Cross-posted from classifieds:

Thinking .280 A.I., but open to other long action cartridges.
For the Zastava action I got from 160user that is waiting at my FFL.
Open to variety of profiles, since I don't yet have a stock for it.
Not urgent; just wanna see what's available.
PM me with possibilities.
Thanks.

You might want to put up a “WTB” (Want To Buy) post in the classifieds?

Thanks. I started there.

The regular .280 Remington will give you everything you want and be less trouble. Also, have you thought about the 7mm WSM? Anyway, Shilen and Boyd are your friends.

I agree, just regular 280 Rem

You know, my gunsmith mentioned the 7 WSM, too. I just wonder if that short, stubby cartridge is going to feed in the Zastava “long action” without causing major headaches. Thanks for chiming in!

7 Mauser works very well. Did one myself on a Zastava a while ago. Plenty of room in the magbox for VLDs and lots of 7mm barrels twisted fast enough to spin them right.

Good stuff. Thanks! I actually have a 7x57 9.5-twist barrel that came of my M98 sporter.

Yes, my Zastava is chambered in 7x57. But the 7WSM will also work in the long action and give you room to sea bullets long. And you can tell your gun smith to give you enough throat to take advantage of the extra room. You can have one hot little number plus the extra velocity of the WSM will help some to stabilize longer heavier bullets than would stabilize with your 1:9.5 twist barrel in 7x57.

Sounds like you’ve BTDT too. I have one AI in .257 Roberts. I get 200-300 FPS gain out of it. However, I didn’t realize there was an RCBS version of improved. If I had it to do over again I might go with it because the sharp shoulder on the Ackley version has caused feeding problems. The RCBS version has less angle on the shoulder and according to an old Hornady loading manual shows to get about the same gain without the feed problems.

Also, I don’t know if I’d go with the .280 Improved at all. I have a regular .280 and I don’t see that much gain with the improved version over the standard .280 Remington. In view of possible feeding or ejection problems with no more gain than I've seen with the improved verson, I think I’d stick with the standard chambering. If you want more performance the WSM or the standard Remington Mag will give you all you need. I like the idea of the WSM because it doesn’t have a belt and it’s performance is so close to the Rem. Mag. it might be worth going with it. And in the Zastava action you have plenty of room to seat bullets long. If he’s worried about whether he’ll have feeding problems his gun smith can give him advice on that. Some gun makers don’t offer a short action and everything is chambered on their one length action.

My 280 AI. Fugly but effective! Commercial FN action.



Shorter barrel but doesn't have near the muzzle blast a 7mm Rem would.

That ain't "fugly," that's classic! Love the Schnabel fore stock look. Just what I'm going for.
Thanks for posting it!

So it seems to me that even if I buy a short-chambered .280 barrel, my gunsmith still needs to finish ream it. So I could entertain acquiring a barrel chambered in 7x57....even 7mm-08, unlikely as that may be. He'd just have to ream it a little more! So if you've got a high quality 7x57 barrel that you'd part with. throw it out there if you like.

Exercise caution when sourcing a 7x57 barrel with the intent to rechamber to 280 or 280 AI. The 7x57 neck is larger than the 280 so the 280 reamer may not clean up the existing chamber neck. Some short chambered barrels are supplied cut with a finish reamer and just need the chamber to be deepened by up to .050”, these will not usually clean up. Other short chambered barrels are cut using a rougher and will be undersized in dimensions, these are usually usable. Check with the supplier first.

I have a 270 and a 308 barrel for a LR Mauser, no 7's. I have a 7 blank - sporter contour. PM if interested

Thanks for the heads up!