280 AI prepping

[Nvreloader]

What am I missing??

I Have been prepping brass while waiting for the reamer to get here,

Win cases, both 30/06 and 270 size (which I did not KNOW I had),
until my cat started catching a mouse in the reloading room,
that went behind some boxes of brass I had stored there, and found the 270 brass.
She got an extra helping of food, for that night. ;D

So far, this is what has been done to the brass.
Tumbled clean with SS pins,
Checked and weight sorted brass to 1/10th gr each lot, several different lots made.
Necks expanded to .350" then all brass was FL sized with a 06 SB die, to uniform them,
final length left long, until after final fire forming and final neck turning and trimming to length as needed,
(still have to do the final .001" /.003" cut), to remove ANY donuts when sized to the .313 neck dia,
Primer pockets/flash holes checked and uniformed to diameter and depth etc,

Still waiting on reamer..........,

After reamer gets here and the Proper fire forming die is made,
I'll cut the chamber to minimum spec's, can change if needed.

Size the 30 cal necks down to 284 neck spec's of the reamer,
leaving enough of the 30 cal neck diameter to firmly hold the cases in the FF die, for proper head spacing etc,

Will Fire form using Bullseye powder ONLY, (found a better/faster way, no CM/COW method) any more.

Still waiting on reamer..........

Been doing several hours of "What ifing" with QL with several new RL/Norma powders I just got,
with 140+gr bullets to 185gr weights.

And Still waiting for reamer...........

And on the bbl end,
Turning the bbl down from 1.500" diameter down to 1.300" Win action diameter, straight shank for 4.00",
then a straight taper down to 1.00" diameter to fit the the 5 gill Ross brake.

Bbl waiting to be screwed into the existing Mod 70 action and a Choate stock that my 30/06 sniper bbl came off of,
which has been bedded/tuned and cut down like the 284 Win build, I done a couple of years ago.

Scope, I haven't decided on, may use the Leppy MK4/Holland 30 MOA off the 284 Win,
or try another brand. Not sure which one yet.

Still waiting on the reamer...........

Made a dump run and found several "A" framed kids swing sets/Lawn swing type "A" frames for target hangers, works perfect, remove a couple of bolts and they fit in the PU bed,
to be taken to my private shooting range, that is 2 miles+ wide and as flat as a Pool table.
Have to remember to take the shade with me, as the temps are 80* + now.

Built 4 new steel hanging targets, 1, 3/4"x 8" round plate for 500 yd marker and 3, 3/4" thick x 12x18" plates,
for out to 600, 700, 800 yds, still have to build 2 more plates for 900/1000 yds,
if I get real good at READING the wind, which Never stops blowing in NV, LoL.

Attached 3/4" wide nylon truck tie down straps, to hang/hold/steady the steel targets etc.

Tia,
Don
ps, Did I mention, I am still waiting on the reamer.........
pps, I just checked my bank card and I have a hit on it from PTG, for $225,
for reamer and other tooling bought.
Come on Big Brown truck..........

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Howd that 270 brass work out?

 

[Nvreloader]

Dusty
I kept the 280 neck length, that way I can use any brass available, that will fit,
It is a little early to tell yet, as it's all waiting for the reamer and fire forming results etc,

As for the Win 270 brass, when neck turning, there was some thick/thin spot on the necks,
as to be expected, that is the reason I am holding off on the final neck turning dimensions,
until I know what the measurements from the reamer and chamber spec's are.

I had better weights/sorting with the 06 brass, all from the same lot,
and I can't remember about the 270 brass lot numbers, been too long ago.

I will advise and update when I have more results in.

Tia,
Don

 

[Dusty Stevens]

270 brass as youve found is usually thicker causing higher pressures. Its also shorter than 280/06 to keep you from putting a 280 in there. It usually wont fire.

 

[Nvreloader]

Dusty

I checked some of the odd ball brass not formed/turned etc,
and found out that when I expanded the 270 necks up to .350 diameter, for neck skimming etc,
that the brass thinned out several thousands, more so than the standard necks, not touched.

The total overall case length shorten a few thousands,
but NOTHING is completely fire formed yet, either.
I am not sure what will happen when this brass is formed down to 280AI case.

Only time will tell,
This being the first time I have dealt with ANY Ackley type cases etc.
I am sure I'll have a learning curve to deal with, hopefully no steep of curve.

Thank you,
Don

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I mean the brass itself is usually thicker. Just weigh some or check water capacity. I have used a 280ack for many many years and besides 270 brass being shorter by design (they wont even go off when fireforming) they usually dont have the capacity. A 270 is just a whole different design than the 280/30-06 case. Safety reasons. You cant close the bolt on a 280 case in a 270 and the 270 falls into a 280 chamber .100 too far. So even tho a 270 case appears similar to the 280/'06 family its not.

 

[tooter]

Gents, I have a 280AI that was built by Jarrett many years ago that I haven't shot for a long time. As such, senility may have set-in during that time, but I don't believe you can form 280 AI brass from -06 cases due to the .046 case OAL difference. I do have cases loaded and fired empty's that were formed from .270 cases (Win., Rem and Norma brands) that I believe I formed by necking up then back down while setting the shoulder back (false shoulder) to close snugly on the 280AI closed bolt.

Be careful, but you will soon become a believer of the 280AI power, range, and accuracy potential! ----- fyi, Tooter

 

[Nvreloader]

Dusty

Thanks for that info, I have the 2 different lots of brass, 06 and 270.

All the brass has been necked up and will form down to create the false shoulder for HS,
while Fire Forming in the FF jig,
using only Bullseye powder and toilet paper only etc.

I'll check the H2o capacity asap.

This is my first time messing with ANY AI case,
and I am wondering how this 280AI will stack up against my standard 284 Win case,
I built a couple of yrs ago??

I see that there is 8 grs difference (more) than the 284 case,
I would believe that the 280AI case will be better for the heavier weight bullets 180gr+ for out to at least 1000yds.

Is there anything special about this case I should be aware of??

Thank you for your time and trouble.

Tia,
Don

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Nothing special. Just keep an eye on h2o capacity. Theyre an excellent ctg.

 

[Nvreloader]

Tooter,

FYI,
Dave Kiff has twitched up a reamer that will allow you to use 06 brass, in a 280AI 40* chamber,
basically it is a standard 280AI 40*, case length from the bottom of the 06 neck, allowing you to FF 06 brass,
or any other brass in this family, only the neck length is slightly shorter to fit the 06 length brass.

I kept the 280AI 40* long neck version,
That way I can use ANY brass for FF, depending WHAT is available etc.

Tia,
Don

Gents, I have a 280AI that was built by Jarrett many years ago that I haven't shot for a long time. As such, senility may have set-in during that time, but I don't believe you can form 280 AI brass from -06 cases due to the .046 case OAL difference. I do have cases loaded and fired empty's that were formed from .270 cases (Win., Rem and Norma brands) that I believe I formed by necking up then back down while setting the shoulder back (false shoulder) to close snugly on the 280AI closed bolt.

Be careful, but you will soon become a believer of the 280AI power, range, and accuracy potential! ----- fyi, Tooter

 

[tooter]

Ah! Don, thought I was missing something. Dave K. has done some really neat reamers for me wildcatting stuff in he past ---- though I never considered what your doing, what a great idea! That .046 OAL difference on this case is mice nuts. Best of luck and good shooting ---- tooter