RE: .280 Rem or AI?
 

In simple terms you are correct. What you are doing in essence is "fireforming" the std. 280 cases to AI. Which by the way you would have to do to get AI cases anyway. Unless, as some others have stated,you can buy brass already formed AI. What you would want to avoid is trying to resize the "fireformed" brass with a STD 280 resizer. You should really considered reloading for yourself. I don't recommend letting someone else reload for you. It is a good idea to get your friend to show you how it is done and give you some pointers but I wouldn't just let him do it for you completely. I always cringe when I hear folks mention this.

Reloading is relatively simple. Its a good hobby, and it opens upoppurtunities that the folks who are confined to factory ammunition cant explore. There are a lot of cool cartridges that you have to reload for if you want to shoot them.

All that being said, my favorite cartridge is the plain ole 280 rem. I've considered the AI a few times but opted to go other ways because I already have the std 280 in my vault."Ole betsy" has been up the mountain and back with me, both figuratively and conceptually speaking.

RE: .280 Rem or AI?
 

You can fire factory 280's in an AI, but the velocity will be lower than fireing them in an std. 280 chamber....

As for AI's not needing trimming as much, maybe so but i don't find the Rem. 280 to have stretching problems to begin with. I just don't consider this an issue at all.

Sure a 30-30 when AI'd does get a big velocity gain, but most AI chambers just don't gain that much if you keep the chamber pressure as it was in the factory cartridge... The AI'd 30-30 casegets aHUGE case capacityincrease, the 280 doesn't.

I honestly don't think it's worth the trouble, not to mention it kills the resale value of the rifle...

DM

RE: .280 Rem or AI?
 

Maybe you should start reloading now. If its really fun for you you will probably love the uniqueness of the 280AI. If reloading is more of a chore thenyou could skip the extra steps and do the regular 280.

NoKnees

RE: .280 Rem or AI?
 

If you are going to reload, you might just as well go with the 280 AI or the 7x64 Brenneke. The Brenneke predates the .270 win by a few years and the .280 by 40 years. The cartridge is one of the most popular in Europe. Apparently, many european nations don't/didn't allow civilian ownership of military cartridges or firearms based on them.Wilhelm Brenneke took the outstanding 7x57 mauser and lengthened the case to 64mm, thus the 7x64. It is a keeper, there are a few Rugers on Gunsamerica etc (but are overpriced). Sako and other still manufacture rifles for that cartridge.

Good luck, CE