulders on once fired cases, used a moderate charge of faster powder, filled the rest up with Cream of Wheat and plugged the case with wax. Formed very well. But...if your chamber is set up to have a good crush fit, you can fire factory ammo just fine and not have any case stretch at the head of the case. I doubt any "factory chambered" .280 AI is set up for a crush fit. You then will have case stretch at the web of the case head. Jam method...always works!

 

[MudRunner2005]

The Whiddon hydro dies make sense to me for any of the Shermans. I've made false shoulders on once fired cases, used a moderate charge of faster powder, filled the rest up with Cream of Wheat and plugged the case with wax. Formed very well. But...if your chamber is set up to have a good crush fit, you can fire factory ammo just fine and not have any case stretch at the head of the case. I doubt any "factory chambered" .280 AI is set up for a crush fit. You then will have case stretch at the web of the case head. Jam method...always works!

The hydro dies for the Shermans, yes, that makes sense. But not for a SAAMI spec'd AI that you can buy factory AI brass for. Just personal opinion.

Jam method is what I do for all mine (except the .300 Ackley, since it's belted, it headspaces off the belt, makes forming really easy). It's a guaranteed perfect form if done right.

 

[RevJim]

Well, I want to back up and say that the SAAMI 280 Ackley Improved does indeed have a "crush fit" as it is, supposedly .014" shorter at the datum line than the older Ackley design. So factory .280 should fireform just great!

 

[raider1v1]

id honestly just buy the brass. it will save you a load on the brass, components, power, barrel life, trips to the range, etc. how many pieces do you want to have on hand? if its less than 200, id just buy them pre-done.

 

[Alibiiv]

id honestly just buy the brass. it will save you a load on the brass, components, power, barrel life, trips to the range, etc. how many pieces do you want to have on hand? if its less than 200, id just buy them pre-done.

Yup I'm thinking the same thing. Although I cannot remember which company that I spoke with, one of them said that they would provide both the regular dies and the hydro-form dies for around $300 +-. Cannot remember which one it was though?

 

[raider1v1]

Yup I'm thinking the same thing. Although I cannot remember which company that I spoke with, one of them said that they would provide both the regular dies and the hydro-form dies for around $300 +-. Cannot remember which one it was though?

hornady makes the hydro dies but they still arent 100% formed. i looked at all the options and unless you are talking 500+ pieces it just doesnt make sense. at least to me.

 

[Weatherby Fan]

Thanks for the links to the brass. I'll have to add up the costs for dies and hydro forming vs simply buying I'm primed brass

I just checked Gunbroker and you can get BNIB Hornady 280 AI brass for .83 cents a piece, seems reasonable considering, powder, primers, bullets and barrel wear with fire forming ??