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A friend of mine told me that the campfire was the best place to find a new home for a hunting rifle. I want to offer this 280 AI and see if there is any interest. "Light varmint," I guess describes it best; beavertail stock, good trigger. <3lb. I last checked zero and shot a few coyotes with it in 2008. With Barnes 140s it knocks a coyote around pretty good. No runners. It's a bit loud and flashy at night. 700 action, #5 contour 26", parkerized, leaf extractor. Shows some safe, carry, hunt wear. It was built in the 80s but hasn't been fired much. It will probably kill more than coyotes.

Add 67 formed R-P brass. Add 98 280 Rem R-P brass. Add Redding 3-die 280 AI 40 (NK,FL,ST)

I'm going to put the package out there for $950 + shipping/ins but feel free to make an offer by any means. I'd rather sell it outright. Comments would be a appreciated. Maybe someone who's more up to date could speculate what it would cost to put this rifle together today?

Would someone gimme a hand here and help appraise this rig??

I figure it would cost me somewhere between $1400 and $2400 to put this together with Shilen/HS/brass&die combo at today's prices, but it would be nice if a couple of you guys with a few years on the site and a lot more posts than mine would comfirm that.

It isn't a lightweight mountain style gun but it's a long way from a stock plain Jane.

One of the guys on campfire is looking for a .280 but probably thinks he's getting the screws put to him.

I know this isn't hunt season or the best time to sell. I put this together in the mid '80s.

I'd appreciate any help here. One bump only. I'll let this sink 'til summer if it doesn't float on its own this time around.

I'd be patient, its a nice rig and someone will buy it!

has the action been trued? if so what was done, and by whom? twist?

I have pretty much the same rifle probably 20 yrs old, mine is in a Fajen stock, Krieger barrel, trued 700 action and based on what it cost to put one together you's is priced very reasonable for one of the best AI cartridges.

I believe I would follow Tanner's advice.

Pretty sure that's a early Winchester Marksman McM stock w/o the texture. Wasn't available back then.

How much does this rig weigh??

The action and bolt were well worked/trued when the extractor was replaced, the trigger done, and the stock bedded. For better or worse the stock extractor was replaced with a Sako-style leaf. The trigger is good enough that it's become the standard by which I've come to judge any other gun over the last 30 years. It moves barely or not at all and goes off before I realize it. As far as the way the gun shoots, it's far better than I am.

There are so many experienced fellows here at Campfire, I figured someone is going to be more familiar with the components than I am. There are no markings and far be it from me to unscrew a perfectly fine bedding job. I have always hunted more than I shoot and don't pay enough attention to details. Here's the rub. I can't for the life of me remember what the gunsmith's name was. I remember that he knew better what I needed in a 280 than I did. After a divorce and a couple of moves, the odds finding any paperwork from the old days is slim or not at all. He was a mature gentleman thirty years ago with a local rep in SoCal, but he died a while back and so have most of his fans. That seems to happen more and more lately.

I put a tight patch through it a couple of times and came out right at 10.5" for the twist rate. That's got to be one sign of the times. It weighed right at the 7 pound mark on a fish scale.

I want to personally thank all of you who responded. It's good to get some help. The thought of downsizing a bunch and maybe moving to a smaller place has been bugging me lately. Unloading is going to take a lot of time and energy. I sold one gun last week, an old semi-auto, the first of what has to be a long string, and must have spent 10 hours on the ad, emails, phone calls, driving, waiting and paper work. I think if you did it for an hourly wage and not love of the game, you might as well put it in the trash can and call it even. It makes me realize why some folks just throw up their hands and consign the whole show.

Thanks again to all who took the time help tune up the ad. Now I know it's got a chance of getting the job done!

The kid's right, you got a nice rig there and there's more than enough .280ai fans around here for it to move.

Is the barrel a factory tube that was AI'd or a custom tube. What is the muzzle diameter and what does it measure at the end of the forearm. Is the barrel CM or SS. What finish is on the barrel. I am interested.

OK, Here's the measurement that you wanted. The muzzle diameter is .680" and .880" at the end of the stock. I'd be guessing whether it is CM or SS. The finish is dull, dark gray. Looks like manganese phosphate. I thought it was a Krieger match something or other. I can't find any receipts.

It's 100% my fault that I let a kid tip this over in camp and into some rocky ground. I should have cased it. If I were buying it, I'd want to know about it before, not after. This is the mark it left.



Checking range notes, I found that I had worked up loads for Sierra 100 gr HP, Speer 110 TNT, and Hornady 120 gr HP.

It looks like I settled on the 100 gr Sierra, 61.8 gr of IMR4350, 3500 fps.

I finally ended up using 140 gr Barnes X, 63.6 gr of Reloader 22 for some reason. 3.315" overall. July '07 was the last time I checked zero and hunted with it. I took this pic because I never shoot this well. The gun shoots better than I do.


I'll edit this post and summarize. The action serial is 6494xxx, which is 200K less than one I purchased in 1975. I don't know their production numbers for those years, but you can do the math if you do. ~1970? The action appears to be CM. It was mated to a brand new (probably Krieger match) #5 contour CM barrel chambered in 280AI in ~1990. There are ZERO numbers or proof marks on the barrel. It was trued, extractor altered, and trigger done, and parkerized. It is a thin dull gray color. The stock is fiberglass, slick, and camo, very stiff, well bedded. The rig weighs 7#. It was expensive then, more than the asking price now. It includes 160 brass and the Redding 3-die set (neck, full length, and seating dies). I'll let the price stand. If I had to replace it with a similar rifle now, one could easily spend $1800-$2400. I don't own any cheap crap. Never have.

couldnt buy the parts alone for your asking price. well worth that. if i didnt already have several similar rifles....

Weight???

Sold.