Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles help me out with my 280 Ackley

I want to start loading my 280 ackley.
Will you guy's help me out I have limited powder and bullit choices. Here is what I have,

H870 (3 lb)
MM8700 (8n lb)
MM3100 (8 lb)
IMR 4350 (2 1/2 lb)
H4831 (very little)
W760 (1/2 lb)
W748 (1lb)
IMR 3031(1lb)

I'd like to load 154gn. interbonds, Possibly barns 150gn TTSX.
This is planned to be my primary Elk and Deer rifle, Its a custom mauser W/24" Heart barrel and basner stock.

Has anyone used these powders with good accuracy and velocity.

Please help me with starting, hunting loads and max loads that I can work up to.

Any help will be greatly appreciated, as my new dies will be here friday and I'd like to go try this weekend

Thank you very much.
Dave

My .280AI thrives on RL-22,but I would be trying VV N165 if I could get it. Monashee

Most articles give AA3100 as one of the best and most accurate powders for the 280 Ack with the 160 gr Nosler bullet. In my 280 Ack i use Hod 4831 with the Speer 160 gr Flatbase Hot Core and my rifle groups this load three shots in a clover leaf at 100 yards. I just purchased 2 pounds of AA3100 and will be trying it with the Nosler 160 gr Accubond. I can't remember the exact load of 4831 without looking it up in my loading records. When i start working a load up for my 280 Ack i start with the max load for the standard 280 Rem and this works great for me.

Nosler shows
imr 4350 "max load" 56.5gr w/a 150gr nbt

h 4831 "max load" 60.5gr w/a 150gr nbt

I've used H4831sc w/140gr nosler ballistic tip .

Possibly a little help for you.-Mike

See the thread entitled "Bullet Selection?" in the Elk hunting forum....the gentleman is loading his 280AI and several of us gave him some loads that work.

I would give RL-22 a serious look...around 62.0 grains with a 140 cal bullet. It is slow burning so it would work in heavier bullets as well.

I was extremely disappointed in Nosler's load recommendations as they were terribly anemic. Probably because it is not a factory round, we gotta be careful because of that...the lawyers might get us, etc. Their loads were more suited to plain 280's in my opinion. The 280AI thrives with "top end" loads...good velocity and good accuracy go hand in hand with this round. Keep in mind that RL-22 does vary from lot to lot...and approach max loads with caution....it will let you know when you reach the edge of the envelope and bite you if you exceed it (but shoot, all reloads will do this. Use common sense is all I'm saying). PM me if you need specific load info with respect to what has worked for me.

RL 22 is the powder for the 280 AI.I have loaded 140 gr and 160 gr BA's accuracy is stellar! Below is the 160 gr AB, factory seconds.

JD338

Great group JD...what weight was your powder charge? I stuck with 62 grains. I have to pick up my rifle next week (new barrel) and see if it likes the same recipie as before.

My rifle is a M700 blueprinted action, Tubb recoil lug, Hart #5 24" fluted barrel, pillar bedded in a LSS stock.

My go to load is the 160 gr AB, 60.0 grs RL 22, Nosler case, and a Federal GM215M primer. MV is 3019 fps, ES 16 SD 8.

With R-P fire formed brass and the 160 gr AB-

I have also loaded the 140 gr AB with 64.0 grs RL 22 for an avg. MV 3225 fps, ES 13 SD 6.

The 150 gr E-Tip shoots pretty good-

The 120 gr BT is also a keeper-

Hope this helps lite the 280AI fire for ya.

JD338

Great groups! I love those Hart barrels. The first barrel my Jarrett wore was a Hart and it shot so many one hole groups it was downright boring.

Take it easy

Well I just finished loading a string of 280 AI rounds.

I used WM3100 starting at 56gn and loaded these, This is a really old lot of powder I called the co and was told to treat it the same as AA3100.

56 57 58 59 59.5 60 60.5 61 61.5 and 62gns of powder.

cci200 primer
under a 154gn Hornady Interbond.
COL 2.30

What say you (did I go too Hot at the top)
I started at regular 280 max.

Looking for guildence.

Your rifle will tell you if you are too hot. Just watch for the pressure signs.
Give RL 22 a try, you won't be disappointed.

JD338

I would try rl 22 if I cuold find any plus I have 8 lbs of wm3100 i really should use up.

Thank you for the help:)

-------------------------------------------------

Dave -i usually do a shake-down run with velocity -i load two rounds a couple of grains below book max.
I move up in 3/10's grain increments and look very closely at the primers and for marks from the extractor.
I use larger increments with larger cases - i use 2/10's grain increment in my 221 fireball.
This is the way i fast-track load developement -when i start seeing signs of pressure [usually mild cratering of the primer] i know how much powder the rifle will handle.
Then i look at the groups -as stated the best groups are often at high pressure/velocity.
If the rifle doesn't place the two shots close together at the high end of the pressure test -this probably isn't the powder for me.
I'll start over if need be with a new powder and look for the two shots to land very close to one another with the top end loads.

Beware of tempermental loads -- example you start with a low powder charge -all- two shot groups shoot wild -then a good highish end load that shoots ok -as you move on up in powder charge -two shot groups again look like crap.Don't waste your time on a single spot in the test trying to polish up the one decent spot.
If the two shot strings don't all look pretty good at the upper end -odds are you're not going to find a load with that powder/bullet combo that will shoot great year round day in day out.These two shot groups will save time ,money and barrel life once you have good velocity and groups it's time to fine tune it at longrange [300yds] on bluebird days.
Always document everything -it's easy to forget stuff.
Well hope this helped you some -Mike

JD338 -mano man what a shooter !!!