Troutslayer2
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 28, 2010
- Messages
- 755
I picked up a used gun chambered in .280 AI. It's a Yost-Bonnitz custom that they told me is around 8 years old. I called the maker, one of them anyway, and he told me a little about it and also researched their work, which seems to be top notch. It's got a 1:10 twist, a fluted bbl, McMillan Stock, very crisp trigger. Appears to be in excellent condition and my smith gave the chamber and barrel his seal of approval.
I finally got a brand new Leupold MK4 4.5-14 mounted on it with a picatinny rail and MK4 rings. Since brass is impossible to find, I ordered 2 boxes of Nosler Trophy Grade 140 Grain bullets, and bought 4 boxes of Remington 140 grain in .280 Rem. I put 60 rounds through it today. I also put some rounds through some other weapons at the same time. At 100 yds, with either ammo, I am all over the map. No stringing, sometimes touching 2 out of 3, but then one landing like 3" away. Out of 60 3 shot groups, never was there one inside 1 MOA, usually more like 1.5 and sometimes bigger. It was extremely windy, and it kept changing directions, but it wasn't like I would have 3 all lined up in a row like you might expect from wind drift.
I paid $800 for the gun, knowing that a rebarrel might be necessary, and still feel good about it. Do you think there's hope for better groups w/handloads? What's the best rags to riches story you've seen with handloading vs. factory garbage? I know one way to find out, and I will post up how it goes, brass is going in the tumbler now.
I finally got a brand new Leupold MK4 4.5-14 mounted on it with a picatinny rail and MK4 rings. Since brass is impossible to find, I ordered 2 boxes of Nosler Trophy Grade 140 Grain bullets, and bought 4 boxes of Remington 140 grain in .280 Rem. I put 60 rounds through it today. I also put some rounds through some other weapons at the same time. At 100 yds, with either ammo, I am all over the map. No stringing, sometimes touching 2 out of 3, but then one landing like 3" away. Out of 60 3 shot groups, never was there one inside 1 MOA, usually more like 1.5 and sometimes bigger. It was extremely windy, and it kept changing directions, but it wasn't like I would have 3 all lined up in a row like you might expect from wind drift.
I paid $800 for the gun, knowing that a rebarrel might be necessary, and still feel good about it. Do you think there's hope for better groups w/handloads? What's the best rags to riches story you've seen with handloading vs. factory garbage? I know one way to find out, and I will post up how it goes, brass is going in the tumbler now.