280 AI - Does anyone else shoot this wildcat.

Well hopefully he knows that being a SAAMI cartridge since 2008, and many factory loaded ammunition options available…….

Nothing to do with SAAMI... The 280 AI was never a wildcat. None of Ackley's AI chambering are wildcats... all of them are capable of firing factory ammo.
 
Many gunwriters and enthusiasts referred to Ackley as "Mr.Wildcat" and "the king of wildcats", so I think it's safe to say his cartridges were considered wildcats at some point in time and many still are.

22-250,243 Win, 257 Roberts, 35 Whelen,etc were all wildcats at one time.
 
I’ve used a couple of his creations; RickF’s 223 ai and my 260ai deer gun but I wouldn’t do another. To me it isn’t worth the cost. But it was fun while it lasted.
 
Many gunwriters and enthusiasts referred to Ackley as "Mr.Wildcat" and "the king of wildcats", so I think it's safe to say his cartridges were considered wildcats at some point in time and many still are.

22-250,243 Win, 257 Roberts, 35 Whelen,etc were all wildcats at one time.

None of those are considered Ackley Improved... all AI's can use factory ammo. A wildcat has to be made by someone re loading and making it. No factory ammo will fit it. No doubt Ackley experimented a lot... but AI's are not wildcats...

Basically the definition of a wildcat cartridge is there has never been factory ammo made that you can chamber and fire.
 
None of those are considered Ackley Improved... all AI's can use factory ammo. A wildcat has to be made by someone re loading and making it. No factory ammo will fit it. No doubt Ackley experimented a lot... but AI's are not wildcats...

Basically the definition of a wildcat cartridge is there has never been factory ammo made that you can chamber and fire.

The fact that a rifle chambered in an AI cartridge can fire the parent cartridge doesn't negate the fact that the AI is a wildcat, by pretty much everyone else's opinion.

Anyhow, it's not all that important.
 
I was just about to pull the trigger on a 300 H&H custom build. But brass availability put the brakes on that idea.

Everyone manufactures brass for the 30aught6, however, the 300 H&H is limited. Hornady, Nosler and Norma are the only manufactures that I know who make it. Currently I'm shooting Nosler. The brass is doing well, probably because I'm shooting a moderate load with 165 grain Accubonds. The best brass that I've used for reloading, since 1982 is Petterson, bloody marvelous, however, they don't make the 300 H&H.
I was going to use the 300 H&H this year for my bull moose, but will be using another "old" cartridge instead, (c. 1900) 9.3x74R.
 
Nothing to do with SAAMI... The 280 AI was never a wildcat. None of Ackley's AI chambering are wildcats... all of them are capable of firing factory ammo.

None of those are considered Ackley Improved... all AI's can use factory ammo. A wildcat has to be made by someone re loading and making it. No factory ammo will fit it. No doubt Ackley experimented a lot... but AI's are not wildcats...

Basically the definition of a wildcat cartridge is there has never been factory ammo made that you can chamber and fire.

Well, your definition is different from mine. Using your definition, most wildcats are not really wildcats. The fact that the AI is capable of firing the factory parent cartridge is irrelevant. With a few exceptions, you can't go out and buy formed AI cartridges off the shelf, and they aren't factory loaded. To get formed AI cases you have to fireform in some manner and load your own. That, to me, is what makes it a wildcat.
 
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