Originally Posted by 260madman
Okay. We reload and make any load up or down the scale as needed? Get the Kimber 280AI and down load for practice and redline for the hunt. I load my 7 RM this way. A 120 NBT3100 is nothing to sneeze at performance wise, but provides less recoil than the same bullet @ 3450fps and less than a 150 @ 3050fps.

Always thought a 7-08 would be nice but my 7RM in a Ti stock is fairly light compared to the standard version and I already have 5 260s in various trim.


This is the direction I'm headed. I do tend to agree with 16 bore on up/download thing but have done it. A 145 LRX cruising at 3000 ft/sec shoots flat, bucks wind reasonably well, and doesn't recoil into next week. Its a bit more recoil than I wanted with a pure flat shooter but it recoils less than my current 300 WSM elk rifle. I had a dual duty rifle in the back of my head when I posted this (see my thread on 7lb 30-06), this thread helped sort that out. At the end of the day, I can get double duty from the 280 AI - flat shooter for things that need it (what doesn't?) and a capable elk rifle. All in a quality 7lb all up package. This gun is going to see considerable use.

I'm going to get flamed for this but it won't be the first time.....

280 AI shooters are an optimistic lot. I was looking at 280 AI internet loads and hope the guys posting aren't really running them at the velocities and powder charges they claim. I've had a plain jane 280 Rem since 1982, several 7RM, a 7 SAUM, and a 7 WSM, plus a couple 270's thrown in for good measure. My uncle and buddy shoot 284 Win. Suffice to say I have 7mm experience of that case capacity. The 280 AI can't run with the WSM/RM/Wea versions unless 26"-28" barrels are involved - or, more likely, they are run at high pressures.

I think the 280 AI can do 3100 with 140's, 3000 with 150's, 2900 with 160's in a 24" barrel at SAAMI specs which I think is 65k psi. At least thats what I'm going to run mine at if it shoots good groups. I promise not to make it a 7 RM/WSM/Wea...............

The other thing I was pondering is I have a 22" barrel 243. Its a SS Ruger 77. I also have a SS Ruger 77 UL in 30-06 with 20" barrel. I'm going to play with the Kimber 280 AI and then decide what direction to go with a smaller rifle. A 243 would make a good little brother to the 280 AI. Wish Kimber made a 260 - I've always been intrigued by the 6.5s.

Adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it.