I just built a 280 Remington and I am wondering if it is possible to have the chamber reamed out to a 280 Ackley Improved. It seems like it would be possible to me, but I am by no means a gunsmith!!! Another question I have is, can it be done by hand, by a non gunsmith. I have this mentality that I can do everything myself and I dont need to pay anybody to do anything for me. I found a reamer and a handle on Midway and that got the wheels turning!!!! Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Cary,
this really needs to be done by a gunsmith, as the barrel must be set back.

However, please consider using rel 19 and rel 22, and you will be within 50-75 fps of the same vels, at the same pressure.

I think the ackley improved cartridges are very cool but there is more work involved in handloading with little velocity gains. I did a 6.5-257 Roberts improved and don't regret the project at all. I wanted it so I went and got it. But when I did the 6.5-284 that kind of made the ackley a moot point. One improved cartridge is enough for me so that little 6.5 will probably be my last.

About all you gain is perhaps longer case life, but the brass isn't all that expensive to start with...The std. 280 is an awesome killing machine.

I've built and shoot a number of wildcats based on a blown out 280 case. Similair to the Gibbs. I also shoot a number of AIs

That said if you are simply wanting to build an AI for velocity gain save your $$ and buy some MRP or RL22. There are some here on AR than claim to see large benefits from the AI case and using very compressed loads of very slow powder. As Jeff said a good load of RL22 or MRP will get you within 50fps or so of what a normal 280AI will give you. As to longer case life I've never seen enough to justify the rechambering.

While many people have simply run an AI reamer into their std chamber and went shooting they really don't have an AI. To properly build an AI on a barrel already chamber for a std you must set the barrel back. The AI headsapce distance is actually shorter than a std. Thus the std is a "crush" fit.

People that don't set the barrel back have a chance of having too much headspace if and when they try to use std cases. Yes if you set you die up correctly your reloads can have the proper headspace.

Well you guys just helped me save some money. I havent even shot this rifle yet. I guess I need to get my chronograph out and just start shooting different powders and see which one my rifle prefers. Thanks for the advice guys!!!

I'd agree! Plus if you do ever come to sell it it will probably be easier to sell in standard 280 Remington.

In the meanwhile there are lots of used, good quality, 280 Remington dies on eBay. I got mine there...standard and "small base" (both sets RCBS) and a Lee Factory Crimp die too.

But I rarely see used 280 AI dies on eBay.

AS others say for the velocity gain I don't actually think that with 140 to 160 grain bullets that any deer will know the difference.

In fact I doubt if, for the velcity gain, with 140 to 160 grain bullets, that any deer will know the difference between a standard 280 Remington and a 7mm Remington Magnum!

Hard to improve much on the .280.After hunting with only my Ruger 77 7x57 (another hard to improve on cal!) for many years I broke down and bought another Ruger in .280.IMO-Leave it as is.

quote:

if you do ever come to sell it it will probably be easier to sell in standard 280 Remington.

That's a big 10-4!

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
I've built and shoot a number of wildcats based on a blown out 280 case. Similair to the Gibbs. I also shoot a number of AIs

That said if you are simply wanting to build an AI for velocity gain save your $$ and buy some MRP or RL22. There are some here on AR than claim to see large benefits from the AI case and using very compressed loads of very slow powder. As Jeff said a good load of RL22 or MRP will get you within 50fps or so of what a normal 280AI will give you. As to longer case life I've never seen enough to justify the rechambering.

You can expect to get around 3150 FPS from a 24" barrel W/140gr bullets using RL22. (@ 62K psi)

Norma MRP will get you perhaps another 100 FPS @ slightly less pressure.

I was never able to get enough MRP into a standard 280 case to reach dangerous pressure levels even when using a drop tube & compressed loads.

This was not the case W/RL22 but I was still able to acheive slightly compressed loads & excellent acurracy W/O exceeding a 62K psi ceiling.

I used 62K psi as a ceiling to mimic SAMMI factory 270 Win pressure. Perfectly safe in a modern bolt rifle.

I have owned my 280 Ackley imp on the Sako L61R action for 13 years and just love it. I shoot well with it and have shot fallow dder on the run - jump shooting a doe in fring brush at close range. i have also taken some nice long shots 325 to 350 meters.

The best powder for my 160 gr accubond load is VV N560 - giving me 3050 fps as per nosler manual. I doubt that the 280 Rm will do that but you should get 2900 - 2950 fps.

I don't see much point in the 280 AI unless you are running a 26-27" tube and pushing as much very slow powder as possible to try and get up to 7mm Rem Mag speeds. If your barrel is 24" or shorter, it would be a waste of time and money IMO.

The problem with the 280, is that its loaded to lower pressures from the factory and in most reloading manuals. In a modern action, it can handle the 62k just like the 270, and you'll see good results.

Load to what the gun can handle, spend the money saved on more powder and bullets, and spend the time saved shooting those bullets!

Nosler has loading data for the 280AI using 26" long barrel and 8 loads with 160gr AB max loads 3002fps to 3045fps. they used the same barrel length for their 280 data.

I've shot factory rem 280 and the old 7mm express but that doesn't mean much looking at the data I use with the 280AI.

Good thing about the 280 got the 280AI now and I got some old manual when the 280 was a 7mm-06.

quote:

Originally posted by Cary Howard:
I just built a 280 Remington and I am wondering if it is possible to have the chamber reamed out to a 280 Ackley Improved. It seems like it would be possible to me, but I am by no means a gunsmith!!! Another question I have is, can it be done by hand, by a non gunsmith. I have this mentality that I can do everything myself and I dont need to pay anybody to do anything for me. I found a reamer and a handle on Midway and that got the wheels turning!!!! Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

280AI = "almost improved"

stick with the 280 you won't regret it

Here are the results. I finally got to shoot the rifle yesterday before I went to work. I'm pretty happy with it so far. I dont know if a little fine tuning on the load will improve the group or not but I am going to try!