280 AI Build

JGRJR

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Jul 19, 2013
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Ok I have a Nesika J action I have had sitting a long time that I was planing on using for a 280 AI build. Well in the meantime Nosler has complicated things by taking the Ackley 280 AI and changing it to a slightly different SAMMI spec.

What would you do, old 280 Ackley Reamer or New Nosler Ackley Reamer?

Just thought maybe some gunsmiths and users could weigh in on what they are choosing now.

Thanks
 
Ok I have a Nesika J action I have had sitting a long time that I was planing on using for a 280 AI build. Well in the meantime Nosler has complicated things by taking the Ackley 280 AI and changing it to a slightly different SAMMI spec.

What would you do, old 280 Ackley Reamer or New Nosler Ackley Reamer?

Just thought maybe some gunsmiths and users could weigh in on what they are choosing now.

Thanks
Use the Nosler. .280 Rem brass is hard to come by at this time. Besides you can skip fire forming.
 
Yep...the SAAMI/Nosler version has caught on pretty well...makes everything simpler, and doesn't give up anything to the old one.

.014"...what is that, like 1/10th of a grain difference in capacity?
 
SAAMI/Nosler reamer all day long. Once again, Nosler pre-formed .280 AI brass is available. So why not go Nosler reamer?

When I build mine it will be with the new Nosler spec reamer.
 
I used a traditional reamer and the Nosler brass head spaced fine. I think the difference in spec is due to measurement inconsistencies. No stretching or any other issues firing warm loads with the Nosler brass in my traditional chamber. I'm shooing 60.0 RL-22 with 162 A-Max bullets. Very accurate 3025 fps. 12.4 fps deviation in a five shot string. Happy, Happy, Happy.-------SS
 
Go original Ackley as if you ever plan to shoot ( or need to )regular 280 cartridges you can, and you cannot in the Sammi spec version. I use Nosler brass in my original Ackley, and it shoots just fine in-fact I use Nosler ammo in my original version ,and it shoots great but if I ever get stuck away from home without ammo I can always use regular 280 rounds. So with the original Ackley you can fire form brass, buy brass ,and shoot regular 280 rem rounds so you have multiple options with the Sammi spec version you have one option buy very expensive/soft Nosler brass or Ammo .
 
Thanks for the responses guys. Looks like it is new SAAMI reamer.

One of the advantages of going to 280AI was that in an emergency you could shoot normal 280 Remington in the 280 AI chamber if you had too. Meaning if you were out on a hunt and somehow did not have your own reloads you could buy over the counter 280 Remington. This was one of Kenny Jarrett's reasons he liked the 280AI.

Can you shoot normal 280 Remington in the SAAMI chamber also?

Of course now you have factory 280AI Nosler ammo.
 
Yes you can shoot regular 280 in the SAAMI chamber...it's amazing that everybody still so confused about this after all this time.
 
Really as I own 4 280ackleys a Nosler 48 sammi chamber and it will not shoot 280 rem unless the jam method is used I have 2 280 ackley in Kimber Montana's Sammi chambers they will not take regular 280 rounds unless jam method is used I have a Cooper in a 280 Ackley that will accept regular 280 as it's the original PO Ackley chamber. My brother just purchased a Feirce in a 280 ackley Sammi chamber and it will not take regular 280 rounds. In a word you can fire regular 280 rem rounds from a sammi chamber if you have the time to mess around at home but if your in some backwoods little store on a hunt then you will be hooped so no confusion on chambers as I have few and have tried in all of them.
 
Nosler FAQ - The 280 Ackley Improved ? which version do I have, and is it ok to shoot with factory ammo?

There have been many variations of "improved" cartridges over the years, and even several different flavors within the "Ackley" cartridges. The 280 is certainly no exception. When the 280 Ackley Improved was developed and standardized through the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) by Nosler®, the decision was made to honor Mr. Ackley's original design intent by headspacing the cartridge such that standard 280 Remington ammunition would chamber with slight (.003"/.004") crush at the shoulder/neck intersection and fire form into the Ackley chamber without the need to seat the bullet into the rifling. In fact, Mr. Ackley headspaced his "improved" cartridges by simply grinding a standard "go" headspace gage for the parent cartridge back by 0.004" and using it to headspace the new version. This is also the way that many large custom gun shops have chambered the 280 Ackley for almost 40 years. In order to achieve this, any standard 280 Remington firearm being opened up to the Ackley must have the barrel set back one turn prior to reaming the chamber – simply improving the standard chamber without doing so will yield excessive headspace, even though this was common practice for many gun makers over the years as well. Based on this design, the 280 Ackley Improved was accepted by SAAMI in February of 2008 and has enjoyed tremendous success ever since.



Occasionally, a rifle that was "improved" by simply reaming the chamber without first setting the barrel back will turn up and result in questions about its compatibility with factory ammunition. Unbeknownst to their owner, most of these guns have headspace dimensions of between 0.010" and 0.015" greater than the SAAMI version of the 280 Ackley Improved. These rifles are perfectly functional so long as they are used with ammunition that has been properly formed and sized to fit their chambers. If the customer wishes to use their rifle with modern SAAMI-compliant 280 Ackley ammunition, it must be re-headspaced to properly chamber the ammunition.
 
Go original Ackley as if you ever plan to shoot ( or need to )regular 280 cartridges you can, and you cannot in the Sammi spec version. I use Nosler brass in my original Ackley, and it shoots just fine in-fact I use Nosler ammo in my original version ,and it shoots great but if I ever get stuck away from home without ammo I can always use regular 280 rounds. So with the original Ackley you can fire form brass, buy brass ,and shoot regular 280 rem rounds so you have multiple options with the Sammi spec version you have one option buy very expensive/soft Nosler brass or Ammo .

+1 well said, both of mine are "old" chambers and shoot everything without issue.
 
The SAAMI specd reamer is the new standard and a reamer can be ordered 'off the shelf'. The same can't be said of the old Ackley reamer as it is now considered a 'special' by some tool makers. Depending on the maker, 'specials' can be priced higher than SAAMI speced, off the shelf. One is really only better than the other in the mind. Why go with an obsolete version? It probably wouldn't have as good of a resale value. There are subtle dimentional differences between the two.
 
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