Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting 7mm RM vs. 280AI - ABLR

Beater custom, Rem 700, non trued, Boyd's laminate, #5 taper X caliber 9T, 27" long, Re sprung Walker trigger. Barrel is floated, action is skim coat bedded in the boyd's laminate.

If you have a Nosler manual #4, you will see a load for the std 280 with 160g bullets with IMR 7828 at 2930 fps...my old Rem 700 shot that load very well. This gives you some idea what a 280/280 AI is really capable of.

If you want to have some real nice 280 AI brass, make it out of Lapua 30/06 brass, the brass is so tough, it is hard to open up the primer pockets.

Tag

I had a 7mm Rem mag that I tried several different powders in and it would not shoot. I had bought some Accurate powder just to blow cases out with and when I tried that, it shot .5 inch groups.
I have a 280AI that loves IMR 7828 with 140.
Rifles are funny, in that just because you want to use one bullet, it may or may not shoot it. I had Sid Goodlin build me a 260 and was going to use 123 Horn bullets, it would not shoot them for crap. Swapped bullets and it was and is a hammer.

Good info Keith. I ran a 7RM long ago, 160 - 162s at 2860 for accuracy - did a great job. Thanks.

I have a christensen Ridgeline in 280 ai that shoots the 168 ablr 1/2 moa consistently. I started with a powder that I knew would give me the speeds I want with a full but not compressed load density. H1000 fit so I worked up to pressure then played with seating depth a little and found my load.

I'm using formed rem brass, cci 250s, H1000, and the 168 ablr at 2900 fps from a 24" barrel.

Bb

That’s a helluva good one. My buddy uses H1000 and the 160 AB in a Kimber. It’s a darned good combo.

I use IMR 4350 for a wide variety of bullet weights for 7mm Rem Mag. It’s use dictates multiple bullet weights in my opinion because it’s great on pronghorn and mule deer (139 SST and 140 gr BT) as well as elk and moose.

You’re stating long range coyotes as your theme of use. Why would you want spend that kind of money shooting a 160-170 class premium bullet like an ABLR on a varmint dog? Seems kinda excessive for vamintimg. I still have some older (not made any longer) Hornady 120 HP for dog killing. Typically you can call dogs inside 200 yards and closer. Hornady has since replaced the HP with 120 gr VMax. That weight of bullet travels easily at 3,350 fps, at that speed there is no real drop with 300 yd zero and minimal easy to handle drift at 500 yards.

I guess I’m old school not really needing 700-1000 yd BC capability with more recoil, especially on coyotes at ABLR bullet prices. Best of luck with your 7mm loads.

I use 162 eldx, 68g Imr 7828 in 7mm rm. Also 150g scenar L or 150g eldx, 69g 7828. In sako a7 roughtech, cloverleafs & gets the job done.

7Rm generic load for 160-168g bullets is

71.0g of Retumbo
Fed 215
3100 fps
Shoots tiny groups

Start at 68g and work up in 2 shot groups, you are looking for bullets touching or better.

7828 makes the 280ai perfect.

I use 58.5 grains with 162 eld shoots amazing. 3040 fps
Then 61 grains with 150 LRAB 3030fps

A couple of 7 mags have done real well with Retumbo and IMR7828. They both required different OAL