Mountain Rifle - Win M70 - 280AI - Proof Research

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Yep. I have two bolts, five barrels and two stocks for that particular 8400 WSM action. Now that the .308 Win project is moving ahead, basically a short action version of the rifle @<*(((>< is building, I think I've ruled out one of the possibilities.

@<*(((>< , I spoke with Proof today and my barrel will be ready in a few weeks. I'll be selling off a new Kimber barrel, Hunter stock, magazine, action screws and trigger since I don't need any of those parts. That'll offset some of the cost incurred.

What barrel did you talk to Proof about? Inquiring minds want to know.


Ya think your right on the 280ai holding more. I definitely does it you measure from the bottom of the neck. I would like to expand my 7mm collection. 7x57 7x57Ai 7wsm dad has the 280ai. Plus the 280ai and 7stw reamers. I have considered rebarreling my marlin to 7-30 waters.

I believe that I read that the 6.5 PRC holds around 68-69 gr. of H2O (don't quote me on that). The 280AI holds about 74gr. of H20.

Dont think the mags long enough.....I always wanted a m70, one of the EW might be a place to start for an stw build. Do a big brother copy of this build.

That would be cool to see, would like to see the performance out of an STW. Now you have me researching the 7stw in more earnest, just purely for curiosity sake of course.
 
If you go the Varmints Den website, member Birddog has his own range that goes out to over a mile. He shoots a version of the .284 Ai IIRC

What do you mean by a 284 AI, curious what cartridge it is? I'm not a member over there, can you send me a pm with a link, would like to read his post.
 
I haven’t been there in quite a while. His stuff was from maybe a year or two ago. You can sign up the same as here for free and dig thru to find the posts. I’m pretty sure he’s on Accurate Shooter also.

They had some name for the cartridge. .284 Winchester blown out to straighten the walls and move the shoulder forward.
 
troy fairweather said:
What cal was the hunter.

I haven't bought it yet but will be ordering one this week or next. Probably a 6.5 CM since the barrel will be easier to sell given the popularity of that cartridge. :D

<*(((>< said:
What barrel did you talk to Proof about? Inquiring minds want to know.

A little heavier profile than yours. 24", 5/8-24 muzzle threads and 0.85" OD at the shoulder.
 
I haven't bought it yet but will be ordering one this week or next. Probably a 6.5 CM since the barrel will be easier to sell given the popularity of that cartridge.



A little heavier profile than yours. 24", 5/8-24 muzzle threads and 0.85" OD at the shoulder.

I was in between the Sendero and the Sendero Light, and through talking with my friend who owns several Proof barrels said he wished he would have went with the lighter profile. Take that for what it's worth, I trusted his judgement but in comparing the two weights one is only talking about 4 ounces, so I don't think one can go wrong either way.
 
I haven't bought it yet but will be ordering one this week or next. Probably a 6.5 CM since the barrel will be easier to sell given the popularity of that cartridge. :D



A little heavier profile than yours. 24", 5/8-24 muzzle threads and 0.85" OD at the shoulder.
Ok I'd like to pick one up given the new state land I'll be hunting a light rifle would be nice. I'm thinking 7-08 but 280ai is very possible. Then there 257rob :D.
 
I was in between the Sendero and the Sendero Light, and through talking with my friend who owns several Proof barrels said he wished he would have went with the lighter profile. Take that for what it's worth, I trusted his judgement but in comparing the two weights one is only talking about 4 ounces, so I don't think one can go wrong either way.
I wounder if there enough meat to ream a larger cartridge down the road to help even out the price.
 
Good question, would be interesting what Proof would say. Maybe if one went with the 'Sendero' profile there would be as opposed to the 'Light Sendero'.
Do they show the barrel blanks on there site, before they wrap them. I would think a 7rm would clean up a 280ai a 7rum will. I have never seen anyone selling a burnt out pr barrel, I'd love to mess around with one.
 
troy fairweather said:
Do they show the barrel blanks on there site, before they wrap them. I would think a 7rm would clean up a 280ai a 7rum will. I have never seen anyone selling a burnt out pr barrel, I'd love to mess around with one.

The "liner" as they call it is proprietary so they don't provide the dimensions. They will tell you that the liner is made to withstand a proof load without the wrap and for the largest cartridge available in that caliber. So my take-away is that you could re-chamber a .308 Win barrel to .300 Win Mag without any concerns. I've shot three rifles with Proof barrels, hundreds of rounds, and I like them a lot.
 
The "liner" as they call it is proprietary so they don't provide the dimensions. They will tell you that the liner is made to withstand a proof load without the wrap and for the largest cartridge available in that caliber. So my take-away is that you could re-chamber a .308 Win barrel to .300 Win Mag without any concerns. I've shot three rifles with Proof barrels, hundreds of rounds, and I like them a lot.
ok that sounds good. I'd like to get one some day. I kinda want to do my 280ai on my 09arge but don't think a pr barrel would looks good.
 
ok that sounds good. I'd like to get one some day. I kinda want to do my 280ai on my 09arge but don't think a pr barrel would looks good.

I would agree, your 09arge needs some old world charm in the barrel category, it deserves more than carbon fiber. That's one of the reasons I wanted the EW, it being stainless (which I wanted anyways) but feel it matches the Proof barrel styling better.
 
I am considering what I can sell for that 7rm lol. I may pull my target 308 and sell off some stuff.

Well... they are very nice rifles.

And for me, 8.5 lbs field weight for a 22" Bbl'ed .270 -.30-06 scoped rifle is just right.

WP-20190419-15-14-11-Pro-50.jpg

And as much fuss as I hear about it, like the B&C stock as well.

The 26" Bbl. should milk the 7RM nicely.




GR

 
Probably, something expensive :uhoh:.

I'm open to suggestions though. Typically, I'm a Leupold first person due to customer service, glass and weight especially. I do have some Vortex scopes whose turrets are much better than Leupolds, but the weight of their scopes are ridiculous. I need to twist some turrets on the higher end Leupold's and see how they are; but it might be a time to switch manufacturers who can offer what Leupold does but with good positive turrets.

So does anyone have a suggestion for at or around 16 oz. scope in the $1,000 - 1,600 range. My preference is for smaller objectives so preferably a 40mm objective, but could be persuaded into a 50mm but it'll be a harder sell. I'm thinking as far as magnification somewhere in the 2-12x or 3-15x with a 30mm tube.

Well...

For a Hunting scope...?

For my .270 WCF EW/SS - solicited opinions, and ended up w/ a Leupold VX-3i 2.5-8 x 36.

As you can see from the pic above, it just fits w/ Talley lightweight Extra Low scope mounts [.300" (SKU: 920702) UPC: 876430000251]

Weighs 11.4 oz, and just a hair under 1 lb w/ the mounts.

Very nice glass.

Leave it on 2.5x mostly, and occasionally go to 6x, for 300 yd work.

$300 on a special.




GR
 
For a Hunting scope...?

For my .270 WCF EW/SS - solicited opinions, and ended up w/ a Leupold VX-3i 2.5-8 x 36.

As you can see from the pic above, it just fits w/ Talley lightweight Extra Low scope mounts [.300" (SKU: 920702) UPC: 876430000251]

Weighs 11.4 oz, and just a hair under 1 lb w/ the mounts.

Very nice glass.

Leave it on 2.5x mostly, and occasionally go to 6x, for 300 yd work.

$300 on a special.

GR

For a hunting scope, I wholeheartedly agree that a Leupold in 2.5-8x36 would be preferable, I would most likely arrive at the same conclusion. However, I plan on using this for distance target shooting as well, out to 1,000+ yards so wouldn't mind some more top end magnification. But not fully decided yet on that, maybe I leave this gun strictly for hunting and some medium range target shooting and stick with a more affordable, compact and lighter weight scope.

EDIT: I just realized rereading my OP that I didn't mention my target aspirations with this rifle. I've been thinking and talking about this build for so long that I left that out I guess.

Also, where are you finding that scope for $300, that's a steal.
 
@<*(((>< , I'll be following this build of yours for sure. I had a couple of EW rifles, one in .308 Win and the other .300 Win Mag. They were heavy, didn't shoot that well and had poorly machined receivers so off they went. That said, I'm sure your rifle will be a whole lot better and I like the choice of a .280 AI.

I built a similar rifle to what you're planning for my gf a few months back using her Kimber 84M but it's chambered in .308 Win. Her rifle has a CF stock. I'm building one for myself this winter, also in .308 Win but with an Open Country stock from AG Composites (shown below) and with CDI Precision bottom metal and AICS magazines. The stock is already done but I'll be buying an 84M Hunter this month and having Proof screw on the barrel.

The picture below shows her barreled action in my stock. The rifle as shown (Zeiss HD5 3-15x42mm, SilencerCo Harvester, 10-round magazine) unloaded weighs 7lb-15oz and it's a tack driver.

View attachment 875649

I don't want to derail this thread, but I love this rig. Thinking I might need to pick up a Hunter and convert it to AICS fed, this seems like the ticket, but on their website, it doesn't seem like AG does inlets for 84s or 8400s. Did you do the inletting yourself, or is this something they'll do on a custom basis? Any issues getting the action to pick up reliably from the AICS mags?
 
For a hunting scope, I wholeheartedly agree that a Leupold in 2.5-8x36 would be preferable, I would most likely arrive at the same conclusion. However, I plan on using this for distance target shooting as well, out to 1,000+ yards so wouldn't mind some more top end magnification. But not fully decided yet on that, maybe I leave this gun strictly for hunting and some medium range target shooting and stick with a more affordable, compact and lighter weight scope.

EDIT: I just realized rereading my OP that I didn't mention my target aspirations with this rifle. I've been thinking and talking about this build for so long that I left that out I guess.

Also, where are you finding that scope for $300, that's a steal.

Seems that a sub-8 lb. rifle would be antithetical to 1,000 yd shooting.

600 yds - is way the F out there, and 6x will still allow you to quarter a 4" aiming black.

Got the scope at the linked ($300 on a special) site, on a log-in special last year.

Found it on a UPC search at gun.deals.


EDIT:

Don't know anything about then, but right now ballisticdeals.com has'em for $314 (in the cart price).




GR
 
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A 8lb. rifle my not be ideal, but certainly is doable. I'm not looking to win any competitions, just the pure joy of shooting at that distance, practicing and learning. My range has a 500 yard bunker with steel and I have BLM within 10 minutes from my house where I could shoot out to miles. So it is very much on the forefront of my thinking with this rifle, but as was said before it is not something that I have set in stone.

I shoot my 8lb. 6.8 SPC out to 6-800 yards for fun at steel, so why not an 8lb. 280AI hunting rifle?

Would I build an 8lb. rifle for competition, heck no. But I'm not going to build a $2,000+ rifle to sit the whole year until hunting season that's for sure and shooting 100 yard groups are boring.
 
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