Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 280 AI????

Been pondering a 280 AI for sometime now. Upon investigation, I cain't find a load that betters a 280 Rem by more than 75fps, via manual or internet search. Whats the allure of the 280 AI?

Same veloicty as the 7 Mag using 10 grain less powder for bullets in the 140 - 160 grain class.

I have been hunting with a 7 Imp for 10 years and use either 140 Partitions or now 140 Accubonds. Muzzle velocity is 3160 fps using about 60 grains of powder.

For me I was able to build a custom with a standard pre 64 M70 action, use a pacnor lwt barrel that dropped into my wood/synthetic stock and basically be shooting a 7 mag, it doesn't hurt that nosler is loading ammo and offering brass for it. All good to me.

11 twist Broughton spits out 140 Accubonds @ 3218 with 64.5 VVN 165. Cases last forever.

OCC....LOL

Improving the 06 case has never done much more than impress the folks that spent all that money on them..Most of them don't want to know the facts of life! Even Ackley himself said the only calibers that improved considerably were the 7sx57, and 250 savage...the rest will get you about 50 to 75 FPS and that buys a lot of practice ammo or reloading stuff to make you a better shot..

count to in this indictment is that if you 200 FPS it would not make one ioata of practical field difference in trajectory or killing power...ouch!

Am I in trouble now! You don't have to agree, but don't get mad!

With the better barrels/bullets etc some of the calibers are better today then in Ackley's day. I had the old 7mm express and I had a very hard time getting published velocity with that rifle.

If you look at Nolser data for the 280 it's with a Lilja 26" barrel vs a 24" Wiseman barrel for the 280AI so pretty hard to compare them IMHO.

I think you just have to figure the 280AI as a new caliber and don't worry about the 280. If you look at Hodgdon data for the 280AI their loading PSI levels above the 280 (60kPSI). My 280AI has a 25" long Kreiger barrel and it's a good caliber.

3206 with 140NAB, V V N 165 powder and teeny lil groups. WTH more can you ask for? The 280AI IMO is the cats meow for an AI. Its definitely worth it. And fireforming isnt an inconvienience, thats another great reason to warm a barrel and send some lead downrange.

I just surfed a few ammo makers websites. They list the 280 rem at around 3000 fps with 140 grain bullets. last time i checked 3200 was more than a 75 fps gain over factory standard 280. Maybe i missed somethin here? YMMV but i doubt it. On another note, most folks wont publish data for the 280 loaded to " max" as we know it because of the fact some old semi auto rifles still are in use that wont tolerate the chamber pressure the bolt rifles of today will. For that fact published load data doesnt show the real potential of the cartridge. I assure you AI'in the 280 is well worth it.

270,280,280AI and 7 RM.......there is so much overlap in the performance of these cartridges that it's hard to make a pursuasive case for any of them over the others.This conversation is older than the hills.

To my mind, I want a 22" barrel on the standard case,which ,for me,means the 270 or 280,simply because they burn a bit less powder and just seem better suited to the shorter,slightly lighter barrel.I have not had a problem operating a 280 with a 140 at about 3100 fps,or a bit under.

If I am going to make a jump to a 24" barrel,and stick with a 30/06 length action,the 7 RM makes more sense to me from the standpoint of convenience,common ammo availability,EASILY obtained velocities due to to greater case capacity,etc.The 7 RM is not redlined at over 3200 with a 140,and will give about 3100 with a 160 gr bullet.The AI will not.

If you have a standard action,do not want to change to magnum bolt face,want a skosh more vel than a 280,then the Ackley may be worthwhile.

It's a gun cranks cartridge,and that is its' niche. It will never be very popular,because it really does not offer very much that you cannot get in more commonly available cartridges.

Bob, I think you're right on...so far I am liking my new 280 AI though, crank I am, green eggs and ham.

Randy: Enjoy!

I have had my 280AI for better than 15 yrs. It is built on a Rem. Sendero action/stock with A PacNor 26" bbl. It is equipped with a Holland brake, Jewel trigger, Tubbs fireing pin and spring. It was built by Darrel Holland in the middle 90's. Darrel machined the action and did his magic. I am still using the same Lapua 280 brass that I initially fire formed for this rifle. It has approx. 500 rounds down the bbl. and it shoots as accurate as day one. I have but one complaint! It is damn heavy! Oh well. It is one long range killer as long as I do my part. Oh yea, it is sporting a Leupold 6.5-20x40 that has never been off since day one. Great setup and a 'yotes nightmare.

Randy: Did Redneck have to do any modifications to the pre 64 action to get it to feed the AI?

Bob, not that I know of, he did the normal lapping, and some TLC here and there but nothing out of the ordinary, it feeds very nicely.

OK,thanks!

Redneck also built a 280AI on a classic Win. action. Feeds wonderfully. Matter of fact, it feeds smoother than the 280AI I had built on a Remington 700 action.

75fps is the obvious allure.

On a new piece, why wouldn't you having a handloader's perspective? Its basically something for nothing now that you can get brass.

To rechamber a perfectly good 280 to an AI is streching things...even for me. Too, a non-handloader would be better off with a 280...but non-handloaders alwasy settle for something less in exchange for convenience.

My 7mm RM easily outran my 280AI with less then 10g powder difference--some of you guys must have pretty long throats in your 7mags...:)