Please share your loads.

My rifle is a Sako L61R Finbear which I got rebarrelled in 1998. I shoot very well with it - including jump shooting fallow deer at 25 meters & long range shooting of hares and wallabies.

I tried the VV N560 double based powder with Accubond 160gr bullets & 60 gr gave me 3050 fps! Accuracy is adequate for the cartridge. I checked the primer reseating & it was firm. The case length expansion was normal & did not require trimming. But I have dropped down to 59 gr just to have more safety margin. I should still get around 3000 - 3020 fps.

I cannot get such velocities with N160, H4350 (AR2209), AR2217 (H4831), MRP, Re 19 or Re 22. Most of them are around 2900 - 2950 fps.

What are your loads?

Don't know your barrel length but in a 24" your 60gr load gave about 150fps more than QL says it would.

If you have an accurate load pushing right at 3000fps from a 280AI with a 160 unless you have a real long barrel you are milking it for just about everything it has to offer.

Only option would be a more compressed load of slower powder like n570 MRP2 RL 25 or a really compressed load like Retumbo, H870, RL50.

Me I wouldn't waste my time looking for maybe another 25-40FPS I would live with what I have.

I shoot my 280PDK which is a 280AI with less taper and shoulder forward like a gibbs. It has about 6-7% more capacity than the AI I use a load of RL22 that gives me 3000 from a 23". Used it for everything upto Kudu and Nilgai with never an issue.

Thanks Ramrod. Yes mine is a Douglas 24" barrel & the Nosler manual load is 59.5 gr ov N560 for about 3000 fps.

I agree with your loading principle / philosophy. I never try to exceed book velocity. This one some how surprised me. I was just interested in what loads others used. I will not be trying other slow powders as it will just sit in the cabinet after a while. I already have some cans in the cabinet which are over 7 to 12 years old.

quote:

Originally posted by ramrod340:
I shoot my 280PDK which is a 280AI with less taper and shoulder forward like a gibbs. It has about 6-7% more capacity than the AI

Can you point me in the direction of any more info on the PDK? Had a bit of a search but didn't come up with much. Thanks

quote:

Can you point me in the direction of any more info on the PDK

That would probably be because there are only a few in existance. It was something I came up with back in about 1981 to try and find what I flet was the optimum case capacity for the 280. Here is the write up from Accuload.



Here is it and his 340 big brother.


I wish I could say it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. At the time had I know of Rocky Gibbs I might not have started the project. It gives you a little more than the Gibbs, more than the 7mmJRS. I have since used the same case from 243 up to 416. for the 375 & 400 I now use cylinder brass and leave those two at 2.65".

The diagram above show the shoulder as .458(my request to the reamer manufacturer) my actual resized brass from their custom dies measures .46.

Quick and easist way to get basically the same case capcity is go with a 280Howell from AHR.

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:
Please share your loads.

My rifle is a Sako L61R Finbear which I got rebarrelled in 1998. I shoot very well with it - including jump shooting fallow deer at 25 meters & long range shooting of hares and wallabies.

I tried the VV N560 double based powder with Accubond 160gr bullets & 60 gr gave me 3050 fps! Accuracy is adequate for the cartridge. I checked the primer reseating & it was firm. The case length expansion was normal & did not require trimming. But I have dropped down to 59 gr just to have more safety margin. I should still get around 3000 - 3020 fps.

I cannot get such velocities with N160, H4350 (AR2209), AR2217 (H4831), MRP, Re 19 or Re 22. Most of them are around 2900 - 2950 fps.

What are your loads?

Nolser manual has max load of 59.5gr/N-560 with 160gr AB @ 3046 out of a 26" long Wiseman 1/9 twist barrel.

If you get on the Nolser site
http://www.noslerreloading.com/phpBB2/ alot over their are shooting custom 280AI and are getting around 3000fps with 160gr AB with various powders. Be a good place to find loading data.

I'm shooting R-17 in my 280AI with 160gr AB good load density with those long AB bullets another place you can get good loading data for the 280AI @ http://forum.accurateshooter.com/

One problem with the douglas barrel is their twist will vary if you order a 9 you may get a 8.5 or 9 or 9.5 so that can effect the bullets.