280 Rem vs 280 AI

If I had to do it all over, I'd got straight up 280.
The AI is cool, but the gains are only on paper and on the computer if you ask me.
 
The AI seems to be one of the latest fads in my opinion, kinda like everyone wanted and was talking about/wanting/building the 6.5-284 a couple few years ago.
Guys have great success with the regular 280 and it takes good to handloading from what I've read. I've always wanted one and recently added a 280 and ran 140 fed tbt loads over chrony, results are 2952 out of 22" tube and box says 2950 so I'm happy. Looking forward to doing up some reloads for it.
I got a 7RM too so a 280AI is kinda pointless :)
 
I bought a 280 AI for 2 reasons, I have a 7mm rem mag and wanted a lightweight rifle with 7mm rem mag performance, my local gunshop had a kimber montana on the shelf in 280AI and I didnt have one, the cartridge fit the performance I was looking for. And the other reason is I have a 270 win already so buying a 280 was just duplicating what I already had in my 270.
 
The math isn't complicated, if you increase powder capacity, and maintain pressure, you increase velocity. Do you get so much more velocity than is provided by the standard cartridge that its an advantage, that's the real question. Rather than wring my hands over the problem, I decided that 160@2900 was desirable, and was within reach with a .280AI chambered rifle with a barrel of nominal length. The problem could be solved equally well by choosing a 7mm magnum, but that wasn't the question, and in my house there is so much brass from the '06 family that there is little desire for a small bore rifle chambered for a belted case.
 
Roughly 4-6 grains of powder to achieve 150 - 200 fps;Depending on the book, bullet or barrel.
With my 280, a Remington 700 BDL SS using the 140 grain Barnes TTSX the load is Re19, about 4 grains over max., and exceeds 3000 fps.
Thought of going to the AI but never did . . . no regrets.
 
The "rule of thumb" is a 4% increase in powder gets you 1% increase in speed. Whether that is worth it for the added velocity is up to the individual.
For myself, if a 280 is lacking velocity-wise I would step up significantly, which is not a 280Ai.
I "struggle" with the claim that a 280Ai gives you 200 fps over a 280, assuming pressure and barrel length are equal. It is one of the latest fad cartridges for sure!
 
Have a few 7s, 7-08, 7x57, 7RM and then along came the 7SAUM and the 7WSM. These two S Mags pretty much cover the field. The question of the Ackley vs standard caliber, for hunting the standard caliber is about as good as it gets. For target BR use, I prefer the Ackley as brass doesn't lengthen and you can neck size several times before having to bump the shoulder a touch.
enjoy
 
To add to that, I have shot big mature bull elk (not cows or rag horns) with the 280, 280 AI, and the 270 and if there is a dimes difference between them I can't see it.
 
I'm not sure you can call a 280 AI a "new fad". Considering that PO Ackley (the AI stands for Ackley Improved) developed the round before the 280 Remington was released in 1957....

Ackley originally necked down a 30-06 case with an improved shoulder etc. and loaded 7mm pills long before the 7mm express was released....

To call a cartridge that is 50 yrs+ old a fad is a bit disrespectful.

Now, wether a fella needs a 280ai is a whole other story!

Cheers!

From wikki



One of P.O. Ackley's earliest wildcats was the 7mm-06 Improved, which was made by necking down the .30-06 Springfield case and fire-forming it to have less body taper and a 40-degree shoulder angle. Soon after the .280 Remington came out, Fred Huntingtonreformed its case to an improved configuration with minimum body taper, a 35-degree shoulder angle, and called it the .280 RCBS. Since cases for the .280 RCBS could be formed by firing .280 Remington ammo in a rifle chambered for the former, Ackley abandoned the 7mm-06 Improved and started chambering rifles for the .280 RCBS. He then changed the 35-degree shoulder to 40-degrees and the .280 Ackley Improved was born. If barrel length and chamber pressure are equal, the .280 Ackley Improved is about 100 fps faster with all bullet weights than the standard .280 Remington. In 2007, ammunition manufacturer Noslerregistered the .280 Ackley Improved with SAAMI and began providing factory loaded ammunition and rifles for it.
 
notsorichguy said:
I'm not sure you can call a 280 AI a "new fad". Considering that PO Ackley (the AI stands for Ackley Improved) developed the round before the 280 Remington was released in 1957....

Ackley originally necked down a 30-06 case with an improved shoulder etc. and loaded 7mm pills long before the 7mm express was released....

To call a cartridge that is 50 yrs+ old a fad is a bit disrespectful.

Now, wether a fella needs a 280ai is a whole other story!

Cheers!

From wikki



One of P.O. Ackley's earliest wildcats was the 7mm-06 Improved, which was made by necking down the .30-06 Springfield case and fire-forming it to have less body taper and a 40-degree shoulder angle. Soon after the .280 Remington came out, Fred Huntingtonreformed its case to an improved configuration with minimum body taper, a 35-degree shoulder angle, and called it the .280 RCBS. Since cases for the .280 RCBS could be formed by firing .280 Remington ammo in a rifle chambered for the former, Ackley abandoned the 7mm-06 Improved and started chambering rifles for the .280 RCBS. He then changed the 35-degree shoulder to 40-degrees and the .280 Ackley Improved was born. If barrel length and chamber pressure are equal, the .280 Ackley Improved is about 100 fps faster with all bullet weights than the standard .280 Remington. In 2007, ammunition manufacturer Noslerregistered the .280 Ackley Improved with SAAMI and began providing factory loaded ammunition and rifles for it.
Click to expand...

I was going to mention the maturity of the .280 Ackley myself, but now you've saved me the trouble. A fad indeed. The best reason to own a .280 Ackley is because not everyone does, and it makes you feel good. The same argument might be made for the 7X64 Brenneke. The .280 Ackley is one of few cartridges which thanks to Nosler is now a wildcat for which factory brass is available. Until others jump on the bandwagon, perhaps its now better described as a propriety cartridge, since Nosler produces both rifles and ammunition for it. The worst reason to own one is in the hopes that it will somehow provide terminal performance that is perceived to be lacking in the standard cartridge. There is no reason not to want to optimize the ballistic potential from a specific case family, even if the difference is a non-exploitable advantage.
 
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One thing that comes to mind regardless of performance differences ( if any ) is the fact that the Ackley cartridges or any other sharp - shouldered cases for that matter require less trimming after sizing, a chore I don't mind missing...
 
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