I figure I’d start the thread as there seems to be enough interest and maybe it will earn sticky status. I only have a few loads as I only use mine for hunting and have found good hunting loads relatively easy. I built my 280 AI because I liked the 280 Remington so much and not that I wanted a 7mm Remington Mag. It gives me safe top end 280 Rem loads and a smidge more which is all I want and need.
My 280 AI is nothing fancy. It’s a Ruger Hawkeye SS that started life as a 30-06 but now wears an E.R.Shaw SS, 24” 1:9.5” twist Standard contour barrel. My bullets are all Moly coated for now and the bore is also coated. I haven’t found any appreciable gain in velocity or accuracy up to this point to really justify the Moly coating. With that here’s what I have so far
139 Hornady SST interlock 3.335” COAL
IMR 4831 60.0 grains
WLR primers
3083 FPS average @ 59926 psi. Per QL
DRT results on deer with significant trauma
162 AMAX/ELDX. Both bullets shot the same with these loads
RL19. 3.340” COAL
59.1 grains. Max book load
WLRM and CCI 250 primers
Very accurate from 58-59.1 grains. 59.1 grains put 6 shots in one hole
100yds.
2950 FPS. Great on deer and Black Bear. DRT but not overly messy
Also the Hornady 162 grain BTSP shot very well with this load.
RL22 3.340” COAL
59.0 grains most accurate 59.2 book max
WLRM and CCI 250 primers
Very accurate but not as accurate as the RL19 load. Sub 1/2” @100yards.
2950-ish FPS
RL25 3.340” COAL
64.2 grains most accurate
WLRM and CCI 250 primers
2975 FPS @57k psi.
Under max psi per QL but you won’t fit much more powder in the case. And this was the most accurate load.
RL26 COAL 3.340”
63.0 grains Most Accurate
WLRM and CCI 250 primers
3,010 FPS 60,401psi.
** 64.0 MAX Lood** @ 3055 FPS and 64,160 psi. Just FYI because people ask about RL26
** 65.4 left extractor marks and 66.0 will blow primers with sticky bolt lift so use this information as a “been there done that experience”***
Nosler 175 partition 3.340” COAL
RL22 56.5 max book load
WLRM primer
Lists at 2808 FPS not chrony’d but accurate in my rifle
Black bear thumper.
Velocity for the RL 26 was a QL estimate and I haven’t ran it over a chrony. I have found that QL data to be very close with pressure signs however and other friends and I have had similar experiences with QL with chronograph day velocities and pressure. Just my experience so YMMV.
Also, I used magnum primers across the board and shot these loads in the summer heat at about 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit. This was because I wanted all the extremes present to find max safe pressure in my rifle.
