280 AI Real World Feedback

[112Savage]

I put one together on a savage 112 Flatback. Carbon6ix barrel 24" sendero contour. DNZ 2piece rings, Vortex Razor LHT 3-15x50. Mostly shot with DT silencerco omega with flat endcap.
175 ABLR 2912fps RL26
160 Accubond 3020 RL23
154 Absolute hammer deadblow 3242 RL26 (I think)

I have only killed animals with the 175 ABLR and 160 AB. They were all dead with great penetration and all <50yd tracking.
I love the balance of this rifle despite being long. It truly does get 7mag velocity with 4+1 capacity.

Pertinent to the OP, the only problem I would see in the Tikka action may be magazine length but all of the bullets I've listed have quite a bit of jump to the lands and fit in the factory savage box at <3.4"

 

[onetohunt]

I have a 280ai in a Cooper Backcountry that is just a pleasure to shoot. It has taken several whitetails and a few hogs and exotics. I'm currently building another 280ai with a Bartlein 8.7 twist CF barrel in a varmint contour. The action will be a Defiance Anti action nitrided. It will have a Mesa Precision Altitude stock with a M5 inlet and Hawkins Hunter bottom metal. Went with a Trigger Tech Special trigger. All i can say is it is one of the best shooting cartridge i have shot.

 

[Trooper1]

280 AI on a Winchester Model 70 EW, 24" Bartlein 5R 8.5 twist, Shrewd brake. Recoils like a 243. Still working on the load, but 143gr Hammer Hunters are shooting .5 moa now, 3200+-. Planned to shoot heavier Accubonds, but after trying Hammers… Love this rifle. 10.3lbs scoped with a Nightforce ATACR 4-16x50.

 

[dfitz7604]

I really like mine. 25" bartlein barrel. I run the 162 eld-x at just north of 2900 FPS. It had plenty more speed but it's around .4" at a 100. So I stayed there. I use H4831sc with great success.

Most of my shooting is either with a brake or suppressor. Only shot it a few times without and it still wasn't terrible for a 11 pound rifle. I would bat an eye at running 30-50 rounds bare rifle.

I've only shot 3 does with all head or neck shots it so I can't give much info on game. But I plan to take it on an elk hunt hopefully next year.

I hope you build goes well. Good luck.

 

[Buckys]

Texjitter, I love mine. I've only hunted it in Texas and so I'm sure you'll understand that I have no useful information on long range

Shoots sub 0.5 moa with Nosler factory ammo (140AB, advertised MV=3150) and my first attempt at reloading using RE22 and 140TSX yielded similar results.

Devasting on mature Texas buck and stopped a large boar in his tracks. Similar terminal ballistics to my 270WBY shooting the same 140AB (MV=3320) or 7RM with factory ammo (much below potential - factory 140 AB is ~3150 advertised).

Mine is a Kimber Montana which is 1:9" 24" barrel. Pretty light weight but recoil w/o brake has not been an issue for me.

 

[petbug]

280 AI on Tikka LH, 25 3/4" #3 s/s fluted Benchmark 1:9, McMillan Carbon, Swarovski Z5, 9lbs w/sling, 168 Barnes LRX at 2930, 1/2 min accuracy. Killed deer, elk, moose, goat, sheep at 90-360y. NOT for sale

 

[aalyea]

280 AI on a Winchester Model 70 EW, 24" Bartlein 5R 8.5 twist, Shrewd brake. Recoils like a 243. Still working on the load, but 143gr Hammer Hunters are shooting .5 moa now, 3200+-. Planned to shoot heavier Accubonds, but after trying Hammers… Love this rifle. 10.3lbs scoped with a Nightforce ATACR 4-16x50.

Love 143s in ours but stopped at 3050. Specifics of your load?

 

[lyle2231]

I read up, looked at ballistics, and had one built. 8 3/4lbs, Defiance Anti, 26" Proof Carbon Sendero 1 in 9", topped with a Swarovski Z6 and shooting 140gr Accubond somewhere around 3200ish. 5 for 5 on whitetails out to 300yds, 3 in their tracks, 2 less than 30yds and all with one bullet each.

Just being curious here…With that kind of speed how many rounds through the barrel before a rebarrel is required. I got around 2600 rnds down my non-AI .280. Just on targets.

 

[CBH Australia]

If your not reloading is there good availability of factory ammo? I would buy 2 cartons straight up if you can get a bulk price.

I have a .280ai built on a Tikka, Built for regular carry before I relocated just after I received it.

I built it because I believe it's a great cartridge for a light rifle.

It's a 26" IBI C/F wrapped barrel in a Bolly/PDI C/F stock. Fairly light and the weight is forward giving the feel of a heavier rifle.

No brake, can't have a supressor. Tested some Noslers, due to get back on the range but it's accurate around 1/2 moa, load notes in the shed.

It's ok to shoot over the bench and I expect it won't be a problem in the field when I'm focused on game.

 

[longrangehunterII]

I had Kenny Jarrett build me one twenty years ago on a Remington action in a McMillan Sako stock that has taken more game than I can count! 150 NBT for the thin skinned game, and a 175 Partition for everything else. Neither bullet has ever let me down. Even the FF load I use with a 140 Interlock has taken game cleanly @ 7x57 velocities, shoots into a single hole too and why I'll use it every now and then at known distances. No Break, 24" bbl and it's around 9-10 lbs I think. Great round, and easy to shoot well, that said I've always hand loaded for it with the load data he gave me.

I would question the magazine length though if it's short? Check your mag box length, not sure if that would keep you from leaving the bullets pushed out as it was designed to achieve max internal case volume.

 

[cabelasken]

I purchased a 280 AI Browning X-bolt hells canyon Speed two months ago and it shoots terrific. Initial velocity for 145 Barnes Long Range was 3150 and without any tuning printed under 1 MOA. A few weeks ago it dropped a cow elk at 420 yds. Although I love my 284 winchesters, two are OAL limited due to the clip length. The X-bolt clip is extremely long and I should be able to seat bullets out as much as desired. The design of the Ackley case is very favorable as the neck is long and I believe this reduces throat erosion as the unburned powder kernals are forced straight out the case. The taper reduction and 40 degree shoulder prolong case life and my clips hold 4 or an improvement over the standard 3. In my opinion powder capacity is perfect for a 7MM caliber cartridge. My X-bolt weight 6.75 lbs bare and came to slightly over 8 lbs with scope, rings, and ammo. Not as light as my 284's but lighter than my 300 WSM..

 

[Josh06]

Built one on a savage action last year. 24" IBI and a 154 AH deadblow with H100V gets me 3160 FPS. In the process of building another one around the 140 AH. Hoping for 3300 FPS plus out of a 23" IBI carbon. The 280 AI just works.

3300 should be easy with that bullet in a 24" barrel. My load for the 140 AH in a 23" barrel is 3376 with superformance and there are a few on the hammer load data spreadsheet getting over 3400.

 

[BEEMAN]

3300 should be easy with that bullet in a 24" barrel. My load for the 140 AH in a 23" barrel is 3376 with superformance and there are a few on the hammer load data spreadsheet getting over 3400.

Maybe H100V isn't the best powder? Which may be unfortunate, because I bought five pounds this fall for the 154 AH and the 140 AH. Tried H100V in my 6.5 Sherman but it pressured out just under 3400 FPS with the 123 AH. Was disappointed because I get 3339 FPS with a 140 Berger out of that gun with N570. My newest build will have a 23" IBI carbon in 1-7.5 twist. Also going to be a 280 AI.

 

[Josh06]

Maybe H100V isn't the best powder? Which may be unfortunate, because I bought five pounds this fall for the 154 AH and the 140 AH. Tried H100V in my 6.5 Sherman but it pressured out just under 3400 FPS with the 123 AH. Was disappointed because I get 3339 FPS with a 140 Berger out of that gun with N570. My newest build will have a 23" IBI carbon in 1-7.5 twist. Also going to be a 280 AI.

I think 100v is a good powder to use. If you look at the absolute hammer load data, there are 2 guys who got 3400+ using 100v and the 140AH, both with 24" barrels. Based on what they reported 63gr of 100v should put you at 3400 or just below and from the notes they were not getting pressure at 63gr. Obviously would want to work up but it seems like 100v gets good velocity.

I'm waiting on a x-caliber carbon 20" 280ai barrel right now. My plan is to try and get close to or to 3000fps with the 172 AH out of that short barrel. Was planning to use 100v and staball6.5 first.