280 Remington mod/build

[Odysseus]

I have a Weatherby Accumark in 280 Rem. with less than 30 rounds down the tube. It has a 24" barrel with 1-10" twist. It's sub MOA accurate with 140 gr accubond handloads, but I want to push 168-180 grain VLDs, so I know I'll need a new barrel with a faster twist. I'm going to use a 26" Schneider barrel with polygonal rifling. The 26" barrel should be good for another 60-70 fps. and David Tubb wrote that polygonal rifling gives slightly higher velocities than traditional rifling, so every little bit helps, right? Also planning on trying loads with Accurate RL-17 which some say gives another 100 fps.

Some questions:
-Even with all this, will the 280 Rem really have enough juice to push the 180 VLD?
-If I'm re-barreling it anyway, would it be silly to ream the chamber for 280 AI?

 

[Odysseus]

I guess I was too long-winded to get any feedback. Let me try again. . .

If I want to shoot Berger 180 VLDs, do I need a bigger cartridge than 280 AI?

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[ohiohunter]

I have a Weatherby Accumark in 280 Rem. with less than 30 rounds down the tube. It has a 24" barrel with 1-10" twist. It's sub MOA accurate with 140 gr accubond handloads, but I want to push 168-180 grain VLDs, so I know I'll need a new barrel with a faster twist. I'm going to use a 26" Schneider barrel with polygonal rifling. The 26" barrel should be good for another 60-70 fps. and David Tubb wrote that polygonal rifling gives slightly higher velocities than traditional rifling, so every little bit helps, right? Also planning on trying loads with Accurate RL-17 which some say gives another 100 fps.

Some questions:
-Even with all this, will the 280 Rem really have enough juice to push the 180 VLD?
-If I'm re-barreling it anyway, would it be silly to ream the chamber for 280 AI?

Yes it does w/out a doubt.

I wouldn't be so worried about eeking every fps out of the round, it is perfectly capable on its own. That being said I personally would go w/ a 5r of some top barrel maker. I have no experience w/ schneider nor polygonal rifling but if it were something amazing we all would be shooting them.

Rl-17 is wicked powder but temp sensitive. Your environment may allow for this but I shoot in anything from below freezing to boiling. I get superb accuracy (~1/4") out of my 280 pushing 180's w/ h4831sc. Honestly after building my 280 I wish I had built a 284, but thats a diff ballgame. If you want the extra umph but don't want to deal w/ a bolt change to magnum I would def opt for the 280ai or even a 284 shehane.

 

[dok7mm]

I used a donor 700 action to build a 280 recently w/ 26" 5R 1:9 Bartlein and plan to try the 162 & 175 ELD-Xs if I ever get them in. I thought long and hard on going the AI route. Because I already had the Redding Comp dies, I stayed with the 280. It's been a great cartridge for me for 25 years, though I never used the heavies in it.

 

[Odysseus]

Thanks for the replies. The more people I talk to, the more I'm leaning toward the 280 AI. (Unless I can find a 7mm wildcat that gives higher velocity without requiring a magnum bolt).

 

[MudRunner2005]

Thanks for the replies. The more people I talk to, the more I'm leaning toward the 280 AI. (Unless I can find a 7mm wildcat that gives higher velocity without requiring a magnum bolt).

The only wildcat that I'm aware of that gives the absolute MOST out of the .270/280 case is the .280 Sherman. It is a wildcat, and you would have to contact Rich Sherman here on the forum for info about reamer rental and buying dies. He goes by the name "elkaholic".

The .280 AI a fine round, and Nosler makes factory loaded ammo, and brass for it.

Nosler Custom Reloading Brass 280 Remington Ackley Improved 40-Degree

280 Remington Ackley Improved 40-Degree Shoulder- MidwayUSA

 

[ohiohunter]

How does the 280ai or sherman compare to the 284 shehane?

The shehane option should allow for the heavies to be mag fed. My savage 280 mag well is too small for me to seat the berger 180s out. If I recall correctly the sierras fit a little better b/c they are shorter ogive to tip.

 

[MudRunner2005]

How does the 280ai or sherman compare to the 284 shehane?

The shehane option should allow for the heavies to be mag fed. My savage 280 mag well is too small for me to seat the berger 180s out. If I recall correctly the sierras fit a little better b/c they are shorter ogive to tip.

The .284 Shehane is based off the .284 Win, and not the 270/280 case.

The .280 AI (Nosler/SAAMI) holds about 4-5 grains more powder than the .284 Shehane.

The only real difference between the .284 Win and the .284 Shehane is that the Shehane version has .010" wall taper. The shoulder angle is still 35* for both.

The .280 Sherman holds even more capacity than the .280 AI. How much, I am not sure. That would be a question best answered by Rich.

As for the magazine length, if you are using a Rem 700 LA, then you should have plenty of room for heavies in a .280 AI or .280 Sherman. The Rem 700 LA should have plenty of room for cartridges up to around 3.65". I can seat a Berger 210 VLD .010" off the lands in my .300 WinMag, and they can still fit in the mag.

 

[ohiohunter]

I did notice the factory mag well is longer in the Rem700 compared to a savage. Though my savage shoots lights out I still wish I had done my homework and gone w/ 700 in 284.

Forming brass for the AI and Sherman. I know you can fire 280 brass in an AI and its formed but what about the sherman?

 

[Odysseus]

The 280 Sherman looks interesting. There's an old article on this site comparing it to the 280 AI. Here's the link:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/280-sherman-max-vs-280-i-73844/


But this got me thinking, the 284 Win and 280 Rem have similar case capacities and similar velocities, but with different case designs. If only there was a cartridge with the extra width of the 284, but with more length, and a rim diameter that was close to the standard .473. . . Enter the 376 Steyr. I bet this would make a real zinger if it were necked down to 7mm. And I could use it in a non-magnum action. Any thoughts?

 

[MudRunner2005]

The 280 Sherman looks interesting. There's an old article on this site comparing it to the 280 AI. Here's the link:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f19/280-sherman-max-vs-280-i-73844/


But this got me thinking, the 284 Win and 280 Rem have similar case capacities and similar velocities, but with different case designs. If only there was a cartridge with the extra width of the 284, but with more length, and a rim diameter that was close to the standard .473. . . Enter the 376 Steyr. I bet this would make a real zinger if it were necked down to 7mm. And I could use it in a non-magnum action. Any thoughts?

The .376 steyr has a .496" bolt face, which is in between the standard and magnum bolt faces. You would probably have to have the bolt face opened up. If you were to do this, you might as well just build it into a 7mm RemMag.

 

[Odysseus]

The .376 steyr has a .496" bolt face, which is in between the standard and magnum bolt faces. You would probably have to have the bolt face opened up. If you were to do this, you might as well just build it into a 7mm RemMag.

Yeah, it would be a lot of expense and trouble to boot. But fun to think about. Pretty sure I'll just go with 280 AI.

 

[elkaholic]

I have a Weatherby Accumark in 280 Rem. with less than 30 rounds down the tube. It has a 24" barrel with 1-10" twist. It's sub MOA accurate with 140 gr accubond handloads, but I want to push 168-180 grain VLDs, so I know I'll need a new barrel with a faster twist. I'm going to use a 26" Schneider barrel with polygonal rifling. The 26" barrel should be good for another 60-70 fps. and David Tubb wrote that polygonal rifling gives slightly higher velocities than traditional rifling, so every little bit helps, right? Also planning on trying loads with Accurate RL-17 which some say gives another 100 fps.

Some questions:
-Even with all this, will the 280 Rem really have enough juice to push the 180 VLD?
-If I'm re-barreling it anyway, would it be silly to ream the chamber for 280 AI?

Or 280 Sherman and gain a little more over an A.I. This was with the 180 Berger although I would not shoot the 3149 load, 3100' is doable.

 

[Odysseus]

Or 280 Sherman and gain a little more over an A.I. This was with the 180 Berger although I would not shoot the 3149 load, 3100' is doable.
View attachment 56249

I'm definitely interested in using your cartridge and I'd like to know more. Those velocities are impressive. What powder were you using?