280 AI

AZGuy · Dec 13, 2021

Question for all all 280 AI owners;
Is there a factory gun and load that works well for you? Curious if anyone is having success with mass produced stuff.

Coues320 · Dec 13, 2021

Kimber mountain ascent, with nosler 140 gn accubonds.
sub moa with mine.

Zeke · Dec 13, 2021

Same exact gun and bullet that works like a champ for my bro except he rolls his own with RL-23.
Zeke

Sirzonkalot · Dec 13, 2021

Same gun shooting Nosler Custom with 160 partitions….damn accurate.

boomer · Dec 14, 2021

I usually shoot custom loads and can share that load if you are interested, but the Federal Premium 168 Bergers factory ammo shoot great out of my gun. I have quite a few boxes but have not seen them on the shelf for a while.

AZGuy · Dec 14, 2021

boomer said:
I usually shoot custom loads and can share that load if you are interested, but the Federal Premium 168 Bergers factory ammo shoot great out of my gun. I have quite a few boxes but have not seen them on the shelf for a while.

Thanks Boomer

Captain_coues · Dec 14, 2021

I hand load my 280 AI. I sometimes end up with factory cartridges from time to time and I don’t usually know how or why I got them. I never had any 280 AI factory rounds but I have in other and the best ever is Weatherby, but they don’t make the 280. The other best factory I’ve shot was Hornady. In a few cases like my 223 and fire forming a K Hornet, they were as accurate as some of my hand loads. I would give them a shot.

280 Ackley 162 gr ELD-X® Precision Hunter® - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc

...

www.hornady.com

AZGuy · Dec 14, 2021

Captain_coues said:
I hand load my 280 AI. I sometimes end up with factory cartridges from time to time and I don’t usually know how or why I got them. I never had any 280 AI factory rounds but I have in other and the best ever is Weatherby, but they don’t make the 280. The other best factory I’ve shot was Hornady. In a few cases like my 223 and fire forming a K Hornet, they were as accurate as some of my hand loads. I would give them a shot.

280 Ackley 162 gr ELD-X® Precision Hunter® - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc

...

www.hornady.com

I have shot these in 300WM and 6.5 and have had success. Thanks!

bodhi · Dec 14, 2021

Kimber Hunter. very accurate and light. I've tried accubond (hand loads), game changers (hand loads), noslter etips (factory), shoots sub moa with all three.

HikeHunt61 · Dec 14, 2021

Not that I gave it a lot of effort, but did buy two different boxes of commercial when I first got my Fierce 280AI as I didn't have dies yet. Both were terrible (1.5" groups), which scared the crap out of me. I kind of assumed it was due to the conservative COAL they use in manufactured ammo. My subsequent handloads all shoot 0.4-0.7, which was a great relief!

AZGuy · Dec 14, 2021

HikeHunt61 said:
Not that I gave it a lot of effort, but did buy two different boxes of commercial when I first got my Fierce 280AI as I didn't have dies yet. Both were terrible (1.5" groups), which scared the crap out of me. I kind of assumed it was due to the conservative COAL they use in manufactured ammo. My subsequent handloads all shoot 0.4-0.7, which was a great relief!

This is very helpful as that was one of the makes I was considering.

HikeHunt61 · Dec 14, 2021

AZGuy said:
This is very helpful as that was one of the makes I was considering.

I love mine. If you end up deciding to develop loads, I'll be happy to share what I ended up with along with my conservative starting points...

junior · Dec 14, 2021

I had a straight 280 built. Not a AI..I love that lil gun..not hard on the shoulder..light..and deadly accurate! I see no difference in dead deer to 400 yards. Not loading it hot either...using H4831sc.

HikeHunt61 · Dec 14, 2021

junior said:
I had a straight 280 built. Not a AI..I love that lil gun..not hard on the shoulder..light..and deadly accurate! I see no difference in dead deer to 400 yards. Not loading it hot either...using H4831sc.

Absolutely nothing wrong with 280 Rem. I got the AI because it was offered and gets another 150 fps, but it's not wildly different. And I truly believe H4831sc is the most consistent and forgiving powder out there (at least in non-magnum 27/28 caliber guns).

Bwht4x4 · Dec 14, 2021

Can't speak to a factory 280 ai rifle as mine is a custom build. The only factory ammo I found to be accurate was the Nosler Accubond Longrange. The Nosler e-Tip factory loaded ammo was horrible. My Hammer bullet handloads are getting sub-3/4 inches at 300 yards shooting 61.5 gr H4831SC at 3100 fps.

junior · Dec 14, 2021

HikeHunt61 said:
Absolutely nothing wrong with 280 Rem. I got the AI because it was offered and gets another 150 fps, but it's not wildly different. And I truly believe H4831sc is the most consistent and forgiving powder out there (at least in non-magnum 27/28 caliber guns).

Agree on the H4831...It's not usually the fastest but sure is forgiving. I use it for all our 284s. 280, 7mag and STW shooting 140s. If you can't get it to group most likely a primer change will get you right.

Bruse001 · Dec 14, 2021

Mines not factory built but i found the federal ascent 155 grain work well in my gun

Sparks Shooter · Dec 14, 2021

I've got a semi-custom 280AI right now and it shoots Nosler 140 AB factory loads better than anything I can handload so far. Even when I try to duplicate the load they do not shoot quite as well as the factory stuff. Really frustrating but the truth.----SS

AZGuy · Dec 14, 2021

Very helpful All, thanks!!

liecabucks · Dec 14, 2021

I shoot a factory barreled rem 280AI. I reload but it loves Retumbo and 180 Berger’s for whatever reason.

Pinetree · Dec 15, 2021

I've got a Kimber Montana in a 280Ai and it shoots really well just regular federal premium 150gr Nosler Partitions 280 rem ammo. Haven't really shot it all that much due to having other go to hunting rifles.