Powder and primer suggestions for 280ai

[codym]

Honestly with the 140-160 class bullet get h4831sc and if you don’t find a super accurate super temp stable load I would be surprised. I could push the 162 eldms at 3000 out of a 26 barrel and the 168 Berger’s at 2930 pretty easily. I don’t really like the 140’s out of the 280ai, I think the 160-175’s are optimum.

 

[BustedProp]

I spent a lot of time playing with loads for my Cooper Backcountry in 280ai.

160 gr Nosler Accubond
Got great speeds with IMR7828.
Settled on H4831 - very temp stable, and consistent velocity (ES/SD). With loads developed early in the year (cooler temps), I was shooting yesterday with 100F ambient temperature with no higher pressures and same POI. Bullets running about 2850-2900fps. Different primers effected the loads, too. Ended up with a FED 210M.

 

[Bull_n_heat]

Definitely late to the party here, but I have had great luck with RL17 and RL19 for 140 (Barnes TTSX) and 160 (Accubonds) through my 280 ai. After farting around with several load combos I just settled on the 140 ttsx that shot well - nothing's walking away from that if I do my part.

As for temp stable, I don't get too fired up about that. If you run the numbers, temp instability equates to a difference of <2" of drop at 500 yards. If I could shoot better than that, I might be concerned about temp instability.

 

[Osteodoc08]

For me, I’ve had great success with 150gr Nosler Accubonds and 162gr ELDX with H4831SC

 

[Etxaggie]

I run h4831sc with the 140 AB and 162 ELD in Peterson Brass through a Kimber Montana. Excellent results.

 

[SloppyJ]

I've just started working mine up but I think I've narrowed down my starting load to 59gr of 4831sc, WLR (because that's all I could find), under a 160gr partition in peterson brass. Only one 3 shot group tested but I had 0.29" at 100yds. I think I was 20thou off the lands.

If I can get more results like that on my next range trip, I'm not changing a single thing. This is out of a production rifle too.

The only problem with my 280ai is that it seems to be the sweet spot for rifles. I really want to build a rifle for a larger caliber but everything I look at seems to lead me back to comparing it to my 280 and deciding that it isn't that much better. Guess that's not a bad problem to have. Maybe I'll just build another one.... or a 7PRC

 

[Bomberodevil]

I've just started working mine up but I think I've narrowed down my starting load to 59gr of 4831sc, WLR (because that's all I could find), under a 160gr partition in peterson brass. Only one 3 shot group tested but I had 0.29" at 100yds. I think I was 20thou off the lands.

If I can get more results like that on my next range trip, I'm not changing a single thing. This is out of a production rifle too.

The only problem with my 280ai is that it seems to be the sweet spot for rifles. I really want to build a rifle for a larger caliber but everything I look at seems to lead me back to comparing it to my 280 and deciding that it isn't that much better. Guess that's not a bad problem to have. Maybe I'll just build another one.... or a 7PRC

I agree, the 280 AI is a pretty good compromise of bullet weight, velocity, KE, and efficiency. I load the 160 AB and the 162 ELDX, 58.8 grains of H4831for the ELDX, for temp stability and consistency and giving up a bit of speed. Fed 210 primer, .030 jump, shoots 3-round groups at or below .400. Deadly cartridge.

 

[6mm Remington]

IMR7828SSC shooting 140 gr. Nosler Accubonds or Partitions.

 

[jc_at_aq]

I'll be working up a load using H4831SC with 145 LRX bullets once my 280ai is done, mainly because I have a big pile of both components for my 7mm RM.

 

[SCHUNTER73]

Mine likes 162 gr ELD-X with Ramshot Hunter. I’ve also used Retumbo with similar results.