Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Montana 280 AI refusing.......................... .

...........................to get goofy, finished up load workup yesterday before dark with the 160 gr Accubonds, had 6 rounds with two different primers and a half grain difference in powder weight vying for first place.

To my amazement four of the six rounds had two sets of two each cutting the same holes with the 6th shot opening the whole group up just over an inch and a quarter, I'll blame it on me or a very hot barrel, the CCI-250's with RL-22 at 3051 fps got the nod, two cutters with the third strike less than a third of an inch away.

Always nice when this happens, particularly with a handy light weight rifle that should make a fine backup elk rifle to my new 7 MSM being built, deer and pigs will be the first test subjects for the 160 AB's when season rolls around.

I like that stuff Gunner. That's a super little rig. You're egging me to get to work on my 280.

LOL, show that 280 some love, bet it wont let you down, I needed to bushhog my shooting lane out to my target, had a little grass obstruction, couldn't really see what the groups were shaping up like due to the grass, I was amazed when I walked down and had a look see, thought the ragged holes were just vegetation moving about, nice to find it was not.

Sounds nice, Gunner! I'm betting that 160 grain Accubond won't bounce off a pig.

Thanks CT ol buddy, beretz says they wont bounce off bull elk at 375 yards either, takes the fight right out of em

Very nice! Tough not to love the .280.

Thanks TZone, that things like carrying nothing, bet it weighs less than 7 lbs all up, a hell of a bucking bronc to hang on to at the bench with the 160's at 3050, you can of course see the jump, but to feel the little rifle torquing is quite funny, "hey, I'm a flyweight, but I'm mean to, by god!"

Wow, a 160gr Nosler Accubond at 3050 fps out of a non magnum case. That round can handle every BG animal in North America, except maybe the biggest coastal bears of Alaska, but I wouldn't really know about the bears because I've never hunted them. However, I do know that combo will knock a bull elk's tail in the dirt. I know this because me and my .280AI have done it twelve time in the last twelve years with one slight difference, I used the 160gr. Partition at 2950fps.

You have to love a consistent shooter...

the 280AI here does 3k nicely with 160s. Defer to the 150s, which it shoots just as well. A little less of a snap coming back at 6# with the 150s...wouldn't mind it weighing 7.

Having good pressure data available now is a real asset to the round's viability, as the SAAMI 280AI is a middling cartridge...right in the middle betwixt book loads of the standard 280 and the 280AI speeds we used to get back a few moons..:)

I bet she's a little snappy, hell of a lot of horsepower in that deal though.

You've got it dialed in. My only peeve with the 280AI is it makes my 7RM redundant with 160's so I guess I will have to go with 175s or 180s to justify the difference.

Super T, that's great news to hear, and congrats on parking 12 consecutive elk, i appreciate the real world feedback.

Thanks Tomk, yes, it's easy to like, no pressure testing eq here, but 3050 fell from the action with normal casehead expansion, I may be in a pretty good spot, no need for me to lean hard on this rifle, I have a big 33 that flings 300 gr Accubonds to 3K if more power and reach is ever needed.

16bore, double yes on the snappy part, and if my figures are right, that little bullet will hold 1800 fps all the way to 750 yards here at 555 asl Oklahoma, may reach 900 on an elk mountain out West, really good combo for that sized hull and bullet.

Tejano, LOL, funny but true, the old 7 Mag will chunk heavier chunks of hillbilly metals with much power and grace.

Well, heck, a measly 160 in a light rifle still has to feel like a pop gun in your hands compared to what you usually shoot.

LOL, it is a 'wand' of a rifle ;]

I imagine a 33 w/a 300g AB would handle anything up to a T-Rex...:)

The 7mm 160/175g around the 3k mark ought to be as good now as it ever was for anything weaving hooves...and the bullets are better, to boot.

For me, the option of 140s at 3200 is also good reason for a light rifle & scope aimed at smaller stuff up high...

10-4 on the big lizard hunting, I've never seen any sporting round slam 500 yard steel with the ferocity of that 33 cal 300 gr AB, truly brutal.

Dang, 140's at 3200 is cooking, and should reach any sheep or goat as far as a man could get dug in and steady for a long field shot.

My 280AI Montana is the same way, she likes most anything.

SWEET, sounds like a pair of Kimber Roulette winners right here.

I love my 280AI montana. I have to admit, I settled on 2950fps with 150gr NBTs because there was a noticeable increase in recoil above that and I don't think any elk will be able to tell the difference. Besides, I have a more than a few magnums of various flavors sitting around for the days I'm feeling tough. 😎

Agreed, don't believe the elk will be lying there wondering, hmmmmmm, was that bullet going 29 or 3050.

And yes, many bigger hammers in the tool shed here too, at 55, something has to be said for a lighter rifle in the elk mountains.