I have a Weatherby Mark V chambered in a 280 Remington, While I like the rifle, I am less than pleased about its twist rate 1:10. I have two ideas convert it to 280 AI with a 1:8 twist or leave it as a 280 Remington but go with a faster twist barrel? Thoughts, Ideas ball park cost?
280 Remington rebarrell project.
- Thread starter Wis65x55
- Start date
- Nov 4, 2004
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If you are going to rebarrel you might as well just go with 280 AI. You can fire 280 Remington in the 280 AI chamber. A 9t is really all you need up to 180 gr bullets. If you are going higher bullet weight you might want to consider a bigger case.
As for cost, that will depend on the barrel maker and your chosen gunsmiths costs to fit and chamber. One thing to consider is getting the action blue printed. That cost is well worth it if you want big hole accuracy.
JD338
As for cost, that will depend on the barrel maker and your chosen gunsmiths costs to fit and chamber. One thing to consider is getting the action blue printed. That cost is well worth it if you want big hole accuracy.
JD338
- Thread starter
- #3
The reason for me thinking about a 8 twist is that I am converting my rifle to monolithic bullets. Any advantage to a progressive twist or directional twist?
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Matthew Pederson (Pederson Precision, LLC) is making me a 280AI on a Tikka action as we speak. I elected to go with the 1/8 twist and a TBD 20" carbon barrel. I may go with a Rock Creek barrel. I think that the barrel alone will be in the $800-$1000 range plus associated tooling time. He's a class act... I have no experience with it yet but a 1/8 may be better for 160+ monos. The Berger twist rate search engine may be helpful, but I don't know if it calculates for coppers.
https://bergerbullets.com/twist-rate-calculator/
https://bergerbullets.com/twist-rate-calculator/
- Nov 4, 2004
- 27,358
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My M700 custom 280 AI has a Hart #5 24” with a 9t. It shoots 150 gr E Tips along with 160 gr AB and 168 gr ABLR very well.
JD338
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My experience with mono bullets is with Hammer hunter, Regarding bullet stability calculators, the Berger calculator is better for non tipped bullet, whereas the Miller twist rule is best for tipped mono. In my 280 Remington with a 131 gr bullet I have a 5 shot average of 3190 with ES of 40fps. The advantage with Hammer bullets is that they have reduced bearing pressure, increased velocity at a lower pressure with increased tolerance of long jump with accuracy!
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If you are rebarreling anyway I agree with JD338. You may as well get a 208 Ackley Improved. Get 100-200 fps more. You can fire form your 280 Rem brass and I think 280 AI factory ammo is just as available (though maybe more $).
I have a 270 win with a barrel almost shot out. I'm debating rebarreling to 280 Ackley. I'm leaning towards 1:8 twist. I doubt I need more than 1:8 but like hunting with Monos. It's the same cost from what I saw and I don't think there is a draw back to a little faster twist.
I have a 270 win with a barrel almost shot out. I'm debating rebarreling to 280 Ackley. I'm leaning towards 1:8 twist. I doubt I need more than 1:8 but like hunting with Monos. It's the same cost from what I saw and I don't think there is a draw back to a little faster twist.
This is good advise.
Be aware there are two versions of the 280 A.I. I would suggest the SAAMI approved one. Jim (JD338) can tell you which reloading dies you need for each version of the 280 A.I.
My .280 Rem. is a bit of an oddball. I picked up the barreled action a whim along with the plank of walnut that came with it The action is a1909 M98 Argentine Mauser that has little dimples where the metal was tested for hardness. Someone spent some serious money on that barreled action. A Timney trigger set at 2.5 pounds. I took it to my gunsmith and due to an accident he farmed the rifle and stock to Sterling Davenport. I always wanted one of his custom rifle and due to my gunsmiths misfortune I got one of my bucket list rifles.
The rifle is about a one to one and quarter inch shooter with Remington 150 gr. Core Lokts. Handloads with the bullet do slightly better. The real surprise was when I did some work with IMR 7828SC. I wouked p to the load in the Nosler number eight Manual without any pressure problems but accuracy was not wat I was looking for. I get some excellet sppeed and accuracy in the .270 and .300 Win. Mag. so I thought, "Why not?" Nirvana! Groups run anywhere from .20" to .25" depending on how I'm shooting on any particular day. Bullet is the older Speer two core Grand Slam, Winchester nickel plated brass and Winchester WLR primer. Powder is the now long gone Winchester Magnum Rifle powder, AKA WMR. I have an older Winchester loading booklet and I worked up to the max. Velocity according to my chronograph is 2910 FPS. Brass life has been excellent.
That kind of looks like I'm snapping hard at the heels of the .280AI.
Not all is perfect. The stock wood is beautiful but very dense and heavy. The 24" barrel has no taper is is also heavy. The rifle is close to ten pounds so I call it my "plains" rifle. You sure don't want to lug it up some mountain around 9 or 10,000 feet MSL.
My point is the .280 REm. is treated like the 7x57 with presssures kept lower VIA SAAMI. Remington requested SAAMI do so so that Remington could use the cartridge in their semi-auto and pump action rifles.
Just something to think about.
PJ
The rifle is about a one to one and quarter inch shooter with Remington 150 gr. Core Lokts. Handloads with the bullet do slightly better. The real surprise was when I did some work with IMR 7828SC. I wouked p to the load in the Nosler number eight Manual without any pressure problems but accuracy was not wat I was looking for. I get some excellet sppeed and accuracy in the .270 and .300 Win. Mag. so I thought, "Why not?" Nirvana! Groups run anywhere from .20" to .25" depending on how I'm shooting on any particular day. Bullet is the older Speer two core Grand Slam, Winchester nickel plated brass and Winchester WLR primer. Powder is the now long gone Winchester Magnum Rifle powder, AKA WMR. I have an older Winchester loading booklet and I worked up to the max. Velocity according to my chronograph is 2910 FPS. Brass life has been excellent.
That kind of looks like I'm snapping hard at the heels of the .280AI.
Not all is perfect. The stock wood is beautiful but very dense and heavy. The 24" barrel has no taper is is also heavy. The rifle is close to ten pounds so I call it my "plains" rifle. You sure don't want to lug it up some mountain around 9 or 10,000 feet MSL.
My point is the .280 REm. is treated like the 7x57 with presssures kept lower VIA SAAMI. Remington requested SAAMI do so so that Remington could use the cartridge in their semi-auto and pump action rifles.
Just something to think about.
PJ
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Blkram
Handloader
- Nov 25, 2013
- 3,643
- 4,768
I have always been happy with the 280 Rem and how it has performed for me, with the 1:10 twist barrels in a #3 contour. (My favourite cartridge.) 
I just could not get the accuracy out of the pencil thin barrels on the Rem 700 Mountain rifles, that I know the cartridge is capable of.
I am getting 1/2" groups with the now discontinued Federal Premium 140 gr AccuBond ammo, but have a limited supply left. And since I have decided to use the 140 ABs in the 7mm-08, I am moving up to the 150 gr bullets in my current 280 Rem, a semi-custom LH Rem 700 XCR.
Using QuickLoad data for the factory 24" barrel, up to 65K psi, I am anticipating 3000-3100 fps with the 150 gr AccuBonds and Ballistic Tips. We'll see what I settle on for accuracy in the end as I try several different powders, including N-560, Re-16,17 and 19, H414, W760, and H4831. (While I do not have any WMR, I do have some WXR to try to; have to look it up in QL. IIRC, DrMike may have had a load using it in his 280 Rem??? with the 150 gr ABLR???)
This puts me in the same velocity bracket as the AI version (and very close to the 7mm PRC 155 gr performance level with just 5 gr less bullet weight), so not sure if I will go there or not...but if I came across the right rifle in a left hand configuration, I may be tempted to play with it and the 155 gr Terminal Ascent ammo just for the fun and experience!
Love the 7mms! They just work on most of our big game! = Priceless!
I just could not get the accuracy out of the pencil thin barrels on the Rem 700 Mountain rifles, that I know the cartridge is capable of.
I am getting 1/2" groups with the now discontinued Federal Premium 140 gr AccuBond ammo, but have a limited supply left. And since I have decided to use the 140 ABs in the 7mm-08, I am moving up to the 150 gr bullets in my current 280 Rem, a semi-custom LH Rem 700 XCR.
Using QuickLoad data for the factory 24" barrel, up to 65K psi, I am anticipating 3000-3100 fps with the 150 gr AccuBonds and Ballistic Tips. We'll see what I settle on for accuracy in the end as I try several different powders, including N-560, Re-16,17 and 19, H414, W760, and H4831. (While I do not have any WMR, I do have some WXR to try to; have to look it up in QL. IIRC, DrMike may have had a load using it in his 280 Rem??? with the 150 gr ABLR???)
This puts me in the same velocity bracket as the AI version (and very close to the 7mm PRC 155 gr performance level with just 5 gr less bullet weight), so not sure if I will go there or not...but if I came across the right rifle in a left hand configuration, I may be tempted to play with it and the 155 gr Terminal Ascent ammo just for the fun and experience!
Love the 7mms! They just work on most of our big game! = Priceless!
