What do you use for your 280AI brass?

[brasscollector]

I'm in the midst of a 280AI build and I'm wondering what everyone else uses for brass? I dabbled with a 280AI last year working up loads for a friends rifle and was impressed by the performance. I found some Hornady cases locally and put 4-5 loadings through the that brass before I returned the rifle and supplies. The primer pockets were still usable, but not tight by any means and likely headed to the scrap bin within the next loading or so. Although I do like the consistency of Hornady brass and enjoyed good accuracy from those loads at roughly $.80/ea I'm not sold on using them long term. For those of you with a 280AI, what is your preferred brand of brass?

 

[old heeler]

I have 2-280AI one is wildcat and I form brass other is spec and I use Nosler 280AI brass. I had spec build so I could use Nosler 280AI brass and I have enough brass.

Norma 280 brass is about $1.00 per rd and Hornady 280 is little less than Hornady 280AI brass. Win makes nickel 280 and Rem 280 brass is back ordered. You could use 270 case but may be little short in the neck.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I tried fire forming using Hornady superformance ammo and got case head separations. I used Remington and didn't have issues with multiple firings.
After a while, I decided Nosler brass was the way to go.

 

[brasscollector]

@old heeler & @Bfh_Auto How many loadings are you getting from the Nosler brass?

 

[Bfh_auto]

@old heeler & @Bfh_Auto How many loadings are you getting from the Nosler brass?

It's a hunting rifle, so I'm on my first cycle through the 100. I had done my work up with the Remington brass. When I changed to the Nosler it just took a load confirmation.
I got more than 10 loadings from Nosler 260 rem brass, so I expect good things.

 

[old heeler]

@old heeler & @Bfh_Auto How many loadings are you getting from the Nosler brass?

I hate to say this but I don't keep count on how many reloads per case. I load at the range so say 25 new case loaded 6/7 times @6 that about 150 reloads, Most times I can do it with 15 or less cases.

Once I get load, I load up 40 new case shoot those in practice maybe shot few pd and those once fired be my hunting rds.

I got 6 boxes Nolser @ 50rd each and had little over 40rd new on 2nd box.

 

[fguffey]

I tried fire forming using Hornady superformance ammo and got case head separations. I used Remington and didn't have issues with multiple firings.
After a while, I decided Nosler brass was the way to go.

Case head separation is not a fault of the case.

F. Guffey

 

[Bfh_auto]

Case head separation is not a fault of the case.

F. Guffey

I would normally agree with you, but I started sectioning cases to see if I was risking case head separations with the Remington 280 rem brass and didn't have an issue with them.
The superformance brass is thinner and gave me issues so I don't use it to fireform AI brass.

 

[fguffey]

Risking case head separation: Did the chamber start out as a 280 Remington Chamber? The 280 Remington chamber can not be cleaned up with a 280 Remington Ackley reamer. The shoulder/neck juncture of the 280 Remington chamber is not removed because of the longer neck on the Ackley improved chamber. If the 280 Remington Ackley chamber is cut from a blank the 280 Remington case head spaces on the shoulder/neck juncture of the Ackley improved shoulder/neck juncture because the is shorter on the 280 Remington case. When fireforming part of the neck is formed when the case is chambered and the rest of the shoulder is formed when fired.

Case head separation happens when the case body locks on to the chamber and the case head is not supported. When the case forms to the chamber and the case body locks onto the chamber with clearance between the case head and bolt face the case has no choice but to stretch between the case head and case body.

As opposed to the case head spacing on the neck shoulder juncture; the case does not stretch in length it expands in diameter when the case forms to the chamber. Believe it or not; the case shortens in length from the end of the neck to the case head, The case increases in length from the case head to the case body/shoulder juncture.

Most reloaders write it off as the shoulder moving, when forming the shoulder I finish with is not the same shoulder I started with and then there is always the question WHY? If the shoulder I finished with is the same shoulder I started with the case stretched between the case head and case body.

F. Guffey

 

[brasscollector]

Before this dissolves into some other topic I would like the mods to close the thread, please.

 

[fguffey]

Before this dissolves into some other topic I would like the mods to close the thread, please.

When forming cases the reloaders should be aware the case shortens between the end of the neck to the case head. I have formed cases that shortened by as much as .035" in the forming process; During the firing process after forming I have had cases shorten a total of .045" from the of the neck to the case head. If in the forming and firing process a reloader is experiencing case head separation he needs to know what is happening to the case during firing.

F. Guffey

 

[quartermaster]

Nosler .280 AI has worked great for me. Nosler brass is my 3rd choice behind Lapua and Norma. Some say Nosler is made by Norma.