280 Ackley

[Chad280]

My rifle is getting built and im looking for folks that shoot the 280 Ackley. What are you getting for accuracy and what loads are you using? If you have pictures of your groups please post them.

Im getting my rifle set to shoot the 160 - 175 grain bullets.

 

[shadrac]

dont know that this helps but im shooting 140 vld with imr 4831 and the gun will shoot 1/4 inch groups, mine is built on remington action with schnieder 26" barell

 

[bheadboy]

I have built 2 both 26" Hart 700 trued, and both shot in the .300s with 140nbt and 140 sbt velocity in the 3125 and no pressure sign, cases last for ever - will go 3250 but groups open up, 160's just under 3000 and also in the .400s
h 4831 and 4350 were the powders I settled on.

an absolutely great round.

Bob

 

[L.Sherm]

I used RL22 in 2-280AI with 140's it's a little unstable but both are pushing 3200FPS with 24" barrels shooting in the .400's at a hundred yards with 140NP's. The new RL 23 or 25 might be better with the heavier bullet's.

 

[Sheldon N]

From load development on my 280AI with the Berger 180 Hybrids. Load was a fairly conservative 59.7g H1000, CCI200 Primer, Remington Brass, 5 and 10 thou off the lands with an OAL around 3.64", velocity 2810fps out of a 25.5" barrel.

 

[Terry_M]

Would RL 26 be a good powder for this round with 175gr projectiles?

 

[L.Sherm]

I would give it a try with that weight of bullet.

 

[msinc]

I also just recently got my hands on my first 280AI...it's a Kimber Mountain Ascent. I wont be posting any pictures of any groups too soon though, this thing is a real challenge to shoot being so light in weight. It's hard to hold still and it raps the old shoulder pretty good. I can get some around an inch if I really do my part. Every other rifle I own has a heavy barrel and some weight to it. Haven't had time or weather good enough to work up any loads yet so I will be following this post.

 

[Chad280]

That is some impressive groups Sheldon! I can only hope for that.

 

[Chad280]

Anyone have 7mm vld's? If you have a 168 vld and a 180 vld would you mind measuring the two lengths and what is the length difference from the two?

 

[L.Sherm]

msinc, that is exactly why I will not own a really light rifle anymore. I will carry a couple extra pounds just because of that, If i am gonna worry about 2 extra pounds i will go on a diet and loose 2 pds.

 

[Sheldon N]

Anyone have 7mm vld's? If you have a 168 vld and a 180 vld would you mind measuring the two lengths and what is the length difference from the two?

Here's everything you need for all the Berger bullet measurements.

http://www.bergerbullets.com/pdf/Quick-Reference-Sheets.pdf

 

[GSP.JM.280]

I just finished my custom 280AI about 6 months ago it has a 27.5" barrel on a Remington 700 action. I am shooting 180gr sierra matchkings at 2950fps showing no pressure signs and grouping about 0.5" at 300 yards. By far out doing my previous custom build which was a 7mm Rem. Mag shooting 162gr a-max at the same velocity and showing primer catering...same powder to but the 280 uses 10gr less and outperforms it

 

[DogBuster]

started a 280AI project...but backed off..........

I do remember talk of 'old' & 'new' reamers....

new reamers for newer Nozler AI brass....correct ?

Old for FF'ing 280 brass.....

 

[bheadboy]

the Nosler version has yet to prove itself as the "old 280AI based on the original 280 case being blown out to the Ackley shoulder .

I would stay with the "std" and forget the nosler version.

 

[DogBuster]

that meaning...just using 280 brass........or Lapua 30-06 reformed brass ?

 

[bheadboy]

chamber is the point, brass either 280/ 06 etc.

Bob

 

[germanlongbow]

I have a nosler version chambered by a local gunsmith. No issues. Nosler brass blown out to 280 ackley. Shoots RL 19 over Berger 168's in the sub 2's. Proven very accurate out to 1400 yards. My smith has the traditional 280 AI. Just make sure the two aren't mixed up. Scott

 

[Sheldon N]

I do remember talk of 'old' & 'new' reamers....

new reamers for newer Nozler AI brass....correct ?

Not sure if any of the major gunsmiths out there are likely to be using the "old" reamer now that there's a SAAMI standard that's been in place for a number of years. While there's a lot of stuff out there on the internet about the debate when the SAAMI standard from Nosler first rolled out, I think the issue is pretty much put to rest. If you go to a gunsmith and ask for a 280AI you're likely going to get a SAAMI gun... because standards are standards.

Any of the available reloading dies you are going to find are SAAMI, and Nosler brass is obviously SAAMI spec. If you want the "old" standard dies, they are actually a custom order item.

Sidebar backstory... when I bought my 280AI the seller was sure it was the "old" version and he had the matching reloading dies to go with it. He had specifically asked his gunsmith to give him the "old" version of the 280AI when chambering the barrel. I shot with the gun for a while and reloaded with the dies, everything worked great. I ultimately got ahold of a piece of unfired Nosler brass.. turns out it had a SAAMI chamber all along, and he had bought SAAMI Redding dies. Headspace on dies, Nosler brass, and chamber all matched perfectly. I've fireformed a bunch of brass in this chamber, it works fine.

Takeway from all this... SAAMI chamber is the way to go, and even if you don't mention it to your gunsmith you're likely to get a SAAMI chamber anyway.


Chad - if all this old vs new stuff is a bit confusing, don't sweat it. Here's the 30 second version....

Traditionally the 280AI was not standardized.
Nosler created pre-fireformed brass, and had it certified as the SAAMI standard.
SAAMI standards are .014" shorter at the 40 degree shoulder than some (not all, this wasn't standardized) gunsmiths would chamber the old 280AI.
Firing Nosler brass in an "old" chamber is bad juju... too much headspace. People were mad.
No advantage to the "old" over SAAMI/Nosler. Both can fireform standard 280 brass. Both are accurate. Both have more than enough case capacity.

Nothing unsafe about the SAAMI chamber, it was the other way around that was the problem (firing new in the old chamber).

 

[Bigame1]

Not sure if any of the major gunsmiths out there are likely to be using the "old" reamer now that there's a SAAMI standard that's been in place for a number of years. While there's a lot of stuff out there on the internet about the debate when the SAAMI standard from Nosler first rolled out, I think the issue is pretty much put to rest. If you go to a gunsmith and ask for a 280AI you're likely going to get a SAAMI gun... because standards are standards.

Any of the available reloading dies you are going to find are SAAMI, and Nosler brass is obviously SAAMI spec. If you want the "old" standard dies, they are actually a custom order item.

Sidebar backstory... when I bought my 280AI the seller was sure it was the "old" version and he had the matching reloading dies to go with it. He had specifically asked his gunsmith to give him the "old" version of the 280AI when chambering the barrel. I shot with the gun for a while and reloaded with the dies, everything worked great. I ultimately got ahold of a piece of unfired Nosler brass.. turns out it had a SAAMI chamber all along, and he had bought SAAMI Redding dies. Headspace on dies, Nosler brass, and chamber all matched perfectly. I've fireformed a bunch of brass in this chamber, it works fine.

Takeway from all this... SAAMI chamber is the way to go, and even if you don't mention it to your gunsmith you're likely to get a SAAMI chamber anyway.


Chad - if all this old vs new stuff is a bit confusing, don't sweat it. Here's the 30 second version....

Traditionally the 280AI was not standardized.
Nosler created pre-fireformed brass, and had it certified as the SAAMI standard.
SAAMI standards are .014" shorter at the 40 degree shoulder than some (not all, this wasn't standardized) gunsmiths would chamber the old 280AI.
Firing Nosler brass in an "old" chamber is bad juju... too much headspace. People were mad.
No advantage to the "old" over SAAMI/Nosler. Both can fireform standard 280 brass. Both are accurate. Both have more than enough case capacity.

Nothing unsafe about the SAAMI chamber, it was the other way around that was the problem (firing new in the old chamber).