New Custom 700 280 AI

[Legionnaire]

Started life as a stainless Remington 700 Mountain Rifle in .280 Remington.

Bolt received the Ti treatment by Kampfeld Custom, along with a fluted steel firing pin and PTG aluminum bolt shroud. Added a PTG aluminum trigger guard. Tumbleweeds Rifles trued the face of the action and the bolt lugs, set the barrel back a thread and rechambered it in .280 Ackley Improved, installed a Trigger Tech Primary, and bedded the action in the McMillan Edge stock. I just mounted the Leupold VX-3 4.5-14x40 in Talley lightweight mounts. Package weighs 6 lbs 9 oz as she sits.

Work has been killing me lately, so don't know when I'll get to the range to sight it in, but I have some test loads already built and ready to go.

I told my wife I'm done buying rifles. She just laughed.

 

[old heeler]

Nice.

 

[gotboostvr]

I can't really think on how I'd do anything different if given a big budget for a custom hunting rifle.

I even dig the orange pad!

 

[BreechFace]

Yowzaa! Sweet rifle and chambering!

 

[troy fairweather]

Looks great, I really need to get started on my 280ai build.

 

[horsemen61]

Looks mighty fine!

 

[Legionnaire]

Thanks. I'm pretty happy with the way this one turned out. Hope it shoots as good as it looks! Have some 150 grain Ballistic Tips loaded over RL-16 ready to test.

 

[troy fairweather]

How long of a col can you get in the mag, I'm interested in the 150btips. I'd like to try the 150 accubonds in my 7wsm someday as well.

 

[LoonWulf]

700 Long's have a 3.7ish mag.


That's a sexy rifle, I think it came out fantastic! I've had excellent results with a heavy charge of RL-23.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I've now committed the sin of covetousness.
Thanks a lot.

Man, that is a gorgeous rifle. Not a single thing I would change.
I'd love to see a range report when you get to take it out.

 

[Legionnaire]

... I've had excellent results with a heavy charge of RL-23.

Thanks. I have some RL-23 on hand, too, so that's a possibility.

 

[Garandimal]

Really nice job, L.

Apex Masterpiece huntin' rig.




GR

 

[WisBorn]

Jealous!!!!!! Very nice!!!! Enjoy the rifle!

And yes I like the recoil pad too. What kind of pad is it?

 

[troy fairweather]

Is there data for the hodgdon us869 in the 280ai. My lgs has a bunch for $21 something. I think it's to slow for my 6.5 prc my work in my 7wsm.

 

[Legionnaire]

And yes I like the recoil pad too. What kind of pad is it?

Pachmayr Decelerator.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Jealous!!!!!! Very nice!!!! Enjoy the rifle!

And yes I like the recoil pad too. What kind of pad is it?

I like it too. It gives it a distinctive look and adds a sinister element.

 

[LoonWulf]

Is there data for the hodgdon us869 in the 280ai. My lgs has a bunch for $21 something. I think it's to slow for my 6.5 prc my work in my 7wsm.

hodgdon lists data with us869 for all bullet weights in the 6.5PRC, but none for either the .280AI or the 7mm WSM.
My experience suggests it would be slow for .280. RL25 and Retumbo returned much lower than expected velocities even when run heavily compressed. RL-22/23 filled the case to 100% and gave good velocity.
4955 and 4451 produced regular .280 velocity at pressure signs (blew a few primers clean out with loads below Hodgdons MAX). Ive got some 7977 Im tempted to try.

 

[troy fairweather]

hodgdon lists data with us869 for all bullet weights in the 6.5PRC, but none for either the .280AI or the 7mm WSM.
My experience suggests it would be slow for .280. RL25 and Retumbo returned much lower than expected velocities even when run heavily compressed. RL-22/23 filled the case to 100% and gave good velocity.
4955 and 4451 produced regular .280 velocity at pressure signs (blew a few primers clean out with loads below Hodgdons MAX). Ive got some 7977 Im tempted to try.

I thought it would be to slow for the 6.5prc with a 24" , but for the price maybe I should try some. They had like 10# for the us869. One day I'll finally work up some warm loads for the 7wsm, I believe it will out preform the 6.5prc some. That short col tho.

There a bunch of new powders I'd like to try but haven't seen the much locally, maybe this year I can get them all out to compare, like to see what the 7x57Ai will do, I can run pretty long in my 09 Argentine.

 

[LoonWulf]

869s slow for almost everything lol. It should work tho, and it should work in the .280AI and 7wsm, but it won't give top velocity even when run to heavy compression.
Much like the 280 and 6.5-284, I think the rl-22/23, 7828, h1000 and 4831 class powders are probably where I want to play, but others obviously will work, and many will work really well.

 

[mshootnit]

how long was the turnaround on the custom work?

 

[troy fairweather]

869s slow for almost everything lol. It should work tho, and it should work in the .280AI and 7wsm, but it won't give top velocity even when run to heavy compression.
Much like the 280 and 6.5-284, I think the rl-22/23, 7828, h1000 and 4831 class powders are probably where I want to play, but others obviously will work, and many of I'll work really well.

yes I've been liking h-1000 and h4831 in both, the h-1000 I think maybe better in the cold and a bit more fps, but it's been pricy here if I find it.

 

[troy fairweather]

Sorry for getting off track talk, back to legionnaire 280ai build.

 

[Bfh_auto]

Thanks. I have some RL-23 on hand, too, so that's a possibility.

IMR4831 works well also.
H1000 took a lot of powder but have great accuracy for me.
I never tried the 4350 burn rate powders though.
That is a beautiful rifle.

 

[WisBorn]

Pachmayr Decelerator.

I thought it was probably a Pachmayr. It does give it a cool look and will take the sting out of the recoil.

 

[Legionnaire]

how long was the turnaround on the custom work?

Tumbleweeds took four months to true, rechamber, and assemble after I delivered the parts.

I also have some H4831sc on hand to try. Found three pounds locally after building the test loads with RL-16. Nosler shows H4831sc as the most accurate powder with 120 and 150 grain BTs on their site; I have a bunch of 120 grain BTs to try, too.