Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 280 instead of 280AI????

Actually, where I grew up, it was "No Muvs, Man".

I bounced between the two cartridges myself a few months ago. I decided on the 280 Rem, and a #5 contour, 27in stainless Shilen bbl. I built mine for hunting out of blinds, while using sandbags. Nope, no long walks with this rifle. I have a Ti in 7-08 for that!

Going to start working loads soon.

This.

There isn't 75 ft/sec between them if you load them to equal pressure and similar barrel lengths. I've only had both a 280 and 7 RM since 1982 and may have shot a thing or two with both. For deer size game at 'normal' deer ranges, I'll take the 280.

based on what's been said on the fire regarding the 120 grain ballistic tip. I'm going to try that bullet this year and my new M70 FWT 280 (when it arrives) . Should be able to reach 3100+ which would make it a faux 25/06. and I know that combination works well for deer

The biggest single reason I could never gin up to the 280AI, is that with a Rem 700 action (or any action long enough) you could throat a 280 long with anything from a 140 to 160 gr bullets,seat longer, and in a 24" barrel the velocities were almost indistinguishable from what a 280AI gives.

This was especially true with double based powders like MRP and the Reloder22. And of course,the 7 Rem Mag handily and routinely beat both if you wanted a step up in velocity with heavy bullets in the same action and barrel length,without pounding on the petal.

In circles of shooters I communicated with everyone"knew" this even as far back as the 1980's-90's. So very few bothered with the AI.

Among those few who did, the disappointment rate was high;they all abandoned it.

At any rate I have fired many thousands of 280AI rounds....from a 7 Rem Mag loaded less than full throttle.So the cartridge squeezed into too narrow a niche between a standard 280 and a 7 Rem Mag for me to ever bother with.

I was surprised when I got on the CF and discovered the 280AI had any traction at all. I had no idea anyone used it.

Musta been the circles I ran in....

Bob I agree 100%

One of my friends in constantly on me to punch the chamber on my 280 Mountain Rifle. I always respond I have a 7 Mag

Since, I hand load 95% of the ammo I shoot and have for decades, I saw no downside to the AI version last month when I bought my new Kimber Mountain Ascent. With the same costs and labour, I an have about 100 fps. more with my favoured 160 bullets, so, why not.

I bought my first .280Rem. in 1981, built my first custom, synthetic stocked one in 1985 and currently own three very choice mountain rifles so chambered. I know what it can do, it is my favourite standard cartridge and all my AI will do is give me even more performance and fun......end of story, IMO.

People like saying salsa.....

Its a Judy chop....get this stuff right

Gentlemen we are all products of our experiences and feed back therefrom..

Sometimes logic even sneaks into the equation.

You will be assimilated. The aura of the .280AI is too strong to resist forever.

But this one goes to "11".....

Why not a .270 Win. and avoid the hassles involved with the .280 Rem. or the .280AI. All three are great cartridges; in fact they are almost as good as the 30-06!

And there he is

Any of the .284 diameters are vastly superior to a .270...


And they're not gay.

Yup,just little sissies.

I have parked my 270










for now

I don't believe you...

You shouldn't

Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be on me before I can fend it off. Just like a thief in the night.

I'm dreading hunting season.