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Not that I'm surprised they worked well (I've seen that bullet do great things), but it took some stones to bring 140 accubonds on a Grizzly hunt!Oh man are you going to love that rifle. What make, model did you get? Of course work up to this load, but this is what I am using in my 280 AI which is a Winchester Model 70 Classic Sporter that I had customized and chambered for the 280AI.
Winchester Brass
Federal 210 Match Primer
IMR7828SSC - 64.5 grs.
Nosler 140 gr. Accubond or Partition
This load worked equally with both bullets and they shot nice groups. No pressure signs. Since I started hunting with this rifle I shot a nice big old cow elk with one shot at 450 yards. Later in the season I shot a whitetail buck, one shot at about 200 yards. Next year it was an antelope one shot at 300 yards. Last August I used the 140 gr. Accubond on my grizzly bear hunt on the north side of the Brooks Range in Alaska. I got a beautiful old bear and took him with one shot at 158 yards. I hit him tight behind the right shoulder in the lungs and the bullet exited the off-side. At the shot the bear spun 180 degrees into the shot and did two simultaneous somersaults and was dead. He never moved again. I'm thinking I might have to keep this rifle.!!
David
View attachment 136864
Not that I'm surprised they worked well (I've seen that bullet do great things), but it took some stones to bring 140 accubonds on a Grizzly hunt!
Looking to get some information on a new to me .280AI. I am going to use it out west for elk, deer, and pronghorn. I do hand load, I will not be looking to take a shot past 450yrds. Thanks hanks for your help.
Careful! 160gr at 3,100fps is flat out cook'n for a 280ai. Pressure must be high, even with the long burn curve of RL26. Partitions usually shoot very well when pushed hard. Please let us know how the range test turns out.I am messing with RL26 and 160g partitions. 61g got us a hair over 3100fps out of a 26” barrel. Fed 210m primers were still round on the edges.
Haven’t done accuracy testing yet so more to follow.
Careful! 160gr at 3,100fps is flat out cook'n for a 280ai. Pressure must be high, even with the long burn curve of RL26. Partitions usually shoot very well when pushed hard. Please let us know how the range test turns out.
I'm sure that you know this,,,,, but "Improved" case design will minimize the tried and true pressure signs, such as flattening of the primers. I would measure the base of your fired cases just ahead of the web to see how much expansion is occurring. While RL26 is a great new powder, it is not magic!I did a lot of reading on it and tested up to 61.4g. It didn’t show any signs of pressure. The primer still round surprised me. Federal primers are so soft they normally flatten pretty quick.
That speed may change as the barrel get more rounds thru it. It only has 15 on it so far.
Again, please post up your results after you've gotten a chance to punch the paper. Good Luck!I appreciate your concern, but if I didn’t think it was safe I wouldn’t of tried it or posted it.
As an aside for newer reloaders - never start with somebody else's posted final round. Always work up from a starting point at least as low as a reliable reloading manual mid-point. Each gun barrel chamber is a little different. I had a .270Win that couldn't get past load book midpoint without blowing primers - must have had a super tight chambering.I appreciate your concern, but if I didn’t think it was safe I wouldn’t of tried it or posted it.
As an aside for newer reloaders - never start with somebody else's posted final round. Always work up from a starting point at least as low as a reliable reloading manual mid-point. Each gun barrel chamber is a little different. I had a .270Win that couldn't get past load book midpoint without blowing primers - must have had a super tight chambering.