anyone done a rebarrel to 280 remington?

I have looked through pages here, and searched. I did not see that anyone has rebarreled for 280 rem. Maybe I searched worng. I have many different calibers, and wanted to try somthing different. I have never done a rebarrel before, so I was thinking of making this into a progect.
I am still researching, everthing. I did not see that Shaw offered barrels in 280 rem. I know some people have reservations about magnum calibers in the axis, but this isn't a magnum. I just wondered why more people haven't tried it, is there something Im missing.

Or, has anyone seen the Axis II in 280 AI?

I don't have a 280, but I don't think there will be any issues with using an Axis action for it. 280 is based on the 30-06 cartridge and is at or just below the 30-06 pressure. I had a 7.5x55 barrel on an Axis action for a while and didn't have any issues. I like different calibers also.

Changing barrels is really pretty simple, just a few tools necessary. It's just a bit nerve racking the first time taking of the barrel nut off the first time, can take quite a bit of torque before it breaks loose. All you need are a barrel nut and action wrench or barrel vise and some headspace gauges. Once you have done it the first time, takes only minutes the next time.

There's no reason it wouldn't work. I think that, depending on which model of axis you have, you may have a baffle on the bolt-head to shorten the throw. If you have the baffle, you likely wouldn't have enough rearward movement on your bolt to eject or chamber the round. But even that is as simple as snagging a bolt head without the baffle (if you even have one in the first place. Do you already have an Axis, or are you looking to snag one just for this project?

On the Axis, you won't have to replace the baffle, just remove the bolt and rotate the baffle 180 degrees to shorten/lengthen the bolt throw. The lugs on the baffle are different thicknesses.

The 280 is awesome choice. When choosing a cartridge one must consider the cost to shoot. If you don't hand load there can be a big difference in cost to shoot. The 284 Win is another fine 7mm.

Long story short, I was playing around with the idea of rebarreling my current 308 as I have been unhappy with the accuracy with factory ammo. I wasnt thinking of long action vs shirt action, which I came to the realization later today. However, through my digging I found and axis II in 280 AI, which I’ve never heard/seen before. It is a savage factory rifle, not listed on their website though.
I have almost everything to reload, except setting up a table and starting. After reading, it seems like I should focus on reloading first may improve my 308 grouping; then Look at playing with 280 AI. still, the idea of something different is still there.
I mainly hunt Texas whitetail, hogs with all my rifles in heavy wooded areas. I know I don’t need super accurate, or longer range capabilities, but it doesn’t mean it’s not fun to play with. Thanks for the replies. I’ve been going through the different thrreafa past few days. I currently have axis in 223, 243, 308. The 223 and 243 are sub MOA with factory ammo. The 308, get hit. By 3rd shot and likes to stray off a bit. About 1.25-1” with NBT. Other ammo the group widens up more to 1.5-2”. Ok for hunting, but not what I want.
Hence my journey looking at 280.

Savage Arms advertised they would release several rifle models chambered in 280AI in 2018. lt did not happen. Hopefully 2019. I got lucky several years ago and picked up a Savage Pre-fit barrel in 280AI with lightweight contour. Put it on a Savage LWH action with Stockade Hunter stock. Great lightweight rifle build. Shoots sub-MOA, 3-shot groups with handloads using Hornady ELD-X 162 gr. bullets. Handload MV is equal to that advertised for Hornady 7mm RM factory ammo with the same bullet. Great terminal performance on several whitetails, a mule deer and an elk so far.

Thanks for the clarification. I knew it was something, but was wrong on the specifics

You can also get factory 280I brass and from a quick look on the Web it is cheaper than 284 and that has been hit and miss on availibility from what i have heard with Winchester only do one run a year.

284 brass is also made by Norma from $.80 to $1.00 each depending on where you shop. Lapua 6.5-284 brass is easily expanded to work also. Winchester for shooters that are serious about accuracy usually bypass Winchester do to the cull percentage on the newer runs.

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Originally Posted by Robinhood

284 brass is also made by Norma from $.80 to $1.00 each depending on where you shop. Lapua 6.5-284 brass is easily expanded to work also. Winchester for shooters that are serious about accuracy usually bypass Winchester do to the cull percentage on the newer runs.

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I would opt for Lapua or Nosler brass if I was chasing bug holes and reloading. But I don't any longer and have a room full of stuff. The HSM I buy in 7MAG used Winchester Brass and Berger bullets and shoots incredible. I went out to he desert to hopefully see how my rifle groups at 400/500/600 yards but could only find a place to get out to 410 yards in a level area. I only made one shot to confirm how it shoots from a cold barrel at 410 yards and the bullet was about 1" to the right. Which is about as good as it gets from a 25 year old factory rifle.

This is a project I have been "working on" for 10 years now. I found a Stevens 200 LA in .30-06 some years ago for $185. The plan is to have it chambered in .280 Rem as it is a necked down .30-06 round. I want to install a 17" heavy sporter barrel and get decent stock for it to bed into.

The "budget" for the rifle I have is for less than $1000.


Years ago, I took a pair of Rem 788 bolt guns and taught myself some basic gunsmithing. Glass bedded the receivers etc. I took a pair of 4" shooting guns and made them tack drivers. A .243 and a .308 matched pair that would put 5 under a quarter at 100 yards easy.

It's doable. But you need to take some serious steps outside your comfort level and do things yourself. It's partly WHY I opted for the Savage/steven actions. You can swap barrels with little more than a headspace gage and a barrel wrench set.

Life happened and now we are 10 years back looking at the project again.

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Originally Posted by prdatr

I would opt for Lapua or Nosler brass if I was chasing bug holes and reloading.

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I was under the assumption that Norma brass was top notch.

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Originally Posted by farmerj

This is a project I have been "working on" for 10 years now. I found a Stevens 200 LA in .30-06 some years ago for $185. The plan is to have it chambered in .280 Rem as it is a necked down .30-06 round. I want to install a 17" heavy sporter barrel and get decent stock for it to bed into.

The "budget" for the rifle I have is for less than $1000.


Years ago, I took a pair of Rem 788 bolt guns and taught myself some basic gunsmithing. Glass bedded the receivers etc. I took a pair of 4" shooting guns and made them tack drivers. A .243 and a .308 matched pair that would put 5 under a quarter at 100 yards easy.

It's doable. But you need to take some serious steps outside your comfort level and do things yourself. It's partly WHY I opted for the Savage/steven actions. You can swap barrels with little more than a headspace gage and a barrel wrench set.

Life happened and now we are 10 years back looking at the project again.

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Actually, the 280 is not a necked down 30-06, the shoulder and length are .050 longer. I just made a 7-06, used shortened 280 dies. A very nice conversion. No step in the neck to blow out. And you use 280 Load data.

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Originally Posted by Underhammer

Actually, the 280 is not a necked down 30-06, the shoulder and length are .050 longer. I just made a 7-06, used shortened 280 dies. A very nice conversion. No step in the neck to blow out. And you use 280 Load data.

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You can form 280 brass out of .30-06 which I have plenty of once fired of.

It's ballistics are extremely similar to the 7 rem mag without the belted case.

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Originally Posted by farmerj

You can form 280 brass out of .30-06 which I have plenty of once fired of.

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Yes you can, however underhammer's information was correct. You will also need to step size the neck to fire form your brass. Not a serious problem but you will ultimately end up with a case that is .050" short.

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It's ballistics are extremely similar to the 7 rem mag without the belted case.

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No sir. You have the 280 AI and the 280 confused.

280 on left 280 AI on right.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...0_Improved.jpg

Savage factory 280 AI are listed for sale.
Check the Savage Arms web site for models.
New rifle for $337 shipped. GunBroker

If you hand load, the .280 Remington is a fantastic hunting caliber. If you don't hand load, it doesn't offer much that a 7mm-08 can't already do. That's because the factory loads are purposely loaded down for the autoloader Remington that was originally chambered in .280. That's really unfortunate because I'll pick a .280 Rem (with hand loads) over a .270 or '06 every day of the week.

Now that I have an Axis stock and action to play with, the .280 would be the first additional caliber I would build. Great caliber!

There is plenty of available factory .280 AI brass these days. I wouldn't bother with fire-forming.