Cory:
Considered a Kimber for next year but ran into a G33/40 action....
Have had a number of 280AIs and prefer them to the 7RM as you can get them a little lighter for the same recoil (say a pound or so)and they aren't as loud (assuming equivalent pressured loads). You can now buy the brass and it will get as close to 7RM velocities as you are going to get with a commercially available case derived from the 06 parent case. That is saying something.
Prior to Nosler publishing AI velocity, it was individual wildcat velocity reporting which leads to a lot of horseshit and bolt locking--currently going on with some larger cases... Some of my rifles did show pressure signs and some did not...notably a Forbes Ultralight 24 that I locked the bolt on, knocked the handle off with a rubber mallet, then humbly returned it to Melvin. Relying on pressure signs is a lot like divination.
My current 280 AI (Rifles Inc) does just what Nosler book shows minus the 2" for a 24" barrel. Look at Nosler 5-7, deduct 50fps for the test barrel and compare to the 270 (with approximate BC & SD bullets) and the 7mm Weatherby and you will see why it getting popular.
I have fireformed with a 280 case with loads, used the cow method, but mostly now just buy the Nosler brass....
Last edited by tomk; 12/17/12. Reason: speling
