Browning Abolt 2 rebarrel or rechamber

[Djahnsen]

I’ve got a Browning A-bolt 2 chambered in 280 Remington and would love to have it be chambered in 280ai to match my other rifle. Would love to just get a chamber reamer and ream it to the ackley specs but I’ve been told you need to turn the barrel back to do it properly. Any advice would be great. Or any reputable gunsmiths in Missouri would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[eric1115]

Proper AI rechamberimg does include setting the barrel back a skosh so that when shooting parent cartridge case trough it the neck-shoulder junction has a very slight interference fit in order to keep the cartridge from riding forward and risking case head separation.

Are you thinking you'd like to be able to have one load to use between both rifles? If factory, there's a pretty good chance you could do that. Reloading though is a potentially different deal. Some dies may not size enough to prevent brass fired in whichever chamber is larger from being a bit sticky in the tighter chamber. A good gunsmith might be able to take some careful measurement of your existing AI chamber and of his reamer to try to mitigate this (as well as match chamber length as close as possible). Matching chambers is not something I have any experience with though, I'm definitely in speculation territory here.

 

[Djahnsen]

Proper AI rechamberimg does include setting the barrel back a skosh so that when shooting parent cartridge case trough it the neck-shoulder junction has a very slight interference fit in order to keep the cartridge from riding forward and risking case head separation.

Are you thinking you'd like to be able to have one load to use between both rifles? If factory, there's a pretty good chance you could do that. Reloading though is a potentially different deal. Some dies may not size enough to prevent brass fired in whichever chamber is larger from being a bit sticky in the tighter chamber. A good gunsmith might be able to take some careful measurement of your existing AI chamber and of his reamer to try to mitigate this (as well as match chamber length as close as possible). Matching chambers is not something I have any experience with though, I'm definitely in speculation territory here.

Well my plan is to get this one to shoot and send the other rifle down the road so matching chambers isn’t super important to me. I do handload so would the turning the barrel back be needed still?

 

[Deere_Man]

Well my plan is to get this one to shoot and send the other rifle down the road so matching chambers isn’t super important to me. I do handload so would the turning the barrel back be needed still?

If you hand load, just load the 280 up until you get pressure signs, then back off a bit. In a modern bolt action, 280 Rem can be loaded to 270 Win pressure.

 

[Djahnsen]

If you hand load, just load the 280 up until you get pressure signs, then back off a bit. In a modern bolt action, 280 Rem can be loaded to 270 Win pressure.

I have thought about this but I love the case life I get from the ackley brass it takes fewer trimmings and I will be honest it does just look cooler haha! But youre probably right that’s what I should do.

 

[Dave Thomas]

I would go with a new barrel. It will cost more upfront but I would much rather start fresh.

 

[Djahnsen]

I would go with a new barrel. It will cost more upfront but I would much rather start fresh.

More than likely what I’ll do I just didn’t want to shell out the money before at least getting some advice on the subject!

 

[eric1115]

Well my plan is to get this one to shoot and send the other rifle down the road so matching chambers isn’t super important to me. I do handload so would the turning the barrel back be needed still?

It is the right way to do it. Some guys have been successful putting a false shoulder in their parent brass and/or jamming bullets for fire forming in a deep cut chamber, but if you want to use factory 280AI brass or ammo it'll be set up for headspace assuming correct shoulder datum and you'll risk case head separation (maybe guarantee? None of my AI experience has been with the .280 so factory offerings have not been something I've looked at).