Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 30-280 ackley

Just out of curiousity have any of you ever done one of these? Seems like it would be pretty simple of just using a 280 ackley bushing die with a few parts switched out and run nosler brass through and no fireforming for a little more case capacity. Would be pretty much recreating the 300 saum right?

Hey it's the off season and snaring season just getting going so I'm left to deal with the crazy ideas in my head

I have a .338-280 "'improved" (30-degree shoulder) and I'll be damned if I can see a significant difference in velocities compared with either of the .338-06s that I have had. The advantage is supposed to come from the longer case and the sharper shoulder which lengthens the case body slightly as well. The "improved" case is on the left and the standard .338-06 on the right. The gain in case volume was 5-7 grains of water, depending on the manufacturer.



If you are just wanting to tinker, I would say "go for it", but if it was me, I would probably just go with a .30-06 or perhaps the AI version.

A guy (Ramrod340) over on Accurate Reloading developed several maxed out wildcats off the 280 case. I believe they would be 6.5 PDK, 340 PDK, etc.. Pretty similar to the Gibbs or Howell. You might look him up to see what his results were.

The genesis of most wild cat cartridges.

I don't know if it would be much different that a 30-06 AI. I have an AI and like it but as I understand it doesn't really show much improvement over a standard 06 until you get to heavier bullets,

I have a bigger 30's for that.

I shoot 165's at 2925 out of a 21" barrel.

You ever got to Forsyth you are welcome to shoot it.

It looks like you'd gain 0.1056" of room



Have you tried any 180s in your ackley? Curious on the velocity.

Make that Mashburn!!

I shot a few and it, shot well with 180 Hornady Sp's but didn't chronograph them as I had no intention of using them.

I don't know what .1056 would buy you in terms of capacity but it couldn't hurt!
No fire forming if that is an issue using 280 AI brass with your idea.
At an even 6 lbs with a VXII 3-9 it isn't much fun to shoot without the brake, come to think of it, it isn't all that much fun to shoot with the brake unless you use plugs + muffs. Rifles inc. Strata.

Don't get distracted!

I know I know. If someone would just come up with a cure for rifle loonism I would still have my mashburn. Should probably get my dies ordered

Get them ordered!! I about fell out of my chair when I heard you sold the most perfect rifle for western hunting ever made!!!

I am a .30 caliber guy, but that 7 is a gem..!! You should NOT be without one!!