280 AI or 6.5 Creedmoor

[slowr1der]

I'd been contemplating building a 280AI for a while now on a Savage action. I even had the gun to build it on, but the gun was in too nice of shape imo for me to just throw away the barrel, stock, etc from so I ended up selling it and putting the build on hold. I figured I'd look for a gun in worse shape for cheaper since all I needed was the action.

Now that I look around, I'm wondering if a 6.5 Creedmoor won't fit my needs much better. The big advantage I see to the 280AI is that I can shoot regular 280 ammo in it which is fairly easy to find. However, since I reload this isn't a huge concern. I just like the idea of being able to find ammo I can use if I'm on a hunt out of town and run out of ammo. The ammo for the 6.5 Creedmoor seems to be a lot harder to find at least in this area.

What draws me to the 6.5 Creedmoor is that it seems like should recoil a lot less than the .280AI. While this gun will be used occasionally on a hunt, it will be at the range 90% of the time. I want something accurate with enough power at longer ranges that I can hunt deer with though. Since it will mainly be a range gun I don't want something that will punish my shoulder. After a box or so of 30-06 my shoulder is hurting, and I don't want this gun to do that. I'm thinking the .280 may, but I don't know about the 6.5 Creedmoor.

Basically I don't really have a good solid reason to pick one over the other and while I thought I'd decided on the .280AI I'm now second guessing myself. Any advice? What are the pros and cons to each round?

 

[fdkay]

one is a long action, the other is a short action.
One mimics the 6.5x55 in factory US loads, the other, when loaded near max, approaches the 7mm Magnum.

Both are very suitable long range calibers. One is more suited to med sized game, the other to medium/large game.

Can't follow your logic of "I had a nice gun, but I sold it because I didn't want to change it and no longer have it. Now I want to buy a shitty gun and build from there"

 

[turbo54]

This this recent thread regarding 6.5CM vs. 284 (and bear in mind the 280AI outperforms 284 by a slim but non-disputable margin):

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/showthread.php?t=176398

Key points:

The 7mm doesn't show its superiority in trajectory/drift until ~750 yards. It isn't significantly superior until past 1000.

The 7mm will hit game harder for sure, but I would personally trust a 6.5CM to do the job terminally (on a whitetail) @ 1000. I would be a lot more concerned with the marksmanship end of things. This is based on having hit a whitetail with a 180smk from my 308 @ 700 yards.

The 284/280/280AI recoil is significantly greater than a 6.5CM. Is it too much for you to shoot all day? Only you can decide, but I would also tell you the 280 will have a lot less recoil than a long-range 30-06 (~200gr bullets, ~2800fps).

If you do decide to go with a 280AI, be sure to do your due diligence on chambers because I think there is a "new" and an "old" 280AI, and the way they work for FF'ing straight 280 brass is a little different, and the new Nosler AI brass might fit one but not the other(?). Sorry, that's as much as I know about it.

 

[Defuzer]

fdkay pretty much said it. going with 280AI on a savage LA will let you do a bolt head /barrel swap if you want even longer range to push to a higher caliber

but your shoulder might appreciate the 6.5 a little more if you are going to be lead farming at a high rate.

 

[68bthp]

I originally set out to build a long distance rifle for none competative target shooting. I don't hunt but wanted to have the satisfaction of knowng that I owned a long distance rifle that was deadly accurate. I figured the 7mm Amax in 162grain had enough energy and optimum flat shooting BC to provide the joy. I first seriously considered the 7mm Mag and even bought a long action rifle for it. Then I decided it was needlessly too powerfull and I downsized to the 280AI which does much of the same without all the powder and that belted case. Then I decided I didn't like the looong powder column of a 280/30-06 based case and I chose a 284 which had the best of all worlds, still using less powder. Being an anal guy with accuracy who wanted a long distance target/police rifle, the 284 made the most sense. My head said "go for it" but my heart wasn't buying it!!! Finally, I got smart and chose the 6.5 Creedmoor.

The 284 is just too much cartridge to take to the public range for a fun day of target shooting. If a 284 is not going to be "fun" on my shoulder after about 20 rounds, then I certainly wouldn't want to be shooting the 280AI. The 6.5 Creedmoor is super accurate, and with a muzzle brake it should be easy to fire and enjoy a couple of boxes.

HOWEVER, for your situation in which you intend to use the rifle for hunting too, then a 284 or 280AI makes a lot of sense to me. But, you mntioned 90% of your time will be spent target shooting. So in that case, I'd go with the 284 and put a muzzle brake on it.

 

[Top Shelf]

I'd been contemplating building a 280AI for a while now on a Savage action. I even had the gun to build it on, but the gun was in too nice of shape imo for me to just throw away the barrel, stock, etc from so I ended up selling it and putting the build on hold. I figured I'd look for a gun in worse shape for cheaper since all I needed was the action.

Now that I look around, I'm wondering if a 6.5 Creedmoor won't fit my needs much better. The big advantage I see to the 280AI is that I can shoot regular 280 ammo in it which is fairly easy to find. However, since I reload this isn't a huge concern. I just like the idea of being able to find ammo I can use if I'm on a hunt out of town and run out of ammo. The ammo for the 6.5 Creedmoor seems to be a lot harder to find at least in this area.

What draws me to the 6.5 Creedmoor is that it seems like should recoil a lot less than the .280AI. While this gun will be used occasionally on a hunt, it will be at the range 90% of the time. I want something accurate with enough power at longer ranges that I can hunt deer with though. Since it will mainly be a range gun I don't want something that will punish my shoulder. After a box or so of 30-06 my shoulder is hurting, and I don't want this gun to do that. I'm thinking the .280 may, but I don't know about the 6.5 Creedmoor.

Basically I don't really have a good solid reason to pick one over the other and while I thought I'd decided on the .280AI I'm now second guessing myself. Any advice? What are the pros and cons to each round?

Have a Savage 110 6.5 creedmoor. Very easy to shoot very little recoil, have 6 x 24 Vortex scope on it shooting out 100/200 yards with groups all with in a quarter. Can't wait to Deer hunt in Michigan with it next season. Have had 270 Remington and this 6.5 is way easier to shoot. Now as a side note, my brother hunts Elk with a 280 out in Colorado and has had great success with the 280 at 300 yards and less.

 

[Steel head]

 

[Praeger]

Have a Savage 110 6.5 creedmoor. Very easy to shoot very little recoil, have 6 x 24 Vortex scope on it shooting out 100/200 yards with groups all with in a quarter. Can't wait to Deer hunt in Michigan with it next season. Have had 270 Remington and this 6.5 is way easier to shoot. Now as a side note, my brother hunts Elk with a 280 out in Colorado and has had great success with the 280 at 300 yards and less.

First post? Welcome to Snipers Hide.

Urban Dictionary: necro

(verb) to comment on an internet thread long after the conversation has concluded, often using information that did not exist at the time of the original thread.

www.urbandictionary.com

 

[Top Shelf]

First post? Welcome to Snipers Hide.

Urban Dictionary: necro

(verb) to comment on an internet thread long after the conversation has concluded, often using information that did not exist at the time of the original thread.

www.urbandictionary.com

I guess I missed the dates.

 

[jakelly]

So there I was on the 7th page of my search results...

 

[Praeger]

I guess I missed the dates.

Everyone here has probably replied, or jumped on an old one.

 

[Steel head]

or jumped on an old one.

Not since I quit drinking.

 

[cjs88]

Well, what did OP @slowr1der choose? I didn't even notice the date until Steel Head called it out.

 

[Shawn1492]

Well he used the search function. Thats a good start. Welcome, stay awhile.

 

[Top Shelf]

So, how about new subject...... AR 5.56 vs AR in 6.5 creedmoor? Seems military contemplating that switch. My nephew 2006/2007 Fallujah Marine
thinks it is a positive move.

 

[M4guru]

Just PM Frank if you want PX access LOL

 

[slowr1der]

Well, what did OP @slowr1der choose? I didn't even notice the date until Steel Head called it out.

Wow, I wasn't expecting this to pop back up. I was surprised to say the least when I got a notification.

Well, I ended up with a 6.5 Creedmoor.

However, I did buy a Browning Xbolt in 280 Rem a couple of years ago and I fell in love with the 280 all over again. I may still try to do a 280AI at some point, but I don't have any immediate plans.