I have a remington rifle with a shillen barrel with a 1 and 9 twist in a 280 ackley improved.It has a mcillian stock, glass bedded with leapols scope. tried many loads and still can't get it to shoot as accurate as I would like. Also tried many different bullets in various weights. Anyone have any suggestions on what I could try next? Loads, primers, cases.

Please give more specifics on what you've already tried.

quote:

Please give more specifics on what you've already tried.

I happen to like the 160 & 140 Accubonds with RL22, IMR 7828 and RL19. All pretty close to max.

I have a wood stocked 280 AI and it shoots sub MOA.
What do you consider "accurate"?
There are myriad combinations of bullets, powders and seating depths (I ignore primers); to test. Bullets and seating depth are first variables, for me.

I'm assuming that you really have tried a wide range of bullets and nothing gives you better than 1 MOA, which is my personal cut-off for very good versus adequate. (Excellent is better than 0.75 MOA, and superb is < 0.5 MOA. Caveats apply.)

Are the action screws tight?

Is your scope okay? Is it firmly mounted?

Have you tried another scope?

I currently load for two of my own 280AI and a friends. All three are 1:9 twist. We're using H4831sc in all three and have found 1/2MOA or less loads within a 1.0 grain difference in powder between them. All are loaded in Nosler brass, 168gr Berger hunting VLDs, and CCI BR2 primers. Load development didn't take very long either.

After narrowing the powder charge down to the best groups, a little work was done playing with bullet seating depth and we were there. All the rifles are bedded in synthetic/composite stocks, barrels are free floated.

One issue that stumped us recently on a rifle was that when a smith bedded the action, the magazine box was "pinched" between the action and the stock. This caused a pressure point in the center of the action. A different gunsmith noticed this after we thought the barrel might need to be re-crowned. The smith ground a few thousands of an inch off the mag box and the rifle settled in perfectly. Groups went from 1 1/2MOA to 1/2 MOA. I started checking all of my mag boxes at that point. You should be able to feel it barely move when the rifle is put together to make sure it's not bound or sandwiched solid in between the action and stock.

The magazine box issue would have probably eluded us to the point the rifle would have been rebarreled or sold. It was a huge relief to find something causing issues that was so easy to fix. Most rifles are not so finicky, so I wonder if you've got something going that is affecting accuracy? Hope this helps, good luck!! The 280AI is a great cartridge!

I got my 280 AI built in 1998 - Sako Finnbear L61R action & Douglas barrel 1:9 twist.

The starting point for good accurate loads is a case that shoots well and a bullet that also shoots well in the particular rifle.

I spent one year developing loads. I started with 50 Winchester cases & 50 Norma cases. I tried a few other brands and found the accuracy was over 2". My rifle was not too fussy with bullets but it loved the Rem 150 gr Corlokt! 5 shots into one hole at 100 meters. 5 shots into 1.7 inches at 200 meters! It shot Speer 145 gr, Norma 140 gr, Hornady 139 gr Nosler BT 140 gr etc. quite well. It also shoots TSX 150 gr & AB 160 grs accurately.

I found it a waste of time trying to size & fire form cases from 30'06 brass etc. I just use standard 280 Rem brass and fire form the first reload. The AI case has a 4 thou crush fit at the neck when using standard 280 Rem brass. I use Fed 210 primers exclusively.

My rifle shoots well with most powders - VV N160, Re19, ADI 2209 (H4350), ADI 2213SC (H4831SC) etc. Best velocities along with accuracy for 160 gr AB bullet was with VV N560 - as per Nosler manual - 2950 fps.

What is your bullet seating depth? I used to be very pedantic & go as close to the lands as possible - 0.003 inch. Now a days I just do the hunting load at 0.025 inch (25 thou). TSX is at 50 thou. The change in accuracy is not relevant for hunting out to 350 meters - at which range I can shoot hares.

My 280 Ack Imp is built on a 1909 Argentine action anda Douglas XX barrel with a fairly nice walnut stock for a Bubba gun. It shoots the best with 140 gr Bal-Tips over a stiff charge of IMR 4350, velocity is a little over 3012 fps.

Steve......

280 rem loads, with the bullet -.0275 off the lands - you want milder than top loads for most guns for great accuracy -

Thanks guys for the replies. All my load data is in the basement with the only way in is from the outside and its blocked with snow. Since I'm recovering from a broken hip and replacement I don't want to a try to go through the snow and an fall again Will get the info ASAP and answer your questions.

CHIEF,

I have tons of reload data for the 280 AI, and you're welcome to it, if you like. Just PM me.

Regards, AIU

I've had my best success with IMR/H-4831 and N-165 (mostly the latter).

I don't know how you go about things, but here is an easy to follow way to quickly figure out what your rifle likes.

Good luck,
Doug

https://precisionrifle.files.w...velopment-method.pdf

quote:

I don't know how you go about things, but here is an easy to follow way to quickly figure out what your rifle likes.Good luck,Doughttps://precisionrifle.files.w...velopment-method.pdf

That is a good explanation of the ladder method