Long heavies in .280AI/.284

adk hunter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2018
Messages
1,961
Location
Chestertown N.Y.
Anyone playing with 180 bergers of 190 A-tips in the above cartridges?

Yup I am bored and looking for some fun with these. Powder, COAL and what you shot with what results would be great info too...

Thanks in advance everyone!
 
Straight 284 with 180 Berger is really common in long range competition, 54ish grains of H4831SC for 2850ish at 3.2ish OAL. Usually with a 28-30" barrel to get those speeds. H4350 is also commonly used. Unless on a medium to long action heavies in a 284 will be slow, very slow. I have no experience with 280 and heavies, but if the barrel is throated for them it should be very good. Mag box if you require a repeater would be another issue, most 280's have a pretty short mag box around 3.30". You'd need a 3.60" mag box I think to get the bullet seated out where you would want it. Accurate Shooter forum has tons of info on 284 and variants of it for long range and mostly competitive use.
 
I have a stock of 183 and 197 Sierras that I've used in my 280AI. Using IMR Enduron 8133 I got the 180s to just over 2900 and the 200s to mid 2700s from a 28" McGowen. Of course, these were loaded waaaay long to get to the lands and filled up the AICS magazines almost completely.

Fun loads though.
 
Worked up a load for elk using 180g Berger and have been able to achieve excellent accuracy

280AI
Berger 180g Hunting VLD
56.8g Alliant RL23
Primer: Fed 210
Nosler brass
Velocity 2842fps

Of course you need to work up the load for your rifle but I started seeing faint signs of pressure at 58.0g (velocities of 2923fps)
 
I shot some of the 190 A-tips out of a 280ai. I was using 4000-MR and my best accuracy was at 53.5gr, 2660 fps. I don't have the COAL but BTO was 2.625 which put me 0.020 off. Shot them out to about 800 on steel.
 
Top