280AI at 1000 yards

[Maxxis31]

Took my 280AI out yesterday in a 10-12mph crosswind and put 12 rounds into a 10" group at 600 yards with two different people shooting it. I then put 3 rounds on at 800, first hit the frame about 14" off the bullseye, after adjusting my velocity I put the other two 6" apart right under the bullseye.

I was feeling pretty good about that so I used my phone app and dial in for 1000 yards using 10 mph crosswind and 2932fps, first shot hit 10" high and 8" left. I adjusted for elevation and shot over the target twice before realizing i turned the turret the wrong way. After re-adjusting I hit the target 2 more times and nicked it once. This was the first time I've shot past 600 yards and 4 out of 6 at 1000 was pretty cool, I think the other two would have been in if I hadn't adjusted wrong.

Can't wait to go out again.

 

[ant12hony]

Good job!! practice makes perfect so keep practicing!:}

 

[257ackleyhunter]

this is something im going to be trying to do with my 257 AI so this gives me confidence

 

[Maxxis31]

Here is a little background on me and this project.

I bought the rifle on here this spring. It is a model 700 blueprinted with a 25" Walther barrel, HS precision stock full block and bedded to the action. I installed a Shilen trigger and a 5-15 HST Vortex Viper scope in leupold rings.

This is the first rifle I have ever bought, I always shot dads rifles growing up and have been an archery hunter all of my adult life. I decided to hunt out of state (OR) this year for deer and elk. I am going to be hunting the Frank Church in Idaho during Sept. with a rifle. I was going to use the old trusty 30-06 that I grew up hunting with, I even developed a 1/2 MOA load for it this winter. After looking at the long range ballistics I decided i wanted a little more reach, I came across the 280AI on here and it fit the bill.

I also had never reloaded before this winter so I did a ton of reading on load development and borrowed a friends rock chucker. I ended up using 168 gr VLD hunters in fire formed Norma brass filled with 63.5gr of Retumbo, .011 off the lands and am very pleased with the round. I have no signs of pressure, am shooting 2932fps right at 1/2 MOA.

I will keep practicing, right now I feel I am the limiting factor of this setup. The only thing I will end up changing down the road is probably the scope. I think the HST is a great scope but at 1000 yards 15x feels like a stretch. I won't change anything for a while though since its shooting so well.

I would like to thank everyone on here that has helped me through PM's when I was researching load data for this project. I would also like to thank BountyHunter for the great deal on an awesome rifle. There were a lot of very helpful people and threads on this site, hopefully I can contribute more as I learn.

 

[mountainman56]

Congratulations! Looks like you got things going your way. gun)

 

[Springville shooter]

280Ackley........great choice. If your going to leave the 'normal' realm of shooting you might as well do it right. Sounds like you have. My 280AI is one of my favorite guns to shoot. Mine loves 162 A-Max bullets. Messing around I got one on the paper at a mile and it made a perfect hole........unbelievable.-------SS