280 ammo in a 280 AI

[The Oregonian]

So I understand you can shoot 280 rem in 280 AI, but not the other way around.

My question is this...if considering a 280 rem, is there any reason not to go 280 AI other than costs? In other words, dont you have the option to load AI if you want the xa punch, but if in a pinch, you just shoot 280 rem ammo and be just as effective as if your rifle was chambered in 280 rem...

Or is shooting 280 AI thru a 280 rem, like decreased accuracy, etc?

I would not be worried about the extra few hundred bucks to buy the AI, but just seems like it offers more flexibility than the 280 rem, which is a fine cartridge in itself if you never took advantage of the AI capability....

Thanks in advance.

Tom

 

[bronco]

The concepts are good, but every rifle varies. 280REM into a 280AI chamber is GOOD. 280AI into a 280REM chamber is BAD. I have a Weatherby Accumark in 280 Rem that I had rechambered into 280AI. It shoots 280REM rounds ALMOST as well as it did before the conversion. It loosened the goups up to an 1.15"@ 100yds from .75". With 280AI 140AB ammo it's under .50" @100yrds. When shooting under 200yds I run 280REM with the same 280AI ammo zero . Providing cheaper ammo, well fireformed brass and barrel break in. When you have a pile of brass develop your 280AI load and strech it out.

 

[Skimbleshanks]

if you dont plan on shooting it as a 280AI then the extra few hundred bucks would be much better spent on a higher quality scope, or more practice ammo/reloading supplies.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I agree with the other post that I'd rather spend the $ upgrading elsewhere. The 280 is a good round as is. If you want more, get a bunch more and get a 7stw or go to 300 win or 30 ultra. A few percent case capacity is really not worth the change. You have 1/4th the gain in speed of any capacity increase, and the 280 ai is only a few percent up in capacity. They'll tell you it goes faster, but they are beating the hell out of it to get there.

 

[TXshooter]

I own a 280 ai and love it and think it is worth it because that's what I'd shoot over the 280. Basically the 280 AI is the same as a 7mm mag. The 280 would be slightly less. My rifle is shooting .325 4 shot groups with a 150 Barnes tsx. It also happens to be one of the few guns I have seen that has dropped an audad instead of it running. I don't think you can go wrong. And yes to start with you can shoot regular 280 through it. Think of it as fire forming brass or you can just go straight to 280 AI. The 280 AI is a great improvement on the 280

 

[Rem700]

With a 280AI you'll have less throat erosion and longer brass life than a 280. Just use standard 280 ammo until you have enough brass to reload it as a Ackley

 

[FEENIX]

With a 280AI you'll have less throat erosion and longer brass life than a 280. Just use standard 280 ammo until you have enough brass to reload it as a Ackley

That's exactly what I am doing in my. 270 AI.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I personally like to actually use regular calibers as regular and not pretend that they can keep up with their magnum bretheren. I don't particularly like to wind my rifles within an inch of popping, so I go with the bigger round rather than running hard. Not to say I don't like regular calibers, as I have 2 270 wins and a 35 whelen in rifles and a 22-250 pistol. My brother had been using the regular 280 for years, and when he wants more he steps up to the 7rum.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

With a 280AI you'll have less throat erosion and longer brass life than a 280. Just use standard 280 ammo until you have enough brass to reload it as a Ackley

How's that possible when you run an ai signifacantly harder to get any extra speed, plus it will be burning more powder no matter what?? Me thinks someone is fooling with you since most of bore wear is caused by powder heat and pressure causing scouring. The case funneling powder in is only a few percent of total wear; otherwise such cal.s as the 284 win and 300 win/ 300wsm with their sharp shoulder and short neck would be burned up in a few hundred rounds.

 

[elkaholic]

Shooting .280 ammo in a .280 A.I. will reduce the velocity significantly from a std. .280's velocity due to the larger chamber. This won't hurt anything but your velocity will probably be more like a 7mm/08. The accuracy is likely to be a little less as well, otherwise, we wouldn't be so finicky about how we size our brass, etc. I do agree that the throat erosion might be less in the A.I. chamber than std. because the gases are more directed inside the neck, although it doesn't show up as much in the .280 because they have a long neck to begin with........Rich