.280AI

[Toddmack]

I deer hunt with a 6.8SPC. Two years ago shot a nice Muley at around 360yds which is about as far as I plan on using this cartridge.

I've been thinking of getting a .270 Win for the last 2 years. Last year at a local gunshow there was a Savage .280AI that I passed on because I didn't think any components could be found. I'm basically at a loss as to which cartridge would give better performance/distance/availability.

Fire away, lay it on me.

 

[Toddmack]

I reload but don't really want to mess with any belted cases.

 

[SKWERLZ]

Personal I think the 7SAUM or 280AI are cartridge perfection.
Excellent hunting performance and bullets selection.
Mild recoil
Really impressive long range target shooting performance

280AI having the advantage of factory ammunition

 

[alby280]

280AI is a better selection mostly due to bullet options.

 

[KenOath]

Straight 284

 

[AckleymanII]

Since 1978, I have never had any problems with belted 7 Rem mags in Rem 700's, Savage 110's, nor Browning A Bolts, and two custom 7 mags. Belt? What Belt? Using Fed Brass in a 7 Mag will have you throwing brass away within one or two shots on Medium pressure loads. I have shot Rem and Win brass in all of my rifles, Dad's, and brothers.

OP, I don't think that you want to deal with soft case head brass that is available in 280 AI, and this is a real problem for top end pressure loads with heavy bullets.

I have a custom 280 AI where I form brass from Lapua 30/06 brass with Bullseye pistol powder and cream of wheat....very tough brass to say the least. A couple of twists of a pistol bronze bristle brush in the neck of the chamber gets rid of the carbon in the neck due to a slightly shorter neck formed from the '06 brass. I am shooting Sorted 175g Nosler long range accubonds into tiny groups with IMR 7828 and again, best accuracy is with the Federal 210 Primer where all bullets touch in groups.

I also have a standard 280 Remington, 24", 9T. I found a load in the Nosler Manual #4 years ago that is with a 160g Partition with IMR 7828 and a Federal 210 sealed the deal on tiny groups at 2930...this is no slouch load with 162g ELD-X, 160g Sierra BTSP, 168g Berger vld hunting.

It seems that there is no love for the standard 280, but it has been pure joy to work with in several Rem 700's and one custom.

 

[TrapperBR549]

I had a 280AI built on a pre64 M70 action for my wife to use out west on mule deer and elk. I felt like it was an excellent balance of recoil and terminal performance. Now I want one.
I went with a fast twist Brux barrel and it shoots 175 grain Partitions very well.
I started with Nosler brass and it sucked. Primers got loose quickly. I got some old Remington 280 brass and fireformed with red dot and corn meal. It has held up very well.

A couple months ago a friend called for advice on a new sheep rifle that he could also use for elk next year. He said he was tired of the abuse is 300 Win gave him. I suggested he look at the Ackley and I am now working up loads for the Christensen Ridgeline he got.

Biggest problem is finding bullets right now.

 

[Toddmack]

Thanks for all the replies, this forum is great for lots of information.

I'm not hung up on the AI part, it's just that most cartridges I shoot need to be trimmed every couple of firings and I was trying to get away from that. Having said that I realize that this rifle won't be shot enough to warrant that kind of work and a regular .280 would do just fine.

Basically, I'm going up in caliber to shoot up to 600 yds. I thought i had I had it figured out with a .270, but then got hung up on 7mm because, why not. I have no barrel on order or no rifle being built and 9 months until deer season. Thanks for all the input.

PS. Ackleyman, you should write some kind of book or memoir. At a minimum you should give someone permission to publish all of your loading/shooting notes at the appropriate time. It would be a fountain of knowledge for many generations.

 

[ChrisNZ]

I had a 280AI built on a pre64 M70 action .. Now I want one.
..

Touche. Mine has a 26" Bartlein bbl and wears a 3.5-18 Z5 Swaro. As I shoot nothing over 300lbs, the current load is a 150 LRAB at 3130. Levels everything I've pointed it at, furthest shot only 565yds. Extremely happy with it.

 

[bks22345]

I just assembled a 280AI and still working up loads. My first outing with some 168s I was stacking bullets within 5 shots while trying to dial in the scope. I wasn’t so successful with the 183 SMKs but trying again this weekend along with some 180 SMKs.

The issue I see right now with the 280AI are projectiles and brass. 8 months ago when I was looking for 6.5 bullets, everybody had 7mm. Now you cannot find 7mm but everybody has 6.5s. At least for the class I want to shoot,168-184 grains.

For brass (280AI brass not fire formed) Peterson is supposedly the best with Nosler second, and they are both around $1.65 each. Peterson are out of stock everywhere and they are not going to run another production of them until mid-summer I think, have to check email. You can still find Nosler in a few locations. You can fire form brass from any 30-06 parent cartridge, I would probably use trimmed 270 due to the longer neck.

I have a 270 as well and enjoy shooting it. Mine is a sporter barrel 1:10 twist. Plenty accurate for hunting but I would take the 280 all day if I was going to 600yds. There are not a lot of heavy .277 bullets and you will probably need a faster twist barrel to shoot them. I’m going to try it eventually but it’s low on my todo list right now.

 

[CubCouper]

Just finished a 280AI hunting rifle project that I've been toying with for years. New 700 stainless LA receiver, carbon fiber stock, mid-weight contour Bartlein barrel cut a touch short at 23" to for balance, Jewell trigger. Threaded for brake/can. I picked up a couple boxes of Nosler brass that will live with it.

To me, the choice of an 280AI was pretty simple. I love the 7mm bullet quality selection. I've got the gaps well covered from prairie rats up to elk/moose but wanted to replace a family heirloom 7Mag Mauser with something a bit more modern. My philosophy is the smallest cartridge that will do the job (I love my 20VTs & PPCs), I've got a 7-08 that works but felt that it was really too close to my 6.5x47, whereas the 280AI fills in nicely between that and the 375H&H.

 

[8andbait]

280 AI without question.
Peterson brass
RL23
BR2
168 VLD hunting
My 24” barrel is shooting in the .3’s at 2970 fps with 168’s and it’s a lightweight hunting rifle.

 

[SGT. Slaughter]

280 AI with out a doubt.
Norma brass,
Retumbo, 210M
Berger 168 vlds
Very accurate, shoots in the mid .2s and .3s mine has a 24 1/4 Hart # 5 fluted barrel , muzzel velocities run 2940-2960

 

[Hammer101st]

280 AI without question.
Peterson brass
RL23
BR2
168 VLD hunting
My 24” barrel is shooting in the .3’s at 2970 fps with 168’s and it’s a lightweight hunting rifle.

Got to love that peterson brass man i was reloading for my 7rm the other day when a friend was over i really dont like to reload with distractions but i did that day and locked the bolt up on my rifle because my scale overthrown a charge and i figured well ther goes that case nope primer pocket still good

 

[Toddmack]

Thank you for all the replies and information. Whatever I end up will be a factory rifle, I'll update my results if and when it happens.

 

[INTJ]

I usually find whether its a 7mm Rem Mag, a 7 SAUM, or a 280 AI; best accuracy with Berger 180s happens around 2800-2850 with H-1000. Peterson brass is a great choice for the 280 AI.

 

[AckleymanII]

There is a node with the 7 Mag at 3030 fps with R#26 with the 180g Berg vld hunting and 2850 fps with R#22, 26" 9 1/4 twist or 9T in Rem brass....bug hole groups.

 

[Toddmack]

Thank you for all the info, if I go this route I'll definitely report back on how all this info helped out.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Hunted with a 280AI - superb. Used 150 Scirocco's at 3050 fps. Deadly. R22 proved to be the best.

 

[WVRJ]

I went from a regular 280 to the 280AI when the barrel on my 280 was finally shot out to the point of major accuracy loss.I had lots of 280 Rem. brass and bullets,so I fire formed my brass by jamming cheap 7MM bullets into the lands with a starting load of a powder that I had on hand and didn't like.The AI is a great round and mine's not picky about what I feed it.I set mine up with minimal headspace,and trimming is rarely needed.My best load was with the 160 grain Sierra Tipped Matchking running 3,000 FPS.The best 5 shot group with that one was a .194 at 100 yards.It performs great out to 1,000 yards,and watching the 160 grain TMK's hit a steel target at 600 yards alongside a 308 shooting 168's will blow your mind how much harder the 7MM bullets are hitting at that range.