The biggest single reason I could never gin up to the 280AI, is that with a Rem 700 action (or any action long enough) you could throat a 280 long with anything from a 140 to 160 gr bullets,seat longer, and in a 24" barrel the velocities were almost indistinguishable from what a 280AI gives.
This was especially true with double based powders like MRP and the Reloder22. And of course,the 7 Rem Mag handily and routinely beat both if you wanted a step up in velocity with heavy bullets in the same action and barrel length,without pounding on the petal.
In circles of shooters I communicated with everyone"knew" this even as far back as the 1980's-90's. So very few bothered with the AI.
Among those few who did, the disappointment rate was high;they all abandoned it.
At any rate I have fired many thousands of 280AI rounds....from a 7 Rem Mag loaded less than full throttle.So the cartridge squeezed into too narrow a niche between a standard 280 and a 7 Rem Mag for me to ever bother with.
I was surprised when I got on the CF and discovered the 280AI had any traction at all. I had no idea anyone used it.
Musta been the circles I ran in....
