Defiance Rebel 280 Ackley

[284saum]

Pretty excited, shipped all the parts to the smith today for my new open country hunting rifle, a 280 Ackley

Defiance Machine Rebel
Benchmark #3 contour 8 twist, fluted, finished @ 22"
Timney Calvin Elite
McMillan Hunters Edge stock
PTG bottom metal

I will be topping it off with Leupold's Vx3i 4.5-14x40 CDS (30mm tube, side parallax, wind plex reticle) in Talley LW's. Should be 7.5-8lbs scoped


Plan on trying the 162gr ELD-X & RL26.

 

[PGJPJ]

very cool!

I did a Pac-Nor #3 in 24" with a 1:8 twist. I'm currently shooting the 168 grain Barns LRX in my 280ai.

 

[284saum]

Right on my buddy is getting a Tikka t3 rebarreled with a 8.5 twist 23" Benchmark, he wants to shoot the 168gr LRX

 

[Axl]

Should be a good one!
With an 8 twist you might want to try some 175 eld-x too. Im shooting the 162 gr eld-x out of one of my 280 ai's (9 twist) and they shoot great. I have tried a half dozen powders including r26 and H4831 sc shot tighter with the lowest es in both guns i have, the other one im shooting Bergers

 

[284saum]

Yeah that's why I went 8 twist, opens the doors to more bullets to try down the road. They're only getting sleeker and longer! Sierra just came out with a 197gr SMK

 

[toddc]

+2 on the 175 ELD-X. If you are close to 3k with the 175 its a real hammer.

 

[284saum]

+2 on the 175 ELD-X. If you are close to 3k with the 175 its a real hammer.

probably be in the 2800-2875 ballpark with RL26 in the 22" barrel I went with. 2675-2775 with H4831sc. I'm actually not a serious long range hunter, spend more time in the timber calling elk and shots are sub 100 yards. I do enjoy practicing way out there though, I want to push this rifle to 1300-1400y. Have a Razor gen2 4.5-27x56 I can mount on it for ELR attempts

 

[284saum]

Rifle showed up last week! 7lbs 13oz scoped with the Leupold Vx3i 4.5-14x40 (30mm tube CDS)

Got to put the first rounds through it today. Started out with some factory 140gr Accubonds, got it on paper and roughly sighted in at 102y. Fired a 3 shot group 0.82moa, avg speed was 3004 fps with an extreme spread on six shots of 120 fps! Eeek

On to handloads. I have a good pile of Berger 168gr Classic Hunters and no real desire to hunt big game with them, so I thought I'd start with this bullet to find a good shooting load that will do the job nicely on a coyote or wolf this winter. I seated them .015" off the lands (3.288" OAL) and loaded up five rounds of each type of powder. Nothing too hot just some mid range loads to get on paper with and warm the barrel up

102 yards, -1C

H4831sc 56.8grs ~ 2641 fps, 1.13moa 5 shot group, 4/5 shots in 0.62moa
Accurate Magpro 60.5grs ~ 2632 fps, 0.99moa 5 shot, 4/5 shots in 0.62moa
RL19 55.5grs ~ 2706 fps, 1.12 moa 5 shot group, 4.5 in 0.8moa
RL22 57.6grs ~ 2749 fps, 1.11moa 5 shot, 4/5 in 0.87moa
RL23 57.1grs ~ 2825 fps, 1.17moa 5 shot, 4/5 shots in 0.85moa
RL26 59.0grs ~ 2808 fps, 1.13moa 5 shot, 4/5 in 0.69moa

Going to tweak the RL loads and retest. Nice shooting rifle!

 

[MudRunner2005]

Wrong-handed for me......But that's a really nice rifle. Awesome cartridge choice, as well. .280 AI is one of my favorites. Hell of a parts list, too. Should be a ****-nice shooter.

 

[CTK]

My similar, now former, Borden build liked the 168 CH and RL 26. I think I was able to get a little more speed, prior to pressure signs, from the 168 HVLD. 24" Barrel gave me 2920 if I remember correctly. Definitely a little slower with the Classic Hunter. I know nothing about bullet performance on Elk. Berger's are perfect for Whitetail.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I run the 175 Berger Elite Hunter over RL23 in my .280AI. 26" barrel nets me 2975fps.

 

[CTK]

I run the 175 Berger Elite Hunter over RL23 in my .280AI. 26" barrel nets me 2975fps.

I have feared that 26 was temp sensitive. Isn't 23 supposed to be very resistant to temp change. I have both. I just gave 23 a quick try and went to 26.

 

[lancetkenyon]

RL23 and RL26 are supposed to be much more stable than the old RL22 & RL25. I did not notice any difference in drops on 2 late elk hunts. Load development was done at 75°, elk hunts were at 10-30°. I use RL26 in my 6.5 SS.

 

[284saum]

I have found RL26 to be quite stable. Just started using RL23 so no info from summer temps. I will know in a few long months!!!