280 ACKLEY IMPROVED

[Big Bob]

I AM CONSIDERING BUYING A NEW RIFLE IN A 280 Ackley IMPROVED.
A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE HAS ONE AND HE CONSIDERS IT TO BE FANTASTIC.
I DO A LOT OF TARGET SHOOTING BUT AM BUYING IT TO MAINLY DEER HUNT IN GEORGIA.
ACCURACY IS MY OBSESSION.
I HAVE BEEN THINKING OF BUYING A NOSLER CUSTOM RIFLE AS THEY GUARANTEE 1/2 INCH GROUPS AND HAVE CERAKOTE AND MICROSLICK WHICH WILL MAKE IT GREAT RIFLE TO USE IN THE RAIN.
I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE ON MY CHOICE OF CALIBER AND CHOICE OF RIFLE.
MANY THANKS, BIG BOB

 

[bheadboy]

from Ga, hunted there all my life then shifted west,

the 2 280AI which i have experience with have been outstanding, you dont need more than a 140 at 3140fpx to take a Ga deer over a bean field. a good 700 hart bbl 9 twist will shoot in the .300's

they will take a lot of meatout if you hunt woods, i have taken mulie out to 400 they drop, period.

by the time you buy a factory custom you can have a 700 trued bbled and stocked that shoots better, just my experience.

Bob

 

[Big Bob]

BHEADBOY,

WHAT GUNSMITH WOULD YOU HAVE BUILD A RIFLE LIKE THE ONE YOU DESCRIBED ?

THERE AREN'T ANY QUALITY GUNSMITHS HERE.

BOB

 

[BigDMT]

by the time you buy a factory custom you can have a 700 trued bbled and stocked that shoots better, just my experience.

Bob

+ 1 to that gospel. No sense in paying all that money for a rifle when you can have a good smith put one together for half the price and shoot every bit as good, if not better.

The 280 Ackley is an excellent choice for any deer hunting, long or short range. Pretty good round for even bigger game like elk too given the use of a good tough bullet.

 

[jsthntn247]

I just traded for a 280 ai today. It's in the gun oven right now with some fresh cerakote curing. It's a rem action, 24" rock #3 contour, mcmillan rem hunter stock. Should weigh 8lb when I put the scope on. You should be able to get a similar one built for 1500-1700.

 

[bheadboy]

Bib Bob

i had Bobby Hart of R W Hart & son, nescopeck pa do the job, i provided a salvaged 700bdl, with trigger and a high tech stock, they did the rest, the reamer is the same as Redding uses so no problem with dies (this is the half of the Hart rifle bbl family that started the bbl making wih Mike Walker Clyde Hart and Robert Hart back in the 60's)

they have built BR, Sil, PD, hunting rifles including xps, sleeved 600, 40x, 700, in calibers from 221,222,222m, 22-250,7br,708AI, 280AI 300wm and all hunters were consistant under .350 shooter, the others under .200

They are supurbe, never a rifle from them that was not one very very small bug hole.

call 570) 752-3655 and tell them Bob Browne said hello.

Bob

 

[areaone]

A thought. Get a Tikka T3 in a 270, 7/08 or similar. Best Bang for the Buck. Have a 270 and will print cloverleaf three shot groups. Great trigger, free floated barrell and smooth action. Great price. If you need a 280 AI have a smith ream out the chamber on a 7/08 and use a long magazine. All Tikka have a long action regardles of caliber. T3 lite is a handy little gun. Before spending 1500-2000 on a custom, try a Tikka for around 650.00, smith could ream the chamber for around 200. M/L. to a 280 AI if that is required.

 

[expiper]

watch out when "reaming" out a 7/08 chamber,,,its larger at the .200 line than the 280/06/etc dims,,,,it will work but will be "loose" and "could/will" cause sizing problems and maby prematurily loose primer pokets,,, I use a similar worthless bbl/chamber to FF my 7/07 wildcat,,,,the cases dont swell at .200" when using shotgun powder and t-p ,,,but if I try to use full power loads the ctgs will not size or chamber properly in a chamber properly cut with the correct methods,,,,,,just sayin,,,,Roger

 

[areaone]

How about reaming to 284 win or a 284 Shehane, almost identical to 280 and 280 AI, since you have a long action OAL is not a problem for seating bullets, Just an idea....Better yet settle for a .270 and enjoy.

 

[roadkill61]

I agree with areaone. Buy a Tika T3 stainless in 270 or 7-08 and go kill any Georga whitetail.

 

[bheadboy]

heard it said, "if you think/know you may need a mule,dont buy a horse

build a 700
Bob

 

[WindSurgeon]

First, great deer caliber. Can't go wrong.

Second, a good Friend owns a Nosler custom from Nosler in this caliber and also a Kimber as his back up rifle (although I don't get the point of that). They shoot equally well and look similar. Nosler included the Leupold custom scope and he has a similar set up with the Kimber.

The Nosler cost around $4000+, the Kimber around $2000. If you are in the market for the "finest" rifle in this caliber these are the way to go. Truthfully, he gets frustrated that my Tikka 30.06 shoots as well out of the box and cost a fraction of the Nosler (and Kimber). I am a "value" guy and don't care about the cost of a hunting rifle so long as it puts a bullet within an inch at 200 yards (as does my Tikka and some other guns in the cabinet).

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Love the 280AI!! My all time favorite hunting round. There are lots of reasons for someone liking a given cartridge, and there are plenty of good ones, but please tell me what's not to like about the 280AI, for the reloader.
Price on the Nosler or Kimber rifles are more than you'd have to spend on a custom, though.--Mike

 

[expiper]

me personally would rather use components from the various mfg. to construct my own version of a "premium" hunting rig,,,,Kelbly action,,krieger bbl,jewell trigger,,etc etc,,,I would never spend 4000$ on a Nosler or whatever "custom".,,,,,Just my $ .02...Roger

 

[Big Bob]

expiper,

I don't know how to build a rifle.
If I did I would.

Bob

 

[expiper]

HI Bob....call Kelblys,,,,their price on a turnkey rifle will pleasantly suprise you,,,,Roger

 

[Elkbane]

Big Bob,
I just went the same route you were considering - looking for an all-weather good quality hunting rifle - ended up purchasing a pre-owned but unfired Nosler TGR in 280AI. The one I bought has the mid-weight barrel, not the light weight contour. I put a Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x44 with Z800 reticle on it in Leupold bases and rings.

After mounting scope and minimal break-in (like 10 rounds), it's shooting Nosler factory ammo, the 150 gr Nosler Accubond LR load, into one hole at 100 yards (3 shot groups, repeated twice). Shot an elk in WY this fall with it. I bought it with the intent of loading the new 168Accubond LR bullets, but that will have to wait until the season is over - it's shooting great with factory ammo. In fact, this is the first rifle I've ever owned that shot factory ammo really well, not just OK. The construction and workmanship on the rifle is first rate - just a really solid rifle. If you go that route, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
ELkbane

P.S. I'm in GA east of Atlanta. If you are close by and want to look at the rifle, shoot me a PM.

Good luck getting a decent custom rifle built for what I paid for this one. I've got almost as much into some of my customized Savages than what a Nosler TGR costs new.....the other option I was considering was a Cooper Excaliber, but found this one first.

 

[dave7mm]

Hi Bob,

I had my first 280 AI built by Nelson Berger back in 1986.
I ran 140g Nosler Ballistic Tips over 64g of H4831 for an average speed of 3140fps.
I carried that rifle all over NA and Canada and never had a complaint.
Do your home work and build the rifle you want.
Its all about what you want.
Factory rifles are just that.Built in a factory.
They may be very accurate.But are not built to your personal specs.
Need that name of a good smith give me a PM.
dave

 

[jsthntn247]

Just finished load development on mine and settled on 64 grains of n560 with a 140 accubond. Shot a nice little group in the .2's at 3220 fps.

 

[ce72]

Big Bob,
Joe Collier built my 280 ai in Millen ,GA . One of the most accurate guns I have ever owned. He also built about 10 others for other people with the same results . If you are in GA , you are around some of the best gunsmiths in the country; Collier , Jared from APA, Robert Gradous , just to name a few .
Chip