Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Kimber 84L 270 or 280AI?

Which bullet Mac, how far etc?

Dober

Dober, 150 Ballistic Tip. 100 yards. Shot her and she rolled about 80 yards downhill to the truck... just another meat shoot

270's are like gas station vanilla ice cream... 280AI's are like creamery fresh custard with chunks of fresh fruit and no preservatives.....

Brad, I'm still trying to decide which one to get.....grin

Yeah, right

There are more beaten up rifles riding in pickups, scabbards,and the gunracks of far flung BG hunting locations world wide,with rust,worn checkering or faded paint,and high body counts on several continents,chambered for 270 Winchester than there is,or ever will be,for the 280AI.It will never "catch up".

Like one experienced BG hunter form the past once said...With the 270 Winchester..... "you can mostly ignore energy tables,charts,TKO formula's,and potency equations..."

This may cause 280AI fans to reach for the Midol,but it is what it is....

Even though I've only used the 270 on one elk, I've seen it used on many elk. Never seen it not work.

I used to correspond with the late George Hoffman (originator of the 416 Hoffman which later became the 416 RM)... he was an African PH and real-deal hunter. He used the 270 exclusively on elk and told me he'd taken right around 50 with the cartridge. He never saw the need for more cartridge, and obviously he wasn't biased against large cartridges!

Brad, I am assuming you went for a behind the shoulder hit. Which is what I would do, if it came to a steeper angled or shoulder shot do you think that bullet would do the job? I am asking because of several reasons, one that I am really considering it for my 270 elk bullet load developement. Thinking longer ranges it would do well on elk and mule deer while still being a good one closer.

P.S. Dober your thoughts also if you don't mind.

Merry Christmas brymoore, you will be a happy camper with that combo.

I do understand that to the drippier 270 fans Jack is just a notch under divinity, but for the sake of balanced nostalgia I'll put in a plug here for the 7x57 as being just as applicable to that claim on history considering its play in Africa.

An open mind is a terrrible thing to waste.

Can I get an Amen?!

Amen! After years of notching tags, many guys begin to see the merit in tame, middle of the road cartridges. Deep down they knew it was all about putting a good bullet in the right place.
It just takes some to experience it than read about it. After all the fire belching cannons have been sold, what is left in the safe are cartridges that the hunter began with. The circle is now complete with even better optics, bullets and powder.

I also have the complete circle in my gun safe.

RD: If I didn't think it was a good cartridge, I wouldn't have ordered one.

You guys confuse my comments and views,placing the cartridge into perspective with the competition,for being closed-minded.

If I had not hunted and killed with a 280(140 at 3050),and a 7 Rem Mag (140 at 3250),many times,you might have a point.But I already know, without ever having owned one, exactly what it's gonna do.

I do think it's a perfect fit for that 84L.Seems that rifle will come in weight wise,about where my old and long gone Searcy 7 RM did; a bit over 7 1/4 pounds scoped.Not a bad place to be.

Bob, 84L Montana?

If so, you'll come in under 7lbs, unless you use a heavy leather sling... get a Butler Creek Mountain Sling... 3.5 oz's.

My 270 84L MT goes 6lbs 10.5 oz's, scoped (6x36 w/ Talley Lwts), sling and rounds.

Bigwhoop, you are right on target with that statement. It does'nt matter what you are toting, if you do'nt(can't) hit'em in the right spot with the right bullet,it matters not what cal. rifle it is. That is why I see more magnum rifles for sale here in Alabama. After getting the daylights kicked out of them and missing a few deer, these poor sould have to eat a bit of crow and admit that they can shoot a 270 a lot better than they could their beloved bazzoka. I think we all go through that stage of thinking that we need a Hardenkicking-Loudenboomer,and being "rifle looneys', we can justify them, but when the grey hair appears, they loose some appeal. I own both 270 win and 280AI and would'nt spit for the difference, but I built the AI because I just wanted to--is'nt that what us gun guys do? Sometimes the caliber discussion reminds me of the Ford vs Chevy dispute--hell, they will both take you to the grocery store, but we enjoy the debate.

In the 84L Montana, I could use 3 of the 4 calibers listed as my all-around Idaho rifle. I'm a 270 man but did think about pushing 180s out of an '06. What swayed me to the 280AI was pushing 160s at 3k fps. I think that's cool. I figure if some some off reason I don't like the 280AI, I'll sell it for a few hundred less and buy a 270.

Yeah Brad I didn't know exactly....I have yet to even see one in the flesh,so was interpolating..

I think you're really going to like that rifle.

I have been influenced.....

Besides...I have a large stash of 140 BBC's with which to administer Blunt Trauma (as JeffO says;love that term!)