Handloading a .280 AI

[Brian in Montana]

I consider myself fortunate to have had some components on the shelf when the great ammo shortage crisis of 2020 hit, and to have been in the right place at the right time a few times afterward. I have about 90 pieces of fire-formed Winchester brass, 700 F210M primers, and my die set arrived in the mail yesterday, so I'm ready to start some load development. I thought I'd put it out there for some discussion and advice. Here's what I got on hand:

Powders:
A little more than 1lb H4831sc
3lb RL22
1lb RL23
1lb IMR7828ssc
.5lb or less of IMR4831, Hunter, and RL19

7mm Bullets:
100 Nosler Accubond LRs 150gn
200 Nosler Accubonds (standard) 160gn
100 Hornady Interbonds 154gn
50 Federal Trophy Bonded Tip 160gn

I have a handful of lighter weight bullets, but I'd rather not go lighter than 150gn in this rifle. What say you? What would you start?

 

[Camdu7]

160 accubond and 7828 ssc shoot very well in one of my 280ai with fed 210 match primers.

 

[ImBillT]

I personally would put the floor for bullet weight at 168gr. I don’t have a good reason to go from 6.5mm to 7mm unless I’m going to get a significant upgrade from the excellent options available from 140-156gr in a 6.5mm.

Keep in mind, I’m not saying that shooting light bullets from a .280AI will for some reason fail to work. I’m saying that given the choice between a 140-160gr bullet from a 6.5mm or a 7mm, I’d choose the 6.5mm bullet. With that in mind, if I’ve chosen a .280AI, instead of some 6.5mm cartridge, it would be because I planned to shoot a larger bullet. A 7mm 168 has a higher sectional demsity(good for penetration) and usually a higher BC than a 6.5mm 140, and although it would have a slight disadvantage in the sectional density and in some cases BC departments when compared to a 6.5mm 156, it’s got a reasonable mass advantage. I consider 168gr to be the starting point for considering a 7mm. I intend to shoot something between 175gr and 195gr in mine if I ever get it put together.

With heavy bullets I’d consider RL-26 if you can ever find any.

 

[MThuntr]

7828, 4831, or RL22 with the 160s should get you around 2900fps. That'll make short work of just any game you encounter.

IMR7977 and RL26 should shine too. My experience is almost exclusively with Hammers and for some reason they prefer the slower burn curve of RL26 over RL23 in my very limited testing

 

[Four22]

I’m starting load development on my 280 ackley as well but I’m planning to shoot the 140 gr pill.

The nosler load sheets and RCBS books both show IMR-4831 as almost accurate powder for quite a few bullets.

scour load data and settle on something to try. Work around the “most accurate load” and work around that.

 

[ImBillT]

4831 and 4350 are almost impossible to beat for maximum accuracy under a wide range of conditions. That goes for any cartridge they’re suited for, and the .280AI is one of those.

 

[Durango Mike]

4831 and 4350 are almost impossible to beat for maximum accuracy under a wide range of conditions. That goes for any cartridge they’re suited for, and the .280AI is one of those.

Both of these powders produce MOA accuracy (actually better with accubond 150's) in my 280 AI, I like the 4350 a little more in the 160 gr bullet weights. RL22 works too, just not as accurate in my rifle.

 

[Brian in Montana]

4831 and 4350 are almost impossible to beat for maximum accuracy under a wide range of conditions. That goes for any cartridge they’re suited for, and the .280AI is one of those.

I tried H4350 in a 7mm-08 and in my wife's .270 before. It was awful with the 7-08 and ok in the .270 with 130gn bullets, but never as fast or accurate as H4831, RL19, or Hunter, so I pretty much quite messing with it.

I'm rather partial to H4831 in .270 and .280 Rem for that matter, so I'm leaning toward that. I've never used IMR7828, but I know it has a slower burn rate, so I was thinking of trying it with the 160gn TBTs and possibly the Accubonds. Despite the machined groves in the shank of the TBT that's a long bullet with probably more bearing surface than most 160gn bullets, I'd think might do well with a slower burn.

 

[marksjeep]

3050fps for 145 Barnes LRX over 7828SSC out of my 22" barreled Rem 700. I thought that 7828 would be too slow, but it worked well.

 

[ImBillT]

I tried H4350 in a 7mm-08 and in my wife's .270 before. It was awful with the 7-08 and ok in the .270 with 130gn bullets, but never as fast or accurate as H4831, RL19, or Hunter, so I pretty much quite messing with it.

I'm rather partial to H4831 in .270 and .280 Rem for that matter, so I'm leaning toward that. I've never used IMR7828, but I know it has a slower burn rate, so I was thinking of trying it with the 160gn TBTs and possibly the Accubonds. Despite the machined groves in the shank of the TBT that's a long bullet with probably more bearing surface than most 160gn bullets, I'd think might do well with a slower burn.

It’s possible that you were simply never on an accurate velocity node. If you find an accurate load at 100yds, and know the muzzle velocity of that load, nearly any powder will produce nearly equally accurate results so long as you shoot that same velocity. Getting velocity SD/DS really low doesn’t show up on paper until extended ranges, and that plus temp stability are where H4350 really outshines a lot of other powders. It may not be worth revisiting H4350 in your 7-08, but the powder itself is likely not the reason it didn’t shoot for you.

 

[Brian in Montana]

It was fine in .270, just had better results with other propellants. I'd probably use it if I couldn't get a hold of any H4831. I'd heard good things about what it would do in 7-08 with a 150gn bullet, but I sure didn't see it. The best I ever did was to get a 15gn ELD-X about 1 MOA or a little over, but that was at a pretty low charge and only going about 2500 at the muzzle. That's just not that interesting.

Anyway, back to .280AI.

 

[BucksnDucks]

Hey Brian, looks like we are on the same timeline, although I think you have a better powder store. I picked up my rifle last week and I'm just waiting on the Peterson brass to arrive in the next day or so. I have a similar supply of Accubonds and also going to try out the Hornady ELD-x in 162. With the shortage on powders I'm starting with H4350. From what I've read and heard guys are very happy with R22 and R23. If I recall correctly, Nosler data showed H4831sc most accurate for a couple different weight projectiles. Look forward to hearing your results

 

[Brian in Montana]

Hey Brian, looks like we are on the same timeline, although I think you have a better powder store. I picked up my rifle last week and I'm just waiting on the Peterson brass to arrive in the next day or so. I have a similar supply of Accubonds and also going to try out the Hornady ELD-x in 162. With the shortage on powders I'm starting with H4350. From what I've read and heard guys are very happy with R22 and R23. If I recall correctly, Nosler data showed H4831sc most accurate for a couple different weight projectiles. Look forward to hearing your results

Where the heck did you find Peterson brass????

I looked everywhere I could think of, sent emails, got nowhere so I just decided to fire-form the .280 Remington brass I already had.

 

[BucksnDucks]

Grafs and Son had some a few weeks ago. Took over two weeks to process order but I just got an email it's on the way.

 

[MThuntr]

Where the heck did you find Peterson brass????

I looked everywhere I could think of, sent emails, got nowhere so I just decided to fire-form the .280 Remington brass I already had.

Grafs had some a few weeks ago. I tried to buy the last 500 piece lot and it went out of stock when I was putting in my info. 500 pieces is way too many for me so if you want to split a 500 piece order when they're available I'm game.

 

[Addicting]

Brain fart, disregard.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Graf and Sons was one of the places I checked daily for a while. I emailed them to ask if they knew when some would be in stock. The response was, litterally, "we have no idea."

I emailed Peterson's too and the response I got was they didn't know when 280AI would be on their production schedule. That was when I gave up. Count your self lucky, BnD.

 

[ImBillT]

It was fine in .270, just had better results with other propellants. I'd probably use it if I couldn't get a hold of any H4831. I'd heard good things about what it would do in 7-08 with a 150gn bullet, but I sure didn't see it. The best I ever did was to get a 15gn ELD-X about 1 MOA or a little over, but that was at a pretty low charge and only going about 2500 at the muzzle. That's just not that interesting.

Anyway, back to .280AI.

I’d have to write a book to explain it.

 

[williaada]

Running hs4831sc at 2875fps 150 grain not the hottest load but most accurate and does it’s job

 

[BucksnDucks]

Grafs had some a few weeks ago. I tried to buy the last 500 piece lot and it went out of stock when I was putting in my info. 500 pieces is way too many for me so if you want to split a 500 piece order when they're available I'm game.

I only got 100. I wasn't clear before, not AI. I got 280 rem to fire form, still happy with the find.