Very excited to get this back from Redneck. Redneck was nothing short of a class act. Can't wait to shoot it!

Model 70 Classic Stainless (acquired donor rifle here on 24HC)
Lilja #3, 1" shank turned to 1.135" diameter to fit stock, finished at 23.75"
McMillan Winchester Hunter, Edge Fill (acquired here on 24HC)
Leupold 4.5-14x40
8lbs 3oz, scoped and empty

Looking good! Hope it shoots....

Great looking rifle!!

Nice build!! That's a nice looking 70.

Now that is darn nice....waaaaaaaaaaay better than the typical flavour of the week 700 in 280AI, I know cuz I have one...but I do have a Pre'64 M70 in the standard 280 to even things out...:-)


Again, nice build.

Very nice rig and put together by a man that knows M70's.We just put that same stock on my son's p64 64 M70 .270 fwt build, it's a nice setup.
The 280 AI's a great round...enjoy!

Had E. R. Shaw do a push feed M70 for my brother 3 yrs. ago in the same chambering with their 1 1/2 contour barrel in the Winchester wood stock. He loves it. I'm sure you will love yours, too.

what caliber was it before you changed it?

Wow man that is a gorgeous rifle in a great a cartridge; if she shoots half as good as she looks you'll be in 7th Heaven!

Why would that matter?

Beautiful rifle, I have had an almost identical rifle for the past 18 years. 280AI built on a Mod 70 CRF action, #3 contour barrel finished at 23", Leupold 3.5x10x40 scope. I added an Edge stock last year to lighten it up. You will love your new rifle. Good hunting.

Hope it shoots as good as my Redneck built .280AI! It throws 140 gr. AB's into bugholes with regularity - Lee does great work. Congrats!

Turned out very nicely

Thanks, guys. It was a 30-06 in a gray laminated stock.

Very nice build. What you going to feed it?

For hunting: 140 BT & 150 LRAB, assuming they shoot well.
For plinking, 150 match kings.

Very nice! This might be the best looking hunting firearm I have seen posted on 24hour --- great assortment of parts. Please let us know how it shoots.

JP

wouldn't matter to the OP. Would matter to me as to my private opinion of what I thought of the deal.

What's that? A private opinion on things you've never done, cartridges you've never owned, and game you've never hunted.

Awfully high praise. Probably undeserved, but I'll take it. Thanks.

I have a M70 EW in the same stock...it's the best feeling rifle/stock combo in my collection. You're going to fall in love with that one.

Wow great job right there. So what are you going to do with all your other rifles now?

Regards,

Mog

The topics of politics or taxes obviously didn't come up in your discussions. (I'm kidding, of course)

Well done - I like that one a lot!

Very nice rig. I really like the way it turned out.

Range report.....
I decided I'd break this rifle in by working up a general plinking load. Based partly on availability I started with the 150 grain Sierra MatchKing. I used RL22 and H4831sc. I haven't shot two groups with the same powder charge yet. After 10 3 shot groups, the average group size is just under an inch @ 100 yards. H4831sc has produced better results with 60.5 grains resulting in the group below.

Just scratching the surface, but happy with the early results.

Nice!

Very Nice Rig!!! Hoping to start a new build myself in the next month or so and trying to decide on the contour, Do you know what the muzzle diameter is on your Barrel? Thanks

It is crowned at 23.75" and is 0.650" at the muzzle.

Thanks drano

Any updates on how well this rifle is shooting?

Lee is top-notch!

Sure.

It likes 140 grain ballistic tips and RL22


It is particularly fond of the 62.0 grain charge.


It was ready to go on opening morning in November, accounting for 2 of these 3.


Job site...


I've just started tinkering with RL23 as well as some 150 LRABs. The RL22 load was pretty temp sensitive. Load work was done @ 65*, 3149 fps average for the 62.0 gr charge. Chrono'd again @ 35* and average was 3040ish. I'm hoping RL23 will maintain accuracy but be more consistent.

I have 3 shot group sizes from 26 different loads, combination of 3 bullets, 3 powders & various charge weights. The average group size of those 26 loads is 0.91". Not too shabby...

I have a 280 AI being built. Will be my second. Last one shot well. Hoping for great with this one. Yours is obviously a fantastic shooter.

My 280 AI loves 63 gr N165 with 140 AB's.

Mine is partial to 7828 with 150's, for what it's worth.

Nice !

Is that the stock that was here a month or two ago? I damn near bought it for my old M70 in 280ai.

Mine from RN shoots everything pretty well but loves 150 BT's over H4831 and 120TTSX's over H4350. I love the round. Fun and easy.

IMR 4350 with 150 TTSX

Agreed.

Charge weight?

Thanks for the update sir.

I liked the OP rifle results from Redneck so much, I asked him to build me one today as well. This would be my second 280 AI in current production. (Please do not tell my wife). The Redneck build will be a 700 action with a Bartlein #3 barrel, Timney trigger and a Manners eh3 stock. Looking forward to this gun. The blank is 26" and .650 @ the muzzle. Not sure how long to leave the barrel. Also Redneck asked how long to leave the shank in front of the recoil lug. My other 280ai will have a slightly lighter 24" barrel. (#3 Hart).

Slick setup!

Lee will do you right!

My opinion on barrel length would be 24" max. The Bart #3 already has some heft compared to other #3s. I wanted to go 23", Lee recommended 24". We settled on 23" from forward face of the receiver which is ~23.75". No regrets. Balance is great and velocity is all I expected.

Shanks start looking odd to me if they are much over an inch, and they really aren't doing anything for you.

My opinions, they're worth every penny you paid for them.

Good luck with the builds.