Of course the incident that seems to be brought up most often by those opposed to the sako extractor being installed in a 700 action involves someone shooting a rifle with a cleaning rod in the barrel.As well,the shooter was left handed shooting a right handed rifle,so his face was in front of the ejection opening.Can you really expect any action to be totally safe in such a situation?
280 Rem or 280AI
- Thread starter Camp Cook
- Start date
Of course the incident that seems to be brought up most often by those opposed to the sako extractor being installed in a 700 action involves someone shooting a rifle with a cleaning rod in the barrel.As well,the shooter was left handed shooting a right handed rifle,so his face was in front of the ejection opening.Can you really expect any action to be totally safe in such a situation?
This si so simple to answer, but it is better to answer as a question-
What do you hope to gain by rechambering your .280 to a .280 AI?
In short, what is your goal?
Higher velocity isn't really the issue basically I'm looking to find out if the 280AI is a more efficient case design that gives better overall performance of case life/velocity/accuracy to justify the conversion.
If it isn't I will leave my new rifle alone and start working up some loads with 139gr SST's and 140gr Accubonds.
If it isn't I will leave my new rifle alone and start working up some loads with 139gr SST's and 140gr Accubonds.
In a word...NO. And again my pet rifle is a 280AI.
There are very few AI conversions that are truly "justifiable: 
In this day and age, anyway...
If I had a good 280, I wouldn't bother mucking wiht it because I wanted to trim 2x less in the brass life and get 2x more firings out of the brass. Still gotta fireform to make it useful, anyway.
If I wanted cool factor for a 7mm, I'd go 280 AI. I could use Nosler brass, ya know.
If I wanted practical performance with easy to find brass and knowing that I'd never see much difference in he field, I'd just pick a .280 or 7RM....
Cool factor rates high, though...
In this day and age, anyway...
If I had a good 280, I wouldn't bother mucking wiht it because I wanted to trim 2x less in the brass life and get 2x more firings out of the brass. Still gotta fireform to make it useful, anyway.
If I wanted cool factor for a 7mm, I'd go 280 AI. I could use Nosler brass, ya know.
If I wanted practical performance with easy to find brass and knowing that I'd never see much difference in he field, I'd just pick a .280 or 7RM....
Cool factor rates high, though...
I found it very easy to find 280AI brass,Clay at Prophet River stocks the Nosler brass.It is more pricey than most other brass,but it is so consistent and uniform,that I will likely be buying Nosler brass for other chamberings as well.I bought a few hundred rounds of brass,and I doubt that I will ever have to buy more.With no fire forming required,and brass and dies not hard to get,and loading data from Nosler readily available,it was no more hassle loading for the 280AI than it would be for a 280rem or 7mmremmag.As such,I saw no reason not to take the extra bit of velocity that the 280AI offers over the 280.As for the 7mmremmag,the rifle that I decided on,is not available in magnum chamberings,so that wasn't an option.
Had the rifle not been available in 280AI,or had factory 280AI brass not been available,I would have gone with a 280rem.
There are very few AI conversions that are truly "justifiable:
In this day and age, anyway...
If I had a good 280, I wouldn't bother mucking wiht it because I wanted to trim 2x less in the brass life and get 2x more firings out of the brass. Still gotta fireform to make it useful, anyway.
If I wanted cool factor for a 7mm, I'd go 280 AI. I could use Nosler brass, ya know.
If I wanted practical performance with easy to find brass and knowing that I'd never see much difference in he field, I'd just pick a .280 or 7RM....
Cool factor rates high, though...
Yeah I'm begining to agree, I have several hundred brand new 280 brass and several hundred more fired brass having to fire form all of it would be a pain and expensive.
If I didn't have the brass already and went with the AI I would also buy new Nosler AI brass I haven't used their brass yet but I have heard good things about it.
Yeah I'm begining to agree, I have several hundred brand new 280 brass and several hundred more fired brass having to fire form all of it would be a pain and expensive.
If I didn't have the brass already and went with the AI I would also buy new Nosler AI brass I haven't used their brass yet but I have heard good things about it.
I remember Handloader doing some tests with all sorts of brass in a chambering. They used everything from Remington and Fenderal to Norma and Winchester. Unprepped loaded after sizing the necks. I think it was .223. Anyway, Lapua was the most consistent, by Winchester and Nosler stole the show. I think that some of the variables we pay too much attention to, is just that.
I think that the 140's flying over the chrony at 3000-3100fps will do just fine.
If extra fps in a standard .280, Alliants new RL17 powder sounds like the ticket, with reports claiming substantial velocity gains over standard powders.
I have two pounds of RL17 that I will be soon testing in my .280 under 140 AB's. I will let you know what I find.
I have two pounds of RL17 that I will be soon testing in my .280 under 140 AB's. I will let you know what I find.
exactly,..the comment in my signature line is a good natured jab at all the critics of Sako extractors in 700's.....
there's nothing to retain it in the Tikka T3 and I don't think Sako would allow it if they were at all worried about it....
Yeah I'm begining to agree, I have several hundred brand new 280 brass and several hundred more fired brass having to fire form all of it would be a pain and expensive.
If I didn't have the brass already and went with the AI I would also buy new Nosler AI brass I haven't used their brass yet but I have heard good things about it.
Cam now you do not have to worry about it.Can hardly wait to try a 280,One cal. i never owned till now.
DAN>>>If I was you, I'd have done the exact same thing. Especially to use cool Nosler brass with 280AI headstamp!
I wish they would make 300WSM bras...
Had a remmy "AS" in 280 rem., shot good and all. Then one day I wanted to build a custom rifle so I thought the 280 AI being different would be the chambering. Still can shoot 280 rem. out of it in a pinch too.
Thats my reason for having one! Also have a 7 RM as well.
Thats my reason for having one! Also have a 7 RM as well.
Yup, the .280 Ultra Improved...
ahhh....the 7mm SAUM....the very best of the short mags...and Winchester is letting thiers die....I can't for the life of me figure out why the 270WSM is popular and the 7mm is not...I'd take the 7mm over any other short mag....
