Just got a deal on a Douglas barrel chamberd for the 280 AI. My smith just took it off another guys Model 70 classic , and I decided it might be fun to put it on my 30,06 in the same rifle.
I think its 24 inch and came with a set of dies. Kurt,(thats my smith) was gonna do it while I waited but the 06 barrel was not comming out with out a fight.
this will be my 1st AI or any Wildcat or improved type rifle,
i bought a bag of fresh remington brass . witch I will prime a little later today. Any body have a good fire forming load ?
Or a favorite long range deer load. ?
Love to hear what you think of the round...tj3006

My 280 AI is a 1000 yd. prone rifle with a 30" 1/8 twist barrel. I can crack 2900 fps with 180 gr. VLD with H1000, VV165, and RL-22.

For general purpose load with a 24" tube, I'd try H4831SC and RL22. If you're planning on shooting heavy bullets, H1000 delivers super accuracy in my rifle.

Thjanks johnly !
what is your load for fire forming ?
...tj3006

When I form with a bullet I simply take a near max listed load for the parent case using the cheapest bullet I can find. Use a faster powder. Something in the 4064-4320-RL15 range.

An exellent place to start for a final load would be a 140Accubond and RL22.

Ramrod
Thanks for the info. I have RL-15 and IMR-4064, both on hand. And a box oh 139 grain Hornady, bullets, I do not have the 280 AI dies on hand but I think I can seat bullets in my fresh cases with dies I have on hand for the 7mm 08 and as long is I am not to close to a max load just close the bolt on a long round to seat. The nolsler manual says to load into the lands anyway when fire forming. So I think I will do up 3 or 4 rounds this way so when I pick up the rifle I can just head out into the woods and form a few brass casses, then when I have dies and the rifle in hand I can do it up with a little more precision ...tj3006

You don't have to be in the lands if it is chambered properly(negative headspace).The standard 280 should fit with a slight crush fit.

I've got a 280AI coming in afew weeks used a kreiger barrel. I'll use appr 11gr bulleye then fill to top of shoulder with cream of wheat then fill neck with cotton that should do it. I have wilson dies on order and redding body die for sizing. I don't want to waste the barrel fireforming with bullets, everyone has there own way of doing things.
I shot a 280 for awhile had luck with H-4350 and H-4831sc so will try those powders in the new rifle kind of hoping IMR-7828 might work. Well good luck

quote:

You don't have to be in the lands if it is chambered properly(negative headspace).The standard 280 should fit with a slight crush fit

I agree if the chamber if cut correctly a factory 280 case should be a slight crush fit in the AI chamber. There is no need to be in the lands. A 7-08 die might work. I used a 7mag die until I had my dies made.

Normally I form like Tom stated a load of bullseye or other very fast pistol powder cream of wheat and I use a touch of TP instead of cotten.

I could not find my 7mm08 dies, so i used a 7X57. It worked well enough, but I just loaded 2 rounds, 46grains of IMR 4064 under a 139 gr Hornady flat base. The dies are sitting at my smiths and i should have brought them home Did,nt think of it. I loaded them long and I will try to use the bolt to seat them, if it doesn.t work i,ll just bring them home and use the dies for the AI.
This thing is gonna be kind of ugly at 1st. The bluing on the barrel won't match the action, and the stock is the origional that I stripped and hand oiled, it looks ok but it is not as good of wood as I would like. if it shoots good I will plan to either reblue, or have it coated in some space age thing and probably restock it, mabye with wood or an HS precision McMillan or a meadelest form bell and carlson, mabye a laminated JRS from boyds. Gotta get a williams trigger guard too, don't like the winchester version...tj3006

I jamm mine by say .010" and fire a good load of fast powder,..perfect shoulders every time. The reason some of us jamm the pills is to make sure the case is securely seated against the boltface. The ejector spring can be quite stiff, and the jamm seat makes sure the case is pushed back against that spring, and makes contact with the boltface. Most factory ammo is undersize, and even the cruch fit may not push it back hard enough (MHO) the jamm seat makes it TIGHT and the firing will produce perfect cases every time. I am not saying to run a max charge, just a mid charge with a jamm seat and you'll be fine. Worked on all 3 of my ackleys.

also, get some RL22 and 4831sc, these work like a charm in both my 6.5-06AI and 280AI

I've loaded almost every available powder in the 280 AI and find Re25 to give the best performance, especially with the heavier bullets like 150 grs. or heavier. Faster burning powders work well with the lighter bullets, which can be used for fire forming.

Johnly
On your Heavy bullet load with H-1000 what primer do you use.. What Bullet {Hunting} with a Starting load with H-1000..
AK

Ackley IMP
Same Question to You..With R-25
Thanks..
AK

My favorite hunting load is 66-67 grs of Re25 behind a 150 gr. Nosler BT or Nosler Partition. Velocity with a 26" barrel is ~3250. This is maximum in my opinion, and according to QL right at 65,000 PSI. Accuracy is super and primer pockets last at least for 5 reloadings. Regards, AIU

Ackley IMP
What Primer do you use with this load..
Thanks
Johnly
Would like to hear on your H-1000 load
AK

I use CCI or Federal bench-rest primers. They appear to be more consistent.