280 AI LOADS

[harry.hacking@kiewit.com]

Can anyone give me some load data for the 280AI? I don't have the gun complete yet but all it needs is a stock, so I thought I would get a jump on load data. I am looking for good hunting loads and some long distance paper punching loads, I haven't decided the bullet range I am going to shoot yet 140-162/168 gr. is the range I will be testing in.

 

[bheadboy]

2 built by Hart on 700 trued action, 26"bbl shot in the .300 with the following

r/p brass 9 1/2 primers
140 SIerra sbt
140 nosler bt
seated jump .010-.020
H4350 58.6 - 3140fps
h4831 60.6 gr - 3150fps

be carefull of these loads as they were near max in my chamber , brass etc. your chamber, brass, bbl will be different --start 2-3 gr lower and work up - in small increases, watching for pressure, stiff bolt lift etc. - remember these are 26" bbl. velocities

bob

 

[harry.hacking@kiewit.com]

Thanks for the info!

 

[drop_point]

I'm running a very warm load, according to the books, but its not warm in my gun.

Nosler Brass
Fed 215M
140 Gr Nosler BT, .020" jump
63.0 gr RL-22

Also working with H4831SC, but velocity doesn't seem to be the same. I'm getting better accuracy with RL22, despite the temperature sensitivity. My barrel is 26", but I'm having it chopped down to 24" to make it handle better as a hunting rifle.

 

[Rtheurer]

Hack

your post got me thinking about my Long Range Mule Deer rifle. ( 280 AI ) I went to the Man Cave and filled up a couple of Norma Cases with H2O to see what I have. I then ran some powders through the Quick load program and picked a couple I had on the shelf to test. IMR 7828SSC and N165. My old load is a load of N560, 162gr A-Max, Norma Brass, 210M primer accuracy node @ 2850'ish. I loaded up some 7828ssc and a TULA Large Rifle primer. Shot 3 shot groups to test Velocity, and groups for possable testing down the road. Charges of 57gr to 61gr produced ho hum groups that ranged from 2770FPS to 2942fps respectively out of a Vias Breaked 26" Hart #3 barrel. I thought this to be great velocity but the groups were nothing to talk about in this rifle. Worth a look in another rifle i think.
The big break today was the N165.... 60gr and 61gr Produced some great groups. The 61 gr load with out measering it has to be in the .200!!!! I have never had this rifle shoot this well. The speed was 2921fps with a ES of 17fps from a CED Chronograph. Sure 3 shots means nothing but you can bet ill be looking into this load again.
No signs of pressure of anykind in my rifle. easy extraction and no signs of pressure on the primer of any kind.
I have tested alot of powders in my rifle, these too powders produced the highest velocity of any I have tested to date.

The ussual Disclaimer. These loads are safe in my rifle. Please do YOUR own work up. Its your eyes and life.

Russ T

Update: group Measures .418 outside to outside - .284 = .134 Center to Center. Wowser.

 

[harry.hacking@kiewit.com]

Thanks Russ, for the helpful info. Hopefully I can get my rifle shooting as well as yours.

 

[Bigame1]

I use 63.0 grains of Retumbo ,Nosler case,WLR primer & 168 grain Berger Hunting VLD's. I get 2975 fps. out of a 26" 3 groove barrel and they shoot in the .168"-.2" range and I can tell you they do their job excellently on deer. What you will find is that they open up after about 2" of travel inside your game and leave a hardball size exit wound that drops them where they stand. This combo should do you well out to as far as you want to shoot your game & you may also want to experiment with magnum primers if you are going to be in weather that hits the teens.

 

[oldroper]

Hack,

Used a Lilja barrel 1/9 twist for my 280AI and with 160gr Accubond jump is .030" . I took the R-17 data for the 280 with 160gr bullets max load was 51.5gr and I started there and worked up. In my rifle 56gr/R-17,160gr accubond,Fed 210M primer 3046fps is a good load.

Nolser manual has some loading data with 160gr AB using IMR-7828 start at 57.7gr (2837fps) to a max of 61.5gr (3045fps). I started at 57.5gr @ 2916fps and at 60.5gr @ 3058fps was also a good load. What really funny in my 284 with 53gr/R-17,160gr AB,Fed 210M primer I'm getting 3048fps and I used Lilja barrel also on that rifle. I used that rifle last year as a back up on my bull elk tag hunted with it couple of days didn't have any luck with it.

I hunt elk around timberline first season so I'll use the 280AI be my first year hunting with it and 284 as back up and I'll take both rifles next Sat opening of antelope season use the 280AI.

I ran some Fed 215M primers in both loads I worked up for the 280AI (I load at the range) and I got an increase in velocity around 56fps with most loads didn't get any better accuracy.

I've got some Berger hunting 168gr VLD that I'm going to try later this week in the 280AI see how they do. Well good luck

 

[Rtheurer]

HACK

Update to the preceeding post. I loaded up 20 more rounds of the N165 load to see what it would do with more than three rounds. .134 center to center was that a Fluke? Intresting to see that my Velocity dropped from the 2947fps to 2898fps for the avg of 4 five shot goups or a 20 shot string.

Accuracy for the first two Five shot groups where bad... like well over 1 inch bad. I couldnt figure out what was going on. Since this rifle is pretty darn light ( about 8lbs) I gripped it tight and really pulled it into my shoulder hard for group #3 and # 4. well low and behold I was rewarded with two five shot groups in the .600's just right at 5/8 MOA. Oh ya hang onto that thing it shoots better off the bench that way. Sheez you would think this was my first time out or something.
Pretty happy about the load so far in a hunting rifle.
Also intresting to see the first shot out of each group was 2888, 2889, 2888, and 2884. Now that first round consistancy and accuarcy I can live with.
Barrel is a Hart #3 SS 1:9 26" with a VIAS brake on it.

Some day I would like to try the 130VLD Berger. I bet that would zing out of this rifle. Should be a good whitetail and Coyote combo.

Best of Luck
Russ T

 

[bheadboy]

Hack,
to give you my 160's loads i found both my and my sons shot in the .400's with h4831sc 59.5gr and h4350 54.0gr giving 2913 and 2888fps respectively. the sd was 8 and 7 on theese tow loads.this is with Hart 26" 9twist bbls. r/p brass and 9 1/2 primers

be sure to remember this is out of my rifles not your and work up carefully,

Bob