Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats .280, or .280AI, or ?

Time to make a final decision,

Long action build on a 700 receiver,

Was thinking the .280Ai would be a cool cartridge, but gut feeling always questioned what an extra 5 grains of powder would gain me, other than 100 fps,

Now thinking just standard .280…..

I’ll shoot this rifle at the bench way more than at game, Honestly it may never draw blood, best case scenario, if our range actually expands I might get out to 600 yards, This is not a 1000 yard gun,

Gun should weigh about 8lbs scoped,

I don’t think the recoil from the extra 5 grains of powder would be a game changer, but justify the extra powder, barrel life, brass life, recoil, etc.etc….

.284 blank in possession, that really shortens the build time, and a .28 cal makes sense, got the .26 and .30 cals covered already,

There’s also a few rumors about feed issues with that steeper shoulder angle,

Your thoughts please.

I’d have no qualms regarding a standard .280 if that was my project, although I’d have to be killing stuff with it too.

I think there is more good 280 Improved brass available than regular 280, so in my opinion, if you want stuff that’s matching headstamp I’d go 280 Improved.

If you don’t care and make either from Lapua then I’d likely just stick with the regular 280. Today’s powders work great, get it set up for the bullet you like. The difference in capacity results in less than 100FPS at the same pressure.

You can’t really make a bad choice.

Brass and dies are available for both, but it takes timing and you will make a few concessions,

Example, I like the RCBS Matchmaster seater, but not available for the .284 line up.

Currently Nosler and Norma brass available for the .280,

Peterson brass currently available for the Ai, Tomorrow, who knows.

Honestly, with the sharper shoulders of the AI, you may find that brass will last longer.

Barrel life is going to be the same. It will have more to do with how you treat it than the difference in capacity.


There are good brass choices for either, but Lapua trumps anything available for either. If you're forming from Lapua, it really doesn't matter all that much.

In times of shortage, you can shoot .280 Rem brass from a .280 AI, but not vice versa.

Kenneth, your analysis is spot on. However I think you should be looking at it the other way around. By that I mean, 20 or so years ago that was the argument/discussion. The question was always, "Why should I vary from the more common and more readily available 280 Rem to the more niche 280 AI?". That discussion is now more properly reversed, in my opinion. The 280 AI is now more of common cartridge, comparatively speaking, than is the 280.

I'm a huge 280 fan with multiples of both the 280 Rem and the 280 AI. Having said all that, doing a project such as yours and starting from scratch, I'd go 280 AI over the 280; however, I would never feel the need to convert a 280 to a 280 AI. Heck, handloading you don't even have to get into the "5 extra grains of powder". I know I'm stating the obvious, it can be loaded just as a 280 or close (but no cigar) to the 7MM Mag.

“ The 280 AI is now more of common cartridge, comparatively speaking, than is the 280.”

Truth.

I should post a pic of my first Elk kill, 25 years ago,

Sako deluxe in .280. (Heavy, but should have never sold it)

Had no clue on fps or drops, B.C. And such……

One shot, He dropped……Remington 140 core-lokts if I recall.

Life was simpler back then it seems, All this data and ballistic masterbation now, clouds the mind.

280 Improved .
I ran a AI for many years.
The small amount of extra powder isn't going to change your barrel life significantly.
Now with factory cases seems like a no brainer.
Back in the day I used to blow cases for offhand practice. Then go full throttle for actual hunting rounds.
These days you can go anyway you choose for brass.
Pretty flexible.
The first time you fire form a 280 case if you measure it before and after. You will actually see it gets a few thousands of an inch shorter.
And the 40 degree shoulder just shuts down brass flow
No more trimming. Like for ever..
Have run the 280AI in several M700s.
Feeding has never been a issue.


dave

I would say to go the 280 ai route. It is the more common round these days. The benefit of Ackley Improved cartridges is the steep shoulders that reduce the frequency that you have to trim brass etc. should improve brass life unless you feel the need to load it hot.

Either is fine.

I've had several 280's, still have 2.

Great rounds, but does nothing a 270 doesn't do at all sane ranges.

But don't go into any LGS or big bix store & expect to find either on the shelf at any given time, so stock up on components for a good long while, especially powder these days.

MM

This is the "fire", I say 284 Winchester...

Talk about hard to find brass,

.284 was one of my options, Have not seen brass for it in many months.

It's out there and Peterson is making it for Graf & Son.

22" 280 SALAMI,Lapooey brass and 180 ELD's. Hint........................

I stand corrected, Graf & Son does have it in stock.

Ammoseek did not pick that up.

I've put together 2 280 AI's on Model 70s and have been very happy with how they turned out....in your case I don't see a downside.

Just make sure it's throated for the heavy stuff. That case is capable of 60 grain charges in a standard 280 rem. I'd think a 168 berger with some 4831 would get you where you wanna be.

When worrying about brass.........

.30/06 cases in a .280 FLS die headspaces for either 280 or AI.
AI fired cases resize equally well back to plain 280.
AI velocities are close to 30/06 velocities of the same/similar bullet weight in the same length barrels. What you pick up with 7mm, is a BC gain that helps longer range shooting compared to the 30/06.

Whether you can notice any difference in a hunting rifle over usual game and usual hunting ranges is a tougher argument to generate.

All the 7mm's I play with have a tendency to prove how good my .30/06 is if explored to the same degree and I really do like 7mm cartridges.

7x57 Mauser no brainer