Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Looking at the factory rifle in 280AI.

I have looking at the 280AI rifles. Got it down to 3 different ones.

Browning xbolt speed 280AI 18
Savage Ultralight 280AI 19
Weatherby mark 5 hunter 280AI 19

If you had experience with one . Please let me know how it did. And what bullet u used. Bullets plain on trying.

Hornady
139 154 162 gr SST
150 162 gr eld x
162 166 gr a max

Berger
140 168 gr vld
150 gr classic

Nosler
140 150 160 ab

I like the xbolt speed alot. Its the only one that comes with muzzle brake. I didnt know how a 5.8 pd rifle would kick without a mb.

145 LRX is all I've hunted with so far in my AI with outstanding results. I'm going to load up some 153 HHTs just to try out.

I had a 280AI Kimber Montana

I wanted to love that rifle but it threw holes all over the paper

I dont own any of the 3 you mentioned but having looked at all three a lot I would go Weatherby. It does come threaded with an accubrake. Although its a synthetic stock it’s very rigid with good ergonomics. The savage stock is garbage. I like the xbolt but not until $2k range. Good luck with your choice!

I’ve got a Montana, so not what you asked about, but it shoots great and recoil is not bad at all. Of course, a nice soft pad helps. And that’s with no muzzle break. Shooting 160 hot-cors and 150 TGK. Both shoot great, but the 160 Speer is about as long a bullet as that mag box will handle. It’s a flat base bullet.

I also looked at the Browning xbolt pro carbon 280AI. The one weatherby i looked at. Didnt come with a muzzle brake.

Buddy has a Savage High Country in 280 AI and says it shoots lights out!

I also have a Kimber Montana. Recoil is noticed but manageable. Touches holes at 100yds with factory Hornady Precision Hunter 162eldx.

Good luck with your choice.....the Savage I handled and sighted in for a buddy felt like it had sand in the action....
I bought a used Bergara premier mountain 280ai, very accurate rifle..
Those Brownings are nice rifles, should be a good choice.

I don’t own those makes of rifles, but have shot several of the bullets you listed in a Kimber montana.

The 162eldx checks a lot of boxes: shoots 5/8” groups with RL23 and H4831, fits in mag box at optimal jump, 2,880fps from a 24”, and carries over 1,600fps and over 1,000ft-lb to 1k yards according to Hornady’s 4DOF (I don’t shoot animals anywhere close to that far away).

140 and 160AB have also shot well for me. If you want a mono, RL23 is a dandy pushing a 150ttsx just over 3k.

Ramshot’s hunter, RL-22, MagPro, and IMR-7828 also work well.

Recoil from a 280ai does not require a break.

Your gonna like that cartridge.
Nosler m21 would be cool.
An old bdl 700 in 280 punched out would be cool too.

I have a Kimber Montana and a Kimber Mountain Ascent. Love them both.

I bought the Browning this morning. I thought it was Speed model. It ended up being the Browning xbolt Speed Long Range 280AI. And it was shipped today. Speed had 24 inch with muzzle brake. Speed LR has 26 inche barrel with brake.

What scope are you looking at getting?

Congrats. I think you will like the 280ai.

My unsolicited opinion on reloading data:
- Nosler: charge weights seem reasonable; velocity for the 160s is laughably high (different barrel is listed from other bullet weights?)
- Hornady: charge weights and velocities match my experience, with IMR-7828 the exception. My lot requires about 1.5 grains less than their max
- Hodgon: laughably low pressure data; not helpful IMO
- Barnes: only experience is with 150TTSX, and the few powders I experimented with seems to track their charge weights & velocity
- Sierra: old data, when 280ai was still a wildcat; charge weights seem a little low for velocity obtained, assuming they used brass with less case capacity; worth a look to estimate speed potential of a powder
-cross check yourself by staying at or slightly below 7mmSAUM

No need to run over pressure for that extra few fps when you have a high BC 7mm pill; just spit it out of the barrel and let it fly.

Not uncommon for Kimber.

A Leupold HD VX3 4.5x14x40 CDS . Or a HD VX5 3x15x44 CDS. I went and looked at my powder. I dont have any imr 7828. My buddy uses it in his 7mm stw. I could get a can from him. Some of the powder i have. IMR 4350 4831. H4831 RL19 and 22. Ramshot mag. I have a bunch of imr 4831 4350 and RL19. I am going to try 162 gr eld m. To shoot paper with. And break my barrel in with. I hope it shoots one of the following bullets good. 162 175 gr eld x. Nosler 160gr AB Or berger 168 gr vld or 175 gr hunter. Midway has some factory 2nds. There either 162 gr eld x. Or 162 gr sst. I may go that way.

If you start with a 162ELD, I would reach for H4831 and RL22 first.

Which Reupold(s) were you ladies driving? Hint.

Last "bad" Kimber I purchased and it HILARIOUSLY had a Reupold aboard. Hint.



Besides the schit Reupold,it had schit mounts,that were assembled akin to the likes of you Drooling Dumbfhuqks' "abilities". Hint.








Correct assembly verified,kiss,find pressure and rock on. Hint.





Though obviously RPM limited ala OEM,there are worst things than a 87 V-Max. It might make it another 100rds,before it becomes another 7" RPM Speedmire for 90 Beer Cans. Nod pencil necks like you "understand",as you GoogleFu a FIRST fhuqking clue. Hint.

Fhuqking LAUGHING!................

Kimber SubAlpine its a joy to carry, Accurate as hell, with a 160 AB and 56.5 grains of H-4350. I have several groups under 1" and my best group at 300 Yards is .88 Got it three years ago and have killed two bull elk with it.