Hunting bullet recommendations for .280 AI

[BucksNDucks]

Info on my 280AI, performs very well with this load
Bartlein 27.625” w/mb 1-9 twist
58.5 4831sc
Nosler Brass
Nosler 160AB
2980 +/-
.010 from jam

 

[sandhill_hunter]

154gr Interbonds would be my choice made by Hornady. Still gets speed and the bonded core allows that bullet to bust through bones and thick muscle.

 

[SnakeRiverEric]

143 MB or 160 MB (McGuire Ballistics) with Peterson brass and RL-23 and you are covered for most game.

 

[Undrpasbum]

ABLR seem to work great out of mine. Now just to find some more of them.

 

[MtnMike]

Welcome to the .280 AI club! We are a discerning group but apex predators all the same!

I've had better than awsome results with 160gr accubonds with 55.5gr of imr 4350.

Took a while to dial the load in but once I did, everything I have pulled the trigger on has been DRT.

From a blacktails at 75 yards to elk at 636, I'll never shoot another load out of this gun.

Good luck in your load development!!

 

[280Ackley]

This load has been deadly out of my gun!

 

[Firestone]

I'll second that. 168s and H4831sc

 

[280Ackley]

I'll second that. 168s and H4831sc

We have killed everything from ground squirrels to moose with that load combo! I can’t think of an animal we have hit that wasn’t recovered, even ones that hits were marginal. Doing a quick count at least 15 different people have killed animals with it over the last ten years. This year alone I killed a black bear, whitetail buck and bull elk from 80-450 yards!!

 

[PredatorSlayer]

168gr Bergers is all you will ever need for any north american game. Stay away from Hammer bullets.

 

[CRJR45]

Shoot em if you got em , LOL .

My .280 likes 162 ELDX's and R19 , but what your gun likes is what you want to shoot , good luck .

 

[letrbuck]

I don't think there are very man BAD bullets for a 280ai...
My new favorite load is with a 175 partition. I worked up a load last year when I drew a bison tag, and also killed a few elk with it. Ballistics aren't too bad and it hits like a friggen freight train. I was able to get them to over 2925 but settled on a load that pushes them at 2850.

 

[WinM70]

My 280 AI likes both 160 Accubonds and 162 ELDX bullets both shoot .5 inch groups at 100 yards and I’ve shot 3” groups at 600 yards with the 160 ABs.

 

[6.5Express]

My 280 AI likes both 160 Accubonds and 162 ELDX bullets both shoot .5 inch groups at 100 yards and I’ve shot 3” groups at 600 yards with the 160 ABs.

What velocity are you getting with the eldx?

 

[HGL]

I've had great luck with the 140 and 160 Accubonds. Also, don't sleep on the 150 ballistic tip, they are pretty dang tough at moderate velocities.

My favorite is the 168 VLD.

 

[CRJR45]

What velocity are you getting with the eldx?

I shoot ELDX 162 , 57 grs of RL 19 and BBR2 primers and get 2820 FPS in my Kimber

 

[6.5Express]

I shoot ELDX 162 , 57 grs of RL 19 and BBR2 primers and get 2820 FPS in my Kimber

Thanks

 

[Gregt9146]

Except more Accubonds.

We shoot the 160 Accubonds also out of our 280AI, I just wish i could find some more

 

[rmarshall]

R26 and the 160 Accubond @3065 puts a good thumping on elk, and good luck finding them, I just picked up some Hormady 154 Interbonds to try.

 

[WinM70]

I haven’t checked the velocity on the eldx. I just grabbed a box of factory that I had laying around to see if they would group well out of my gun. Shot a clover leaf at 100 yards with them. My main hunting load is the 160 AB with reloader 19 at 2875 fps. But AB bullets are so hard to find now!

 

[CRJR45]

What's the consensus on Nosler 160 Partition bullets in .284 ?