Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 280 Ackley Improved

62g RL22, nosler AI brass and 150 TTSX's (3050 fps) have worked great for me.

I did this with my .280 RCBS, and bought a .30 caliber expanding rod from Lee and used it in my Lee Universal Decapper. Lee has a good taper on the expanding rod and it worked great. miles

I shot a bit with my newly built 280 AI this weekend. I worked up to the max listed charges on Nosler's web site.

Chronograph was slightly higher than I expected by around 40-50 FPS.

Bullet was the 140 Nosler BT.

2 groups of 3 each with the following loads went an average of all loads .575"

60.0 of IMR4831 3200

64.0 RL22. This load showed some signs of pressure and I would reduce it a 1 or 1&1/2 grains if I was going to use it. 3257

64.5 IMR7828 3214.

I did shoot a 223 load that I have chronographed quite a few times and it also reflected about a 40 FPS increase.

Maybe it was lighting over the graph?

With my 22.5" Rock I expected 3150 to 3200.

I did chronograph a load earlier of 64.5 of IMR7828 with 139 Hornady flat base bullets for 3150 exactly.

All this to say that the load data on the Nosler site is pretty spot on at least for those particular loads, in this particular gun, on this particular day, over this 1 chronograph.

I borrowed from JD338 & went w/ 63 gr RL-22 & 145 Speer BTSP or 140 TTSX. Haven't chronoed.

My Montana shoots tiny little groups with 120 TTSX over 59.5 grains of R-17 backed .050" off the lands.
POI is identical with 140 grain accubonds over 60.0 grains IMR 4831 and they shoot really well too.

I have long pondered a Kimber Montana with that very load and a 3.5-10x40 scope would possibly be about the best all-around elk rifle a guy could put together.