Torn between the 280 ai and the 7mm rem mag

[G. Hammond]

Like I said I love my 280 ai. I think if you set it up right you will be very happy with it. In reality the 280 ai, 7saum, and the 7rem mag are really similiar just kind of pick your poison kind of deal. SA with mag bolt face, LA with standard BF or LA Mag BF. Brass would be a bigger consideration. Can you live with the nosler 280 AI brass (I can so far its been fine) or do you prefer whoever makes 7 rem mag brass ( I don't have one so I don't know).

 

[G. Hammond]

The .280 A.I. is your best pick! Most efficient! Almost on par with 7mm Mags. less powder & recoil also longer bbl. life! Ammo, .280 rem. substitute in a pinch! .28 Nosler bbl, burner haven't seen nosler expensive rifle reviews group under 1 1/2" groups! G. Hammond

 

[Playtimefun]

I am not so sure... and I will preface this by saying I do own both.

If you are looking at a lightweight (back mountain or walking coulies all day) type of gun then the 280AI is the way to go. You save about a 3/4 of a lb of weight really quickly. I have a Weatherby ultralight rechambered from 280 to 280 AI. All loaded, scope and sling I am 6.7 lbs. Put a 150 gr Barnes TTSX bullet in it and you have an AWESOME load for pretty much everything from antelope to moose/elk. It works pretty good out of a 22" barrel but another couple of inches of length would help it out.

But once you start loading heavier bullets for the 280AI, you start eating into the case capacity. So when you are reloading this is where the 7 Rem Mag starts to come into its own. Factory to factory 140 grainers they match up. But once you start reloading you quickly use that additional case capacity of the 7 Rem Mag case to gain velocity.

Accuracy wise, well my 280AI is very accurate. The 7 mm is every bit as accurate.

If I was going long range AND not worrying about weight as much, then go with the 7 mm as you can get a little more behind those 168 grainers for long range. Putting those same 168's in the 280AI just hurts it's case capacity a little too much.

 

[L.Sherm]

Case capacity means nothing between 140 or 180 bullet as long as the 168 or 180 have the throat so the boatail bearing surface is at or just above the neck shoulder junction.

 

[L.Sherm]

I should phrase my post a little differently, a 140 seated at the neck shoulder junction is the same capacity as a 180 seated at the neck shoulder junction no different than a 7 mag.

 

[Hand Skills]

280 Rem gets me out past 1/2mi with 175gr Berger's.

SAAMI throat, 3.47 OACL

More than I'll ever need for 'lopes, 'yotes and deer.

 

[mfk]

First off thanks for all the insights. I would of gone with the faster tier cartridges but barrel life and expense kinda turned me off to it. I tend to shoot a lot with my primary rifles which are the AR's , PSS (308 Win) and my 30-06. But I'm in the process of building a 260 AI, it's a decent round and I have tons of 308 brass. But now I'm kinda wishing I stuck with my original idea of going to a 7mm of some kind. It'll be either a of the cartridges I posted, man it's tough to pick. One has cheaper brass and is slightly faster, the other is supposed to be less finicky to load and saves on powder and barrels.

I personally think you are on the right track. I went through the same decision between 7mm rm or 280ai and got a 280AI last fall. (I also kicked around faster 7's like 28 Nos.) Ultimately I chose the 280AI for a little more barrel life with a little less recoil (while not my main consideration) and because of its reputation for being easy to tune. Like you I like to shoot my hunting rifles a lot so a little less recoil and more barrel life is a nice bonus. LancetKenyon shoots both 7mm rm and 280AI a lot and convinced me not to sweat the decision telling me that I would like either. He has lots on info on both calibers and really seems to have his loads tuned pretty well. Good luck and enjoy. Its a fun problem to have picking a new caliber!

 

[Harvey Durham]

I was pretty sure I'd build a Long Range Hunter in 7mm Rem Mag ( or buy one) for shooting 180gr bullets. But now I'm starting to like the idea of a 280 AI since it can come close with a 26" barrel. It'll serve dual duty of hunting elk at probably not great distances, but possible targets out to a mile. Who's out there with set up with 24-28" barrels?
Update: Sorry I should of mentioned I'll probably be focusing on 175gr-180gr bullet weight class. Loads for that weight and 24-28 inch barrels would be appreciated. Thanks.

If you're seriously wanting to take mile shots, you need to look at heavier guns I can tell you that. The only thing in a .284 that could even close to do that is a .300 Norma Magnum.284.

 

[xsn10s]

If a 260 can make it out to 2k yards I'm sure a 280 AI can also.

 

[ted1]

Have both. Shoot 160 accubonds in both. 280ai a lot easier on the body. buy Nosler brass and fire form 280 rem. Nosler better brass. H-1000 works well for me in both as well.

 

[LVJ76]

You really can't go wrong with either one, that said, the 7mm Rem Mag is better in the sense that you will get more speed and obviously a bigger punch on your target for hunting purposes, I am sure paper or steel font feel the difference. Yes it uses more powder, but it goes faster, and NO, the 280 AI will not match the capabilities of the 7 mag, unless the rifle comes with fairy dust or a magic wand.

If you are sensitive to recoil, the difference ain't much really, if any. On both cartridges with a 26" barrell which is what you should get on which ever cartridge you decide, the recoil won't really matter. I've shot 24" 280 Rem, my buddy's 22" 30-06, my 26" 7 Rem Mag, my brothers 22" 7mm SAUM and can't tell one from the other.

Recoil is part of the fun of shooting. After all this mumbling, the 7 Rem mag is better, period.

 

[nmbarta]

yep, I have both
I can't really come up with any actual or real advantages the 280ai has over the 7rm other than one more in the mag, which doesn't mean anything to me. I'm not sure how a 280ai is going to save you any weight, but I can tell you that all things being equal, the 7rm reamer will take out a fraction of an ounce of metal more than the 280ai will, so I guess I'd have to give the weight advantage to the 7rm!
There are absolutely no real differences in accuracy. I bought into the whole "hits like a 7rm with less recoil" bs when I first started this long range shooting thing about 10 years ago. If it hits harder, it kicks harder, but there's not huge difference in recoil or performance. If you could have a 280ai ai, it would be 7rm!!

 

[6.506ai]

I have a 280ai custom built. 27 inch tube 1:8.8 twist throwing 180eldm at 2900 with rl 23 cutting holes. I love it

 

[MudRunner2005]

.280 Sherman brings it back to a closer race than the .280 AI...

That being said, Nosler and ADG are making 7mmRM brass... Worth looking into. Hard to beat the old 7mmRM.