280 RCBS Imp. Help

[TOM H]

You already have dies and you should be able use those to load new case and fire form and I would use neck die then seater. I shoot wildcat 280AI and Spec 280AI and I also shoot 35 WhelenAI,243AI so I'm not newcomer to the AI.

Your doing lot extra for 280AI than now is 280RCBS IMP. I'd sure be talking someone about that.

 

[CjC73]

Slightly old thread but where can I get go/no-go guages for 280 RCBS?

Barrel I have is shouldered but I'm guessing I should check the headspace.

Any advice

 

[corsair4360]

Slightly old thread but where can I get go/no-go guages for 280 RCBS?

Barrel I have is shouldered but I'm guessing I should check the headspace.

Any advice

Nosler got that cartridge registered and officially dimensioned.... Not sure what yours is. If you are careful with resizing the brass, that is only resize minimally I would think you should be ok for an extended period.

 

[CjC73]

Sorry....let me rephrase. I just purchased the barrel and need to install it on an action.

I plan on using some 280 Rem brass to fire form and then reload.

 

[corsair4360]

Sorry....let me rephrase. I just purchased the barrel and need to install it on an action.

I plan on using some 280 Rem brass to fire form and then reload.

Sorry

 

[shortgrass]

Slightly old thread but where can I get go/no-go guages for 280 RCBS?

Barrel I have is shouldered but I'm guessing I should check the headspace.

Any advice

I would call Dave Manson or JGS for gauges, I would have to research the RCBS to determine if head space is set the same way as the Ackley is. You probably don't have a chamber drawing. The length of the threaded tenon needs to be checked, also. Do you have a depth micrometer to be able to make precise measurements? The bolt should not touch the barrel, but excessive distance between the bolt and barrel can be down right dangerous. You have not mentioned what action this barrel will be installed on. Your skill level and understanding of custom barrel installation is not known. Google may be your friend concerning the RCBS version of the .280 Improved. RCBS may be able to supply a chamber drawing.

 

[shortgrass]

You need someone or something besides the interdnet to tell you that .280 RCBS Improved brass is formed the same way .280 Rem. Ackley Improved is formed,,,,,, by firing .280 Rem. in the RCBS chamber. .280 Rem having a 'crush fit' when closing the bolt. There's just more to it than screwing a barrel on to an action.

 

[CjC73]

I understand it's more than just screwing it onto a barrel, hence my question. Everything I google for it comes up with 280 Rem or 280 AI. I've found little info on the RCBS and what little I did find didn't answer my questions confidently.

It'll be going on a Rem 700 LA.

 

[shortgrass]

If all is well with tenon length and bolt nose clearances, I'd strip the bolt of the ejector and firing pin assembly and insert a .280 Remington "GO" gauge and see where the bolt handle goes to. If the bolt will start to close, but not close all the way, I'd think it'd be fine to fire form .280 Rem ammo in the RCBS chamber to 'make' cases for reloading. The .280 Rem cartridge would be 'trapped' between the bolt face and the neck/shoulder junction in the chamber, with a light 'crush' as the bolt is closed. It'd be the same as Ackley intended his 40 deg shouldered Improved to work, only you'd end up with a 30deg shouldered RCBS Improved. If the .280 Remington "GO" gauge will allow the bolt to close all the way easily, and there is no "crush" as the bolt is closed on a .280 Remington cartridge, more info will be needed.

 

[DocDoc]

In the event you do not have a crush fit on the parent .280 rem, you can expand the neck of the case to .308, then neck it down to .284 just to the point you get a crush fit on closing. Then you can load and fire or do the fire form with pistol powder and cornmeal.

 

[shortgrass]

IF the bolt closes on your .280 Rem "GO" gauge,, IF there is no 'crush' on a .280 Remington cartridge, I'd stop right there and investigate further. First, I'd start adding steel shim stock, a thou or 2 at a time, to the base of the "GO" gauge to see just how far out of spec the chamber is. I would make further decisions from that point. #1, you don't know the skill level of the person who chambered the barrel and you darned sure don't know how he head spaced it to the action it came off of. I'd want to see what that chamber looks like with a chamber casting and bore scope before I proceeded.