Custom 280 AI range report.

[brikwhitt]

Today I finally made it to the range to shoot my new custom 280 AI. started with a couple rounds loaded with 58gn of RL26. Took only two shots to get the scope zeroed. Velocity was 2790 for those shots.

Load was
Nosler brass
Nosler 150gn ABLR
RL26
Fed 210 primers
COAL 3.340


58.5 was at 2830 fps with group size being 1.000 even.

59.0gn shrank in half to .490 at a muzzle velocity of 2874 fps.

59.5 I had a called flier which opend my group size to .742 at 2910 fps.

60.0gn I had another called flier which opend me up to .980 at 2942 fps

Had to stop and evaluate why I had two fliers in a row, realized I was getting careless with the way I was preloading the bipod on the bench, so I started paying closer attention to form. Fliers went away.

Best group of the day

60.5 RL26 muzzle velocity of 3013 group size .145. WOW! load development over. Found my hunting load.

Last three shot group of the day

61.0 gn RL26 velocity 3033 group size .387

couple of notes
I think I need to evaluate 60.5 gns again and load up about 10 rounds, and progress up to 62.5 gn in .3 gn increments to see how pressure is. Hopefully accuracy stays well enough that I can tune it in with seating depth. Overall I'm quiet happy being at 3013 fps with that load if going higher doesnt work out. Accuracy seems to be there.

The new custom is accurat as hell, and a pleasure to shoot. Eddie Fosnaugh built one heck of a rifle.

Can't wait to try the 162 gn ELD-X. I hope they will shoot as well as the 150 gn ABLR did today.



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[NWBlacktail]

Wow! Very nice! :mrgreen:

I still have a box of 150 grn ABLR, and haven't tried them yet. Might be worth a look!

 

[brikwhitt]

Wow! Very nice! :mrgreen:

I still have a box of 150 grn ABLR, and haven't tried them yet. Might be worth a look!

Seat them deep. I started at a COAL of 3.340 and looks like I will stay there. Rifle seems to like a good jump with that bullet. I havent measured to the lands yet. I prefered ro wait untill the barrel is broke in. If I had to guess, I would say I'm jumping them around .09 - .1

At any rate, she's shooting them good so far.

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[Billyram]

I wouldn't waste time with fractional grains of powder in a 30-06 size case. A change of less than 1 grain doesn't make enough difference. Your load will change more from one day to the next more than 1/2 grain of powder would make. If the ELD-X shoots anything like the 162 gr A-Max you will be pleased with it. I've gotten 5 shot groups with the A-Max in a 7-08 under 1/2".
Billy

 

[TackDriver284]

Nice group, time to write data in stone.

 

[DrMike]

Excellent results. Beautiful riflery and a great load. Yeah, I'd say you're finished.

 

[Dwh7271]

Glad to see it worked for you!
Nice shooting.

 

[brikwhitt]

Glad to see it worked for you!
Nice shooting.

To be honest, with the mixed reviews I was reading on the 150gn ABLR bullet, I was having some doubts they would shoot as well as the did. After shooting that .490 group, all that went away because I felt like I could fiddle with the seating depth enough to bring it on in.

After the .145 group, I may leave it alone. We'll wait and see what the next range trip turns up. Going to go on up to 62gns and see what she likes.

ES at 60.5 and 61.0 was a little more than I wanted to see, 24 fps, and 30 fps respectively. If that turns to be an issue, I may back it down and work back up with CCI mag primers and take a gander at it.

But then sometimes its best to leave well enough alone.

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[DrMike]

Well, the 150 grain ABLR gives me excellent accuracy and good velocity in my .280 Rem--good enough to take a fine 6X6 elk and a large 4X4 mule deer with that load so far. No complaints on my end. I can't see you hurting with this load in your AI.

 

[brikwhitt]

Hey DrMike, I have no doubts they will be stone cold killers...what I was referring to as far as getting mixed reviews, was I've read reviews where some were having problems getting them to shoot, so I was hoping I wasn't going to be one of those with which they wouldnt work for. Glad to see they fly quiet true in my rifle.

I'm looking forward to seeing how they perform on whitetails. I'm sure they will love up to the AccuBond reputation.

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[DrMike]

You're golden all the way around. Accuracy is obvious and the bullet is a proven killer in my estimate. I anticipate that you will be reporting some excellent kills on monster whitetails.

 

[SJB358]

Awesome shooting!! They look like they will carry the mail. What twist are you running in your rifle?

Congrats on finding a great load so quickly... that's the sort of stuff I really enjoy when it happens.

 

[brikwhitt]

Awesome shooting!! They look like they will carry the mail. What twist are you running in your rifle?

Congrats on finding a great load so quickly... that's the sort of stuff I really enjoy when it happens.

Running a 1:9 twist krieger barrel at 26 inches. So far it's been a typical krieger. Started my break in procedure with the first shot, and by my 15th shot all I was getting from the barrel after a good 15-20 minute soak was carbon and maybe the slightest hint of blue on my patch.

Came home and soaked the bore with Montana Extreme and after 15 minutes I pshed a clean patch through with a little hint of blue, followed that up with another wet patch of montana extreme to no copper on the patch.

I wont clean her agai untill the groups start opening up. I'll let the barrel tell me what she likes.

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