Light Fast 280AI load

[nphunter]

I have a 280AI Kimber hunter with a 16” barrel i would like to build a light load for. It will be a backpacking rifle and mostly used on coyotes, cats and deer. The rifle is 7lbs scoped with a 20oz 5-15 scope. Someday it will wear a suppressor too.

I have already have a LR 280AI shooting 168 VLd’s with Retumbo but don’t want to have the recoil with the light rifle and feel like light and fast will be better for what this rifle will be used for.

Any load recommendations, bullet and powers. Retumbo will be too slow with the light bullets.

Thanks,

 

[letrbuck]

Not sure how it'll do in a shorty barrel, but this is what the published Barnes load does with a 22" barrel. 120 ttsx with ramshot hunter

 

[.270]

I have the same rifle, just not chopped down to 16". I have had good results with 145 LRX, 143HH with RL26 but since that is a hard to come by now days, I have started using H4831sc. Slower velocity but accuracy is still there. H4350 could also work with the 140-150 gr class.

 

[handwerk]

My 280 AI load is RL 16 and Barnes 145 LRX 3050 FPS. (23" barrel)

 

[Mtndawger]

143 hammer hunter. RL16 with 22” barrel @ 3100fps.

 

[Weldor]

Not sure how it'll do in a shorty barrel, but this is what the published Barnes load does with a 22" barrel. 120 ttsx with ramshot hunter View attachment 850459

Wow, that's fast. What is the accuracy like?

 

[Awhis]

Following


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[nphunter]

After a bunch of reading i think I’m going to give 120 Nosler BT a try. Just need to figure out a load now.

 

[grimace]

I have a 280 ai with a 18" barrel, my prefered load so far is 131gr Hammer and H4350 @3100. Another load I have is a 120gr Hammer and IMR 4350 @ 3289.

 

[Weldor]

Quick look at Hornady's ballistic table says with the Nosler at 3000 fps still running around 1050 ft lbs. at 500. not bad. I've got some 139's loaded up for testing, I'm curious to see what they run.