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Campfire Tracker
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OP
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A buddy of mine wants a nice hunting rifle, for deer, elk & black bear "out west." He's got the cash for a nice rifle, and has been asking me about the .280 AI. I have no experience with that cartridge, but have heard good things about it. Perhaps you could educate me a bit?
He's not (yet) a handloader. Is Nosler the only source of loaded ammo for the .280 AI?
Is there more than one version of it, and will a rifle from say, Cooper, digest ammo from Nosler?
He's looking to get near 7mm Rem mag performance, without the blast & recoil of the magnum. Not a big guy, not a young guy, but a pretty doggone good shot. He's moving away from a .300 Win mag he's been using. Looking at rifles from both Cooper & Nosler, and also considering having a custom rifle built. He handled my .30-06 700 CDL very well recently.
Any other problems he should be aware of?
Thanks, Guy
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Campfire Regular
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He's not (yet) a handloader. Is Nosler the only source of loaded ammo for the .280 AI? He could shoot regular 280 Remington and save the fire-formed brass for when he starts reloading.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2002
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The 280 AI will give you max performance from the 280 Rem Case without worries of pressure problem's. No matter what you read the 7mm Rem Mag will beat the 280 AI with any bullet weight, but with this said I like the 280 AI better because it is the perfect balance between case size and bullet weight in the 7mm . Today I tend to use the 7x57 more for Big Game Hunting that either the 7 Mag or 280 AI. The older you get the simpler hunting and rifles get. You learn that you just don't need big cases of powder to kill most big game animals.
A Doe walks out of the woods today and says, that is the last time I'm going to do that for Two Bucks.
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Joined: Nov 2011
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2011
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The biggest advantage of a 280 AI over a regular .280 is realistic SAMMI specs.
For this reason along I'd stay away from the standard .280.
You didn't use logic or reason to get into this opinion, I cannot use logic or reason to get you out of it.
You cannot over estimate the unimportance of nearly everything. John Maxwell
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<a href="https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/9373069/Searchpage/8/Main/654336/Words/%2B280ai/Search/true/280/280AI_Pros/Cons?#Post9373069">280ai</a>
Last edited by cast10K; 04/22/15.
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Joined: Feb 2014
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How about a 270? Much easier to find ammo. Not sure how much real world difference he would see.
"Never miss the opportunity to shut the f$%K up." Colonel Hopewell.
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Joined: Apr 2015
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Apr 2015
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I've done well with a couple of 280s. My first was 742 I got really cheap 30 years ago because he didn't know what it was. The second was a Mountain Rifle 10 years later that has been great. The plain 280 works fine.
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Joined: Apr 2012
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The 280ai is a very nice cartridge and I enjoy shooting mine. However, I would not recommend it to a non handloader since the factory ammo options are very limited. He could buy reduced recoil factory ammo for the 300 win and essentially have a 30-06 but that is not as fun as getting a new rifle.
If the goal is to reduce blast and recoil then a 270, 308 or 7-08 would be a step change down from a 300win depending on the weight of the rifle.
If he gets into reloading then 280ai or 6.5-284N would be great options.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Winner!
He's not a reloader, his heirs likely won't be either, MOST loonies know there are better ways to get the same level of performance.
Mike
God, Family, and Country. NRA Endowment Member
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
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The quote didn't work
Buy a .270
God, Family, and Country. NRA Endowment Member
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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There's only 2 7mm's worth a schit and 280AI aint one of them. Put together a 7-1/2# 7-08 or 8# 7RM and roll. Lotsa factory ammo, decent supply of components. Don't know why a guy that doesn't want to fight a 300 WM would think a lighter 280AI isn't going to be a bit snappy.
Keep it simple.
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Joined: Dec 2002
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2002
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As much as I love the .280AI, I could not recommend it for a non-reloading, traveling hunter.
The 7 MM Magnum would be a much better choice for him.
Last edited by hillbillybear; 04/22/15.
Member: Clan of the Turdlike People.
Courage is Fear that has said its Prayers
�If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.� Ronald Reagan.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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There is no hunting I have ever intended that could not be satisfactorily accomplished with a 280 Remington. I have several rifles in 280 Rem and one in 280 AI. I prefer the 280 AI. It can easily drive a 140 gr to 3200 fps. That is plenty fast enough for any hunting of the lesser Big Game critters.
Not a fan of a 7 Rem Mag.
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country." Robert E. Lee
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Tell him to buy a 223 and a 308 / 7-08 in a pair of Kimber Montanas or Remington sporters or mountain rifles if you can find them. Factory ammo will be easy to find and he won't be lacking any killing power either.
Just my opinion though. For what its worth I have a 280 AI custom built by Jim Borden on one of his custom Timberline actions that I love, but I handload and the extra costs are worth it to me in fun.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
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There's only 2 7mm's worth a schit and 280AI aint one of them. Put together a 7-1/2# 7-08 or 8# 7RM and roll. That's one way to look at it. The other way would be, the .280 AI has more ass than the 7-08, and less recoil than the 7RM but will do most anything the RM will, albeit a little slower. I suppose you could say the 7-08 will do most anything the AI will do, albeit a little slower, too. My 7-08 is 6 1/2 lbs., by the way, and my Mashburn was 8 1/2 but I sold it. If he's not a handloader, wants a 7 mm., and doesn't want the 7 RM, I'd go with the .280 Rem. Either that or bite the bullet and stock up on Nosler 280 AI ammo. which is expensive. I like the AI, it's very versatile if you handload. 120's for deer and 150s-175s for bigger stuff. I've loaded and shot my share of magnums including standard belted mags., Wby's, WSMs, and wildcats, and still have some. These days I find myself coming to the conclusion that there's not much that can't be done with the .308 and '.06 parent cases.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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What kind of velocity will the 280AI do realistically with 160's and a 22-24" barrel? Not what the load books say, but chronographed velocities from real rifles?
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As other have stated, if he's not planning to handload, then I'd recommend the .270. My next rifle may very well be a .280AI. I really like the cartridge, but then again, I roll my own ammo.
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Joined: Dec 2014
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Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
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I just bought a Kimber Mtn. Ascent-.280AI and installed a Swaro Z3-x9 in sts Talley QDs.
I loaded my first ammo yesterday, using Magpro and Don at AA Powder told me on the phone that I should get 3000 fps-mv, maxed.
Dunno, too rainy to shoot today, but, will know more within a few days when it dries a little.
So far, I LIKE this rig and with the 160NPs as above, it should do the business.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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I like the 280AI and hate the 270 but if that was my friend I'd direct him toard a 270, 308, 30-06, or 7 RM all of which are substantially easier to shoot than the 300 WM depending upon how they fit the shooter.
Non-reloading traveling Hunter does not equal 260, 7-08 or 280 (AI'd or not).
Nosler is currently the only place for factory 280 AI.
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I have extensive experience with the .280AI and I like it very much. I think it's just about perfect for western hunting. But, I'm a reloader and a rifle loony. I believe your friend would be much better off with a .270 or a 7RM. A non-reloader will be at serious disadvantage with what is essentially a loony's round. Anyway, that my not so humble opinion.
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