280ai bullet selection

[Rathie]

Good morning all,

Long time between drinks - have not posted for a while.

Have put a deposit down on a 280ai and have dies on order.

Looking to put together 1 or 2 loads together to suit the game I’m after. Hopefully 1 projectile to suit all occasions.

Game will mostly be goats, pigs and fallow in the Granite belt of Southern Qld and Northern NSW. Thinking something in the 120-150 range.

Next - Red deer and hopefully a Sambar hunt. Looking at projectiles in the 150-160 range.

Is there 1 projectile to cover both scenarios?

Would welcome suggestions from the brains trust please.

On a side note - thought on either a Vixen 3-12x40 or a Leupold vx3i 3.5-10x40 to mount on the rifle. Lightweight Kimber 84L. Mounts will be Talley lightweight.

Cheers, Rathie

[Wapiti]

Hey Rathie,

Can't help with projectiles/loads for the .280, but just an opinion on the scope mate.

Your rifle build is a lovely lightweight one I assume from your info, and right up my ally as far as intentions go.
I often get confused with people who buy lovely lightweight rifles then put 2L coke bottles on them and overbalance the whole thing.

I do like the Vixen range of scopes, and have that brand. But overwhelmingly, I would choose the VX3HD 3.5-10x40 again and again for a long-reach accurate rifle.
The Vixen you mention is, I believe, a 25mm tube so great choice you haven't been tempted to unnecessarily put a 30mm heavy tube on your rifle, yet so is the Leupold.
I believe, Leupold is the better scope, brighter, clearer and tougher than the Vixen. A nicely streamlined, quality scope. I believe, no better choice for a lightweight rifle to stretch the ballistics of that great cartridge you picked.

With all the other brands, scopes and ideas out there for an optic, yet again I chose the Leupold above on my latest lightweight rifle, a Sako Peak in .300. For the large price that thing was, spending more on a scope still gives me nothing but more deficits - more weight, less balance and no better opportunity.
People might say, Oh that expensive thing deserves a better optic - yet anything else is heavier, longer, yet no better in any way that what the Leupold is.

I put my money where my mouth is on this topic, it's what I've done personally and not just a suggestion.
I could've put a Swarovski on this rifle too, and would have achieved nothing but more weight and top-heavyness.
IMHO forum opinion mate.

Where are you going to hunt? (not specifically the place, mate) Some good opportunities in the Granite Belt, from someone who lives here.

[Rathie]

Thanks Wapiti,

I have a small cattle property about 14k south west of Tenterfield (just east of the Mole River) and also have access to adjoining larger properties.

Goats are my main quarry (mostly for the pot). I’m planning on Reds in SE Qld and have a friend who regularly chases Sambar down in Victoria who had kindly offered to let me tag along on his next venture.

I’m in Brisbane but regularly get to Tenterfield. If you are close by would be good to put a face to the name.

Cheers

[Damo300]

Leupold every day for me.
I do have other brands but Leupold are the best for my eyes.
Leica make beautiful scopes too. I have a Amplus 6.

Can't help with pills directly as I haven't got a 280ai......yet, but I do have a 7rm. Id personally focus at the heavier pills, being it a hunting rifle to potentially go after sambar.
I just picked up some Speer 160gr soft point boat tails #1634 for my 7rm.
Haven't fired them yet, but they look very similar to a Sierra pill I'm using in my 300wm and they're great. Haven't had time to get to the range yet though.
BC is at 0.519.

[Wapiti]

Thanks Wapiti,

I have a small cattle property about 14k south west of Tenterfield (just east of the Mole River) and also have access to adjoining larger properties.

Goats are my main quarry (mostly for the pot). I’m planning on Reds in SE Qld and have a friend who regularly chases Sambar down in Victoria who had kindly offered to let me tag along on his next venture.

I’m in Brisbane but regularly get to Tenterfield. If you are close by would be good to put a face to the name.

Cheers

I'll PM you mate.

[Wapiti]

Mate a bit of a pictorial view of the VX3HD scopes on two slim light rifles here. It's easy to talk but harder to get a minds picture.
Honestly, for what these rifles cost and their performance, many would say, but a European scope, say a Swaro Z3i.

1a.jpg (686.29 KiB) Viewed 149 times

But I will gain nothing. And a 30mm tube scope means more weight, strange thing to do IMHO when the rifle is so deliberately lightweight.
AND I deliberately use the type of rings that mount directly to the rifle, no high clubby pic-rail, and one less screwed-on interface to keep secure, and also I can get the scope as low as I can.
The machined-in pic-rail on the .300 here means I can't do anything about that, but again, no easily-knocked off zero aluminium crap. The 308 on the left has the tapered clamp-on reciever, and the excellent Leupold "Ringmounts" are steel.
The difference between steel and aluminium is bigtime on strength, but the difference in weight is undetectable.

1b.jpg (682.68 KiB) Viewed 149 times

The other benefit is being able to use the excellent aluminium Leupold flip-up lense caps. Unlike the European bulky versions, or the cheap plastic clubby Chinese-made things in the gunshops, these covers are not in any way visible when looking through the scope.
I find when hunting or even on buggy rifles that cop a beating or are always in dust, these things mean rain and dust never ever needs cleaning off lenses.

Hope this helps you get a picture in your mind about what these scopes might look like on your build.

[Fester]

I would have thought the heavier projectile choice fof such a fine cartridge, but some of the yanks like a 140gr going fast and flat.
They claim that they are fine for taking their bigger elk bucks within 400yds.

Vixen is a light, compact scope for a budget priced Jap build.
Mine is the bigger 4-16 as it had the side focus that was needed for the .22 LR used at a variety of ranges.

Without paying more for a Leupold at the new prices, I had a hard time finding a scope that had the mag to see paper-punching holes, and still fit with the older CZ bolt clearance.
The Vixen surprised me, being more compact than the previous 4-12 Bushy.
Very happy with it, and keen to hear how they hold up on a bigger rifle.
They have a fairly basic BDC-type reticle with just an extra dot and dash, then the post, from memory.
A 50 zero, and a 100 line was found, enough for my main uses.

[bigrich]

Good morning all,

Long time between drinks - have not posted for a while.

Have put a deposit down on a 280ai and have dies on order.

Looking to put together 1 or 2 loads together to suit the game I’m after. Hopefully 1 projectile to suit all occasions.

Game will mostly be goats, pigs and fallow in the Granite belt of Southern Qld and Northern NSW. Thinking something in the 120-150 range.

Next - Red deer and hopefully a Sambar hunt. Looking at projectiles in the 150-160 range.

Is there 1 projectile to cover both scenarios?

Would welcome suggestions from the brains trust please.

On a side note - thought on either a Vixen 3-12x40 or a Leupold vx3i 3.5-10x40 to mount on the rifle. Lightweight Kimber 84L. Mounts will be Talley lightweight.

Cheers, Rathie

as far as scopes go , Leupold for me . they have a warranty on their product that can't be beat . 280AI is a bit of a beast . i know 150 nosler acubonds and ballistic tips work well out of 7-08 , but your pushing a lot more velocity with your 280 .as for one bullet to do that broad a game weight , , i reckon a 154sst would fit the bill , or maybe the 162sst . i use 150sst from goats and up in my 308, 140sst in 6.5x55, and it does the job . that's at the affordable end , a 160 partition would likely do everything but they are ridiculously expensive. however that was the "go to " bullet for hunters back in the day , used and recommended by a lot of people in 7x57 , including jack'o'connor and his wife, who hunted everything with that bullet from sheep to elk with a hot hand loaded 7x57 . with the velocity your likely going to be pushing, a premium bullet or a heavier cheaper bullet i'm guessing is what you'll need , you'll be getting quick/high bullet expansion due to the speed . 160 boat tail speer might prove to be a excellent bullet if you keep your speed down . JMHO , hope it helps . cheers

[Rathie]

Thanks all,

Have purchased the Leupold.

Person I’m buying the rifle from is including some projectiles and once fired brass (50 of each) so I’ll start with those - not sure of exact detail of brand/type etc.

As I’d like (if possible) I’d like to stick with just one load.

In thoughts on monolithic e.g. Barnes 140 ttx/ttsx or 145 LRX?

My uneducated concerns is ‘not enough expansion on smaller game’ e.g. goats. But then again - I should likely just carry the 223/grendel when after one for the pot.

Any experience from the brains trust on the aforementioned Barnes projectiles??

Cheers, iain

[Rathie]

Thanks all,

Have purchased the Leupold.

Person I’m buying the rifle from is including some projectiles and once fired brass (50 of each) so I’ll start with those - not sure of exact detail of brand/type etc.

As I’d like (if possible) I’d like to stick with just one load.

In thoughts on monolithic e.g. Barnes 140 ttx/ttsx or 145 LRX?

My uneducated concerns is ‘not enough expansion on smaller game’ e.g. goats. But then again - I should likely just carry the 223/grendel when after one for the pot.

Any experience from the brains trust on the aforementioned Barnes projectiles??

Cheers, iain

[Wapiti]

Mate you're laughing and have bought the best choice. I can't think of a better scope in the country we both share.
Any more magnification just means less field of view too.
Now I will suggest the excellent Leupold flop-up lens covers - unlike the plastic ones that push over the outside of the scope bodies and cause a big black ring, these ones screw into the tiny internal threads and are invisible when flipped up. They are expensive though, and not for everyone.

I'm one of those unfortunate blokes that has never had a good result from Barnes bullets, both the first ones without the relief cuts that cause awful pressure spikes, to the newer ones and even the blue tipped buggers. They shot not to my expectations.
Ones that I have a great affinity for are the Aussie-made solid copper Atomic-13 bullets, but in .30 - 155 and 175 gns and they shoot pinpoint groups in my Sakos, using 2209 and 2213SC that the American Barnes just sprayed.
I shot a boar with the 300/Atomic-13 155gn, and my wife's eyes bugged out of her head - the WHACK was like an old lady belting a carpet on a hills-hoist with a big broom. I didn't see the hit from the recoil but Shelly said it looked it was hit with a big hammer.
Which is fine by me because I'd rather pay a small Aussie business than a huge US consortium. All I can say is that there are better alternatives and they are here. Again, marketing pressures sees more adverts pushed into hunters faces from the big mobs, whereas the little Aussie makers can't afford to advertise like that.
But - each to his own.

[Rathie]

Thanks Wapati,

I sent an Email to Atomic asking about views on his 7mm projectile for my needs.

Did know about this Aussie company - thanks for the recommendation. Cheers

[Damo300]

They're "Atomic 29" Wapiti.

Atomic 13 is some kind of aluminium extrusion.
I only looked it up after I read your post..I thought he had a new range of projectiles.

Edit....I also see predator calls called "Rocky mountain Atomic 13"