280 Ackley barrel choice

[TrapperBR549]

Back story:
In 1981 my dad decided he needed to build his idea of an ideal hunting rifle. He bought a pre'64 M70 action, Schilen #2 barrel and chambered it in 280 Rem. He went with a 22" barrel. In 1982 we went on a bear hunt and he killed one with the rifle and loads I worked up for it. Hard telling how many whitetails he killed with it. He passed last year and I have the rifle now.
My wife and I are going to Montana in November for elk (if we draw) and I was thinking a 280 AI would be a good balance of ballistics and recoil for her.
I called the gunsmith that originally put it together. He still had his records and told me all of the components which I thought was cool and it was a great visit. Anyway, we discussed that there wouldn't really be enough benefit to just reaming the 22" existing barrel and have decided to rebarrel it.
So the obvious question is, what configuration? I am leaning towards a 24" with a break to help with recoil. The gunsmith really wants me to go with 26".
Next question is twist. I think we would like to stay in the 165-175grn range so, 1 in 9"?
Thanks!

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

1-9" twist will work great for that range weight of bullets. - I shoot 180's in a 1-9" twist with no troubles what-so-ever.

 

[std7mag]

A 24" with brake added should put total length almost 26".
Not a Eastern woods gun by any means.

But the 24" should help out some in the velocity area, the biggest reason to go Ackley Improved.

1:9 twist will do up through the 180gr class bullets.

 

[Murray Brook]

Not so sure that hunting with a break is a good idea unless hearing protection is being used. I shot one of my rifles with out the break once and it hurt real bad. JME

 

[Walt Krafft]

Most of the 280ai rifles I have built had 9 twist 26 inch barrels.

 

[358WCF]

If it was mine it would wear a 25 or 26" bbl. without a brake. I realize it's subjective but 280s dont recoil much especially with winter hunting clothes. YMMV, but you asked.

I run all of my Ackleys on the warm side. They seem happiest there.

 

[jplahr]

I had my 280 Ackley built about 25 years ago with a Lilja #4 barrel in a 10 twist and 26" long. My plan was to shoot 140 gr bullets with it. It has server me very well only shot 1 elk the rest deer. I think with the bullets you have today you don't need a heavy bullet for hunting a 140-150 is plenty. If i would rebarrel mine I would get a Bartlein # 3 in a 9 twist and make it 26". Yes you can use a break when you are working up a load but they will damage you ear when your hunting.

 

[ChrisNZ]

Agree with many of the comments above, especially bbl length, twist rate and bullet weight.

Here's my 280AI built around a pre-64 action I got from my now deceased gunsmith. Fitted a 26" 9-twist Bartlein, got in a Boyd's laminate as weight wasn't an issue and fitted a 3.5-18 Z5 Swaro. Settled on 150 LRAB doing 3130 and it certainly does the biz on red and sika deer. Due for another workout this coming weekend

 

[jnm300ultra]

You should be fine with a 1-9 for 165-175 grain bullets. I also shoot Berger 184 hybrid in a 1-9 F class rifle. As far as barrel length 24”or 26” plus break difference is only 25 FPS my guess. I’m in the process of building a 280 Ackley also. I’m going with a 1-8 because I want to shoot Hammer bullets and want a fast twist. The bullet weight of the mono are from 169-177. My build will be a Defiance Anti action, Bartlin 1-8 24”or 26” carbon fiber 4 weight and a 2 port Gill break, Ag Composite Visigoth, Trigger Tech special, Talley rings and a VX6 Leupold 3-18x50. Good luck with your build.
Jason

 

[geralton4]

Make it 32".....that way it'll have alot more velocity than a 270.

 

[59FLH]

If it was my dad's rifle, unless it was broken I would shoot it as a 22" Schilen #2 barreled 280.

 

[Sniper338]

You got 2 things going here with this cartridge. An AI shoulder to reduce case growth, and gain more boiler room to increase velocity.

To take advantage of them both you need the longer barrel. It makes no since to gain more boiler room and push the case harder then have a short barrel.

Personally id do a 28 inch barrel for this round to take advantage of it all. This isn't a cartridge to short barrel. Much better routes to go if barrel length bothers you.

Then again you can go 28 and always have it cut and reckoned if its too long. But why not get the full potential for the money spent every firing...

If you want a shorter barrel though in the end no one can stop you from setting it up how you want. Ive done several short barrels for specific reasons.

 

[JEFFPPC]

All the above is open to individual preference. This is not, be sure it fits her with heavy clothes PLUS coat. Odds are stock needs cut. Actually, a big percentage of guys hunting in cold weather are shooting a rifle that dies not fit them properly.

 

[HandgunHTR]

I am not sure I would change it at all. A standard .280 will kill elk just fine. Work up a load with 160 grain Nosler Partitions and go hunt elk.

 

[Gtscotty]

I am not sure I would change it at all. A standard .280 will kill elk just fine. Work up a load with 160 grain Nosler Partitions and go hunt elk.

This, I've only killed four elk, but the barrel lengths I've used ranged from 18.5" -22", I see no reason to go any longer unless you're using something like a RUM and really trying to break range records. I've considered a .280 AI, but it would probably be an 18"-20" since it would be run suppressed all the time, 22"-24"(tops) if I didn't hunt suppressed.

Shorter barrels lose a lot less velocity than most would assume, until you get under about 20". You'll hear that you have to go "blank" length to get the most out of "x" cartridge, but what does that really mean? What's the real impact of losing the 50fps from 24"-26", or even the 100fps from 22"-26"? You could lose most of that lucking into a slow barrel. The main benefits to me of the .280 AI would be a faster twist for heavier bullets, and the 65ksi MAP over the 60 ksi map of the .280 (both of which help at any barrel length). Given that you'd be using the same action, if the existing barrel will handle the bullet weights you want to use (I do think heavier bullets are usually a good move), I'd just load it up how you want and move on. Most folks use a decent range finder and a scope with some kind of holdover reticle anyway "flat shooting" doesn't mean too much if you know your range and hold overs.

The single best thing you can do to get ready is start your leg strength and cardio regime now.

 

[lh leggtowner]

I shoot a 26” , 9” twist, bartlein. I shoot long range with 175 matchkings. I think if I were to build a hunting rig I would go 24” barrel, 9” twist, #3 or 3b contour. Good luck.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

I am not sure I would change it at all. A standard .280 will kill elk just fine. Work up a load with 160 grain Nosler Partitions and go hunt elk.

For a woman or any small frame shooter,.. go with, a 22" to 24" barrel and the std .280 with, a 140 - 150 grain AccuBond or, Partition as, it's PLENTY for, Elk at, most, "reasonable" ranges. The 160 Partitions are "nice" for sure,.. but just MORE, recoil, that she WON'T, like ! A Metric Chit Ton of Elk have been killed with 130's in a .270 Win !
And SKIP, the Brake for Hunting ! One forgetful Moment with, NO Plugs in = a Lifetime of Tinnitus !
When putting together, a woman or Kids Gun, STOP thinking like,.. a BIG,. Man !
She will need to sight in and practice Field positions over Stix, shooting, quite a bit, to be Proficient !
Gun weight, Balance and "Fit" is paramount, as stated in above posts and even more so for, a Woman !

 

[AckleymanII]

I had a remington 700 RS for a long time in 280, shot a load right out of the Nosler Manual #4 of IMR 7828, Fed 210, 160g partition at 2930 fps out of a 24" barrel. I now have an AI with a 27", 9T bbl and shoot the 175g LRAB at 2900 with IMR 7828, Formed Lapua 30/06 brass.

Gentry muzzle breaks throw the sound forward.