Wrong. The Mashburn will move a 160-162 at 3200-3250. Ask anyone who has one.
BTW, Dober is breaking in a new Mashburn barrel. He wanted me to tell you that his FF load is doing 3160 with a 139 gr ....we both thought..."Sure seems like a 280AI to me!"
Bob i typically respect you and Dobers opinion but you both seem to love to hate on the 280 AI while pimping the very similar 7 Mashburn. IIRC correctly you have stated in the past that you've never loaded for or shot the .280 AI yet you dog it why?
I've shot the AI for about 10 years now and have had 4 in total, all 24" barrels and all can got +/- 3250 fps with the 140 TTSX while about .5gr book max loads. No pressure signs, minimal brass growth and tight primer pockets even after 5 firings.
Both of my current Ackleys shoot the 160 NAB over 60gr of R22 at 3025fps (Rem mountain punched out) and 3055 fps (custom pacnor).
So comparing my AI to your Mashburn both with 24" barrels and using your 3250 speed and a 300 yd zero: Your Mashburn arrives at 500yds with 2400 fps, 1975 ft/lbs and 1.2 mils of adjustment. My AI gets to 500 with 2260 fps, 1814 ft/lbs and 1.4 mils.
At 1000yds your Mashburn load is at 1700 fps, 1025 ft/lbs and 5.6 mils adjustment. My AI is doing 1590fps, has 930 ft/lbs and needs 6.2 Mils.
I doubt any animal that walks is killed better at 500 with the Mashburns extra 161 ft/lbs let alone the 95 ft/lbs advantage at 1000 yds.
Yep the Masburn beats the A.I at any range due to more powder but in the end that doesnt account fo much. That said the AI is far from the slouch you, Dober and Safariman appear to repeatedly claim it is.
With current optics technologies such as turrets the differences are pretty much mute, just a few more clicks. The A.I. though burns about 12 grs of powder less (IIRC its about 72 gr of powder in the mashburn with a 160) and will hold 4 rds down versus 3 in the 7 RM/ Mashburn/ STW etc. With my above load I can get to 1350yds on the glass alone with the SWFA mil-quad reticle currently on it.
I have no intentions of trying to make my AI's act like a 7RM. I own/ have owned 7's via 7mm-08, 280, 280AI, 7RM 7 STW, and 7 RUM. All were fun but dont do anything my AI and 7mm-08 still in my safe wont.
The AI is differnt just like the Mashburn which is why i chose it. But at the end of the day the Mashburn beats the AI by about 200 fps, the 7Rm by about 100, loses to the STW and RUM by 150-200 fps. Again all minutia and
So again i ask why so much hate for the 280 AI sir?
