I absolutely love my 284 Win, and have learnt enough about it to do OK in competition occasionally, but also wanted a "fun gun" for really windy days at long range, where I could chase a higher speed node than the very reliable 2820 fps or so that the 180 gr Bergers do so well at consistently.
Matt and others recommend AR2217 for the 280 Ackley Improved but I couldn't source any at short notice here in Qld, so opted to go with 2213sc (plenty in my cupboard) looking at Velocities and pressure signs.
I hoped to get 180 gr Berger VLDs to around 2940-2960 without any safety issues.
I am thrilled to report that it did way over that, very easily and with only minimal pressure signs at the upper end.
After working with the 284 Win for two years, with it's rather short neck, the long neck on the 280AI case took some getting used to, as it looks like I can load virtually any bullet, over a wide range of seating depths and never have to worry about donuts.
These loads were all based on a jam of approx ten thousandths of an inch.
Cases are the Custom Nosler 280 AI brass that is match prepped for use straight out of the box.
So using 2213sc, (and my lot #MEM 5195 is a very slow one compared to previous lots) I started at a very modest 56 gr for about 2735 fps, and worked up in 3 and 4 shots at 0.5 gr intervals, all the way to 62 gr.
60.5 gr averaged 2945 fps and is the area where I will now get serious and do some proper load development. ES over just the three shots was an encouraging 6 fps
61 gr averaged 2882 fps for 3 shots with an ES of 21 fps
61.5 gr averaged 3008 fps for 3 shots with an ES of 20 fps
62 gr averaged. 3042 fps for 3 shots with an ES of 24 fps.
Action is a quality BAT Model M two lug, and even at 62 gr there was no sign whatsoever of any sticky bolt lift, and no "click" at all.
Primers were definitely flat at 61.0 and above but I am quite sure that 3100 fps with a 180 Berger VLD would easily be safely obtainable if I wanted to go there.........but I don't ! I figure that if world class shooters like Dave Mac, Mike Waites, Geoff Krakey and co run at around 2950 then that's more than enough for me.
At 58.0 gr, (and 2832 fps avg over 4 shots with an ES of 34) the CCIBR2 primers were only just starting to show the very slightest signs of beginning to flatten.
As expected, Matt Paroz's work was absolutely top class, as well as being prompt, courteous and very reasonably priced, and after screwing in this new barrel and putting a scope back on, the first shot at 300 yards was just 57mm high and 20mm left of a previous 284 barrels zero.
My greatest fear in constantly switching barrels is to miss the target on the first shot, but that's obviously not not much of a worry with LRP doing the work !
Whilst no accuracy work has been done yet, it's nice to know that the 280AI, in a top quality target action with a 28.5" Trueflite barrel can easily got to the 2950 fps approx that I was hoping for, and that if I chose to, it could easily add another 150 fps to that.
Next it's time to try and tune the load, playing with seating depths and primers...............safe in the knowledge tha the 280AI can equal the 7SAUM, at least in velocity, with 180gr Bergers.
God I love this sport
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
Tony