Chop to 20" or buy new?

[Weldor]

Hate to chop my Kimber 280 AI down, has anyone done it? Other option is try one of the new Browning X bolt II SPR in 280 AI. Anyone Chrono a 20" AI.

 

[wapitibob]

Chopped my stw from 26 down to 24 then to 20. Shoots great, load didn't change by more than a cpl tenths of a grain. No idea on speed loss, I don't use a chrono.

 

[hereinaz]

I lost a couple profiles, one was for my buddy’s Savage Ultralight in 280ai. Don’t know velocity but it has killed elk out to 630 in CO with 168 grain bullets in factory ELDx and my Berger loads.

How far are you shooting?

It’s the kind of powder load to bore/bullet that will be about 25-28 gps per inch or less.

 

[Steve300xcw]

You know the answer....

 

[n816kc]

I had my 22 inch 243 cut down to 18, crowned and threaded. Group size went from an 1 1/4” to 5/8 with the same load. Chop away!

The rest of the story: originally took it in to be threaded. The smith called me a few days later and said he wouldn’t be able to thread, the bore was not concentric to the barrel. Recommended I just keep it as is or rebarrel. I asked about cutting it down and he was less than enthusiastic as there was no way to tell what the bore was doing where. He agreed to do it at my risk with no guarantee. I probably got lucky but it couldn’t have worked out better, really liking the short barrel so far.

 

[MuleyFever]

Some info in this thread. On the Browning, they dont expect it to be available until August.

Thread '20" 6.5PRC vs 20" 280ai - factory ammo'

Mar 12, 2025

I know the 6.5PRC vs 280ai has been done but what if you were going with a 20" barrel in both. If you have shot factory ammo from a 20" 6.5PRC or 280ai please post your velocities.

• MuleyFever
• Replies: 7
• Forum: Firearms

 

[WW2 Buff]

Chopped my stw from 26 down to 24 then to 20. Shoots great, load didn't change by more than a cpl tenths of a grain. No idea on speed loss, I don't use a chrono.

Did accuracy improve going from 26 to 20?

 

[Jbehredt]

My 308 Montana became much less ammo finicky when I cut it to 18”. Haven’t run anything through it since that hasn’t grouped well. Had to go 18 to get enough shoulder to make my smith happy w 1/2 28.

 

[wapitibob]

Did accuracy improve going from 26 to 20?

It did, but it wasn’t due to the barrel chop. It was due to burning a bunch of the throat (n570), which allowed me to move the 195s that I’m shooting farther out of the case.

 

[satchamo]

Hand loading?

 

[Weldor]

Magpro 160 gr. vel. 2940 ave. out of the 24" bbl. It was pretty anemic with 4831.