Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 280 Ackley Rifles

Wondering who out there shoots the 280 Ackley? I picked a LAW Professional a few months back and apparently I got a good one because the rifle shoots better than I can - no accuracy issues at all and feeds flawlessly - and thats with factory 140 accubond loads from Nosler. As in 3/4" groups at 100 yards everytime out. I don't really shoot groups at 3, 4, or 500 yards, rather put a gong out to ring steel, but hitting a 8" gong out to 500 with this rifle has been no sweat at all.

I did take it apart when I got it and it is nicely skim bedded so it may have been sent back from Sportsmans Warehouse to LAW once the concerns started a couple years back, and then returned to them - not sure, but it sure is a nice rifle. Everything about it has a high quality feel - in fact a couple of my buddies thought it was a custom build when they first saw it. I put a Swaro z3 4-12x50 BT on it and it makes one good looking setup.

I had thought about shooting 160 accubonds out of it - especially when the leave at 3000 FPS, but the Nosler ammo shoots so I am not sure I want to do anything else. The 140 accubond will put down any deer/elk/bear I will be shooting at and it chornos at close to the factory rating of 3150. (Around 3125 in my rifle)

Anyways, I am excited to take it out after deer and elk here in Idaho next week. Who else is hunting with one this year?

.280AI is my go to gun when things need to be killed. I run the 120 Nosler BT at 3325 and deer absolutely hate it.

Have had a few variations now. Dakota 76, Cooper 82, now a custom build I put together. Tikka T3 stainless LH, 25" Douglas SS barrel, McMillan Sako Hunter stock. Mountain Tactical bottom metal, shroud, bolt handle, and screws. Warne Rings. Leupold 4.5-14x40mm long range CDS windplex.
It loves the 145 LRX at about 3200.

I have a custom FN Mauser in .280AI and it really likes the Nosler AB loads. I tried loading some 150 E-tips and it did ok but much preferred the factory Nosler AB loads.

I have a Shilen barreled 700 in a KS stock. I've been flinging the 120 gr TTSX at 3300 fps at deer but I have a bunch of 120 gr BTs so I think I'll give them a try based on Mule Deer's recommendation and after action reports at similar velocity.

I've had one for about 8 years now, built on a pre 64 M70 action, pac-nor fwt barrel, mcm compact edge stock and swaro Z3 on top. I load barnes 150 TTSX's @ 3050 fps, been a great rifle on deer and elk.

My go to rifle is similar. Old M70, Compact Edge, Rock #2.

I run the 150 BT at about the same velocity.

I have a Cooper Excalibur M52 in 280AI. Best shooting rifle I've owned. It shoots the Nosler 140AB ammo so well I haven't tried anything else

I have a Kevin Weaver built on 700 action, McMillan edge, Lilja barrel, timney trigger that loves the nosler 140 accubond. Took my 6x6 elk this week with it.

Here is mine...

Running 162 ELDX at 2970 with 58.5 grains IMR 7828 Norma brass cci 250. Shoots very well.
On a 721 R.E.M. With a kiff bolt, manners T, benchmark SS #6 at 24". All work was done by the world famous Scott Weichel of Live OAK PRECISION
WYLIE Tx.
She will kill.

Great looking rifles fellas!

I need one, it nips on the 7 Rem mags ass.

I built one several years ago, pretty on a Springfield action. Ought to shoot something with it.

For years I was a 280 Rem fan - still am. Then a couple of years ago I stuck my toe in the waters of the 280AI. Since then I've never looked back. 3 in the safe now, and another on the way.

Sako L61R rebarreled to 280 Rem w/Mullerwworks 'light" #2, 24", SS, fluted, and subsequently reamed to 280AI
Rem 700 w/Mullerworks #2, 24", SS, 4 gr, 8.75T
Rem 700 w/Shilen #2, 9T, CM @ 26"

All of the above were reamed with the same reamer and headspaced with the SAAMI gages. None-the-less, fireforms the brass slightly different. Not a problem as I have designated "Brand X" brass for one rifle, "Brand Y" brass for another, and so on. Each will chamber and fire Nosler factory brass and loaded ammo without issue.

I've had them in Cooper and I've had them in Kimber, but my favorite so far is the one I have in a Nula.

Dude, you need to quit with the cheap rifles!

Been shooting/hunting a 280 AI for over 20 years. Use mostly 140 grain bullets, Nosler BT and Sierra Pro Hunters. Nothing better for deer IMHO. If I could only have one rifle it would be a 280 AI.

I have a LAW Professional in 280 AI and it likes the Nosler Trophy Grade 160 Nosler Partition's.

A .284 bullet in a case of the -06 capacity is a good place to be. Not sure I'd bother with the AI again, but I sure enjoy the hell out of mine.

I wouldn't say "bother" with it... once you have the brass is no issue and just like any other cartridge.

Any other factory rifles in 280ai besides Cooper, Kimber and Law?

Christensen, Fierce, McWhorter

Montana Rifle Company, Bergara, Nosler

My 280 Ackley is a Borden action, Lilja barrel put together by Kampfeld. It puts 140 AB's into siamese holes at 3200 fps with 63 gr's VV N165.

I be likin' it.

I have a nula model 24 with a 1/9 twist 24 inch barrel and am pushing nosler 140 ballistic tips at 3275 fps with 60gr imr 4831 and a federal 215 primer. no pressure signs and super accurate 1 hole 3 shot groups if I do my part

I had one, too, and was very pleased with it. I used the same combination of rifle and ammo. I bought it for a Utah mule deer hunt and killed a nice 4x4. I sold it after the hunt.

donsm70

Killed lots of animals with 280's, 280 AI, 7 Wby, 308 & 300 WSM. Never needed anything more than a 280.

Just finished a 280AI for a customer, also wanted to work up a load for him using the Hornady 162 ELD-X's 3080FPS one ragged hole at 100 with RL23. I have been impressed with these new RL powders.

That wouldn't be Sherm Russell would it?

Yes it is gotta be Tim!!

I like my Montana 280 AI, it would really be nice for elk at 9K or sheep and so forth, but will admit it's the most consistently hard rifle I've ever owned to settle down enough to shoot it to it's full accuracy potential.

Congrats on your new rifle and good luck on the deer and elk hunts.

I've used as an all around cartridge the 300 mags, most 7mm mags, the 30.06, the great .270 Win. and the 264 Win Mag. I would not trade any of those rounds for my .280AI's In my opinion it's the perfect compromise between killing power and recoil. With the 160gr Nosler Partition at 2950fps it is a killing machine that can be put up in an 8lb rifle including scope that'll have manageable recoil. What's not to like.

Actually they are good for sheep up to 11k...past that its too much gun. Am told it evaporates them.

Have had a few renditions with the current being a Rifles Inc on a TI action. They all been lightweights around 6# or so. By chance, did kill some good critters with them. And now after a couple dozen years thinking about it, did occur that the 280AI in a more portly configuration and twisted such for longer ranges--might make a fine rifle and a good reason to give a couple mags to the kids...

[quote=sherm_61]Yes it is gotta be Tim!![/quote

It is.I'm going to need you to rebarrel a Ruger mark ll for me soon

P.m. sent Tim

Yeah, just save your money & buy you one good one.

Me too.

Newbie questions, are 280AI converted from a stock .280, or must they be bought as an 280AI?

Is anybody selling AI brass these days, or do they all still need to be fire formed?

Thanks in advance.

Easy rechamber from a standard 280, but 9 twist 280's are pretty rare, and most have 22" barrels.

Nosler sells 280AI brass. Pretty pricey, but not ridiculous.

Do any rifle manufactures sell a 280AI?

Kimber and all the other manufacturers listed above.

Thanks for the info.

I just picked up a Subalpine. Can’t wait to start loading for it this winter.

I like the idea of a Subalpine(or Montana) in the 280 AI.

Mine's a stainless Classic Select with a nice piece of wood.

Not sure they made very many of them in stainless.

Like others have said, it would be the last one to go,

I have a cheap Kimber Montana in 280AI. Piled up a bunch of Pronghorn with 140 grain TTSX or BT. This year it goes elk hunting with the TTSX. Great shooter, great fit and feel. And it weighs next to nothing on the shoulder!

I’m thinking with a 160 gr Partition at just under 3K and a light 6x or 3-9x scope, it just might be about the perfect rough country elk rifle around. Of course, that is open to debate....

No expert here, but I'd be inclined to agree with you.

Another gun head that I know who had planning a 280AI build for almost a year contacted me today and told me a gun shop in his area got a Winchester pre 64 M70 custom in 280AI in a multiple trade in and told me has first shot at it Monday morning. Dang, I think Im as excited as he is to see this gun.