280AI Custom Ammo Alert

i read about this last year.

so, i had a 280 ai built and it was headspaced for the AI not saami. i'd been using, and have kept using nosler brass and have not had any problems.

what do i need to watch for, and should i start fireforming 280 brass instead?
 
You may or may not have a problem....I can shoot Nolser Custom AI but it will not fire form correctly. I have to use standard 280 (any brand) to get a good AI case.

Search the subject a little and look at the case specs....
 
Anyone else seen this? What were they thinking? This "custom" factory ammo should come with a warning.....

280 Ackley Improved Alert | GunsmithTalk

Do you think this is a problem? IF you knew how SLACK factory chambers were compared to where they should be as far as headspace you would probably really get spooked. In reality, factory rifles can vary WIDELY in headspace.

If you look at simply the belted magnum, if you take a supply of belted magnum brass from different makers and measured thickness of the belts on each, you would find a variation of up to 20 thou or more.

The reason I know this is because when I started making rifles professionally, the first 300 Win Mag rifle I built, I chambered as I would any other, with a min spec chamber set for zero headspace. Unfortunately, only Rem brass would chamber in the rifle, all others belts were all far to wide to even chamber. As such, if you look at a factory chamber set up for a belted magnum, its not uncommon to see the headspace setup 20 thou longer then what would be considered zero headspace. This is the main reason I prefer to build rifles using beltless chamberings so I can set headspace to zero. Not possible with a belted magnum case.

Many get spooked about headspace but in reality, unless its DRAMATICALLY off, the brass will fill the gap just fine.

As far as the 280 AI goes, the 10 thou difference between the Rem and Nosler headspace will mean nothing as long as you size your brass properly after firing the first time.
 
Nosler brass, I hate to say is some of the worst for headspace variation from lot to lot. At least it was when it came out. It was so bad that I stopped using it completely. Way over priced for what you get in the end.

Their bullets on the other hand, top notch!!
 
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