One advantage of the original Ackley Improved cartridges is that brass could be fireformed by firing the factory or handloaded new brass of the original cartridge in the improved rifle. Since there is lots of 280 rem ammo and brass available this helps to keep costs down. Something that does concern me is the proliferation of new cartridges, there are so many out there that I wonder if brass and factory ammo will be available for many of them in the future. I have noticed that rifles in the more common calibers seem to sell more quickly than some of the newer ones, the short magnums do not seem to be moving and the super short magnums are even slower.
280AI or 280 Nosler?
- Thread starter dak47
- Start date
There's LOT's of 280 AI ammo and brass avail now a days FAR more then std 280 Rem . RJ
RJ is right I have a custom built 280 AI and there is a lot of ammo out there now. Mine loves the 162 ELD-X Hornady and have dumped several bucks with it last couple years. Shot a Tikka in .270 WSM for a decade did the job but the 280 AI is a button holer at 200 + .Like the cartridge and the rifle, my .02 worth.
The SAAMI spec cartridge carries the approved name of " 280 ACKLEY IMPROVED". The original wildcat P.O. Ackley developed has several names; 280 ACK IMP 40 degree( can not find degree key), 280 Rem IMP 40 degree, 280 Ackley and more. The SAMMI SPEC 280 ACK IMP IS 0.014 " SHORTER AT THE DATUM HEADSPACE DIMENSION than the original wildcat chamber as previously produced. Redding current dies are stamped " 280 ACKLEY IMP ". Dies made before 2011 are stamped "280 REM IMP. Redding makes a shellholder 0.014" deeper so that owners of wildcat chambered rifles can use the current dies.
Failing to use this shellholder or to back the die away from a standard shellholder by a minimum of 0.014" will result in too much shoulder bump which may create an unsafe, excessive headspace condition when fired in a traditionally dimensioned wildcat chamber.
This information is from the Redding website. Ammunition for one chamber does not fit the other exactly so it is better to make sure you have the correct ammunition for your rifle. When the new spec ammo first came out there were questions about using the new spec factory ammo in the original wildcat chambers but because the factory ammo is SAAMI spec it is short and may not fire all the time. The firing pin is able to push the cartridge forward and it may not fire. Just be sure to have the correct ammo or dies.
Failing to use this shellholder or to back the die away from a standard shellholder by a minimum of 0.014" will result in too much shoulder bump which may create an unsafe, excessive headspace condition when fired in a traditionally dimensioned wildcat chamber.
This information is from the Redding website. Ammunition for one chamber does not fit the other exactly so it is better to make sure you have the correct ammunition for your rifle. When the new spec ammo first came out there were questions about using the new spec factory ammo in the original wildcat chambers but because the factory ammo is SAAMI spec it is short and may not fire all the time. The firing pin is able to push the cartridge forward and it may not fire. Just be sure to have the correct ammo or dies.
