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.

Nice. That'll do for about anything.

I launch 150's with H4831sc at around 3k in my 280 with the improved chamber. It completely leveled a mule deer a couple years ago. I'd not hesitate to shoot any animal with it. Easy shooting combo to boot.

Sounds good MM, the loads I've been tinkering with need to be remade with H-4831 or other temp insensitive powder, if we need to deliver a pinpoint punch on the side of a frozen mountain, steady [known] vels can only help in that delivery.

Kimber making a gun that shoots?!?!!!?!?!
Impossible!!! The interwebs told me so!!!!

Congrats, sounds like a great combo! The bad part about finding things that are that light and shoot that well, is that it really eliminates the amout of "tinnkering" you get to do and it also eliminates the need for lots of other guns!

But then again who ever said anything about need!?!?!

LOL, correct, the most tinkering I've had to do was to learn to shoot a rifle that light, shooting mostly very barrel heavy rigs for 40 years will cover up a bit of form slop, the little Montana will reveal all.

Impossible! Everyone knows light rifles can't shoot...:)

Terrible! I will do you a favor and relieve you of this burden for 75% of what you paid for it. Send me a PM and I'll give you the shipping address.

tomk, correct, clearly had to be multiple flukes.

LOL 1Nut, I'll give you first dibs ;]

I really want one of the Kimber .280 AI's as a dedicated hiking elk rifle. I have a 6.5 CM Montana with a VX3i 2.5-8x36 B&C on top that is quickly becoming one of my favorite rigs. Seems like a similar setup (or maybe the Hunter version) in .280 AI would be even more of a good thing.

I highly recommend that you not settle for the Hunter. Find one used or save as long as necessary to get the Montana.

I have a Hunter stock for my Montana, and have shot it extensively both ways. I like both stocks, the Montana stock is lighter and nicer, but has a blind mag and my copy benefited from bedding (which wasn't hard). The Hunter has a polymer stock, but it is a well done relatively stiff poly stock, I prefer the magazine of the Hunter, and on my copy, the un-bedded Hunter stock shot like the bedded Montana stock. I also like that the Hunter is a few oz heavier for a rifle chambered in an '06 class cartridge. I think the 6.5 CM is a fantastic fit for a Montana weight rifle, but might be a bit light for me chambered in .280 AI. I like them both, but for my purposes, I don't think that the Montana is $500 more rifle than the Hunter.

That's fine if you like it. For me,the Montana stock is a bargain at $500. I see the hunter stock and mag as cheap, on an otherwise first rate rifle. Just my opinion,but it's not worth it to me to "settle" for mere money reasons. Since you seem to have other reasons,that wouldn't apply to your decision.

I'm in agreement with R.H., and with all the montanas floating around the classifieds, it would not be a $500 difference - more like $300. And well worth it...

Great start Jerry! Now move back to 20 yards :-)

And double my yardage? ;]

Yeah, but it seems like a lot of them are chambered in .308, the Vanilla Frozen Yogurt of hunting cartridges.... I want a sexy straight-walled beast like the .280 AI

I'd like to roll the dice on a Kimber Montana one of these days. Saw a 270 win at a local shop for $800.00 the other day. If it would have been a 280, I probably would have been pulling out the wallet. Yours sounds like it's doing very well gunner. Very cool....

Thanks BSA, I had to put medium height Talley LW's and a slip on Limbsaver pad to get the LOP length and scope up high enough to get the dwarf rifle out in front of me enough too shoot, very small dimensional rifles, I have two 270's, and somehow haven't went gay.

Hope you give a Montana a whirl and it's a shooter.

Gunner brother, there is forgiveness for sins...

Now that the AI cherry has been popped...:) Have been itching to thoroughly wring out a plain jane 280 mauser with 162-168g. It weighs about 7.25# all up and has enough magazine to load a longer bullet under a full case of slow powder. Of course the same can be said for the 700 TI action too, but there is a significant difference in snap (for me) from the AI's 6# to the 98's 7.25#. Living past 30 do have its share of permanent nagging injuries...

I carry the 280 when accompanying daughter for elk. Next to her 7-08 case loaded with 150 BTs, the loaded long 160's for the 280 look more like a dangerous game load...:)

RL 26 looks like it could be interesting with the AB...and the AB bearing surface is long to fulfill the non-rational desire to utilize the mag....now I just have to get off my ass

Good luck killing them all this season!

If she's that accurate with Accubonds, whatever you do don't try 162 ELD-M's........... and if you do that, whatever you do, don't try extending the range to waaay out there.... and if you do THAT, whatever you do don't try them on deer......

You can give a mouse a cookie......

I don't know. Owning 2 270's is almost admitting one is gay...

Easy buddy!!! I've got two as well.

Ha ha..

LOL, Thanks tomk, does having five 300 H&H and Win Mags help a little more?

I may look at H-4831 or maybe RL-26 later for my 280 AI if the 26 proves to be relatively temp insensitive.

LMAO BSA, thanks for the backup Beretz, i gotta watch these guys as long as I own 270's.

The 300 H&H is stand alone penance atoning for the very worst of shooting transgressions...particularly in a mauser 98...:)

How about standard and super grade pre-64's?

Do have 98 Mausers in 6.5 Swede, 7X57mm, 358 Norma Mag, 9.3x62mm, 400 Whelen and 416 Taylor, atoned?

Go forth and sin no more (dump the 270's).

, Thanks Father Whelen! ;]

Glad you are absolved.

With that line-up utilizing pigs as a test subjects, you should be able to run the scale to prove the stopping power doctrine once and for all!

So much testing, so little time!