Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Fosnaugh Customs 280AI Range Report.

Finally got around to shooting my custom 280AI built by Eddie Fosnaugh, and I'm pleased to say that this rifle is accurate as hell. Eddie builds one heck of a rifle.



I'm working up a load using RL26 and the Nosler 150gn ABLR. I'm using Nosler Brass, and Fed 210 primers. COAL set to 3.340

Starting load was 58.5gn of RL26 with a muzzle velocity 2790 fps. Group size was 1.000 even steven.

Next load was 59.0gn of RL26 with a muzzle velocity of 2874 fps. Group size shrank to .490 getting better.



Next two groups I had called fliers because I was getting careless with the way I was preloading the bipod. Muzzle hopped on me causing one shot to go vertical. But I was still under an inch on both groups.

59.5gn of RL26 had a muzzle velocity of 2910 and a group size of .742, and 60.0gn had a muzzle velocity of 2942 with a group size of
.980

Once I corrected my hold and started paying more attention to the way I was preloading the bipod, I shot my best group of the day.

60.5gn RL26 muzzle velocity of 3013 fps. Group size of .145 I think I found my hunting load. Development over.



The last group of the day open back to .372. It was 61gn RL26 with a velocity of 3043 fps.

I think I will load 10 rounds of the 60.5gn of RL26 to confirm it's my best load, and possibly try 62gns. If accuracy remains stable, perhaps I can fiddle with the seating depth and tune it in more, of not I'm quiet happy being at 3013 fps.

Eddie Fosnaugh isn't only one heck of a coater, but he can build one hell of an accurate rifle as well.

Not bad for the first day out.

Yep, I'd say you've about found the sweet spot.

Great shooting, great rig, great round.

And +1 for Eddie.

DF

Daaaaaaamn! Nice shooting! You got to love it when it all comes together!

Nice rifle and shootin.....

Thanks

Looks good! Berger shows 3,000 fps with 61.0 RL26 and the 150 classic hunter in a vanilla .280, so you might have a bit more room.

I'm hoping to go on up and see what my max will be. If I can maintain accuracy at a higher velocity then naturally thats where I want to be. But if not, I atleast have a load I know works at a little over 3000 fps.

Should get good barrel life, and not to mentiion it will be easier on the brass.

Eddie does some really nice work! Good lookin rifle

60.5 grs of RL26 was the sweet spot for me as well in my 280AI. That was with the 168 vld.

Did you go higher with RL26? If so how was the accuracy/velocity out of your rifle. I feel like I have a little more room to move up. Bolt lift felt great, primers looked good, and I saw no ejector marks, so I'm wondering if I go on up if I may hit another node.

Called Eddie on the way home from the range, and I think he was as tickled as I was with the results. Barrel seemed to settle in after only 15 rounds. As the day progressed on through the last shot, I would first push a dry patch through to push out the lose stuff, followed with a wet patch of butches bore shine, let her sit for 15 and push two more dry patches through. Patches came out relatively clean.

Krieger barrels seem to come around a little quicker than some for me

Great looking rifle and groups

Thanks