I just assembled my 280AI. It is built on a Pierce Ti receiver. It has a 25" #2 contour Douglas barrel, Jewell trigger, and a custom Kevlar Brown Precision stock. I sent my barreled action to Mark Brown and they built it complete and did the bedding. The scope rings are Talley light weights. Eddie Fosnaugh did a great Cerrokote job on it.


Only photos that I have at the present I really question some peoples weights on their light rifles. Mine came out at 5lb13oz. I could have saved a little with a smaller and shorter contour barrel and maybe no recoil pad. I do know the Ti receiver with bolt is 16.5oz lighter than a stock Remington LA receiver.
Need to decide on a scope and load some ammo.

Looks fantastic, but we need more pics!

Agree with you on the stated weights.

I did not realize the Pierce TI could save a full pound.

Par for you Butch, very nice.

Very nice, what bullet did you build your rifle around?

Or what twist does it have?

That is a fine build - those Pierce Ti actions are just dang nice!! Looking forward to seeing some more better pictures.

Congrats on a super nice rig!!

Butch, another beautiful stick. You sure have excellent taste. Congrats fellow rifleman.

I like that one. Very nice

Nice job, we definitely need more pix.

Nicely done

Nice !

why did you choose a douglas barrel?

How does she shoot??

Dennis,Just got it yesterday. I need to decide on a scope. I have 5 others that have not been fired.
Douglas barrels? Why not? I have used them all and they all shoot about the same in a hunting rifle. I also found none of the others offered this contour to finish at 25". I have a 9 twist and will start with 160 grn bullets.

Butch I also built my 280 Ack on a Douglas #2 SS barrel and it groups everything I tried under an inch and my hunting loads at or under 1/2 inch.

I want my hunting rifles to shoot a moa under all conditions. That will kill anything that I hunt. I personally do not hunt at over about 300yds. I will try for some more photos later today. Thanks for the kind words.

Why 25" of barrel?

Why not? Just because.

I thought you were a Shilen guy?

You're pretty specific here for a "why not?" answer...but, whatever.....lol....

I always cut my barrels 1/2 to 1 inch longer, so I have room to recrown on down the road if needed to without having to shorten the barrel under the length I wanted when building the rifle

I don't believe I've ever had a barrel longer than 24" and thought maybe it would be more efficient with the larger powder load.
Dogcatcher 223. I love Shilens, but use others occasionally. Shilen would not make that contour at that length for me.

Thanks. I actually don't have much of an opinion of barrel brands anymore. If it shoots, it shoots.

It looks sharp! I hope it shoots as good as it looks!

Hot damn, that's nice blueprint.

I hope it does also.




I need to know a photographer that is close. It ain't my deal.

Beautiful rifle, Butch! Can't wait to get the range report.

BTW, I just happen to know a great professional photographer who is also a shooter and lives in Dallas.

My #1 son.

Ed

I could keep him busy!

Very nicely done. What happened to the Graphite, Kevlar, Balsa wood stock idea? How smooth is the bolt cycling and was it treated with anything?

My 280 AI has a 25" barrel just because too.

Gave all the Balsa and carbon fiber cloth to a friend. Decided it needed a professional stock. It has Cerrokote on the inside of the receiver and cycles fine as of now. I ended up sending it to a couple PVD suppliers and losing $120 in shipping. After assuring me that they would do it, the refused and shipped it back. The companies are Oeerlikon Balzers and Richter Precision.John Pierce assured me a good cerrokote would do the job.

I bet it shoots as good as it look's !

This is really nice!!
How are you liking the pierce action so far?

If I owned that rifle I would put a VX3 3.5x10x40 CDS scope on it.
A Harris swivel bipod.
A sling
A rear bag
An ammo pouch cheek rest on it.
I would put 140 gr nos bal tip bullets with 60 gr H4350 in it.

I would fill some of my tags in October.

Clarlm, that would kill all my weight savings.

Really nice Butch.

If it were mine I'd load the magazine with what it liked and take it hunting. Sure wouldn't hang a bunch of needless weight on it. That is a nice clean build. Class from the get.

I built that 6.5-06 Mauser rifle in Oct 2015 and shot that whitetail doe at 629 yards in Oct 2015 in Eastern Montana. I needed all that extra stuff. That was a very long shot for me.

Very nice rifle.

Sure looks like it works for you. 629 IS a hell of a long shot for me too. Nice rifle!

Different strokes for different folks. Glad we have all the options we have, something for everyone.

Boy that sure has me looking at the Pierce site. As far as scopes I just mounted a Leupold 6x42 on a Forbes rifle and it seems a little on the big side for that rifle. I may or may not swap it for a 2.5x8x, 2-7x or a Swaro Z3 3-9x -36mm.

I am interested in your pick of scopes.

That's a fine looking rifle Butch. It was a long journey but it looks like it was worth the wait.

Thanks Terry and all.

Hey Butch! I have a similar build...Pierce Titanium action, Titanium brake, Proof Research carbon-wrapped barrel, Timney trigger, HS Precision DBM, and carbon-graphite stock. This one is in 30-06.

Biebs
You inspired me. I already spent $2k this morning.
Now to face the wife:(

Later... some HS Precision bottom metal.

Nice rifle Jon. Does it shoot with that kind of barrel?

Butch, it's not a Christensen barrel...I wouldn't have one of them. This is a Proof Research...about the best you can get. Should be a 1/4" to 1/2" rifle with the right load work-up. Need a companion to your 280 AI? I'm on a Shiloh Sharps kick now :-)

Well, I've sent my 45-70 Rolling Block out for a stock. Should have my 40X rimfire back from the stocker any time.
Nothing else planned. One of my big firearms mistakes was selling my Shiloh long range express that I purchased from Harold Broughton.

That turned out great, Butch.

I like the bolt handle. Weight-wise, the RI w/Rem TI long action here weighs 5.09#. 24" Lilja w/.610 MD. But he does it with the stock, as it comes in at 1.08#. But I like the looks of that Brown stock a lot more.

With 1" Zeiss & same rings it goes 6.16# and definitely like a recoil pad with 140 BTs. Recoil is fast and sharp in lighter clothing. A few more ounces wouldn't hurt my feelers at all...

Book loads for me right out of the Nosler manual go across the chronograph at 3200fps w/RL22 or now, MRP. RL19, too. Haven't tried the newer stuff yet--too much of the old on hand... great round for me, mountain hunting.

The last four barrels here were Douglas, and they all shoot very well.

Quote" One of my big firearms mistakes was selling my Shiloh long range express that I purchased from Harold Broughton." Quote

Yeah, pretty cool rifles. You have to EARN your groups with BPCRs.

Sure admire that build, Biebs!
Don