muleman69
USMC -1st marine Div. RVN
IMR4831
Regular 280 or 280 AI
- Thread starter Swampbuck
- Start date
I picked up a Kimber hunter in 280 AI and at 7.3 LBS scoped.(3-18x44 VX6) shooting nosler brass i am really liking it. I think as a hunting round i can do the nosler brass as i hope it is years before i have to buy any more. As a target rifle not.
But as it is of late the Kimber rifle quality is poor. but i liked the rifle well enough and the weight of it at the price point so i rubbed and worked on it some and have had it shooting 1 1/4" 3 shot groups at 200 yards with a 162 at 3,000 FPS.
I think i am really going to like it.
But as it is of late the Kimber rifle quality is poor. but i liked the rifle well enough and the weight of it at the price point so i rubbed and worked on it some and have had it shooting 1 1/4" 3 shot groups at 200 yards with a 162 at 3,000 FPS.
I think i am really going to like it.
JEFFPPC
Gold $$ Contributor
I have shot .280's since long before they where cool. Never went to AI because I saw no need. Quite a few 500-600 yd whitetail and mule deer kills, long of 722 yd. on a 20 in. 8pt Pa whitetail. All have been 1 shot kills. I have used 139 Spire Points, 140 Ballistic Tips, and 160 Speer SPBT with a very healthy dose of H4831SC or R19.
well there is nothing wrong with a 280 rem actually one of the finest hunting rounds out there. What i have been told by a few guys is the 280 AI is a 7 mag with out the belt. now velocity can vary with 7 mags i have owned three 7 mags two with 24" barrels and one with 26". And a good 7 mag with a 26" barrel can push a 160 class bullet to 3,150 to 3,200 FPS. The 280 AI can push a 160 class bullet out of a 24"barrel around 3,050 FPS so it is close to a 7 mag. But several guys have stated a 280 AI is the best cartridge power wise for a light weight hunting rifle with a 24" barrel and that maybe true. I have seen the 162-168 7mm bullets at 3,050 FPS drop a few whitetails with some authority. Although i have dropped quite a few with a 6mm 105. The recoil from my 7.3 lbs 280 AI pushing a 162 ELD-x at 3,000 FPS is not like the recoil from a 7 mag at all. So far i am pleased with 280 AI and i know how it works in the field. GOOD!
muleman69
USMC -1st marine Div. RVN
WOW, 12 reloads thats great. What is your load and how is the accuracy?
muleman69
USMC -1st marine Div. RVN
My Buddy bought a Kimber in the mt. Acent and topped it with the Saworski ,just right at #6.5 what a nice set up.I here you on the quality but it is what it is these days. Sure made a nice package as the mountains around here are not getting any flatter.....lol
I have predominantly run ADI2217 (H1000) - I've been running 59.8gr which nets me 2850fps out of a 32" Bartlein, 1:8.5 twist. ES of 14 and SD of 5 over 5 shots. Accuracy is acceptable but not mind blowing. I've got even better ES and SD running ADI2213sc (H4831) at 10 and 4 respectively (57.5gr). Again accuracy is acceptable but not brilliant. Both powders/loads are mild in terms of pressure. I'm going to give H4350 a go when I'm home next month as I suspect that powder will produce greater accuracy. My goal isn't to reach max speeds with this rifle, if I wanted higher velocity I'd build a 7SAUM. H4350 will still get me to 2850 without problems and given it has been used in a world championship winning rifle or two ranging between 284s and 7SAUMs, it should work nicely in the 280AI as the case is similar to the SAUM in terms of capacity.
Should have nice calm conditions next month (NSW, Australia) so I'll get an accurate picture of which powder/load produces the best accuracy.
Well RL 26 seems to be accurate in the 280AI. I have read several guys getting 3,050 to 3,080 with 162s out of 24” barrels. I only have like 26 rounds through a ultra light hunting rifle and I got 3/4 moa. At 3,000 3,025 and seems to be a light load no pressure at all and I hope my barrel picks up 50 FPS or so after I get 150 rounds on it. But it would seem what I have heard about the guys shooting 26 in the 280 AI is true. I haven’t even tried to push it and I don’t think I will
gunman870
Silver $$ Contributor
Sorry to drudge up an older post, but I was going to pose this exact question to the group so instead of reinventing the wheel, I'll simply add a few tidbits and see if I can illicit the answers I'm looking for! My build purpose will be for a designated hunting rifle, yes, it will get some range time, but, not for any extended periods of time past the sighting, and load development routines. I would like this to primarily be a "deer" sized game rifle, but, elk are possibly on the list as well. I have another "elk" designated rifle, so for comparisons sake, let's stick to whitetail and mule deer. I have some (fairly limited) experience with AI rounds. What I have been around are all smaller varmint calibers and I have been a fan of them so far. Now, in a larger caliber, I assume I will experience an increase in velocity as well as a little better case life as with the smaller calibers. Knowing I would likely experience shorter barrel life with the AI is not much of a concern as this rifle will hopefully last many years due to it's relatively low volume use. My questions are, simply based on the slight velocity increase of the AI version, would my effective range likely be increased? Enough to make that a determining factor (knowing full well it's as much the competency of the shooter as anything to determine effective range) Would there be a noticeable benefit in either caliber between barrel lengths of say 22, 24, or 26". Much longer tends to seem cumbersome as a "hunting rifle" but, would 28, or 30" show enough benefit to be considered? I intend to use Berger's in either case, given their idiosyncrasies as far as seating depth etc, is one caliber more or less forgiving and easier to tune in? I don't mind working diligently to come up with the "perfect" round, but if one is noticeably easier than the other isn't a bad thing. Hopefully somewhere in there you can extrapolate my questions and lend me some guidance, my obliged. Roman!
If you are just going to be using the rifle for hunting, a 280AI is not a necessity in my opinion. If it was F-class...different story. There's going to be a few fps difference for every 2" you knock off the barrel. I don't know what speeds you're looking for or how far you want to make a killshot, but 52 gr of H4350 in my 280AI (32" Bartlein, 180gr Berger VLD) nets me an av speed of 2808fps with single digit ES and SD. 57.5gr of H4831SC gets me 2850fps with no pressure and 59.8gr with H1000 gets me 2850fps with no pressure - All with single digit ES and SD. For your purposes I'd be looking long and hard at Berger's 168gr VLD, that's a damn fine bullet and will knock over your intended game. With the shorter barrel, if you can get your hands on H4350, I'd try that powder first. It doesn't give me the highest velocity, but I am getting outstanding accuracy. If I was going to hunt with a 280, I'd run a 26 barrel, but that's just me.
Well a test of ADI2209 (H4350) netted some surprising results last weekend. Conditions were horrendous with a 40-50kmph headwind, but 52gr of 2209 netted me an average speed of 2808fps, down on my ADI2217 load, but with an ES of 4 and SD of 1.5 over 5 shots, the result on target at 400 metres was tighter than anything else I've tried with next to no vertical despite the wind going haywire. Expecting calmer conditions this weekend so I'll run this load again over Berger 180gr VLDs to confirm.
Look forward to seeing some results..
gunman870
Silver $$ Contributor
I have pretty well confirmed in my little mind that I'll be going with the 280 AI. That was mostly my intention the whole way, but thought I had better consider the old tried and true as well. I'm looking pretty hard at a 168 Berger bullet for hunting, and am wondering about twist rate? Appears Berger recommends 1 in 10 or faster for that class bullet. I'm obviously not dead set on that bullet incase it doesn't perform like I would hope, but would likely not go much heavier. I'd say ideal range by weight would be 140-175. I know that's a fairly large spread, and realistically by available hunting bullets I could conceivably close that down to closer to 160-175. I am leaning towards 1 in 9 to help on the heavier end, would there be much conceivable difference between 9 and 10 twist rate with around that 160-168 bullet range?
I'd play it safe and just get a 1:9 twist mate.
2209 (H4350) is definitely the powder for my rifle. While 2217 will work, it took a bit more effort and 2209 in the end proved surprisingly easy to work. Shot a nice little group yesterday at 500 metres, sub 3.5 inches for 10 shots with excellent vertical given I was working with a tailwind. I'll probably end up using my remaining 2217 for fireforming or running in new barrels down the track and stick with 2209 for pure accuracy loads.
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Nice group there mate, it’s good when you find a clear winner that leaves you with no doubt about which direction to go.. I’ve had nothing but good consistent results with 2209 in my 284 also, glad it’s worked for you.. happy days
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