New guy with questions for 280AI

[Africa Huntress]

Welcome Muzz.
JD338 has done some pretty cool stuff with the 280AI. I'm sure he'll pop in with some good ideas for you.
RR has really been researching this pretty deeply. He has some terrific insights.
I just mess around with it. Here's a post of my 26" McGowen barreled with 160s around 2950. Used RL22 for that.
http://forum.nosler.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=29101
I built a light one w a 23 1/2" barrel (deal I couldn't pass). Here's the 150 PT from it with MRP.
http://forum.nosler.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=28164
You'll like the group here. Some pretty great folks.
Lot of 280s and AIs too

I agree --Jim has good 280AI reloading information

My mother hunted sheep in Tajikistan last year with a 280AI and she used a load provided to her by Jim. One shot --one dead Marco Polo.

Best Regards

Jamila

p.s. for those fellows waiting on the Norma Oryx bullets we are getting for you, I should have good news for you next week

 

[DrMike]

Is there a powder that is close to the RL22? I wont use it due to bad things I have heard about it and the temp uUnstability.

I read on here about MRP from norma, is it temp stable and as good as RL22?

I use RL22 in a variety of cartridges; winter temps drop pretty low in northern BC. I've not had serious problems. MRP is an excellent powder, produced by the same facility as that producing RL22 (some contend that it is the same powder with different packaging). The powders that are marketed as temperature insensitive are those provided by Hodgdon and supplied from ADI. Check out the Hodgdon site to find which powders you might use that are marketed as temperature insensitive.

 

[muzz]

those that are shooting the accubonds , how far off the lands are you setting the bullet?

 

[nvbroncrider]

My 160's run .045" off the lands.

 

[DrMike]

those that are shooting the accubonds , how far off the lands are you setting the bullet?

Up to 0.100 inches off the lands. While there are no particular pressure problems noted when shooting near the lands, AccuBonds appear to like a bit of a jump to the lands. My best groups have as much jump as monometal bullets.

 

[clambdin]

I have been running the 168 LRAB in mine .027 off the lands with Ramshot Magnum at 2970 fps, I mostly hunt Elk with it killed a bull a couple weeks ago at 409 yds penetrated both lungs but didnt exit, didn't have time to look for the bullet needed to get off the mountain but the bull walked 30 yds after the shot and fell over dead ! The 150 LRAB shoots extremely well with H4831SC also as does the 160 AB...

 

[JD338]

Muzz,

Sorry for the late arrival, just got back home from deer camp.
Welcome to the forum, glad you are here.

IMHO, the two best bullets for the 280AI are the 150 gr ABLR and PT. I have had fantastic results with RL22
and 140 gr AB's at 3200 fps, 150 gr ABLR at 3100 fps and the 160 gr AB at 3000 fps. These speeds are from a 24" barrel and accuracy for all is well under .5 MOA.

The 150 gr ABLR is up to the task of elk and moose. If you feel you need more bullet, the 150 gr PT will fill your freezer.

JD338

 

[muzz]

Thanks JD, I hope I can get the velocities your getting. I will be very happy. Im gonna try the 4350 and mrp powder if I can find it. 160 AB's 140 AB's and when they ever show up the 150LRAB's

I have to say this forum is great. I love the mature non arrogant responses. I cant believe the other sites I visit and the arrogant responses I have gotten. Kind of makes me throw my hands up and say forget it...


Thanks to all of you for your patience and information, Im not the brightest or most knowledgeable about reloading but im learning.

 

[JD338]

Muzz,

Just remember that you are among friends.
I would give RL22 a try. Its my go to powder in the 280AI.

JD338

 

[NWBlacktail]

One thing I don't get is why H4831sc isn't more popular with the 280AI. The latest Nosler manual lists it as the most accurate powder for (I believe) like 3 of the prime bullet weights. Maybe because it's near the bottom in velocity.

But you guys are getting some great groups with RL22 and IMR7828ssc! Really, you couldn't do much better in terms of accuracy. :mrgreen:

 

[DrMike]

One thing I don't get is why H4831sc isn't more popular with the 280AI. The latest Nosler manual lists it as the most accurate powder for (I believe) like 3 of the prime bullet weights. Maybe because it's near the bottom in velocity.

But you guys are getting some great groups with RL22 and IMR7828ssc! Really, you couldn't do much better in terms of accuracy. :mrgreen:

Any cartridge can be made to shoot accurately, provided the platform is sound and the harmonics are ideal and the shooter is capable. When Nosler (or any other bullet/powder manufacturer) points to one powder as more accurate than another, they are referring to the lowest standard deviation on multiple shots. Everything else being equal, that is the powder that will give the most consistent velocities. Most of us are addicted to speed, however. Thus, if we can wring out another 50 to 100 fps from a cartridge with another powder, that powder will get the nod in most instances. It requires incredible self-discipline to ignore the pursuit of the final 100 fps, knowing that you can't kill an animal any deader than DRT.

 

[longrangehunter]

One thing I don't get is why H4831sc isn't more popular with the 280AI. The latest Nosler manual lists it as the most accurate powder for (I believe) like 3 of the prime bullet weights. Maybe because it's near the bottom in velocity.

But you guys are getting some great groups with RL22 and IMR7828ssc! Really, you couldn't do much better in terms of accuracy. :mrgreen:

Any cartridge can be made to shoot accurately, provided the platform is sound and the harmonics are ideal and the shooter is capable. When Nosler (or any other bullet/powder manufacturer) points to one powder as more accurate than another, they are referring to the lowest standard deviation on multiple shots. Everything else being equal, that is the powder that will give the most consistent velocities. Most of us are addicted to speed, however. Thus, if we can wring out another 50 to 100 fps from a cartridge with another powder, that powder will get the nod in most instances. It requires incredible self-discipline to ignore the pursuit of the final 100 fps, knowing that you can't kill an animal any deader than DRT.

Which would produce a load for LR shooting that "Should" produce the smallest group size.

 

[sask boy]

I have recently switched my powders to RL-22 and have not seen any problems with temperature sensitivity. Living here in Saskatchewan we hunt at temps of 20C to -30C. Right now the guys are up Moose hunting in the north country and the temp is right around -20C. My nephew is using my new RMR in a 280AI, I asked him what he thought of the rifle and his text back to me was that he was going to have to keep it for a couple of years to get a real good feel of it to report :wink:!
I have found a very accurate load for it using 150gr AccuBond Longrange over top of RL-22 now I am just waiting to see what the performance is on game before making up a couple of hundred reloads .

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Creedmore]

One thing I don't get is why H4831sc isn't more popular with the 280AI. The latest Nosler manual lists it as the most accurate powder for (I believe) like 3 of the prime bullet weights. Maybe because it's near the bottom in velocity.

I'm running H4831 (not sc) in my 280AI with 140AB at 3200fps, and getting 1/2 MOA.

Tried the 168CC and 168ABLR and they only want to shoot MOA :mrgreen:


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