The Staying Power of the .257 Roberts Cartridge. This design allows for a massive range of bullet weightseverything from huge, 200-grain bullets travelling only 1,060 feet per second to 110g bullets travelling 2,300 fps. Rifles, Inc. is still making great, lightweight hunting rifles, but you can now find factory rifles in 280 AI from Kimber, Nosler, Christiansen Arms, Savage, Cooper Firearms, Montana Rifle, and Fierce. Barrel length is another thing you should keep in mind. Lighter and tougher and more precise than ever, it's the perfect back country hunting rifle. During my tenure at Outdoor Life, I learned very quickly that our readers had a true love affair with bears, especially rogue grizzlies. For example, when using the same weight bullet, .280 Ackley Improved factory ammunition typically shoots 50-150 (usually around 100 fps faster) than most .280 Remington factory ammo. The SAAMI spec 280 Ackley Improved chamber is .014 inches shorter at the datum line headspace dimension than the traditionally accepted wildcat chamber spec as previously produced. All Shooting Times subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Felt recoil will vary from shooter to shooter and rifle to rifle, but free recoil energy is still a useful way to compare cartridges. Even finding a rifle may prove to be somewhat difficult. Those bullets are much more resistant to wind drift and retain much more energy as they travel down range. This plays a significant role in its rising popularity, as well see. 280 Remington chambers can be easily converted to 280 AI. All things considered, the .280 Remington had a lot of potential and should have been a big success, but the company made a couple of major blunders when they rolled out the new cartridge. And might also be interested in our 6.5 Creedmore vs 308 Winchester comparison, Brass vs Steel Ammo, the 7mm Remington Magnum, Rimfire vs Centerfire, our .5.56 vs .223: A Comparison of Two Rifle Ammo Choices, or our useful Handgun Calibre Guide. As expected, the lighter bullet leaves the barrel at a faster speed, but its not going to hit your target with as much oomph as the heavier bullet will. Developed by P.O. Both Nosler and Hodgdon provide detailed loading data for the .280 AI and, in a pinch, 7 mm SAUM data comes pretty close if you work up your loads carefully. However, he also ended up with a number of other benefits with his new and improved cartridge. 130 grain and 150 grain bullets are by far the most common. Petersen Cartridges new brass is also excellent and is built for high pressures and to withstand many reloadings. Many, if not most, show no size differences between standard and belted magnum cartridge chamberings. 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Nosler used a 24 barrel for the .270 Winchester and 7mm Remington Magnum, but a 26 barrel for the .280 Remington and .280 Ackley Improved in their published reloading data I used above. The rifle is so accurate and the round so effective that I have rarely needed more than one shot per animal. Naturally, many whitetail deer hunters choose this iconic Western big game animal for an out-of-state hunt. A .284 bore comfortably pushes bullets of 140 to 180 grains. Theres only one question: What are you waiting for? This was due to a number of reasons, one of which was the fact that the .270 Winchester fired unusual size bullets. Additionally, since it has such an efficient design, the .280 AI doesnt use as much powder as the 7mm Remington Magnum to achieve nearly the same level of performances. These modifications resulted in added capacity, which increased velocity, and less case stretch, which resulted in longer case life. 280 Ackley Improved Vs. 7mm Remington Magnum, Last edited on 14 February 2023, at 22:32, ".280 Ackley Improved: A Celebrated History", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=.280_Ackley_Improved&oldid=1139392825, This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 22:32. If you have the time, it is always best to let the animal turn and offer a broadside shot. Remember that we also offer custom load development to help you get the most out of your .280 Ackley Improved - call 1-800-303-1304 for more information. 139 gr. The .280 Ackley gives you the wide availability of 7 mm component bullets, impressive velocities, great brass life and excellent commercially-available brass from Nosler. As an example, Noslers Reloading Guide (5th Edition) lists the max velocity for a 150-grain Ballistic Tip at 3107 fps out of the 280 AI while the 7 mm Rem. but this depends on the maker. .300 Blackout There are faster .284 cartridges out there than the .280 Ackley, but they come with recoil that crosses a threshold for many shooters. As you can imagine though, the name change resulted in a lot of confusion between the 7mm Express and the 7mm Rem Mag, which are NOT interchangeable. That seems early until you learn the 280 Ross, quite popular in Canada and leaking down into the U.S., was a 1906 release. Ideally, something in the 1:8 range. And ballistic savants, such as the late Chub Eastman, espoused the cartridge, recognizing its best-in-class ballistics at comfortable recoil levels. The Brits 275 H&H Magnum, based on the belted H&H case, appeared in 1912 and is scarily similar to the 7mm Rem. This prevents .280 Remington ammunition from being chambered and fired in a .270 Winchester chamber. However, the cartridge shoots larger diameter bullets that are generally heavier. New horizons and beers are on tap. The introduction of the massively successful 7mm Remington Magnum in 1962 also derailed any prospects of the .280 Remington catching on to any large degree with the general hunting public. The difference is about 14 percent. More and more production rifles are being chambered for 280 AI every year. Theres never been a better time to get into the .280 Ackley Improved game, and theres never been a time when the cartridge has been more relevant. The end result was the .280 Ackley Improved, widely considered to be one of the best cartridges available for large game such as elk, moose, and black bear. The .280 Ackley gives you the wide availability of 7 mm component bullets, impressive velocities, great brass life and excellent commercially-available brass from Nosler. If not, then you should probably stay away from the .280 Ackley Improved (unless youre fine with just 1-2 brands as factory ammo options) and go with either the .270 or the 7mm Mag. However, it is much more significant when the two expand. MidwayUSA offers the Nosler M21, but youll find that there truly isnt as large of an offering available in rifles chambered in .280 Ackley Improved as youll find in other common calibers. 280 Ackley Improved 280 Ackley Improved 120gr Barnes TTSX. Remember, ejecta (exploding gases and particulates exiting the muzzle) contributes greatly to recoil. This is why the management at Nosler decided to standardize the .280 Ackley Improved and submit it to theSporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI) for approval, which it received in 2008. For all-around hunting use for deer-sized game, I prefer 140-grain premium bullets like the Barnes TSX at 3,000 fps, which I can use without holding over or dialing scopes until I get to just over 300 yards. Ackley after he added a 40-degree shoulder to Fred Huntington's .280 RCBS Improved. The true beauty of this round is its versatility. From $ 84.99. Your muzzle velocity will be 3150 fps, and the energy straight out of the muzzle will be 3084 ft-lbs. It didnt take very long before the .270 Winchester was firmly entrenched as one of the most popular hunting cartridges used in the United States. Whether you're considering the range of bullet options or the range of load options, the .300 Win. Thanks to Jack OConnor, the .270 Winchester is considered a classic sheep hunting cartridge if there ever was one. Mag. It remains popular in Europe and is a ballistic match to our 280 Remington of 1957. Both of those cartridges are very capable performers, though neither is as well known or as widely used as the .270 Winchester or 7mm Remington Magnum. It could push 150-grain bullets about 2,800 fps. The three .284/7mm 140gr Nosler loads all use the exact same AccuBond bullet, just fired at different velocities: the 7mm Rem Mag is 50fps faster than the .280 AI, which is in turn about 150fps faster than the .280 Rem. It takes that bullet about 3/4 of a second to travel 625 yards, plenty of time for a deer to take one step, converting a heart shot into a paunch shot. 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Ackley Improved 40 degrees) hit something of a sweet spot between the .280 Remington and the 7mm Remington Magnum. or the 7 mm Rem. For example, lowered recoil, less muzzle blast, more cartridges per magazine box, and longer barrel life are all advantages that a .280 Ackley Improved rifle has over a rifle that is shooting 7mm. Before there were scopes or red dots there were iron sights. This isn't your grandpa's muzzleloading system. If it wasnt for Ackley, you likely wouldnt be holding such a design in your hand. Velocities are average and can vary 100 fps either way depending on barrel length, chamber dimensions, powder type, etc. Mag. AccuBond Long Range 2,930 fps, Hornady Precision Hunter 162-gr. MFG #: 035531283. The results are also about what youd expect for the Hornady Precision hunter loads for those three cartridges. Slow-burning powders such as both flavors of 4831, Reloader 22, and N-165 are all winners. A .280 Ackley Improved simply shoots better over long range than a .30-06. The actual performance difference between Ackley Improved cartridges and their parents varies, with some realizing a much bigger jump in velocity than others. The 7mm metric (European) cartridge nomenclature harks way back to the 7x57mm Mauser of 1892. Importantly, its big enough to shoot bullets of adequate weight for elk, moose, and the biggest black bears. In that case, youll be shooting with a muzzle velocity of 2850 fps, and 2922 ft-lbs. Get a good hunting rifle chambered in the cartridge that you think fits your needs the best, learn to shoot it well, use quality bullets, and youll be all set for most hunting situations. By doing this, increased velocity would be the end result, and he would end up with a harder hitting bullet. Excellent capability without fanfare is the result. Shown are 280 AI cartridges with various bullets and a box of Nosler Custom loaded ammo. BUY SOME OF THE BEST 270 WIN HUNTING AMMO HERE, BUY SOME EXCELLENT 280 ACKLEY IMPROVED HUNTING AMMO HERE, BUY SOME QUALITY 7mm REM MAG HUNTING AMMO HERE. Best .280 Remington Ackley Improved Ammo. In addition to all being excellent choices for deer sized game, these cartridges are also suitable for bigger creatures under the right circumstances. Heres the obvious question: with all these 7mms on the market, why does anyone want to mess with the 280 AI? Reader K. Akins recently wrote to ask which cartridge I thought would benefit the most from conversion to Ackley Improved:the 260 Remington, 270 Winchester, or 7mm-08 Remington. Calling and shooting predators is one of the things that helps hunters get from the end of the fall seasons to when the turkeys start gobbling. Nosler brass has always been my go-to, because its invariably near-perfect and comes weight-sorted and prepped for accuracy, meaning trimmed to length, chamfered, and deburred, and with flash holes uniformed. Rounds Per Box: 20 $ 95.99 Add to wishlist Add to cart 2 in stock The German 7x64mm Brenneke began taking game in 1917. In a broadside situation, a shot placed behind the crease of the shoulder will result in the bullet traveling through both lungs. Let us know in the comments below! We show you how. Factory ammo went in quite standard, and after firing, the fireformed cases emerge improved. Plus, Petersen Cartridge offered premium .280 AI cartridge cases. The data used to compare the trajectory and wind drift of the cartridges was obtained from Hornady (here, here, here and here) and Nosler (here). Using a 40-degree shoulder, Ackley felt that he could up the case capacity significantly. On another hunt, my brother-in-law took a nice buck with a little break-action rifle from about 85 yards using a 125g projectile. Ackley, was very well known for developing wildcat cartridges in the latter half of the 20th Century. 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