any body shooting a 6.5x280 AI

[jdLouie]

Is this the same cat by the name of 6.5 Mulie ?

Read about it in Reloader Magazine a while back. I have a .280 Rem. Kevlar stocked Mountain rifle. I am considering the change. Is it worth the effort ?

HI
Don't know anything about the 6.5 mulie. I have 280's and I would not convert to 6.5. Load R26 in the 280 and you will be very happy with the results.

 

[comen]

My reamer should arrive soon, any body shooting one?

Mine is built on an Interarms Mauser, with a 25" Brian Sipe Barrel. 58.5 gr of RL 26 does 2960 with a 140 NBT. I can keep 3 shots in a 3" targ dot at 620 yards with this combo (Burris 4.5-14 Ballistic reticle matches this load) and will stay just under an inch at 200 yds

 

[ENGUNEER]

Try RL23. I have a 6.5 JRS, which is similar to the Ackley or the Sherman, that I load 57 gr. of RL23, 140 gr. Berger target or VLD-H and a Winchester LR primer in a RP 280 case. It routinely shoots near 3080 fps from a 24 in. barrel and always (when I do my part) with 3 shots touching at 100 yds.

 

[65WSM]

My thoughts are Reloader 26 will make it go zoom. The capacity should be close to a 6.5 WSM in capacity. The problem is your bullets will be seated deep in the case to fit in the magazine. Get your 'Smith to ream a Wilson seating die at the same time he does the barrel. What bullet did you design the reamer to shoot? My 6.5-06 AI was designed to seat the 130 Accubond (original, the reamer was made before the "long range" version). For Quickload purposes my 6.5-06 AI case holds 60.8gr of water (Nosler .25/06 brass). The 6.5 WSM holds 79.34gr H2O full to the top of the case for Quickload. I have a 9 twist 26 inch Rock Creek #3 fluted barrel that has an Answer brake and has been nitrocarburized. It is the lightest barrel I have found. I have the same barrel on one of my 6.5 WSMs. My accuracy load is 62.7 gr of R-26 (F210) in back of a 130AB for 3275 fps in the 6.5-06AI. I use 65.0 gr, of R-26, to get the same speed in the WSM.

 

[tydaws]

I've got a 6.5x280 AI. Build specs below:

Remington 700 Action - Bolt fluted, skeletonized & bolt handle installed by Twisted Barrel
Bartlein 5R #3 SS Barrel 1:8 Fluted 26"
Timney 510 @ 2#
PTG .300 tapered SS recoil lug
Bedded HS Precison stock - upgrading to McMillan Game Scout as soon as the UPS man brings it!
Warne Tactical scope base
Warne Maxima scope rings
Huskemaw Blue Diamond 4-16x42
Holland scope level
Atlas Bipod
Built by West Texas Ordnance

I've had mine about a year. For bullets, I have tested 140 Berger Hunting VLDs & 143 Hornady ELDX. The only powders tested thus far have been H1000 & IMR 7977. I've only used Nosler 280AI Brass & F210M primers. The most promising combination thus far has been with the 140 VLDs & H1000 @ 3180 FPS.

I'm thinking I may test some Retumbo next. Also thinking I should try some magnum primers. I've also wondered if my rifle might like the 130 Hunting VLDs better, so I may try them too.

I absolutely love my rifle & the chambering. I've shot some pretty awesome groups with it too. However, I'm yet to find an exceptional level of consistency. I'll be watching this thread closely because I believe I can definitely get a bit more out of the rifle, I'm just not sure as to where to go next.

 

[oldcoast]

I had one. I'll post some loads when I get back home. H100v was the best powder for me.

 

[65WSM]

I have an 8lb jug of Retumbo that just sits. I can fill the case with the 6.5 WSM with old single base Retumbo but it is not as accurate or as fast as the new Swiss formula double base Reloader 26. I have not tried IMR 7977. Hodgdon has great faith in these General Dynamics powders built to ISO 2001 standards in a completely new plant. Hodgdon would not have brought out 7977 if they thought that Retumbo was the answer. The double base ball powder "Magnum" will develop impressive velocities, but of the 4 of us who built 6.5 WSM rifles together, no one has found it as accurate as the stick powders. Why would you choose 100V? It is the most mixed up (ball and sticks together) mess possible. It is also too fast for anything but the 85gr varmint bullets. I have tried it as a varmint bullet powder because I got some for $19 a can.

 

[tydaws]

Oldcoast,

Looking forward to seeing those loads.

 

[65WSM]

I used the lower cost 129 SST blem for ladder testing before switching to the 130 AB or 130 Berger Hunting VLD Nosler 25/06 brass F210 Primers
129 Hornady SST R-26 58.0 gr 3019
129 Hornady SST R-26 59.0 gr 3060
129 Hornady SST R-26 59.3 gr 3013
129 Hornady SST R-26 59.82 gr 3163
129 Hornady SST R-26 60.0 gr 3185
129 Hornady SST R-26 60.3 gr 3231
129 Hornady SST R-26 61.0 gr 3185
129 Hornady SST R-26 62.0 gr 3202
129 Hornady SST R-26 60.0 gr 3072
129 Hornady SST R-26 61.2 gr 3135
129 Hornady SST R-26 61.5 gr 3196
129 Hornady SST R-26 61.8 gr 3215
129 Hornady SST R-26 61.0 gr 3255

 

[tydaws]

You see any pressure signs on that ladder?

 

[65WSM]

Oldcoast,

Looking forward to seeing those loads.

 

[65WSM]

After fire forming, I like to half neck size with Wilson bushing dies. I have a custom Wilson Die assembled from a blank with my reamer. It does not easily accept cases fired with enough pressure to swell the butt just ahead of the web. I have to drag out the full length Redding (25-06 Ackley) bushing die to reclaim those cases. I stopped at 62.0 gr because I noticed butt swell. Because I am lubing only the neck of the fired case, I am quitting early enough enjoy long case life. Note that the cases are annealed after fire forming. I was happy with 61.8 gr for hunting the last two years. My barrel likes the expensive game bullets pushed hard.

 

[oldcoast]

Sorry guys busy around here.
Best load was 54gr H100v with 140 VLD hunting @3.400 OAL mag primers
Can't seem to find chrono numbers. Work up to this load please.

 

[65WSM]

Again Hodgdon 100V is a poor choice of powders. Why put a .260 Remington powder charge (?54 grains?) in a 6.5-280 Ackley? Magnum primers will never promote accuracy. That is why Lapua brought out small primer pocket cases for the 6.5 Creedmore. Here is what Quickload shows for 130gr (I have a 9 twist barrel) Berger VLDs that actually use the case volume.
Alliant Reloder-26 63.70gr 94 %fill 3,251fps 62,000psi
Norma MRP 62.34 95 3,229 61,185
Vihtavuori N560 61.04 95 3,174 57,559
Accurate MAGPRO 63.51 95 3,153 56,800
Ramshot Magnum 65.06 95 3,113 56,430
Accurate 3100 59.74 95 3,034 56,585
Norma MRP 2 59.74 95 2,918 43,867
Hodgdon H1000 59.09 95 2,850 42,128
Hodgdon Retumbo 60.06 95 2,806 37,744