any one running a .280AI ?

ultimate_monkey

ultimate_monkey

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well iv got an action coming that was going to be for another build, but long story short, with my impatience, iv dumped a bunch of $ into my rem700 , new S&B glass, DBM kit, have a kreiger barrel coming etc so there inst much point in me essentially having 2 of the same rifles. the action on its way is a defiance rebel long action with a standard (.473) bolt face. i started to look into what cartridges use a LA standard BF and the .280ai looks pretty interesting to me how ever i dont know any one running it so iv been reading up but would like some first hand experience, things like, what bullets (brand and weights) barrel make / twist , what reamer was used, what brand of dies, and how are things working out for you?

its essentially going to be a long range gong basher, and that's bout it, im a big fan of shorter very heavy barrels (such as 1.25" no taper kreigers) so im not concerned about weight

thanks for the input
 
hey Monkey I just put together a 280ai for myself 700 action blueprinted with ptg bolt ,27" 9 twist 3 groove benchmark heavy varmint fluted barrel I used a ptg reamer. I have loaded 7828ssc with 168 bergers and shot out to 1400 yards. 60 grains is MAX in MY gun 3045fps accuarcy is ok but I am still working on a load ,will likely drop down a grain and work up again as the primers are flattening. I use redding dies . I have a greybull precision stock and ptg bottom metal with a 5rd mag. **** once again these loads were hot and may not work in your gun***
 
ASA, thats for the info, i was looking at PTG, but didnt see a 280ai reamer listed, maybe i just suck at the internet haha, 27"barel is a bit long my taste, wonder how it would do with somthing more in the 20" range..... hopfully some ones got a shorty that can post up. what are you using for brass? seems like nosler is the only or one of the very few company's that offer preformed AI brass, out side of that it needs to be fire formed...
 
A friend of mine recently had one built. Rem 700, Krieger 26" 1:9 twist. Factory 140gr Nosler Accubond was shooting 1 1/4" at 300m and with reloads we haven't been able to reproduce that accuracy with 160 ABs, 162 Amaxs or 168 Bergers. If this next session doesn't pan out I will suggest going with 150 Sciroccos or 140 ABs but my friend has a boner for higher BC bullets so he is reluctant to drop below 160 grains.

By all accounts, you should be able to get 7mm Rem mag performance out of that cartridge.
 
ultimate_monkey said:
thought about that, but the 284 can be run in a short action can it not? IIRC the OAL isnt much if any different then a 308. would make the long action pointless ..

and a few days you say??!!
Click to expand...

The nice thing about a long action .284 is being able to seat the VLD's out quite far. Some like the flexibility of having extra length but not necessarily needing it, especially in a precision rig as opposed to a hunting rifle.
 
Exactly, it was designed as a SA cartridge back in its day but with the advent of all the new VLD tips
you seriously handicap powder capacity if you load to mag length to feed out of a short action.
My OAL for 180 Bergers is quite a bit longer then a short action magazine, definitely a no-go in a
short action unless you want to single load.

mikeyb said:
The nice thing about a long action .284 is being able to seat the VLD's out quite far. Some like the flexibility of having extra length but not necessarily needing it, especially in a precision rig as opposed to a hunting rifle.
Click to expand...
 
280AI equals 7RSAUM so you can look directly at what performance could be.

9 twist will do anything you want.

Length, contour, up to you

They shoot very nicely but don't feed well from many staggered feed mags. If single feeding, no problem

Case forming bugs some. It isn't "perfect" but I would go with Winchester 30-06 as the parent. Nice brass.

Turn, form, prep and go play.

There is off the rack dies now so playing is not a huge headache anymore. just decide how complicated you want to get and spend for dies and such.

Just another nice 7mm.

Jerry
 
Case volumes are nearly identical so if you run them both at the same pressures with the same types of powders, you will get similar speeds.

You likely saw version called the 7 Mystic years back.

Several US teams were using 280AI and doing pretty much the same as the 7RSAUM and a bit slower then the 7WSM's

Jerry
 
been shooting a 280ai for over 5 years..... love it, I push 180 bergers at 2950, 28" bbl. also have a 284 win, shoot 162 amax at 2950, 28" bbl, and a 7 saum with both a 26" and a 30" bbl, the 26 goes 2950 with 180's, and haven't got around to screwing on the 30" yet but am hoping for around 3100. I use both h4831 and h1000 with nearly the same results. of the 3 7mm I like the 280 the best, no real reason, just the way it is. btw I use nosler brass and have gotten good life out of it.
 
Iirc i took my first barrel of my 280 at around 1700 rounds, it still shot moa at 1000 but was starting to foul a lot, when i borescoped it , it was firecracked in the throat quite bad, so i cut 2" off it and it is now the 26" bbl on my saum.
 
Bingo 1010,
Do you have any loads you would like to share? My buddy isn't getting quite the results he would like with 160 Accubonds.
 
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