Need your thoughts....280ai and 280 Rem comp bullet seat die?

[metal2meat]

I load for both the 280ai and the 280rem (I'm a little newer to the 280ai). I'm also being trying to be frugal.

I'm wondering if I could use a 280ai Redding competition bullet seating die for both the 280ai and the 280rem? Anyone see a problem with my thinking? My logic being that 280rem will fit in a 280ai chamber. The only thing I've thought of thus far is that there may not be any support by the die in the neck/shoulder area? Anyone out there ever try this? Thanks for your help.

 

[Nodak7mm]

Frugal? Heck, I am seriously "Fiscally Responsible"... Wifey calls it something else tho..

Glancing at case drawings of the cartridges, I note that the shoulder neck juncture on the 280 is 2.199 & on the 280AI it is 2.182. So we are only talking .017 diff there. Not sure about the case taper/diameter at that area in regards tolorence of the die body as how far up you can insert the case..

But, enough scandinavian voodoo, Try it Buddy and see what happens, check bullet run-out, if satisfactory, Rock and Roll. You have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain...

Its all about run-out... Even with the correctly stamped die...

Rod in Fargo

 

[bheadboy]

if you chambers are very close the neck sizing of 280 in the AIdie will work until you need to fl size.

Bob

 

[metal2meat]

Thanks Rod and Bob, I think your right Rod, run out ought to tell me if things are working (staying straight) or not. I talked with a guy from Redding as well and he thought it was "tryable". He probably wished I wasn't such a tight @$$ either.

 

[fguffey]

I have a universal 7mm seating die by Lyman/Ideal, it was designed for cases that had not been thought of, the seater die has the sliding guide with the open window similar to RCBS Gold Medal/Competition die, one guide fits all shoulders meaning the bullet guide rides the shoulder up with the case and bullet.

Wildcats, 7mm, a friend came over trying to put something together for seating 7mm bullets in a 7mm Gibbs, similar to an Ackley 7mm/06, 280 Ackley improved, I loaned him a Lyman 7mm Remington Mag seater die from one of my sets, it worked, but, I checked the maximum length of his chamber with a drilled out flash hole/primer pocket, with a 170 grain bullet seated in one of his cases and chambered, the bullet came out of the case and traveled .240 thousands before the bullet hit the rifling, I have no ideal what they were thinking when the chamber was reamed, I can only guess they were think Weatherby and free bore.

Hornady uses seater dies with a sliding bullet guide without a window, when using the seater die make sure the guide used for seating is larger in diameter than the case and if the guide is chamber specific, the only difference would be the angle of the shoulder.

I made a pile of bullet guides for 25 cal, for some they are tight but offer neck support when seating bullets, I do not use a die body, just for road testing, I used an aluminum can crusher as a press, works great when the bullet is cantered with the neck.



When using a seater die adjust the seater die down to the shell holder and back it off to prevent crimping and crushing the case, when using a seater die for 'on the bargain side' make sure there is enough room in the die for the neck.

F. Guffey