Current Production 280AI Rifles

[Magsrgod]

Hey folks, back here because you guys have always been awesome and helpful! I want to pick up a 280AI to add to the collection and reloading setup. Ive currently found 3 production rifles I could tolerate chambered in 280ai.

Weatherby 307 - 1:9 Twist
Savage 110 - 1:9 Twist
Browning XB2 - 1:8 Twist

I actually landed on the 280ai after I talked myself out of getting a 7mm PRC. After doing extensive amounts of research I decided I wanted 1:8 twist to stabilize the heavier bullets. Lighter bullet duties I have my 270 I love.

So I dont really love the XBolt 2, especially the trims they offer the 280ai in. The Savage is OK, I don’t mind their rifles, I have 3 or so of them and they all shoot very well. The Weatherby is the one I’m the most interested in. For those who have own / owned 9 twist rates, do you wish you had an 8? Any other manufacturers making 280ai I’m missing?

 

[SJB358]

I’m all for 8 twist 7mms but unless you’re shooting bullets longer than the 180 ELD and similar you’ll be good with 9’s.

 

[JD338]

Don't overlook the Nosler M21 in 280 AI.

All New Model 21 Rifles by Nosler

The all-new Nosler Model 21 is a new rifle for the next decade. Filled with cutting edge features including a wire EDM machined receiver, nitride coated, fluted bolt, Trigger Tech trigger, Shilen match grade stainless steel barrel, and rugged, lightweight synthetic stock

www.nosler.com

As Scotty mentioned, unless you are shooting 180's, a 9t is more than adequate.

JD338

 

[Magsrgod]

Thank you, I think I would max out at 180 so I should be OK.

Going to roll the dice and try the new Weatherby 307. The CF one looks great, hopefully shoots just as well.

 

[JD338]

Thank you, I think I would max out at 180 so I should be OK.

Going to roll the dice and try the new Weatherby 307. The CF one looks great, hopefully shoots just as well.

The Weatherby 307 is a m700 action clone with many improvements. They are shooters.

JD338

 

[Blkram]

Fierce also makes the 280AI.
I went with the 7mm PRC as they didn't offer the 280AI in the LH Carbon Rogue. So far I am pretty happy with it. Have shot and carried it some, but haven't taken game with it yet.

There are also fans of Seekins rifles here, and their reports are very favourable, but I haven't looked to see if they offer a 280AI. (And there aren't any dealers around here to handle one.) I'm sure there is bound to be some input on them here soon.

I would handle as many of the rifles as possible before buying...as many may seem perfect on paper, but until you handle and shoulder one, you will not know how they are going to fit you until you do. The results may surprise you. And you want to be sure before laying out the investment, otherwise you'll buy it try, try it, and may be disappointed. Hopefully, the rifle of one's choice will fit you and you'll be happy!
But there are an awful lot of new (and "like new"), rifles bought and sold quickly because they quickly learn that it wasn't the right rifle for them, because they bought online and never got to handle them before hand.

 

[Charlie-NY]

My custom rifle in 280AI wore a 8.7" twist Bartlein. It shot very well with 175 Berger EH bullets and 180 VLDs. However, now that I'm rebarreling it, I decided to go with an 8 twist to play it safe with the heavy bullets, including a few heavy monos.

 

[6mm Remington]

My Winchester Model 70 I have built into a 280AI has a 24" Shilen Match Grade barrel on it 1-9 twist. It shoots great. Heaviest bullets I have used have been 140 gr. Partitions and Accubonds. I know the same bullets in it except for being 160 grs. would work very well also. That's probably the heaviest bullet I will shoot in that rifle.

 

[Magsrgod]

I had never looked at Fierce rifles before and they look great.

Been looking at other options the last few days and the 7 PRC seems like another good option. Creates a little more separation from my 270’s that I have. It also opens up a wide world of options for rifles including the Tikka’s that I’ve has spectacular luck with.

Seems to be a very common comparison these days.

 

[Blkram]

With only 0.007" more diameter in the 7mm vs the 270 cal, there isn't a great deal of difference in frontal area between the two. (Where this would be of more value would be on animals that can bite back, such as bears, where you would want this extra smack from a larger caliber bullet e.g., 30 cal and bigger. Personally, I prefer 338 and larger here.)
Unless you have 270s that include the 270 WSM, Wby or a 6.8 Western, a 7mm PRC will give you an extra edge over the 270 Win for larger animals such as moose and elk, at longer distances, and the ability to use heavier hunting bullets than the typical 130-150 gr., such as the 160-175 gr.
While I wouldn't hesitate to shoot an elk with my 270 WSM out to 300 yards (I prefer the 2000 ft lbs of retained energy for elk) with my rifle's preferred ammo of the Federal 140 Trophy Bonded Tip, I prefer to target elk with my 7mm's (Rem Mag, PRC, and STW) with 155/160/170 gr bullets, as they have the densest bone of any animal in NA, and are also very tenacious of life. A rutting bull, full of adrenaline, is so charged that they can soak up the lead without much indication of a solid, terminal hit. They seldom fall DRT, unless hit in the brain or spine forward of the shoulders. But this is just my opinion based on the taking of over two dozen elk over the past 28 years, and guiding others to another dozen or so.

As an apples to apples comparison between the 280AI and 7mm PRC:

• 280AI:
  • 155 gr Terminal Ascent bullet (BC 0.586 and SD of 0.275) @ 2930 fps will have 2954 ft lbs of muzzle energy, and retain 2181 fps and 1637 ft lbs of energy at 500 yards, and be down 37.7" with a 200 yard zero. If you subscribe to elk with a retained energy of 1500 ft lbs, then you are good, but should you use the older standard of 2000 ft lbs, then the range limit would be 339 yards (assuming an elevation of 2200' asl and temp of 58 F).
  • 160 gr Nosler AccuBond (BC 0.531 and SD 0.283 ) @ 2950 will have 3091 ft lbs of muzzle energy, and retain 2119 fps and 1589 ft lbs of energy at 500 yards, and be down 38.6" with a 200 yard zero. The 2000 ft lbs of energy is retained out to 336 yards.
  • Most rifles can hold 5 rounds in the magazine.
  • (As a note, a good friend recently purchased a custom Tikka chambered to the 280AI and is loving it. He took a nice meat elk and deer with it this fall, hunting timber and open grain fields.)
• 7mm PRC:
  • 155 gr Terminal Ascent bullet @ 3100 fps will have 3307 ft lbs of muzzle energy, and retain 2324 fps and 1858 ft lbs of energy at 500 yards, and be down 33.2" with the same 200 yard zero. The 2000 ft lbs of energy is retained out to 441 yards.
  • 160 gr Nosler AccuBond (BC 0.531and SD 0.283) @ 3031 fps will have 3264 ft lbs of muzzle energy, and retain 2167 fps and 1669 ft lbs of energy at 500 yards, and be down 36.5" with a 200 yard zero. The 2000 ft lbs of energy is retained out to 373 yards.
  • Rifles will only hold 3 rounds in the magazine.

So it will depend on what you hunt, where you hunt and how you hunt, as to what performance level you want or need at the longest distance you may be shooting, at the specific species you are hunting.

Best of luck in your quest!

 

[Magsrgod]

This is why I come here, you guys are the best. Data driven analysis with no emotions, something rarely found on the internet these days, haha.

Thank you for that’s write up, to me it leans more towards the PRC with the downside of recoil and powder charge on the reloading bench.

I’d like to take a small left turn here. I’ve never built a custom rifle and I ran across Solus actions yesterday and wanted to get folks take on this. Seems like I can get the action and proof barrel mated from them. All I should need after is a trigger setup, timny or something similar and a stock of my liking.

Anyone have any takes on these actions?

SOLUS Barreled Lightweight Long Action - 24" 7 PRC, PROOF® Carbon Fiber

This SOLUS product has an estimated lead time of 4 - 6 weeks. By adding this item to your cart and completing your purchase, you acknowledge and agree to this shipping timeframe.

www.aeroprecisionusa.com

 

[JD338]

I have a buddy who has one in 6.5 Creedmoor. It is a shooter out to 800 yds.

 

[Blkram]

Sorry, no experience or knowledge of this action, so cannot say.
There are a lot of great actions, and gunmakers out there today doing a great job in bringing us better quality firearms and products today. We have never had it so good!
There are also a lot of very good semi custom rifle makers out there today that are also supplying fully finished rifles of great quality.
Just be prepared and determine your list of needs vs wants, and your budget (including a contingency) for your custom rifle project beforehand. Adjust this list as you do your research, as you may learn considerations you hadn't thought of yet along this journey, and you need to be able to adapt, if and when required. (Is it reasonable? Does it meet your expectations?)

The recoil of the 7mm PRC is very manageable for many, even from the bench, without a muzzle break, from an 8 lb scoped rifle. But it is slightly more than the average shooter can tolerate (30-06 with 180 gr bullets at approx. 25 ft lbs - the 7mm PRC with is going to be in the 29-31 ft lb range with 155-170 gr bullets). Only you can determine what your recoil tolerance is. Muzzle brakes can help, but add to the noise factor. Suppressors can also help, if you ca do so legally, but will add the the rifles length and weight, and change its balance.
And how much shooting you are going to be doing with it? This will indeed raise the cost for ammunition, whether it be factory or handloads. In the end, if it's for a lot of shooting, and you are cost conscious, the 280AI will be more cost effective. If you are going to be practicing to learn your rifle/ammo performance and build your level of skill and confidence, and then go hunting, your shooting numbers won't be as high. ) In the end, while we all look at how much it costs to shoot our rifles, the ammo is still the least expensive variable in the scoped rifle and shooting equation. We spend thousands on the scoped rifle (especially when going custom), the rest of our hunting gear, and the means by which we go hunting (vehicles, travel, fuel, food, etc.) Most of us aren't hunting just to survive today, even if we are putting meat on the table. We are doing it to live the lifestyle, preserve our legacy, and past down values and traditions to our kids and grandchildren (and other new hunters and outdoors people), along with life skills, knowledge, and experience that are transferable to all kinds of practices for our path towards a successful life.

When it comes to the barreled actions, you really need to get some hands on, to determine if it is going to deliver not only what you are looking for in features, but will be smooth, robust, and reliable. Is it designed for your intended purpose? (Benchrest competition, target, or hunting?) Is the barrel length and weight such that it will perform as expected in the field, or off the bench? Is the contour and twist appropriate to your intended cartridge and bullet weight, for the use intended?
Look at the simple mechanical things, such as the extractor, firing pin, and safety; are they time proven designs? Are they easy to field strip and clean? (If this is an important consideration for you. ) What have the field tests and feedback from previous customers revealed?

Triggers; pretty much the same questions here. Many benchrest competition shooters want triggers that break in the ounces, while many hunters are looking for around a 3 lb pull. (This is so you can still feel your trigger when hunting/shooting with a light glove on in the colder seasons.) Long range/PRS shooters are trending towards 2 lb pulls today; this is fine if you do not need to wear a light glove in colder temps. But many stock triggers cannot be safely tuned for pull weights this low. Check with your gunsmith. But overall, it must break clean and crisp with no creep, and little to no overtravel.

Stocks: this is such as subjective thing, as we are all different, and perceive felt recoil differently. Most importantly, it must fit you. Weight is a major consideration as it must be suitable to the intended shooting practice, and the finished rifle must hold and balance well for the type of shooting you will be doing, form any anticipated shooting position. Flyweight rifles are great for climbing mountains, but are not so great for shooting stability when excited, over-exerted (Heart pounding and breath hard and and fast from climbing to that shooting point), needing to shoot off hand, or just experiencing buck fever! Heavy and bulky is great for benchrest competition. And in between there are a host of considerations for your intended purpose. Discuss this with your gunsmith as you plan your project.

Shooting and hunting with a custom rifle is a great pleasure that must be experienced to fully appreciate. (I have had 17 custom and semi-custom rifles built, or have purchased the odd custom rifle in a configuration of my liking, over the past 25 years; but I am a left handed shooter with an affinity for less common cartridges that meet my needs and desires. So I must go this route to get what I am looking for in many instances. It has been a great adventure and learning curve that will continue! My next is to rebarrel a LH Browning X Bolt All Weather fromm 308 Win to 25 Creedmoor, next summer. Already have dies and brass for this project!)

In the end, this your project, and only you can determine what it is you need and want. Hopefully we can provide food for thought to assist you in this, but it must be relevant to your intended purpose, so take it all with a grain of salt! (even mine!)

Best of luck in your quest!

 

[NYDAN]

Great commentaries, Blkram.

 

[Ralt71]

I had never looked at Fierce rifles before and they look great.

Been looking at other options the last few days and the 7 PRC seems like another good option. Creates a little more separation from my 270’s that I have. It also opens up a wide world of options for rifles including the Tikka’s that I’ve has spectacular luck with.

Seems to be a very common comparison these days.

Just my 2 cents. I have had an still own some 7mags, I have played with, loaded, and have people in camp that hunt with 7 PRC. In my opinion, it's over hyped. If you're liking the Tikka or the 307, I would strongly consider just getting the mag. Side by side what you give up to have the PRC, you don't gain back in performance (my opinion). Powder, brass, recoil is all given when you go the PRC route. I feel the same way about 300 win mag vs PRC.

The 7 mag will hang right with the PRC, it's very common, it's a proven cartridge, and there are still plenty of options out there for it. From a hunting stand point, it will run all the bullets a hunter wants to use from sheep to elk.

 

[Magsrgod]

I appreciate all the help guys. Going to toss this around and do some research. I have a 300 win mag in a 2010 era Savage Model 111 which does everything quite well.

I have this uncanny ability to go from a Ruger G2 American will be a great rifle for a new caliber to lets build a custom rifle real quick. Bikram, to answer your main question, this would be primarily for hunting and trips out west when I go!

 

[Blkram]

We all go through this!
We bounce back and forth on inexpensive and practical, to costly and everything we want...
In the end it'll come down to your priorities and budget. If it doesn't short you on other life priorities and commitments, and will make you happy and provides a level of satisfaction that you are comfortable with, or can justify to your own content, then go for it!
(We are all here to help, er...enable you! And we do it well!)

 

[Nealc]

I have been drooling over the Weatherbys and Fierce in 280ai. I won’t but go with Weatherby as they don’t have stainless actions. Cerakote only protects the outside and I can’t stay out of the rain. Fierce is cerakote over stainless, an 8.5 twist, generous magazine length, and they will make a 280ai in most if not all of their models, despite what their website says (call). Fortunately/unfortunately, I have recently got my Kimber subalpine shooting well with 162 eldx and rl26. Makes it hard to justify another 280ai but i still like the ergos of those other rifles.