280 AI Bullet Selection
- Thread starter tim629
- Start date
Welcome to the forum :wink: I am sure that you enjoy these people here. There is not much that has ever been fired down a rifle that one of these guys has not tried or worked on 
.
I am building a 280AI and will be using with the 140gr & 160gr ABs but I am also looking forward to getting a few boxes of the new ABLRs in both the 150gr & 168gr. I believe that they will be the cats meow for the 7mm family.
Have you picked a barrel yet & what is the twist going to be?
Blessings,
Dan
.I am building a 280AI and will be using with the 140gr & 160gr ABs but I am also looking forward to getting a few boxes of the new ABLRs in both the 150gr & 168gr. I believe that they will be the cats meow for the 7mm family.
Have you picked a barrel yet & what is the twist going to be?
Blessings,
Dan
- Thread starter
- #23
Must say the more I look at the load data, suggestions on here, and google (so probably 1/2dozen other reviews between the BT and AccuBond) It's probably pushing me more towards the AccuBond since the 280ai will be awfully close to the upper limit of the BT at the muzzle, and 10yards-100yards won't lose a whole lot.
The AccuBond has good reviews on deer, which was my main concern I didn't want something that wouldn't expand quickly and therefore leave a small hole in and a small hole out.
Seeing as it will also be my main go-to bear rifle depending on who my father & I hunt with this year, having the versatility to expand on the thin skinned deer as well as the confidence against a bear makes it look very desirable....down the road I won't be supprised if I use one bullet for one season then switch to a Partition for the bears, but have to get the guns and get comfortable reloading first.
As far as the gun(s):
my brother-in-law is building me 2 guns both off of Ruger M77 actions,
-280AI with a high tech specialties stock, and going to top it with a leupold vx2 2-7. as far as barrel weight, twist, brand, ect... I honestly don't have a clue. This is to be the lighter weight rifle.
-338-06AI leaving the wood stock and then putting open sights on it
hopefully they will be coming home with him at the end of August so will have more details then as well as pictures, we just decided on 2 calibers that would fulfill most anything in North America except the big bears of the north, set a budget and he's gone with it. My main goals were something built by my wife's brother for the awesome level, and 2 guns with some overlap in case my father and I ever end up going on a hunting trip somewhere I wanted him to be able to go with a bit better rifle that will out shoot either of us all day every day.
The AccuBond has good reviews on deer, which was my main concern I didn't want something that wouldn't expand quickly and therefore leave a small hole in and a small hole out.
Seeing as it will also be my main go-to bear rifle depending on who my father & I hunt with this year, having the versatility to expand on the thin skinned deer as well as the confidence against a bear makes it look very desirable....down the road I won't be supprised if I use one bullet for one season then switch to a Partition for the bears, but have to get the guns and get comfortable reloading first.
As far as the gun(s):
my brother-in-law is building me 2 guns both off of Ruger M77 actions,
-280AI with a high tech specialties stock, and going to top it with a leupold vx2 2-7. as far as barrel weight, twist, brand, ect... I honestly don't have a clue. This is to be the lighter weight rifle.
-338-06AI leaving the wood stock and then putting open sights on it
hopefully they will be coming home with him at the end of August so will have more details then as well as pictures, we just decided on 2 calibers that would fulfill most anything in North America except the big bears of the north, set a budget and he's gone with it. My main goals were something built by my wife's brother for the awesome level, and 2 guns with some overlap in case my father and I ever end up going on a hunting trip somewhere I wanted him to be able to go with a bit better rifle that will out shoot either of us all day every day.
nvbroncrider
Handloader
- Aug 20, 2011
- 3,085
- 4
tim629":xqtkvstp said:
I have the same two. The 280AI with a 28" tube long range flat liner running the 160AB @ 3160 under a .1" at 100 yards on a Rem 700 then the 338 on a Pre-64 Win M70 which you can shoot all day long!
CatskillCrawler
Handloader
- Jul 30, 2011
- 1,205
- 4
Anything you meet in the NY woods will succumb to a well placed 140-160gr bullet from your 280AI. Just choose the one that shoots best in your new rifle. I wouldn't worry about the BT for Blackies either. Especially the 150 or 160gr versions. I use to shy away from their explosive terminal performance but they've been toughened up.
Congrats on your new build, it is an excellent cartridge choice.
Congrats on your new build, it is an excellent cartridge choice.
Creedmore
Beginner
- Oct 12, 2011
- 110
- 0
I took 3 deer last year with my 280AI using 140gr ABs at 3200fps. Deer ranged from from 50 - 225 yards away. Couldn't ask for better performance.
Creedmore
Beginner
- Oct 12, 2011
- 110
- 0
sask boy":5dj5fch4 said:
Dan,
I ran a 500yd ladder test with H4831 this spring, and the node that it liked centered on 61.6gr, which was 0.4 grains under book max. I went 1.5 grains over max without pressure during the test, but 61.6 was the sweet spot for accuracy. This is my last 200yd target, sure would like to have that flyer out of the group lol.
Nosler .280 brass
140gr AccuBond
GM215M large magnum match primer
61.6gr H4831
26" 1:9 McGowen barrel
3200fps over my Oehler 35.
Also, I found that my particular chamber likes a 0.015 jump to the lands with the 140 AccuBond.
-Gene
roysclockgun
Handloader
- Dec 17, 2005
- 736
- 1
From two years experience loading 7mm-08 for the wife and 280Rem. for myself. Both used 120gr. BT. To date: 3 mule deer, 3 pronghorns, 2 whitetails and 14 wild hogs. All one shot kills from 35 yards to 350 yards. Since we are not going after bears, or bigger game, we will stick with the Nosler 120gr. BT.
In over 40 years of hunting prior to our 7mm bullets, I had always used 130gr. bullets out of a number of 270Win. chambered rifles and the vast majority of my kills on the same game, were one shot.
Since the bonded bullets hold together better than older standard bullets, I am believer in lighter is better.
If I again go for elk or bear, I will move to a heavier bullet.
In over 40 years of hunting prior to our 7mm bullets, I had always used 130gr. bullets out of a number of 270Win. chambered rifles and the vast majority of my kills on the same game, were one shot.
Since the bonded bullets hold together better than older standard bullets, I am believer in lighter is better.
If I again go for elk or bear, I will move to a heavier bullet.
- Thread starter
- #32
Creedmore (and others): I'm assuming the 140 AccuBond holds together just fine if you hit a deer in the shoulder, does it expand well if it's just behind the shoulder in the lungs?
Please correct me if my logic is off:
-Thinking of figuring out a load for the 280AI with 140AB's for deer
-Then 160AB or Partitions for bear
-Figure out the scope adjustments between the 2 loads and recording that with my load data, adjusting at the end of bear season and a couple of test shots to make sure it all dialed back correctly for deer.
does this sound reasonable?
Please correct me if my logic is off:
-Thinking of figuring out a load for the 280AI with 140AB's for deer
-Then 160AB or Partitions for bear
-Figure out the scope adjustments between the 2 loads and recording that with my load data, adjusting at the end of bear season and a couple of test shots to make sure it all dialed back correctly for deer.
does this sound reasonable?
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,880
- 6,546
Sure, but I'm really a fan of one load for a rifle. No dinking around with the scope between seasons & bullets.
So a bullet is a little "heavy" for deer? So what? Experience shows me that it will expand, penetrate and kill just fine. Also today's lighter bullets are so strong, like the 120 Ballistic Tip Stephen (Roysclockgun) and Storm used to such great effect... That a guy almost can't go wrong unless he's shooting varmint bullets at charging Cape Buff... :mrgreen:
Guy
So a bullet is a little "heavy" for deer? So what? Experience shows me that it will expand, penetrate and kill just fine. Also today's lighter bullets are so strong, like the 120 Ballistic Tip Stephen (Roysclockgun) and Storm used to such great effect... That a guy almost can't go wrong unless he's shooting varmint bullets at charging Cape Buff... :mrgreen:
Guy
Tim, I'm almost sure enough to bet a paycheck the 160 ABs would do both very well for you. They are an awesome bullet and the 280 has the ability to push them into the 2900 range with ease, if not faster. They smoke deer and will plant any black bear. Excellent bullet for penetration and expansion and really about my favorite of the lot for 7mm bullets of ANY make. Usually are very accurate too.
roysclockgun
Handloader
- Dec 17, 2005
- 736
- 1
I agree with Guy. Pick one bullet and stick to it. In your circumstance, it sounds to me like you should work up an good load that suits your range needs, using the 160gr. AB in that 280AI. Shooting out to your own max. range, you should cleanly kill what you are after.
I do not agree with making corrections on the scope to suit different bullet weights. You must not only have to reset the scope, but you have to have a whole new dope sheet to commit to memory, so you know the hold on the animal from eyeball to eyeball range, out to 400 yards, or whatever is your own personal extreme distance at which to shoot.
Conversely, if you use one load, with always the same bullet, within a short time, the dope sheet will be burned into your memory and with every shot, no matter how the shot is presented, or at what range, the rifle will come up to your shoulder and you will KNOW just how to make that quick, clean kill with the first shot. On all recovered AB that I have fired, penetration was excellent and weight retention was 60% or better.
Paraphrasing Jack O'Connor : "Beware the man who only owns one rifle. He likely knows how to use it!" I carry that great quote to O'Connor's to : "Beware the one rifleman who sticks to one load for everything. He probably makes one shot kills on anything that he takes under fire!"
I do not agree with making corrections on the scope to suit different bullet weights. You must not only have to reset the scope, but you have to have a whole new dope sheet to commit to memory, so you know the hold on the animal from eyeball to eyeball range, out to 400 yards, or whatever is your own personal extreme distance at which to shoot.
Conversely, if you use one load, with always the same bullet, within a short time, the dope sheet will be burned into your memory and with every shot, no matter how the shot is presented, or at what range, the rifle will come up to your shoulder and you will KNOW just how to make that quick, clean kill with the first shot. On all recovered AB that I have fired, penetration was excellent and weight retention was 60% or better.
Paraphrasing Jack O'Connor : "Beware the man who only owns one rifle. He likely knows how to use it!" I carry that great quote to O'Connor's to : "Beware the one rifleman who sticks to one load for everything. He probably makes one shot kills on anything that he takes under fire!"
- Thread starter
- #36
like i said, new to reloading so I was figuring 160 would expand a bit slower than the lighter weight due to thicker walls? so I guess that is where I was taking my thought process since deer penetration isn't an issue use lighter and expand faster
for where I hunt deer & bear, 100-200 yards will likely be the max so looking pretty close to flat trajectory +/- 1.5" and not much loss in velocity
I guess what I'm unsure about when choosing a bullet & weight is just how much pressure/resistance do the different bullets require to react to the impact.
for where I hunt deer & bear, 100-200 yards will likely be the max so looking pretty close to flat trajectory +/- 1.5" and not much loss in velocity
I guess what I'm unsure about when choosing a bullet & weight is just how much pressure/resistance do the different bullets require to react to the impact.
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,553
- 6,662
The 160 grain AB or BT will serve you very well in the 280AI. Any deer that doesn't topple from a sound hit with that bullet at the velocities you will generate is made of metal.
"Sure, but I'm really a fan of one load for a rifle. No dinking around with the scope between seasons & bullets."
On my elk hunt this lasy January, my hunting partner used a 7MM Rem. Mag. and the 160 gr. AccuBond. to take his cow elk. He said he'd chronographed the load at 3000 FPS MV. His shot came at 317 yards laser measured and the first shot hit the elk a bit too far back destroying about half the liver. The second shot finished her off. At the butcher's when they ripped the hide off the elk, both bullets were right up against the hide and fell to the ground when the hide was removed.
One the one gun, one bullet deal, I agree with that idea. I use 150 gr. in the .270, haven't decided for my new .280 Rem. yet but looking at 160 gr. very closely, 180 gr. for the 30-06 and 200 gr. for the .300 Win. Mag. I've gone that route since the very early 1970's and it's worked very well for me.
Paul B.
On my elk hunt this lasy January, my hunting partner used a 7MM Rem. Mag. and the 160 gr. AccuBond. to take his cow elk. He said he'd chronographed the load at 3000 FPS MV. His shot came at 317 yards laser measured and the first shot hit the elk a bit too far back destroying about half the liver. The second shot finished her off. At the butcher's when they ripped the hide off the elk, both bullets were right up against the hide and fell to the ground when the hide was removed.
One the one gun, one bullet deal, I agree with that idea. I use 150 gr. in the .270, haven't decided for my new .280 Rem. yet but looking at 160 gr. very closely, 180 gr. for the 30-06 and 200 gr. for the .300 Win. Mag. I've gone that route since the very early 1970's and it's worked very well for me.
Paul B.
