.280 AI 26" or 24"?

[SakoAlberta]

Doing an order for about a dozen Coopers in .280 AI. Mostly Excaliburs. I've done some research but I'm still undecided whether to order with 26" or 24" barrels. Likely end up with some of each. Any .280 AI shooters have any advice?

 

[Hollandandholland]

I'd like the 26". I'd be using it in more open and, hopefully, alpine areas where the extra 2" wouldn't be difficult to carry and the extra velocity would be useful.

 

[blargon]

22"

 

[Cummins4x4]

26" for sure, my Cooper 22 25-06AI has a 26" and its great.

 

[chuck nelson]

22"

X2

That's what mine is.

24" would be fine as well, though wouldn't go any longer.

 

[SakoAlberta]

26" for sure, my Cooper 22 25-06AI has a 26" and its great.

We bring most of the 25/06 AI's in with a 26". So far, the 280 AI's have had 24" tubes. Anybody know how much difference it actually makes other than the usual 'rule of thumb'?

 

[SakoAlberta]

Sorry, we get them in with 23" not 24".

 

[Gatehouse]

I bet you will find that the prairie hunters liek the 26" barrel, the Mountain hunters want the 24" barrel.

 

[SakoAlberta]

I bet you will find that the prairie hunters liek the 26" barrel, the Mountain hunters want the 24" barrel.

I'm thinking the same. At least with an order like this, we can order some each way and let people decide when they buy which works for them. We sell more M52's in .280 AI than all others combined, although we could sell ma lot of .338/06's if we could get them too.

 

[Frozen Snake]

buddy has a 280 AI with a 22" pipe. nice and compact yet still maintains the velocities needed for the heavier 7mm bullets. I will be going with the 22"

 

[martinbns]

I find that longer than 24" can be a bit of a pain and be kind of muzzle heavy for my tastes.

 

[RickF]

My thought is that a 7mm cartridge burning at most 63-65 grains of powder doesn't need a 26" barrel.

 

[todbartell]

my 280 had a 24" barrel and I thought that was just about perfect. I had a couple 7mm RM's with 26" tubes and I found they were a bit long if you have to head into the bushes

 

[mackillan]

Why did you sell your 7mms?

my 280 had a 24" barrel and I thought that was just about perfect. I had a couple 7mm RM's with 26" tubes and I found they were a bit long if you have to head into the bushes

 

[Kevan]

Why did you sell your 7mms?

I sold all of my 7mms because I found other calibers that do the job better, but thats just me...." To each their own "....

 

[chuck nelson]

I sold all of my 7mms because I found other calibers that do the job better, but thats just me...." To each their own "....

No, you found other calibers that you THOUGHT would do the job better. Lets not confuse fact with fiction.

 

[chuck nelson]

I bet you will find that the prairie hunters liek the 26" barrel, the Mountain hunters want the 24" barrel.

I've found my 22" 280 AI "mountain" rifle does just fine on the prairies.

 

[Rembo]

All the 280AI's I've built are 24", and I think I've built 5 of them so far, except for a Mountain Rifle rechamber, which is of course, 22"...my last one on a Sako AV is 24", but then I made it a standard 280 chamber. Decided if I wanted to push 7mm bullets any faster I'd just move up to a 7 Mag.....then you can use 26".

 

[b72471]

280 Ackley?????

I would have to agree, it's an odd caliber to select, the 7mm Rem Mag will do everything the 280Ack will plus more.
There is no fireforming etc etc with the 7mmRM. Factory ammo available everywhere.
Bill.

 

[Gatehouse]

I would have to agree, it's an odd caliber to select, the 7mm Rem Mag will do everything the 280Ack will plus more.
There is no fireforming etc etc with the 7mmRM. Factory ammo available everywhere.
Bill.

That is what I keep saying, but the cult of the 280AI is strong....

Although, you can buy 280AI Nosler brass these days.