First build, some questions 280AI

[TrapperBR549]

For the cost of a good neck turning tool and accessories, you could have a couple boxes of Peterson 280 AI cases, and be done with it. I happen to live 1/2 hour from their factory and just got a box of 280 AI brass from them, at the factory. They are tough to find online. I bought a box of Nosler 280 AI to get started and will do a QA comparison on the two manufacturers.

Be interested to hear your experience with the Nosler brass. I had a 280 AI built last year and the Nosler brass' primer pockets were loose after 2 loadings. I got a couple boxes of Remington 280 brass from the 1980's, fire formed with cornmeal and red dot and I now have 5 loadings on them and haven't lost a piece yet.
I do have 150 pieces of Peterson brass on the way and really look forward to seeing how it does.

 

[uncle fester]

My new rifle will be a 280 AI. I will be using Nosler brass to work up hunting loads with 140 grain Barnes TSSX bullets. Barnes Load Data suggests I can get to 3100 fps with H4381sc.

Hopefully, Nosler will start making .284 bullets again so we have more options to test.

 

[sw282]

bama
Run, dont walk to your nearest gun store. Buy a good 270. Sell, trade, or GIVE AWAY the 280AI. l got bit by the 280 Ackley ''bug'' maybe 30yrs back. Had one built by Kenny Jarrett ''HIMSELF''.. lt hunderd dollared me to DEATH. After maybe a year l SOLD the gremlin along with dies and every other evil part of that thing. Went back to my ''270 Winchester''.
btw. l was working for Jarrett at the time. l still help out now and then. He's still makes a pile of them. Easier now that Nosler makes 280 AI brass. imhop- 280 Ackley is like owning a boat. Money pit

 

[DaveTooley]

bama
280 Ackley is like owning a boat. Money pit

How so?

 

[L.Sherm]

How so?

I would like to know the same thing

 

[L.Sherm]

I fireformed some 80's Rem 280 brass that was great.

 

[DaveTooley]

I've owned three. I have one of my actions left and coupled with a Hi-Tech stock on the shelf, it would make the perfect all around carry rifle.

 

[sw282]

280 Money pit. Dies are very expensive. 280 AI brass is super expensive. 280AI ammo is even MORE expensive. 280AI rifles are usually CUSTOM guns. Twice the price to buy. Wildcat calibers usually bring HALF as much on resale. 270 Win will do EVERYTHING for a THIRD the price. Walk in most any backwoods gunshop/sporting goods store/grocery store you will find 30-06, 30-30, or 270Win. Not so with a 280 or any other wildcat

 

[DaveTooley]

Well that takes all the fun out of it.

 

[L.Sherm]

280 Money pit. Dies are very expensive. 280 AI brass is super expensive. 280AI ammo is even MORE expensive. 280AI rifles are usually CUSTOM guns. Twice the price to buy. Wildcat calibers usually bring HALF as much on resale. 270 Win will do EVERYTHING for a THIRD the price. Walk in most any backwoods gunshop/sporting goods store/grocery store you will find 30-06, 30-30, or 270Win. Not so with a 280 or any other wildcat

I dont know anybody who got into guns to save money.
Hell if I did that might as well get a sling shot

 

[Bama73]

Well I have a factory 270 barrel and bullets left, but the reason I built a 7mm is better target bullet selection. Also I don't care about resale as this is my "dream build". Also being a Savage a barrel swap is a 5 min job

 

[SKWERLZ]

Well I have a factory 270 barrel and bullets left, but the reason I built a 7mm is better target bullet selection. Also I don't care about resale as this is my "dream build". Also being a Savage a barrel swap is a 5 min job

You’ll like the performance of the 280AI
It’s a great hunting and long range steel cartridge.

 

[Bama73]

My iGage came in today and the necks vary from around .0115-.0135 case by case. Most are consistent thickness but some are thicker than others if that makes sense. I measured about 20 that have only been fire formed with corn meal and they usually have less than .0005 variance in each case just that some cases are thicker than others. Would I benefit from neck turning them all to say .0115 or just measure and sort all 500 pieces once formed ?

 

[6MMsteve]

you should have a fine shooting rifle, criterion barrels are pretty good barrels, not the best but I have 4 of them they all shoot good, 1 shoots outstanding..they have all shot in .3 or better and .7 or better

 

[Bama73]

Back to original question, is that enough variance to neck turn ? Or should I sort them by thickness ?

 

[L.Sherm]

Back to original question, is that enough variance to neck turn ? Or should I sort them by thickness ?

This is only for you to decide, some absolutely won't turn others will.
Its not a one size fits all

 

[DumpHollow]

This is only for you to decide, some absolutely won't turn others will.
Its not a one size fits all

There's a production management triangle that is composed of the elements of cost, delivery {time/schedule], and quality. You can have 2 of 3 but never all of them. You need to decide through a realistic evaluation where you want to end up, considering the risks.

You have a lot of brass to convert but there is a significant effort, with uncertainty, in reaching the end point. You are also starting with a batch of once fired brass that will be twice fired and may only yield one or two more cycles before you can't seat primers or the necks split. Will the savings in neck turning tooling investment and the cost of your time offset the cost of a good set of quality cases?

That's the question that you need to answer. For me, I would rather be at the range testing loads.

 

[Bama73]

Thanks everyone. I'm sure I'll have more questions later on but for now I'm gonna save all my pennies for a stock and load with what I have.

 

[Butte Sink]

Very happy with my 280AI
I’ve been using H4831SC, Nosler Brass, 160AB, GM215, 27” Bartlein and having outstanding results
Nosler brass 7x fired so far all is good zero issues and thats using a lg mag prime.
I do anneal every reload session
Was wondering if anybody has tried N560?

 

[WVRJ]

If the brass is fire formed properly,the number of times it can be reloaded is ridiculous.I stopped loading the first batch of brass I made for mine after 12 loadings.Most of the time its life is shortened by using certain fire forming methods and by resizing too much.When I set the headspace on mine,I made it so the Go gauge wouldn't go with a piece of .002 shim stock stuck on top of the gauge.My Redding sizer is about perfect when screwed down to give some cam over.I tried N560,but it didn't work as well as IMR 7828SSC or IMR 7977.