280 ackley suggestions

[2tall]

I have a savage 110 in 30-06 that i plan on changing to 280ai (the real p.o. version) i told my gunsmith that i wanted to have a rifle i can go hunt elk, antelope, and shoot steel out to 1000 yards (not competatively just for fun) I know my 06 can do all of those things but if it were 280 ai it would do it a whole lot better. Ive been reloading for a while with several different caliblers and im just looking for a rifle to build and have it all exactly how i want. I told my gunsmith what i wanted and he said er shaw would be the way to go for me, im thinking either their magnum contour or their heavy mag contour which is only 4 ounces heavier. Any one with a heavy mag contour from er shaw?? Also ive been reading about the 2 versions, i ask er shaw and they said theirs is the original longer chamber. So im wondering what i should i do for brass since i cant use nosler ai brass without creating a false shoulder. I thought i'd just buy 5 boxes of regular 280 but its a little higher than i expected, and winchester which is usually my first pick is all nickle plated so i have no desire for 280 winchester brass....hows remington brass in 280? Is norma or nostler 280 brass worth the price over remington brass? Also i see lots of ppls load data includes mag primers for the 280 ai, i figured i would try both and use whats best but is it a nesecity in the cartrage? I know this is getting long but one last thing, what powder have you guys had luck with using 168 grain bullets? Any help is greatly appriciated

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I got mine with a magnum contour barrel, I didn't have a choice (Nosler M48 custom), but that was the contour I wanted anyway..., I need to be able to carry it too, 9 lbs. is my limit for a hunting rifle...and I believe it would save you a lot of headaches down the road if you got the SAAMI approved chamber...

If you go with the old chamber, you'll need custom dies...Redding still makes them for the old version, but they are no longer a standard offering, and they're not cheap.

And its only .014" ....its not like you're giving up any noticeable amount of case capacity....if you really look into it, the changes that were made to the 280 AI by SAAMI are regarded as improvements by some pretty knowledgeable folks, the changes addressed a minor problem that is common to many of the original Ackley rounds.

If the Ackley catches on enough that other makers start offering ammo for it...that ammo, and brass, will be the SAAMI approved stuff too.

Any way you look at it...getting the old version is shooting yourself in the foot if others start offering components.


Powders...IMR 7828 (ssc or not), Reloder 22, and Norma MRP

Primers...Mag primers are not required, but they can be used.

 

[2tall]

I see what your getting at with the saami version being standard and things that are standard are just easier...but er shaw only offers the original version. And i cant remember for sure i think ive read somewhere about a certain brand making a shell holder that was .014 thicker at the top preventing the new dies from bumping the shoulder back too far. I dunno i maybe thinking of it backwards, guess i need to do some homework on that. But i was curious about imr7828 because it looks like it would do well but i havent read about many people using it, ive read alot about r22, ive read how great it is for that wieght and caliber but some people complain about temp sensitivity...ugh i just wish nosler would have left a good thing alone, to me the .01 more crunch isnt worth the confusion and headace for everyone, but since they didnt i wish er shaw chambered the saami version

 

[Ridgerunner665]

More on powder...

It really depends on what bullet weight you want to shoot...I went with MRP using 160 grain Accubonds (I may be the odd man out, but I like Nosler, lol)...I was told that Nosler also uses MRP in their 280 AI ammo...it can be used with 140's, 150's, 160's, and 175's....and produces very good speed with all of them...it is very similar to RL22, but not exactly the same...its supposed to be a more consistent.

But for my 140 grain loads...I used H4350....tried and true in any '06 case, very stable powder...gives good speed with 140's...~3,100 fps....MRP will get 3,250 fps, but it takes about 67 grains to do it (more wear on the throat)

I had forgotten about that shell holder...Redding makes it I think.

 

[2tall]

Alright well i think i'll get a few powders and see what it likes, hopefully mrp works for me too. And i may have a couple bullets but i plan on the 168 vld, never used berger but i figured since im going from 30-06 to 7mm for balistics, i may as well pick my main bullet that has a high bc and berger seems to be the bc king lol hopefully the gun likes it, if not i'll prolly try sierras, ive always had good luck with them at a very decent price too. But i do also plan on having a 140 grain load also, i figure if i have a 140 and 168 grain loads, thats enough to do anything i want it to do

 

[rharfo]

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f28/280-ai-controversy-explained-118623/

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Yep...

And for every person who had trouble with Nosler brass...you can find several more who use it with no issues.

I have concluded that this whole debacle is because for too many years there was no "standard" chamber...and there is a very good video on YouTube that shows very clearly why SAAMI shortened the 280AI chamber specs....it is to prevent the firing pin from pushing the round forward in the chamber...which is common with several of the Ackley rounds.

 

[J E Custom]

I have a savage 110 in 30-06 that i plan on changing to 280ai (the real p.o. version) i told my gunsmith that i wanted to have a rifle i can go hunt elk, antelope, and shoot steel out to 1000 yards (not competatively just for fun) I know my 06 can do all of those things but if it were 280 ai it would do it a whole lot better. Ive been reloading for a while with several different caliblers and im just looking for a rifle to build and have it all exactly how i want. I told my gunsmith what i wanted and he said er shaw would be the way to go for me, im thinking either their magnum contour or their heavy mag contour which is only 4 ounces heavier. Any one with a heavy mag contour from er shaw?? Also ive been reading about the 2 versions, i ask er shaw and they said theirs is the original longer chamber. So im wondering what i should i do for brass since i cant use nosler ai brass without creating a false shoulder. I thought i'd just buy 5 boxes of regular 280 but its a little higher than i expected, and winchester which is usually my first pick is all nickle plated so i have no desire for 280 winchester brass....hows remington brass in 280? Is norma or nostler 280 brass worth the price over remington brass? Also i see lots of ppls load data includes mag primers for the 280 ai, i figured i would try both and use whats best but is it a nesecity in the cartrage? I know this is getting long but one last thing, what powder have you guys had luck with using 168 grain bullets? Any help is greatly appriciated

I have had lots of problems with ER Shaw and will not use them any more. I normally don't criticize
any one but I think if you are going to build a custom rifle you need to use one of the premier barrels. There are lots of them to chose from, and the difference in prices is minor for the difference in quality.

A good barrel is the heart of an accurate rifle and with all other things being quality it should shoot extremely well.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[ramrod79]

Hey 2Tall I have a few 280 AI rifles now some sammi ,and some original P.O Ackly, I use Nosler brass with all versions with no issues . I have also fire formed in my original P.O AI with cheap Remington rounds then after fire formed I trim ,and neck turn ,and I am good to go . 2Tall I use standard primers ( FED 210 M ) , in all my loads with IMR 4831 I get 3250 with 140 NAB ,and 2980 with 160 AB . I have also tried the 168 Bergers in my Kimber Montana using 58.5 GR of H4831sc seated to 3.385 this is a great load one ragged hole at 100yards but too long for my Montana to cycle so I stick with the AB for hunting .The only down fall to using Nosler brass is that it is soft ,and expensive but using Nosler brass saves barrel life to compared to fire forming .

 

[shortgrass]

I have had lots of problems with ER Shaw and will not use them any more. I normally don't criticize
any one but I think if you are going to build a custom rifle you need to use one of the premier barrels. There are lots of them to chose from, and the difference in prices is minor for the difference in quality.

A good barrel is the heart of an accurate rifle and with all other things being quality it should shoot extremely well.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

I won't install a E.R. Shaw barrel or any other that is not hand lapped. The barrel is no place to cut corners or try to save a few $$$$$$$.

 

[reeldawg]

A friend just had a 280 AI, the saami version. I loaded some ammo for him. I tried Retumbo. It was shooting 3 rounds in the .25s and .26s. His was built my Joe Collier of Collier Rifles in Ga. I think his is a Bartlien barrel.

 

[stanley52]

I have a savage 110 in 30-06 that i plan on changing to 280ai (the real p.o. version) i told my gunsmith that i wanted to have a rifle i can go hunt elk, antelope, and shoot steel out to 1000 yards (not competatively just for fun) I know my 06 can do all of those things but if it were 280 ai it would do it a whole lot better. Ive been reloading for a while with several different caliblers and im just looking for a rifle to build and have it all exactly how i want. I told my gunsmith what i wanted and he said er shaw would be the way to go for me, im thinking either their magnum contour or their heavy mag contour which is only 4 ounces heavier. Any one with a heavy mag contour from er shaw?? Also ive been reading about the 2 versions, i ask er shaw and they said theirs is the original longer chamber. So im wondering what i should i do for brass since i cant use nosler ai brass without creating a false shoulder. I thought i'd just buy 5 boxes of regular 280 but its a little higher than i expected, and winchester which is usually my first pick is all nickle plated so i have no desire for 280 winchester brass....hows remington brass in 280? Is norma or nostler 280 brass worth the price over remington brass? Also i see lots of ppls load data includes mag primers for the 280 ai, i figured i would try both and use whats best but is it a nesecity in the cartrage? I know this is getting long but one last thing, what powder have you guys had luck with using 168 grain bullets? Any help is greatly appriciated

Just do the saami spec man and don't get super fancy. Nosler brass is good to go. You also do not need magnum primers, large rifle do just fine. I use BR2's with great success. I use 58.5gr H4831sc with a 168gr berger .004 off the lands. 3/8 MOA easy and gets about 2815 out of a 26" bartlein 5r

 

[2tall]

Well my gunsmith told me that since im not a competition shooter i could probably get away with saving a few bucks on a er shaw and use the saved money on reloading supplys but i understand your guys point about not wanting to cheep out on the barrel as i do see the importance in the quality of the barrel. I emailed shilen and asked them if their chamber specs are P.O. version or nosley/remington version, if it is i would say the extra $125 over the shaw especially since they hand lap their stainless barrels which is what i want. Ive read good things about shilen, thoughts? Thank you guys for all the responses

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I have had 2 Shilen barrels and they served their purpose well...Shilen is certainly not the very best, but have been enough for my uses.

You should look into Pac-Nor before making a final decision...