.280.... to improve or not to improve...*** ackley chambering question added****

[brian923]

i am wanting to build a .280 on a mauser action i have, and was wondering if i should go with a straight forward .280, or if i should go to the trouble of making it an ackley improved...

is ther any big advantage to the ackley? i am a handloader, so i know that i can make the regular /280 perform fairly decent. and, i know with the ackley chamber, i can still shoot regular .280 factory ammo out of it and still shoot accuratly.

i just dont know. what should i do!!! what would you do...

 

[Rtheurer]

Brian

I went the AI route a few years back. I was dragging around a Remington Sendero for hunting Deer and it was starting to get heavy. Or may bee I'm not in as good as shape As I was in my 20's and Early thirties? So I decided to build a Light fast handling rifle to hunt with in Wyoming. I was planning on doing alot of walking so that was the plan. I ran across a Standard action for a great price so the decision to do a 280 AI was to get 7mm Rem Mag performance out of my new light weight hunting rig.

Same bullet is 70fps slower in the 280AI than my current load for the Sendero.

So the advantage's were
1. 7mm RM Performance
2. Standard action
3. Norma Brass
4. easy to make
5. Brass does not seam to flow forward do to 40 deg shoulder

Disadvantages
1. Have to fireform brass
2. Good Norma Brass is expensive
3. I hate droping and loosing a piece of brass


And I like the fact that it is a little different, from the ordinary.

Your choice will be a good one which ever way you go.

RT

 

[wildcat284]

Brian,

I have a Remington 700 Laminated Stainless Steel Mountain Rifle in .280 Remington. Barrel length is 22 inches.

I am successfully shooting 2 loads. 1st are 120gr GS Customs,www.gscustom.co.za), I am using 60grs H414 and getting an average velocity of 3230fps for 3 shots. Accuaracy between 1/2 and 1 inch at 100yards.

The second load is with 140gr Nosler Accubonds. I have settled on a load of 56.5 grs H414 with an average velocity for 3 shots of 3051 fps. I did work up to 57.0 of H414 and I got an average velocity of 3108fps, but 57.5 was maximum,I blew a primer), so I have backed down by a grain to 56.5. Accuracy was around 3/4 to 1 inch.

Please note that these are hot loads that my rifle will digest with no pressure problems, you will obviously need to work up to see what your rifle is going to like.

Seeing that kind of velocity, I personally don't see the point of the Ackley Improved version, with all the extra fireforming process.

Remember too that my loads from a 22 inch tube, going to a 24 inch would give you more velocity.

I would also recommend you try W760, I had good results with this powder in my 30-06 M700 Mountain Rifle, again a 22 inch barrel. I used,funnily enough)60grs with 165gr Hornady Interlocks and achieved 2970 fps. Other powders that are worth a look are Vitavhouri N550/560. I also played around with H4350, but results were no where near as good as H414.

Hope this is helpful,

Michael.

Updated: hehehe forgot about the Nosler Custom Brass in .280 Ackley. Actually, when I wear the barrel out in this rifle I will probably do the .280 Ackley version to be perfectly honest. Its an awesome cartridge!

Just go with what ever you feel best with!

 

[tillroot1]

I think the improved version is a great way to go. Barrel life should be better. Near performance with the lighter bullets, Nosler is making brass for the .280 AI if you should choose. It gets a thumbs up from me. Ron Tilley

 

[Preacher]

For all the extras gained the 280 AI is no trouble at all to set up, just be sure the chamber is done the right way so you can shoot factory ammo if needed....

 

[reloader243]

I've enjoyed my Rem 700 BDL DM in .280 since 2003. Found it NIB at a small gunshop near me, Rem stopped chambering the 700 BDL DM for .280 in 1999 My best load has been Sierra 130gr HPBT Match,57gr. of R19..Rem 9 1/2 primer,seated .005" off the lands...shoots 4's as long as you don't get the thin barrel too hot. Unmodified factory rifle, except I did my own trigger job on it...no creep, breaks at 30oz.
I like 7mm bullet selections,going to add a .280Ack to my Savage Target action-switch barrel this fall.
I think you wil like either one...good shooting

 

[brian923]

preacher:

is there a special way to cut an Ackley chamber that diferentiates from cutting a regulaer cartridge chamber? and do i need AI headspace gauges, or just regular .280 gauges...,i think even 30-06 would work if i am not mistaken) reason for asking: there is about a 26.00$ differnace between the two sets, and if the ackley properly headspaces off of the origonal .280, i wouldnt see why not, but its always better to ask then to find out the hard way.

thanks, brian.

 

[cliffe]

tilroot1, how would barrel life be better with the ackley chamber? cliffe

 

[sbisch]

I had a custom Remington 700 built about 7 years ago and had the same question... .280 Rem or .280 AI? Originally, I spec'd the rifle in .280 AI because I wanted something a little different, but later on decided that I didn't really want to mess with fire-forming brass. Since the new Shilen barrel hadn't been chambered yet, I changed the specs to .280 Rem.

To the point... I'm extremely happy with the .280 Rem. With a max charge of RL-19 powder, I get about 3,080 fps with 140 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips and Accubonds in the 24" barrel. I also get right at 2,900 fps with 160 gr. Partitions and Accubonds and a max charge of H4831 or RL-22. Accuracy is generally 0.5 to 1 MOA with all these loads. I doubt the antelope, deer, black bear, and elk that have been taken with this rifle out to nearly 400 yards would have been any more dead with the .280 AI at around 70 to 100 fps more velocity.

I guess it all boils down to whether or not you want something a little different. If so, get the AI. But performance-wise the two cartridges are ballistic clones, and you will likely be happy with either. Heck! Quit obsessing... get one of each!

 

[tillroot1]

Cliffe, I guess maybe I did not read the question as well as I should have, I thought the original poster was compairing the .280 to the 7mm rem mag and that is where I posted better barrel life. I went back and see clearly that it was the second poster talking about the mags versus the .280
my bad. Ron Tilley

 

[Macs]

280 AI all the way and the Nosler brass is only so so but way good enough for hunting.
Best of luck and God bless,
Chuck

 

[Preacher]

brian,
just be sure the chamber is cut so there is some resistance when you close the empty bolt on a factory case.
I usually just use a case I intend to use in that chamber when I chamber for whatever unless I have gauges on hand.