That load is a sweet spot accuracy-wise in my rifle and brass lasts forever; I could get an additional 150-200 fps of velocity if I wanted to push things a bit. Once again, the 7mm Remington Magnum has the least wind drift. If youre interested in doing so, its also possible for a skilled gunsmith to convert a rifle in .280 Remington over to the .280 Ackley Improved chambering with a chamber reamer. And to top it all off, while a few older cartridges like the .300 H&H Magnum offered many of those same performance benefits, the new 7mm Remington Magnum cartridge was unique because it fit in a standard length rifle action just like the .30-06 and similar cartridges like the .270, .280, etc. Are you sensitive to recoil? A technician friend at Barnes used this bullet right after it was introduced for a once-in-a-lifetime free-range bison hunt in Utah and shot a large, old bull right at 600 yards with his .280 AI rifle. However, for hunting, there are better balanced options for the .280 AI. Ackley. The .280 Remington is somewhat less common, but still pretty easy to find with Barnes, Federal, Hornady, Nosler, Remington, and Winchester all producing good quality .280 Remington hunting factory ammo. Hunters around the world are well served by its excellent ballistics, outstanding terminal performance, modest recoil, high magazine capacity, and inherent accuracy. Weatherby included the .280 AI in its shockingly lightweight, top-shelf Backcountry rifle line. The .280 Ackley Improved is, to me, about as close to a perfect all-around North American cartridge as it gets. Wind deflection at 400 yards would be about 8.5 inches. This caliber was developed in the early 2010s for military applications. 280 Ackley Improved Both Nosler and Hodgdon provide detailed loading data for the .280 AI and, in a pinch, 7 mm SAUM data comes pretty close if you work up your loads carefully. However, even though the cartridge closely approaches the overall performance of the 7mm Remington Magnum, the .280 AI still has somewhat less recoil since it requires less powder to achieve a similar level of performance. Oddly, I think the modest velocity is one reason that particular bullet performs so well in the .280 AIits not going quite fast enough to grenade on impact up close. The unique roots of the 7mm Remington Magnum and the shared heritage of the .270 Winchester, .280 Remington, and the .280 Ackley Improved are all obvious in the photo below. The story of the .280 Ackley Improved starts in year X with Parker O. Ackley wildcatter extraordinaire tinkering with the .280 Remington. Handloading the 280 AI is straightforward and easy with a wide variety of medium- to slow-burning powders, but this isnt a handloading-only cartridge these days. 7mm Remington Magnum, 150-grain 3,250 fps, 7mm Weatherby Magnum, 150-grain 3,300 fps. On the other hand, the .280 Remington is normally offered with 139 grain, 140 grain, or 150 grain bullets, but its possible to find a few loads with 156 grain, 160 grain, and 165 grain bullets as well. The German 7x64mm Brenneke began taking game in 1917. For whatever reason, the Ackley landed in a sweet spot for me. With a completely different lineage than the other three cartridges, the 7mm Remington Magnum has a unique look as well. Both of those cartridges are very capable performers, though neither is as well known or as widely used as the .270 Winchester or 7mm Remington Magnum. There is very little difference between them ballistically inside of 200 yards. Since it uses a much larger case diameter, most rifle magazines will hold more .270 Winchester, .280 Remington, or .280 AI cartridges than 7mm Remington Magnum cartridges. In stock. This item: RCBS .280 Ackley Improved F L Die Set $75.99 RCBS Single Stage Shell Holder, Hardened Shell Holder $12.36 Customers also search Page 280 ackley improved brass 280 ackley improved rcbs 280 remington hornady overall length gauge lee precision reloading case length gauge From the brand Reloading Kits Visit the Store POWDER DISPENSERS Currently, I cant find the ammunition anywhere online. 150 gr. I have a custom .280 Remington. No other movie makes them fantasize quite as much about the Old West and mountain men, and wonder if they could have cut it in the early to mid-1800s. In fact, those two cartridges are likely among the Top 10 best selling rifle cartridges in the United States each year. It adds only about 50-fps to 100-fps to 280 Remington speeds, yet falls short of 7mm Rem. 280 Remington chambers can be easily converted to 280 AI. However, while those two rounds are very popular for a reason, they are far from the only high quality choices in that size range. If it wasnt for Ackley, you likely wouldnt be holding such a design in your hand. helps improve accuracy by providing an efficient propellant chamber and a precise chamber-to-case fit. Ive been a user of this cartridge, in both its wildcat and later in its ballistically identical standardized formats, for just under 15 years. However, the 7mm Remington Magnum is still capable of greater velocities overall. In 7mm you can specify 1-8 or 1-9.5 twist rates. A .284 bore comfortably pushes bullets of 140 to 180 grains. With that in mind, the minor differences in trajectory and retained energy between the three are not at all surprising. We show you how. Cases obtained by firing--and thus fireforming--standard cartridges through Ackley's improved chamber could be handloaded to give improved performance. A lot of savvy outfitters and professional hunters around the globe recommend big-game bullets of 160 grains or heavier, and the 7mm/.284 bore diameter meets that handily without greatly exceeding it. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. Custom Mossberg 500 at the Range and Live Turkey!. What do the .280 Remington and .280 AI have to offer hunters, particularly compared to the .270 Winchester and 7mm Rem Mag? The .280 Ackley Improved (.280 AI) was the result of the .280 Remington case modification by P.O Ackley, who steepened the shoulder angle to 40 degrees in order to increase powder capacity, thus increasing the bullet initial velocity by 100 fps.[1]. Good brass, once obtained, lasts a long time. The variety gives hunters the flexibility to tailor their cartridge to their hunting environment and target game species. Modern long-range 7mm projectiles typically have really high BCsso high, in fact, that manufacturers have to get extreme in the 6.5mm and .30-caliber bullet lines just to come close. Mag. Mag. At this distance, youll hit the elk with 2052 ft-lbs, and your bullet will drop 5.8. Joseph Von Benedikt is with Rafe Nielsen of Browning to take a look at a new X-Bolt series rifle. Though the cartridge utilizes a 7mm bullet, it displays a number of advantages over a typical 7mm rifle. The result was a new case with slightly more (usually around 4-5%) powder capacity. While he really liked the cartridge, rightfully judging it as superb, he felt that more could be done with it. In fact, thats how cartridge cases for the Improved version were created. Finally, the .280 Ackley Improved is rocketing to western-hunting stardom. Long Range Hunting & Shooting .280 Ackley Improved openlake Jun 18, 2002 Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum Become a supporting member 1 2 Next openlake Well-Known Member Joined Jun 7, 2002 Messages 55 Location Muscle Shoals Al Jun 18, 2002 #1 I'm thinking of having a rifle built. Looking at it from a technical perspective, the .280 Ackley Improved is a much better design in that it runs on less powder, yet offers a performance level comparable to the 7 Mag. Mag. Felt recoil will vary from shooter to shooter and rifle to rifle, but free recoil energy is still a useful way to compare cartridges. The elks out to 500 yards on a distant hillside? shooting Nosler 150 gr. Being a standard .30-06-diameter cartridge case, nearly all popular bolt-action hunting rifles will hold at least four rounds in the magazine, and many models comfortably swallow five down, plus one in the chamber. Indeed, the .280 Ackley Improved (280 AI) is one of the newest SAAMI standardized rifle cartridges on the block. Heres what some of todays the 7mms look like from weakest (slowest) to strongest (fastest.) And this is all with virtually the same ballistics as a 7mm. Improved Military Rifle IMR 4320. Are you looking for a great cartridge for sheep, mountain goat, ortahr huntingwhere you need a heavy hitting cartridge with manageable recoil in a lightweight and easy to carry rifle? This is illustrated in the table below comparing Nosler Trophy Grade and Hornady Precision Hunter factory ammunition loaded with 130gr AccuBond (.435 BC) and 145gr ELD-X (.536 BC) bullets in .270 Winchester, 140gr AccuBond (.485 BC) and 150gr ELD-X (.574 BC) bullets in .280 Remington, 140gr AccuBond (.485 BC) and 162gr ELD-X (.631 BC) bullets in .280 AI, and 140gr AccuBond (.485 BC) and 162gr ELD-X (.631 BC) bullets in 7mm Rem Mag. And loaded judiciously, it will push heavy VLD-type 180-grain bullets as fast as the 7mm Remington Short Action Ultra Mag. As you can see, the .280 Remington and .270 Winchester are identical up to the shoulder and have the same 17.5 degree shoulder angle, but the shoulder of the .280 Remington is moved slightly forward. This is an area where the .280 AI really shines because it has a similar or slightly superior trajectory and resistance to wind drift when compared to the 7mm Remington Magnum, but lessrecoil in a lightweight mountain rifle thats easy to carry in rough country. The .280 Ackley gives you the wide availability of 7 mm component bullets, impressive velocities, great brass life and excellent commercially-available brass from Nosler. Given the rising popularity of long, sleek, aerodynamically efficient bullets, Id go with the 1-8.Rebarreling is a great option if you already have a shot-out barrel on any standard-length action. Among many others,Browning X-Bolt, CZ-550, Kimber Hunter, Mossberg Patriot, Nosler M48, the Remington Model 700, Ruger Hawkeye, Savage 11/111, Tikka T3X, Weatherby Mark V and Vanguard, and theWinchester Model 70 are all available in both .270 Winchester and 7mm Remington Magnum. The .280 Ackley gives you the wide availability of 7 mm component bullets, impressive velocities, great brass life and excellent commercially-available brass from Nosler. Shellholders: Hornady #1. none of which are recommended for Ackley Improved. Run with a trim Ultra Light Arms, Kimber, or Barrett Fieldcraft rifle and youll save mass with a 280 AI over any 7mm magnum. Its based on the .280 Rem., which is itself an American adaption of the 764 Brenneke. With typical hunting factory loads, the 7mm Remington Magnum and the .280 Ackley Improved have a slight advantage over the others in this regard with a flatter trajectory and the most resistance to wind drift. Ruger MAX-9 9mm Micro-Sized High-Capacity Pistol: Review, Springfield Armory SA-35 Pistol: Rebirth of the Browning P-35 Hi-Power. Rounds Per Box: 20 $ 95.99 Add to wishlist Add to cart 2 in stock The results are also about what youd expect for the Hornady Precision hunter loads for those three cartridges. Get a good hunting rifle chambered in the cartridge that you think fits your needs the best, learn to shoot it well, use quality bullets, and youll be all set for most hunting situations. Using a case length of 2.525 inches, the .280 Ackley Improved fits nice in a standard long-action receiver, and in spite of the steep shoulder, I have found the cartridge will feed well in most rifles. This prevents .280 Remington ammunition from being chambered and fired in a .270 Winchester chamber. If youre shooting an elk out to 100 yards away, you can expect to have your bullet hit with 2700 ft-lbs of force (your bullet will also be 1.3 high from where youre aiming). Mag. Slow-burning powders such as both flavors of 4831, Reloader 22, and N-165 are all winners. Additionally, those smaller diameter .284 bullets used by the 7mm Rem Mag have a higher ballistic coefficient and more sectional density than .30 caliber bullets of the same weight used by the .30-06 Springfield. Whitetail hunting strategies for the next generation. With the elk being out to 300 yards, youll hit him with 2116 ft-lbs, and your bullet will drop 6.9. Mag. Its enough to significantly increase energy transfer, without impeding penetrating ability. As the mathematicians among us know, when you increase diameter, frontal surface area increases exponentially. 280 AI Rifle Inc. in a backpack on a glacial moraine. Notify Me When Available. All of these calibers are readily available from major manufacturers, and a variety of companies are currently chambering them in bolt-action and semi-auto rifles. and the .280 Ackley Improved is the steeper 40 degree, which lengthens the case body and allows for about 5 percent more powder capacity. Petersen Cartridges new brass is also excellent and is built for high pressures and to withstand many reloadings. speeds with the same bullet. Mag. Joseph Von Benedikt is with Jorge Spat to learn all about it. For the vast majority of hunters, there is very little difference in their performance at typical hunting ranges (inside 300 yds). The .280 Ackley Improved will hit him with 1533 ft-lbs and drop 34.2". Finally, bullet size is other big distinguishing factor between them. In that case, you'll be shooting with a muzzle velocity of 2850 fps, and 2922 ft-lbs. Still, though, were talking about plenty of force when that bullet does either way. Considering that the 7RemMag came from the same .458, .338, and .264 Magnum (belted) case, when loaded to the same pressure levels and housed in a rifle of 26, it will exceed any max velocity possible with the .280AI by at least 150fps (hand loaders have proven this fact for decades). It has more puissance than the 6.5 Creedmoor or .270 Win., and in practical terms, it matches the 7mm Rem. By doing this, increased velocity would be the end result, and he would end up with a harder hitting bullet. Taurus has redesigned this sporting pistol for performance. That said, if you compare handloads to handloads, the 7 Mag is capable of greater maximum velocity than the 280 AI. Image shows Rifles Inc. 280 AI lying on ground with Nosler 280 AI ammo, binocular, Leupold scope. Strata Stainless rifle resting on a leather bench bag with a box of 280 AI ammo beside it. Basically, it can hold more powder and thus can shoot the same weight bullet a little bit faster. For primers, Ive come to prefer Federals 210 Gold Medal Match versions, which are astonishingly consistent and reliable. With all that in mind, its easy to see why lots of hunters and shooters in North America quickly got behind the flat shooting and hard hitting 7mm Rem Mag. Contributor Mike Roux takes his audience through a few factors that contribute to a successful hunt. Heres one last thing to consider when comparing these cartridges: magazine capacity. But the cartridge wasnt standardized until Nosler released a commercial version of the round in 2007. The rifle is so accurate and the round so effective that I have rarely needed more than one shot per animal. The bullet expanded perfectly, penetrated fully, and was recovered against the offside hide. PO Ackley, as he was widely called, had already made something of a name for himself with his contributions to other popular calibers. Joseph VonBenedikt is with Joel Hodgdon to talk about the improved accuracy and long-range potential of the already reliable Core-Lokt ammo line. In the U.S. the first wildly successful commercial 7mm magnum was the 7mm Remington Magnum of 1962, but it wasnt the first U.S. 7mm. Even so, the 7mm Remington Magnum can hold significantly more powder than the other three, which is due in large part to its larger diameter case. Ideally, something in the 1:8 range. list velocities of 2,990 fps while Noslers 140-grain Accubond Ackley Improved loads get you 3,150 fps. A World Record Attempt and everyone is out at the range shooting and practicing. For example, when using the same weight bullet, .280 Ackley Improved factory ammunition typically shoots 50-150 (usually around 100 fps faster) than most .280 Remington factory ammo. The .280 Ackley Improved (.280 AI) was registered with SAAMI in 2007 by Nosler. A .280 Ackley Improved simply shoots better over long range than a .30-06. Item Number: 57417. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. My original .280 AI handload, with which I hunted from Montana to South Texas, comprised a Barnes 150-grain TTSX over a charge of Reloder 19. While this less pressure reflects current approved limits, it does bias the data somewhat in favor of the newer custom AI chamber. Well, for starters, if youre not a handloader, I dont know that I would. This was not the way it was supposed to happen. Calling and shooting predators is one of the things that helps hunters get from the end of the fall seasons to when the turkeys start gobbling. 280 Ackley Improved Vs. 7mm Remington Magnum, Last edited on 14 February 2023, at 22:32, ".280 Ackley Improved: A Celebrated History", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=.280_Ackley_Improved&oldid=1139392825, This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 22:32. Just for reference, the .280 AI will shoot a light 140-grain bullet about 300 fps faster than the .270 Winchester can. The rather quick transition from straight cartridge wall to blunt shoulder does suggest potential hang ups on some rifle feed ramps, but I sure haven't experienced this on my Rifles, Inc., which is based on a Remington 700 long action. Improved Military Rifle IMR 4350. According to Derek Peterson, president of Peterson Cartridge, "The .280 Ackley Improved casing will launch a 7mm, 120 gr . will probably do it more easily. 280 Ackley Improved 280 Ackley Improved Modified Case $ 10.00. $1,165.00 $1,049.99. Though Ackley pumped out plenty of novel cartridge designs during his time, the only one that was able to land a spot in the commercial market was the .280 Ackley Improved. Interestingly enough,the .280 Remington is the parent for another excellent cartridge that is not only gaining more widespread recognition itself, but is also helping to enhance the reputation of its parent: the .280 Ackley Improved. Over these years it has become my absolute favorite cartridge. To fully-realize the versatility of this cartridge, youll either need to handload or be willing to purchase custom loaded ammunition. This plays a significant role in its rising popularity, as well see. Id wager that the .270 Winchester is a little more commonly used than the 7mm Rem Mag. Copyright Ron Spomer Outdoors document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) While the 300 Blackout has enjoyed broad appeal across a wide range of hunters and shooters, the .338 Federal is designed for one specific application: mountain hunting. Typical .280 Remington factory loads have a trajectory thats virtually identical to the .270 Winchester. The .280 AIs additional case capacity does good things, but it doesnt change laws of physics. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Ackley and Fred Huntington and known previously by a variety of names such as the .280 Rem. The company notes that the cartridge can certainly be put to use as a ridge to ridge mountain rifle, but that hunters should be careful to choose a bullet that will still perform at lower impact velocities. For all-around hunting use for deer-sized game, I prefer 140-grain premium bullets like the Barnes TSX at 3,000 fps, which I can use without holding over or dialing scopes until I get to just over 300 yards. Image shows a scopes, block stocked Rifles Ind. Bergara added the cartridge to its chambering options. MeatEater version in their Trophy Copper line. However, since the .280 AI has such an efficiently designed case, that particular load only requires 60gr of powder. Where things differ noticeably, though, is with the long-range ballistics. Case capacities and reloading data were obtained from Nosler (here, here, here, and here). On a related note, 7mm bullets offer a bigger, more effective frontal diameter than smaller 6.5mm and 0.277 bullets. Roy Weatherbys proprietary 7mm Wby. actually preceded it by 18 years. All Rights Reserved, Borden's 7mm Rem. If you have a rifling twist thats fast enough, the .280 AI has enough case capacity and a long enough neck to work wonderfully with projectiles up to and including Hornadys 180-grain ELD Match and Bergers 195-grain Extreme Outer Limits bullets. Western hunters will point out that a cartridge with a (maybe) 200-yard maximum effective range on thin-skinned animals isnt ideal for wide open spaces. It didnt take very long before the .270 Winchester was firmly entrenched as one of the most popular hunting cartridges used in the United States. Later, they also offered it in their Model 742 autoloader and Model 760 slide action before finally offering it in the Model 721 and 725 bolt-action rifles. The .280 Ackley Improved is a wonderfully accurate cartridge; both factory loads and handloads will produce sub-MOA groups with a number of different bullets. Not only is it a belted magnum cartridge, but it has a larger rim diameter anda 25 degree shoulder. velocities with less recoil and muzzle blast. Heres why: 280 AI shoots 50 fps to 100 fps faster than the 280 Remington with the same bullets in the same standard-length actions. 280 AI was standardized by Nosler in 2008 and, SAAMI approved, is now being sold as factory loaded ammunition. Thats not a gigantic difference, but its also not nothing either. While the .280AI is an efficient cartridge; however, its not magic. $84.49 ($4.22/count) Out of Stock. Whether you're considering the range of bullet options or the range of load options, the .300 Win. Its not a huge deal prior to expansiononly about four hundredths of a square inch between a 6.5mm/.264 and a 7mm/.284 diameter projectile. The Big Game Hunting Blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com.au, and other Amazon stores worldwide. Regardless of the cartridge you choose, youll have a gigantic bullet selection consisting of virtually every major style of bullet to choose from like the Barnes TTSX, Berger VLD, the Hornady ELD-X, GMX, InterBond, InterLock, and SST, the Nosler AccuBond, AccuBond Long Range, Ballistic Tip, E-Tip, and Partition, the Remington Core Lokt, the Swift Scirocco and A-Frame, and the Winchester Power Point (just to name a few). Joseph Von Benedikt shows his custom 500 and how well it shoots. The 7mm Rem Mag load above still has about3% more free recoil energy than the faster .280 AI load. Handloaded to a sizzling 3,200 fps, its flat and forgiving for shots inside a quarter-mile. Most hunters and shooters in North America are probably familiar with the venerable .270 Winchester and 7mm Remington Magnum cartridges. 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The relatively new .280 AI is nowhere near as common as the 270 or 7mm Rem Mag. This comes at the expense of more recoil though. ELD-X 2,850 fps, Copper Creek Cartridge Co. 168-gr. Ackley is also widely respected amongst reloaders and wildcatters for his contributions to the respective fields with his meticulously researched reference book, Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders. This rifle jams a bullet into the lands at a coal of3.250 tight enough that it will pull bullets every time. Once again, thats not a gigantic difference, but its a slight advantage in favor of the .284/7mm cartridges. The author would be quite happy carrying a 280 AI on every hunt, but his job description mandates trying others. All Rights Reserved. Berger VLD Hunting 2,950 fps, CCCC 140-gr. Conveniently, the .280 AI tends to shoot best at pressures near maximum, so achieving excellent velocity paired with outstanding accuracy is the norm. Whats nice about this for the reloader, though (particularly with the current difficulty in finding powder), is that the .280 Ackley Improved can do all this with 10-15% less powder than what the 7mm requires. Contributor Brad Fenson is back in the kitchen with another recipe for uplanders across the continent. Since its inception in the late 1950s, the cartridge has continued to pick up steam among big-game hunters, especially those looking to extend their maximum effective range on medium- to large-bodied .
