280 Ackley improved

[jwelch]

I have an old Remington 700 ADL 280 that I want to have rechambered to a 280 Ackley improved. Can any one recamend a gunsmith to me for this? I live in Utah.
Thanks.

[gunnut69]

Sorry pardner I have no contacts there. Any local smith who does barrel work should be able to help. If they have the reamer it would be a little cheaper as they won't have to rent it. They will have to remove the barrel and set it back to establish correct headspace but that's not a big thing.. Why are you contemplating the change..

[jwelch]

Hello gunnut,
I shot a friends gun that was the Ackley improved. I was thinking of having mine done that way to get closer to the 7mm mag speed and knock down with out buying a new gun. In your opinion does the Ackley improvement do alot more for the 280 ? 
Thanks, Josh

[quickdtoo]

If you don't find someone locally, give Wayne York a call or email, he's doing a .280AI for me right now. Dunno if you'll get an immediate response this time of year, he's a hunter too.

For a comparison to the 7Mag, the Nosler 5th shows the .280AI and their 160gr bullets at 2963fps for the .280AI and 3112fps for the 7Mag, highest velocity using max loads for each cartridge. For 140gr bullets, 3196fps for the .280AI and 3340fps for the 7Mag. Both test barrels are 24".

Tim

http://home.earthlink.net/%7Eoregunsmithing/index.html

[gunnut69]

Personally I don't believe the AI version is worth the cost. If you want a 7mmMag I'd sell the 280 and buy one. I really like the 7mmMag and it would be a great choice as a 1 rifle battery for most US hunters. That's one of the reasons its so popular!! The Mag has more capacity and the Ackley adds very little to the 280..its actually fine as is... I think enough of the 280 that when choosing a caliber for my daughter's rifle I chose the 280. Problem with comparisons is that most 280's will have 22 inch barrels and most or at least many 7mmMags will have 26 inch tubes.. If you stalk or still hunt the longer barrel may get in the way but it has never bothered me.. If you stand hunt as do most..it is a real aid to good shooting.. If the 280 has done a good job for you why bother at all.. Has the rifle ever been insufficient to the task at hand? I like the 140 grain Noslers the partition or the ballistic tip. The partition gives a bit more penetration the ballistic tip is a lot softer and tends to anchor deer quicker..but with a bit more meat loss.. The ballistic tip gets the nodd for my daughters rifle and she kills one nearly every year.. So far 1 shot equals 1 dead deer..