Josh06
Well-Known Member
Nosler 280ai brass. 23" barrel. Superformance powder
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Which Hammer bullet for 280ai 140 Absolute Hammer or 143 Hammer Hunter
- Thread starter Josh06
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RockyMtnMT
Official LRH Sponsor
Primers are difficult to read. They are part of the equation. Feel your rifle. How the bolt feels at mild load compared to how it feels as you climb in pressure. Look at your case head for extractor marks. Watch for changes from mild to higher pressure. Check your primer pockets by decapping and seating a new primer. Are they still stiff to seat or seat more easily than unfired? All of these together tell the pressure story. I loaded the 140g Absolute Hammer in a 22" barrel 280ai with h100v to 3400 fps. This was with Peterson brass. So your 3300 fps tells me you are starting to build some pressure. Every rifle is diff. Work up carefully watching all of the indicators of pressure together.
Thanks Steve. flat primers is the only pressure signs. Highest lab radar reading was 3479 FPS I believe. Very busy with work so haven't shot in a few weeks. I'm also curious if the primer pockets are still tight. Never had an extractor mark or hard bolt lift on any of the loads I tried. Do you know how many grains of H100V you used? Think I'm shooting 61 gr now. Custom actions and Petersen brass may also hide some pressure signs. Either way I'm happy with 3300 plus FPS.
RockyMtnMT
Official LRH Sponsor
I am not near the journal. I would say 3480 fps is likely getting pretty close to pressure. If primer pockets there are tight I would explore accuracy there.
I gotta add. 3480 fps with a140g bullet from a 280ai, DANG!!!
dougduey
Well-Known Member
Just to give another experience, I ran a course pressure test a couple weeks ago with my new 280 AI barrel & 140 Absolute when starting load work up for the 120 gr HH. Using Petersen brass and 215 M with HV100, I got a sooty primer with 63.5gr at 3475 fps. I stopped there since I figured I was close to max even though no heavy bolt lift or extractor marks.
I'm planning on mainly going with the 120 HH, but I had some 140 AH's and couldn't resist giving them a try. I've got a few loaded at 63.0 gr to test for groups the next time I get to the range. Should end up around 3450 fps if all goes well. I'll report back once I do.
RockyMtnMT
Official LRH Sponsor
What primer? We have seen this with a particular lot of Winchester. Several years old.
dougduey
Well-Known Member
Primer is 215 M
dougduey
Well-Known Member
It's pretty much at capacity. I had one loaded at 64.0 gr but didn't shoot it.
If my friend measured right, at 62 gr my case heads were expanded 2 thou! No pressure signs other than flat primers. I was looking at the load data sheet and seen your loads. There's no way I can run that high. In my gun. But that's why we work up. Wonder if some Petersen brass has different case capacity?
RockyMtnMT
Official LRH Sponsor
Peterson brass will certainly handle more pressure than most others.
dougduey
Well-Known Member
A year ago, I was using Hornady and Nosler brass with the loads in the spreadsheet. I just switched over to Petersen brass when I got the new barrel.
nimrod_gn
Well-Known Member
I have a new 280 AI custom rifle (Tikka action and Proof CW barrel) that I want to shoot 140 Absolutes in but so far I can't get it to shoot well with H100V, H4350, or RL7. Very disappointing. I have some RL16 and Superperformance on the way. Hope one of them will produce something decent. Using Peterson brass. I can get good velocities, but the accuracy stinks
