I shot the Kimber this morning with Reloader 26, new Nosler brass, Federal 210 match primers and the 160 Accubond.

Velocity measured by LabRadar.

60.0 gr averaged 2935fps, .6 MOA
60.5 gr averaged 2982fps, .74 MOA
61.0 gr averaged 2997fps, .68 MOA
61.5 gr averaged 3046 fps, .3 MOA

Obviously the last load is too hot even though I had no traditional signs of pressure. Bolt handle lifted easily, brass extracted easily, but I have no intention of making the Ackley into a 7mm Remington Magnum. Pity, considering the accuracy with that load.

Temperature was 12 degrees all groups were three shots.

If you had shot the 61.5 at 90F and had the same results, I would've shot a few more groups to verify and then called it very good...

If you had shot the 61.5 at 90F and had the same results, I would've shot a few more groups to verify and then called it very good.

Even allowing for error, QL shows that should be
very safe.

I've gotten unbelievable velocities out of R26 but have yet to find really good accuracy with precision rifles. It'll hunt all day.

I intend to reshoot the first three loads, and play with the OAL.

In my almost 50 years I have never hunted in 90 degree weather, so I have no intention of verifying the loads at that temp.

Novembers tend to be quite a bit cooler where I hunt.

In the 270 with a 150 grain bullet and reloader 26 John Barness, "AKA Mule Deer" noted that as temperature increases velocity decreased by a small margin with reloader 26 and also in some other powders though he didn't mention which ones.




Trystan

That RL26 is looking promising, for certain.

I don't load for that round, but why was the last load "too hot?"

I'm not sure I'd discount the 61.5 gr group. In my 270, I push the 150 NPT to 3040. Shot it today and averaged ~ 3050 using 60.5 gr. For the 270 anyway, velocity is right at the SAAMI listed.

Having said that, I wouldn't sweat the 'lost' 50 ft/sec but a 0.3" group is smoking <G>

Had phenomenal accuracy with IMR 4350, but found it was really slow. Got some RL26 and went up about 200fps with the 145LRX (62gr). Lost some accuracy, but still shooting .5s at 100.

Going to try it with some 150LRABs next time at the range, just for fun, and see how the loads do.

Kimbers dont shoot.

It's all in the powder...

W

Turkish, after seeing a number of "wonder powders" hit the market and the outlandish claims of increased velocity without an increase in pressure I'm skeptical.

My 7mm Rem Mag gets 3050 with 7828SSC. Case capacity being what it is for the Ackley, to get that same velocity must = more pressure.

But perhaps RL26 is all it's cracked up to be. I dunno.

I have loaded all four loads and will see if my results are repeatable when time permits.

That Montana has been an easy rifle to work with, has me considering selling my 7mm WSM.

I would not be afraid to use the 61.5 load at all but would test in warmer weather first. We do hunt in 90 degree weather here. My 280AI with a 25" barrel and R26 will out run my 7RM with 23 inch tube by up to 50 fps. with 160s. With the 175 grain pills the 7RM holds it's lead over the 280AI.

I ran up to 62 & 63 grains before seeing any pressure signs
in the AI with 160s and this was at 90 degrees. Mine is throated long for the 175 gr. Sierra so almost free bored with 160s.

For the 145 LRX Barnes says 55.0 max of IMR4350 is 3034fps, but in the low 40s my 24" Broughton was shooting about 2920fps (and around 2970 in warmer temps) at 55.5gr. With that .5gr over max I was getting .3-.4" on average.

145 LRX and 62.0gr RL26 I was, in the same low 40s, getting around 3120fps and about .5"

Next time at the range going to try the 150LRAB with 60.0-61.5gr and see how those do.

I reshot all 4 loads this morning with the 160 Accubond.

60.0 gr averaged 2943fps, >1.5 MOA
60.5 gr averaged 2970fps, .62 MOA
61.0 gr averaged 2998fps, .70 MOA
61.5 gr averaged 3025fps, .44 MOA

When temps get up into the 50 degree range I intend to load 61.5 load to test. I'm not convinced the load isn't over max, although no traditional signs of pressure.

As Mule Deer has pointed out a number of times this does not mean that load is not over Max.

Two groups of .3 and .4 are not too shabby.

Maybe I won Kimber Roulette? Grins.

I've never played with a 280 or its AI cousin, but the Montana in the chambering is very tempting.

I once again loaded 61.5 gr of RL26 over the 160 accubond.

That makes a total of 7 - 3 shot groups.

Average group size is .668", velocity is 3049.71 fps.

Thursday is supposed to hit high fifties here, if there are still no signs of pressure I'll call it good.

That sounds like a mean, lightweight machine!

I had a 30-06 Ackley a few years ago. It was accurate, but the Ackley cases did not feed very well in my rifle. How do they do in the Kimber?

Given what I found with RL26 in my 270 MT and 150's, I'd absolutely go with the 61.5 gr load and not look back... and I'm a darned conservative handloader.

My guess is the "standard" 280 would run a 160 at 3,000 from a 24" bbl with RL26 at max, but safe pressure.

I truly don't believe you're over max, or necessarily even at max.

R26 just seems to be a magic powder in the mid capacity rounds. Pretty much everyone I know is getting great velocities with less apparent pressures over the old standby powders.

Chet,

no feeding issues what so ever. The action is a bit rough, that will smooth out over time.

Wanna trade?

Brad,

I tend toward the conservative side as well, but hate to leave free velocity on the table if accuracy doesn't degrade.

I'll be shooting her out to 200 and beyond over the next few months.

I definitely think you did. I had a Montana in .280AI and could not get it even close to MOA. The best it ever did was with 160 grain partitions and 7828 ... and it wasn't very good.

It pissed me off. It went away.

Tom

Funny thing....with this rifle most groups with that load are single digits for ES and SD. When the numbers jump to double digits the groups tighten to well sub .5 MOA.

There is nothing with hair on it that is going to know the difference between any of those recipes. Congratulations. "That dog will hunt..."

For comparison sakes.....

In a 700 Ti 280 Ackley 22" barrel, Temps at 55 degrees
my results

Hornady 162 ELD-X
S-B primer
Nosler brass
RL-26 61.5 grains
3,050 average


Barnes 145 LRX
RL-26 63.5
3,236 average

That's pretty darn good, for sure. Only time I ever got single digit ES numbers was with Fed Match Grade primers. It was very interesting seeing how the ES and SD shrunk significantly when going from a 210 or 215 to the Match version of the same primers with no other change in the load.

I've been getting an itch for an 84L in 280ai. This isn't helping!

Last update.

Shot today at 57 degrees.

61.5gr with new brass .936 at 200 yards. Average velocity 3076.


61.5gr with 1x brass (used brass from previous 61.5 load, primer pockets as tight as new) 1.21 at 200 yards. Average velocity 3059.

No signs of pressure.

I'm satisfied.

I'd think so!

It's too bad those 84s don't shoot, eh!?

Picked up my Forbes 280AI just a couple weeks ago. I have 145lrx's on hand just waiting for brass and dies to show up. I have some Hunter on hand but looks like I need to find some RL26. 3200+ is cookin!!

H4831sc...
140 160 Accubonds
cci 200

20 rounds into A INCH at 150... All day long

Stick some Remington 140 grain- 280's in the rifle and make your own brass..

neck size only- case's will not stretch, use a redding competition die seat off the lands 10 or 15 thousand...

The best brass is Norma 280- fire form with 120 grain hornady's and a fast powder min charge weight load. imr 4198 is best- jam the bullet into the lands..

Best rifle round period..

You will never trim brass again- after 15 shots per case I retire them just to be safe- I have never had a case fail in this rifle...

I have a 1:10 twist PAC-nor SS competition, 24 inch, fluted #4 on a Remington 700 action which started life as a 30-06..

2 lb trigger, glass bedded Bell and Carlson stock..

Enjoy your 280 ackley and welcome to the club...

IMR 7977 is working very well also but H4831sc is the holy grail for my rifle... It will drop anything you shoot with it- one round is all it takes and the 160 grain is a hammer of Thor on elk...

signed
an old cranky Army Pilot

I believe the 280 Ackley is the most performance that works in a 6-6.5# rifle. The bestest mostest for that weight. I want one.

Last week I ordered a Ti 700 clone. Add a Proof 22" barrel. Hummm!

Dang

Awesome!

Will second that and add that I am sure I wouldn't want anymore performance in a 6# rifle...

Appreciate the RL26 info, Gents. Looks interesting--like a candidate for the 280 case as well...

That sounds like it is really performing! Can't beat that! Congrats on the rifle and load.

Rick, your new one sounds like it'll be pretty danged nice..

NYrifleman,
How did you come up with your starting load? I found a pound of RL26 that I would like to try with 160s ABs and 162 ELD. Accurate with IMR4831 but could always do better. If RL26 burns about like R22 and is temp stable this might do it.

I think I might need to purchase quickload.

The Nosler Manual lists a max load of 61.5 with the 160 Accubond and IMR7828.

There were also threads on LRH which worked up to 61.0 RL26 and the 160 Accubond.

After reading the thread on the 270 and the 150 Partition I decided to begin with 59.0 RL26 and work up from there.

The 59.0 and 59.5 loads were anemic. The rest are published above.

The 61.5 load is a shooting SOB in my rifle.

Thanks NYrifle. Will give it a whirl.
Thinking that this powder might work well with the new 300 WM that is on the way too.

I'd try it with the 200 grain heavies in the .300 Win. I wonder how it would perform with the 200 Partition.

Yep, you're done.

Congrats on the nice combo.

Sadly, I'm not getting anywhere near that velocity out of my 7 SAUM with RL26 with 160 grain Accubonds.

Oh...That was the plan
Thanks for your help and congrats on the rifle and load!
I'm really curious now!

Thanks Scott!

Now you've got me thinking.

I've been working with an .300 Win M-70 Classic Stainless, 24" barrel.

And I have a pile of 200 grain Partitions on the shelf.

From SnipersHide

"I have used 70 gr r-26 in my 300 wm and am able to get 3035 with the 215 hybrids. I got up to 3080ish with heavier bolt lift and an ejector swipe. I am seated out to 3.710 oal length roughly or 2.95 to the ogive. Same powder charge of h1000 got me 2950ish. I was able to get it down to an es of 18 with a ad of 8 which I think is good enough for the sendero sf ii for me.I have shot a .4 group at best but usually am around .6ish. With about a 3.25 in group at 560. Haven't been able to take it farther yet.The speeds were taken with a magneto speed. I don't use quick load to know what pressure I'm running but I have 3 reloads in nosler brass and all primer pockets are still tight with no bulge above the belt."

He's using a longer mag box. Partitions have a shorter bearing surface I'd assume? Start around 68.0 and work up from there?

I would bet on Partitions having a longer bearing surface than a Hybrid and would probably start lower than that.

Sounds like a nice combo in your 280 AI Montana. That rifle makes a lot of sense.

Tanner

Here is the Std 280 Rem with RL 26 loads

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11898228/Re:_280_Remington_RL_26_160_-1#Post11898228

Excellent post, thanks to all! I built a LH defiance with bartlien barrel , bedding now and started loading , I'll report when done!

You should do both.....soon.

That's what I'd do.

The 280 is an outstanding round. I had a Model 700 re-barrel with a match grade stainless 24" # 4, Fluted Pac-Nor, 1-10 twist- 3 years ago...
The Action lug and first inch of barrel shank is glass bedded into a Aluminum action based Bell and Carson Stock...

To date I have fired an estimated 980 rounds...

6 deer 7 hogs- one shot DRT Kills- 87 to 328 yard shot's... Scope is a Luepode 2x12x42 VI ..

The Rifle shoot's sub .5", 5 round groups all day at 150 yards with Sierra's, Nosler's or Hornady's with H4831SC...

I once shot a 35 round string into 1.1 inch at 150 yards- opened vertically a bit, due to a very gusty tail wind...

140's average is 3180 fps
150's average is 2990 fps
160's average is 2905 fps

Could load these hotter- but why?

I think the totality of the awesomeness is lost on most here.

Best rifle round period!!

I don’t care who you are, that right there was funny...

Tag for starting RL26 loads

I have one of these riles too. I need to start to figure out what it likes... if anything

Tag for pharmseller’s 12.5 million accubond 160s …

280 AI 24" LH Forbes rebarreled by Melvin Peterson brass less capacity than RP copied and pasted from reloading notes 100 yards CCI 200 primer

CCI 200 Peterson new 280 AI RL 26 60 GR 2923 FPS Nosler 160 AB 3 @ .9" 3 @1.1" Good load reshoot 3 @ .865 1/2 turn in! load some more same OAL


CCI 200 Peterson new 280 AI RL 26 60.5 GR 2935 FPS Nosler 160 AB 3 @ 1.08" RL 26 not as much recoil faster?? 3 @ 1.9" 1/2 turn in

I bought a custom 700 that a gunsmith started. I put in an old Kevlar stock I had lying around. I’ve found RE 26 to be the most accurate powder in my 300 Win Mag and my 300 Weatherby mag’s shooting 200 grain partitions. I have some bullets in the weight class you mentioned. I’m more of a smallest possible group guy rather than a highest possible velocity guy. But with the 300’s the loads are top loads.

you'd think Alliant would make more of it

Tag