Short Barreled 280AI

[Habs22]

I have been looking around for a while and have not found any good information on if anyone has cut their 280 AI barrel short (less than 20") for a suppressor. I have a donor 7MM-08 Tikka that I have transitioned to a long action that already has a 16.5" Barrel. I dropped off my gun to the smith (yesterday, hoping to have it back mid FEB) to rechamber it to 280AI to see what velocities that I am going to get and see how well it works. Just figured that I would present the information to the group if someone else is looking into what velocities can be expected with such a short barrel in 280AI.

I was already planning on getting a Proof carbon barrel to 280AI for a lighted hunting rig and figured for the price it may be worth trying out. So, feel free to call me an idiot or such, but this is an experiment that will not cost too much to have real world information vs. just assumption that I have read online. I have seen in a couple of forum/websites that have shown short barreled 7MM rem mag, and 300 WM shortened that see to still work very well for hunting distances up to 500 yards.

I like to hunt suppressed as well as in tight timber area with my gun in my Eberle stock pack. A long barrel and suppressor sticking up that high gets caught on tree branches all the time.

I have already spoken with the suppressor company and the suppressor is rated to 16" and above with the 280 AI so that will not be an issue.

 

[Timberline001]

My 24 inch shoots the 162 eldm load from unknown at 2960, at 20 inches I’d be around 2850.

 

[Breddoch]

Keep us posted. Are you shooting factory ammo or planning to load for it?

I have a savage 7mm-08 that has been cut to 16” and shoot suppressed. It is shooting factory 150 gr precision hunter between 2650 - 2700 fps.

 

[Unckebob]

My 24 inch shoots the 162 eldm load from unknown at 2960, at 20 inches I’d be around 2850.

I am unique in that my 280AI barrel started as a 24" barrel. Because it was overly heavy, I had it cut to 20". I am waiting for a 22" barrel to replace the 20" barrel.

I did not save that load data, but the 24" shot pretty much book/box velocities. Generally, I lost about 150-200fps when I cut the barrel.

Why am I waiting for a new barrel use with my Origin action? The 20" barrel has a "match" chamber which means it is basically a Saami min chamber. As a result, it occasionally won't chamber factory ammo and is a PITA to get my handloads to work.

Why did I order a 22" barrel? The person I ordered the replacement barrel said I was wasting the potential of the 280AI at 20". I had already concluded the same thing and ordered a 22" barrel to bring velocities back up again.

I would think a barrel shorter than 20" would get you 7-08 performance.

 

[SloppyJ]

I don't think it's stupid at all. I have a 22" and get great velocity out if it. It's a very efficient case. What bullets will you be running? I'd go as low as 18" on that as long as you're okay with the loss in velocity. It's a pretty damn cool cartridge and just looks cool too.

 

[wyosam]

I am unique in that my 280AI barrel started as a 24" barrel. Because it was overly heavy, I had it cut to 20". I am waiting for a 22" barrel to replace the 20" barrel.

I did not save that load data, but the 24" shot pretty much book/box velocities. Generally, I lost about 150-200fps when I cut the barrel.

Why am I waiting for a new barrel use with my Origin action? The 20" barrel has a "match" chamber which means it is basically a Saami min chamber. As a result, it occasionally won't chamber factory ammo and is a PITA to get my handloads to work.

Why did I order a 22" barrel? The person I ordered the replacement barrel said I was wasting the potential of the 280AI at 20". I had already concluded the same thing and ordered a 22" barrel to bring velocities back up again.

I would think a barrel shorter than 20" would get you 7-08 performance.

But he’s already planning on short (16”) for suppressed hunting rifle. A 16” 280 might be pretty comparable to a 22-24” 7-08, but it’s still a big step up in velocity from a 16” 7-08.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Okie_Poke]

A 280ai is on my wish list. I’m thinking 20” but definitely interested in your results. Losing 150-200 fps from 24”-20” barrel, as someone else experienced, doesn't sound great. Interested to see how your shorty does.

 

[NorCal 707]

Once you start getting below 19" with the 280 AI it starts to fall off a cliff velocity wise. The 308 case is much more efficient. Taking an Ackley down to 16" is castration of that cartridge. It burns slow powders so it's just going to perform like crap. You'd be way better off doing a 7 saum, 7mm-08 AI or 7 wsm. But the wsm would take a different bolt face.