Need 280 information...Rem or Ackley

cblewis · 11-17-2003, 09:59 AM

I plan on buying a new rifle in 280. My question is, what are the differences between the 280 Rem and the 280 Ackley imp. cartridges? Any one more accurate than the other? Ballistically, which one is better? Finding factory loads isn' t much of a problem, I plan on reloading for this cartridge. Any help you guys can give would help out a great deal.

oldelkhunter · 11-17-2003, 10:12 AM

Your going to gain 100 fps or so in velocity.. you won' t have to trim the cases nearly as much ..on the other hand fireforming cases can be a pain but a 280 is a pretty much a handloading proposition anyway... If your going the Ackley route use Norma cases

Superpig · 11-17-2003, 10:58 AM

I have been using the 280 for 10 years. I have a Remington 700 that I rebarreled and chambered for the 280. I reload for the cartridge and it is wonderfully accurate. I do not believe the 280 Ackley to be more inherently accurate. If you choose a quality rifle and spend some time looking for that magic load, I believe you will have a tack driver. I shoot as much as I can. As for a gain of velocity you will gain 100-150 fps over the standard 280 going with the Ackley. This is not substantial and in my opinion not worth doing. However, after several thousand rounds through my 280 the throat was eroded and I had my rifle rechambered for the Ackley. It' s not more accurate than it was before. I can reach almost 3000 fps with a few different powders and a 175 gr Partition. The 280 Ackley is only slightly out paced by the 7mm Remington Magnum. I could get around 2860 with the same 175 gr Partition when loaded in the standard 280. As with the standard 280 and the Ackley version most of the published reloading data is anemic. Looking for pressure signs and velocity over my chrony I have in nearly all cases been able to go 1.5-2.5 grains over the listed maximum in my manuals. These are just the experiences I have had.

I guess to give a final answer I would purchase a factory rifle in 280 with a 24" barrel. If you shoot alot and burn out the barrel then rechamber to the Ackley. Otherwise, I would just buy a standard 280. I use 140 gr BT on whitetail deer and 175 gr Partition on elk. Remember that shot placement is the key.

James B · 11-17-2003, 10:29 PM

After many years of shooting the 280, I would stay with the standard version. The extra hassel isen' t worth the 100 fps which there is no quarentee you will get anyway. Sometimes it works and sometimes it don' t.

bigbulls · 11-17-2003, 11:19 PM

There is absolutly nothing that you can do with a wild cat cartridge that you can' t do with a standardized cartridge.

What If you are going hunting and are absolutly sure that you have everything packed. Low and behold you realize when you arrive at your hunting destination far away from home that Murphy was sitting on your shoulder and you forgot the bullets. Where are yu going to buy some .280 Rem. Ack. Imp.? No where![

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PaJack · 11-18-2003, 08:49 AM

I' ll have to agree with the others on this one,wildcats can be a pain in the a$$! My .280 will kill just as quick as the Ackley Improved...[

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Vapodog · 11-18-2003, 09:36 AM

From a practical point of view all the Ackley' s are more a matter of ego than performance....They do seem to all have the advantage that standard factory ammo can be fired in them.....however as previously mentioned the .280 is not so popular a cartridge that you can plan on finding it just anywhere. I agree...it' s a handloaders gun mostly.

In all honesty it' s equivalent (in practicality) to the 7MM magnums and the .30-06 and is one of the most underrated cartridges in the business. It' ll do anything the .270 can do and more and is available in some extremely light rifles.

Build a .280 Ackley if you wish but don' t do it for the small amout of performance gain.....you' ll never notice it nor will anything you hunt. It' s a darn fine cartridge.