Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Gotta 280AI and need a bullet

160 partition, H4350 is good company for the bullet.

Filled my pick-up several times w/elk with help from a 160 gr partition from my non-ackley .280 rem at 2800 fps.

With the added mass of elk bone and muscle is why I would stay with the heavier bullet... Not that it cannot be done with the lighter 140 accubond, I prefer a heavier bullet with a little more momentum built in when angles get hard or when heavy bone is hit.

If I were hunting anything short of the big bears, my 280ai would be slinging Nosler 150 BT. Simply put they work very well.

Have found the 150 gr Ballistic tip to be the most accurate and to be deadly on deer. Have used the 140 gr. Accubond on bigger game, including Kudu and Sable.

I agree the 150 ballistic tip kills deer better than anything else ive seen and. and is usually the most accurats bullet as well, that is out of more the just my rifle.

When you may encounter heavier bone I don't trust there to be consistent results. I thought guys were exaggerating until it happened to me. Slivers shot into the lungs of a big bull is a good way to lose an animal. The bullet that seems closest in accuracy and kills well even through a shoulder blade is the 150 ttsx. The Barnes shoot well and penetrate after the break the bones they may hit.

I have had good luck with the 140gr Accubond, 150 gr Barnes ttsx and the 168gr Berger. The deer in my picture was taken with one of the 168gr Bergers. The 280AI is a handy little round in my opinion.

I ended up buying two boxes of Barnes 150 gr TTSX
I also made a modified case gauge. Now to load some rounds and shoot. Hopefully soon Wisconsin will make it out of the single digits.

Good luck I hope they shoot well for you and you get to see how they work on a great tasting elk. Just finished a really good elk burger with a little cheese some grilled onions and mushrooms.

A little off topic but since you mentioned it the first elk I shot was fantastic. Relatives and friends kept asking for more. The second in Wyoming I could not give him away. I thought field prep was ok and it was cold but he tasted terrible.

If you shot that bull too early in the post rut, he will eat like shidt.

I shot him the first Saturday of the Wyoming rifle season in 2004. (I think)
Puts it mid October.
The Colorado elk was in 01 or 02 and if I remember it was early October.

Yup that's about right for a tough hunk of meat!

Depends on how hard he's been running the previous month. Sure it will vary some ,animal to animal...but if I want meat, I am all through chasing herd bulls in October.

WTF Mav, the man has a .280 AI in his hands.......more than sufficient to kill any elk on the mountain.

You being a B&C hunter and all....I'm sure you can do better....

A year ago last January, my hunting partner shot his elk with the 160 gr. Accubond at 317 yars laser measured. Bullet was loaded to 3000 FPS plus a little more from his 7mm Rem. Mag. Call it 3020. At the shot, the elk went a distance of three feet, straight down. He hit it a bit too far back so a second shot was required but the elk wasn't going anywhere. This last January, he used the same rifle and load for his hunt and another three foot straight down drop. Shot this time was 93 yards.
The first couple of days I arried my .280 Rem. with the 160 gr. Speer Grand Slam (old two core style) but switched to my .35 Whelen for the third and last day of the hunt. I shot the 225 gr. TSX FWIW and it too was a one shot kill. I'll most likely take the .280 again next January but will take the Whelen as back up. It's been the luckiest elk rifle I've ever owned.
Paul B.

An important factor not many consider anymore is Sectional Density. I have chosen Bullets of high S.D. for the caliber for my loads when the game is larger than Deer.
In 7mm/280 cal use 150Gr or 160Gr ; Elk won't know the difference when hit !
Bottom line is, The 160 will be more accurate in 9" Twist bbl
150 will be more accurate in 10" Twist bbl. (usually)
I have found the long 175gr bullets need more velocity than an '06 size case will deliver to expand sufficiently. AI or not.
The best balance between bullet weight & velocity with the 280 on Elk, lies with the 150gr or 160gr. IME
Rich

What twist barrel is my Kimber 280 ai? Just curious.

9.5 twist/280AI

Look here.

First batch ready for testing.
150 grain TTSX seated 40 thousanths shy of lands.
H4350 powder
Nosler brass

Curious how it does, ideally would like to run the 150TTSX as well

I loaded with four different powder weights and will work it up those
I will post the chrony results also

Do not discount the 160gr , If you reread this entire thread you will find 85% of the responders,all long time elk hunters recomended the 160gr. do not be dazzled with velocity of lighter bullets, be confident of deep penetration of a bullet with a long shank after maximum expansion.
After you finish testing the 150 , try the 160 with a maximum load of 4350,(worked up of course) you will be surprised with the accuracy. It will also fly flatter to the longer ranges.
good luck,
Rich