Light bullets in 280AI

[308win]

The 120 BTs are little death rays! Running them out of my 7-08AI @ 3000fps hits deer like a lightning bolt. For my numbers, I figure them to be good out to 400yrds, with a 280AI I'm sure they'd be good to 500 or maybe a little more? Not for certain, but I understand them to be a slightly tougher construction than the 140s? IDK, but I do know they work! So much so, I'm thinking of trying them in my 7-300PRC just to see what they'll do?

 

[Cbhunter]

Never Sell, the 6.5 PRC "Short" as,. It's NEAR the .270 WSM for,. Killing Power.
Using, 140 grain, Elite Hunter, Berger's at, 3,100 FPS,. It'll Kill chit out to,.. 800-900+ Yards !
Like, Luis said, the 120 gr. NBT's work Great, in most 7 MM's,. But they, won't "Reach Out" quite like, the High BC, Berger 140's,.. "Do" !
I use, the 120 gr NBT's in My, 5 pound, 7 x 30 Waters, T/C Contender 21" Rifle,. LOW Recoil and very, Accurate !
PS; Guides, NEED to Stick to Guiding,. IF, they think that, the 6.5 PRC, is,.. a "Wimp" !

Maybe I worded that incorrectly. It's the 6.5 Creedmoor the guides were not a fan of, I bought the 6.5 PRC on the recommendation from a few guides and a cousin that has a couple of them.

 

[Cbhunter]

The 120 BTs are little death rays! Running them out of my 7-08AI @ 3000fps hits deer like a lightning bolt. For my numbers, I figure them to be good out to 400yrds, with a 280AI I'm sure they'd be good to 500 or maybe a little more? Not for certain, but I understand them to be a slightly tougher construction than the 140s? IDK, but I do know they work! So much so, I'm thinking of trying them in my 7-300PRC just to see what they'll do?

7-08AI sounds interesting!

 

[cajun]

The 140 ballistic tip is a great bullet. I would also look at the 120 BT. Don't let it's weight fool you it will penetrate with the 140. My grandson has a 7/08 and I'm getting 3000 fps with a 24". You can get that easy in the 280. Low recoil and I can guarantee you will not have a deer sized critter make it far.

 

[dogz]

There's definitely going to be a bump up in recoil compared to the 6.5 CM.
If not braked I would lean towards the 120's until he adjusted. Just my opinion.

Boom........this

Real world in close to 60 years of shooting I've never thought of the 140's as being "Light" in a 280:0 Guess the "send it" world that we live in has changed a lot of thought processes...(obviously not mine

 

[dogz]

Side note, a 119 or 120 Hammer would be kick butt as well!

 

[dogz]

This is very encouraging.

The worst part is I already bought a 6.5 PRC thinking he'd shoot it, but he got a 6.5 Creedmoor when everyone was crazy over them, and a couple guides we talked to didn't want him to bring that, so he's kinda stung and afraid the 6.5 PRC will turn out the same way. I've tried to tell him it's not the same, but he's got the 280AI in his head and he might have gotten a bit of stubbornness honestly.

Honestly, Guides are about the worst for knowing anything about ballistics etc. If a guide has a problem with the 6.5 CM for deer/lopes then I'd find a different darn guide!

 

[308win]

7-08AI sounds interesting!

Oh, they're fun. Great thing about the .284 is the bullet options. It's kinda like the old '06 and 308 debate, but 280AI vs 7-08AI debate Do you want short or long action? By all means, the boy wants a 280AI, get him one! If you want some more info on the 7-08AI, PM me and I'll fill you in. BTW, the 150 ELD-X I'm pretty sure was developed for the 7-08AI my go to load

 

[SnakeRiverEric]

I shoot the 143 Copper Rose from Mcguire Ballistics in my Mtn Ascent 280AI at 3180fps with 58.5-59gr RL23. 24'barrel 1-9" twist. The 160gr bullets go 3070fps. Have fun it!!

 

[dogz]

Personally, I'd prefer to get him a 8 twist 22/250 before I got him a 280 AI (especially if the 280 was fairly lightweight)

 

[Travis Mowery]

I'm shooting the berger 140 vld with a good dose of RL22, they're trucking along over 3200 and are bad medicine for whitetail sized game, I'm sure loading them down to a tamer speed they would be just as effective

 

[David_h]

Is anyone using light bullets in their 280AI. I have a small frame 16 year old son that's fascinated with the cartridge, but he wants to run 140gn bullets on whitetail and antelope. I know next to nothing about the round, and have been reading up on it all day before we buy this rifle, but I'm not finding much about it with lighter bullets. Seems like it would be a nice flat shooting, low recoil round on paper. What's do your real world results look like?

I'd consider 140 about mid-weight for 280AI. Sure you can go up to 160-168 ABLR or heavier if your twist allows. But I've also had good results at the range with 101gr HHT and 118HHT in the 280AI. I've settled on the 132HHT at about 3250fps.

 

[birddog 68]

Honestly, Guides are about the worst for knowing anything about ballistics etc. If a guide has a problem with the 6.5 CM for deer/lopes then I'd find a different darn guide!

Definitely nothing wrong with the 6.5 CM for deer and antelope.
I know it's got the sissy man bun complex going on but it's more than adequate for these animals.

 

[just_jon]

Give the 90-grain hammer hunter a look. I've run it as high as 4000 fps in my 280AI, but best accuracy was a just over 3800 fps. Recoils is between a 243 and 6.5 CM.