lancetkenyon Report post Posted August 29, 2017 Nope. I have had less than stellar results in all but 2 rifles I have loaded them in. Don't get me wrong, most people would be thrilled with some of the groups in a hunting rifle. And they are supposed to perform very well on game. But I have never seen an animal walk away from a bullet from a green/yellow/orange box that a bullet from a red box would have dropped. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike S Report post Posted August 29, 2017 Got some test loads worked up for the .280AI. Not going to have time to do a full load workup before my elk hunt, but I want something shooting decent so I can use it as my back-up back-up rifle. 168 HVLD & 160 TMK are touching the lands. 145 LRX is .0500" jump per Barnes started recommendation. Looking good. Back up back up rifle.... it is an addiction isn't it? grin. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted August 29, 2017 For elk: Main carry rifle: 7RM pushing 180 Hybrid Main long range (and main back-up) elk rifle: .300RUM pushing 230 Hybrid Back-up back-up rifle: .280AI 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cjl2010 Report post Posted August 29, 2017 Nope. I have had less than stellar results in all but 2 rifles I have loaded them in. Don't get me wrong, most people would be thrilled with some of the groups in a hunting rifle. And they are supposed to perform very well on game. But I have never seen an animal walk away from a bullet from a green/yellow/orange box that a bullet from a red box would have dropped. I hear you. My new creedmoor is the first rifle I've found that liked them. It likes berger too but doesn't like them at the higher end Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted August 29, 2017 Eric is ready to Cerakote my 6.5 SS. He got the bolt knob on after drilling it out and retapping it, and he got the muzzle brake turned down and blended in. This is an AxisWorks muzzle brake design. New item in his repertoire. That is a separate brake of AxisWorks design, turned down to blend and threaded on the barrel. Pretty darn nice machine work. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted August 29, 2017 Here is a quick couple photos of the .280AI too. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Browns Report post Posted August 29, 2017 Cool guns Lance! I can't wait to see them on some hunts... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rossislider Report post Posted August 29, 2017 I really need to stop looking at these AxisWorks posts. They are going to get me in A LOT of trouble! 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rumhunter84 Report post Posted August 29, 2017 Beautiful ! My 28 nosler is going to look exactly like that one but with graphite black Cerakote ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted August 29, 2017 Eric is fitting the Wyatt's box today for the 6.5 SS, and might be Cerakoting this week still. Man, I can't wait to see it! My S&B PMII 5-25x56 is getting lonely sitting in my safe waiting on the rifle to come back. Should be a deadly combo a long ways out. And those 155 Berger EOL Elite Hunters. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rumhunter84 Report post Posted August 29, 2017 Eric is fitting the Wyatt's box today for the 6.5 SS, and might be Cerakoting this week still. Man, I can't wait to see it! My S&B PMII 5-25x56 is getting lonely sitting in my safe waiting on the rifle to come back. Should be a deadly combo a long ways out. And those 155 Berger EOL Elite Hunters. Can't let my other half know but a custom 6.5 is going to have to be in my future ! Custom rifles are a addiction . 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rossislider Report post Posted August 29, 2017 Hey Eric, can you work something like this out for us? 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke-BE Report post Posted August 29, 2017 Eric is ready to Cerakote my 6.5 SS. He got the bolt knob on after drilling it out and retapping it, and he got the muzzle brake turned down and blended in. This is an AxisWorks muzzle brake design. New item in his repertoire. That is a separate brake of AxisWorks design, turned down to blend and threaded on the barrel. Pretty darn nice machine work. Deep grooves on the bartlien #3 how much weight did it save? I know on the 6.5 at 26" its 3.5# (without fluted) and if you bought it from factory fluted it weighted 3.6#. What the??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted August 29, 2017 I will weigh it when I get it back to find out what the total weight savings are with fluting the barrel, fluting the bolt, alloy bolt shroud, and alloy 20MOA Picatinny rail. I know the rail lost about 3 oz, the bolt shroud lost 2 oz. My LA bolt lost just over 1oz with fluting, another 1 oz, with the CF bolt knob install vs. the factory steel ball and 2 oz with the alloy bolt shroud. Went from 14.5oz to 10oz. But I added a muzzle brake and Cerakote. So I bet I won't lose too much. Maybe 4 oz? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted August 30, 2017 Stayed up too late last night and got some fire forming loads worked up. Using RL26, I did two charge weights 5 grains below max according to Rich Sherman. His max loads for a 140-143gr bullet is around 62.0-63.0 of RL26. I figured to be safe I would do 57.0 & 57.5gr. Five rounds of each charge weight, five different bullets just to break up the monotony. 142 SMK (actually 10 of the 57.0 for sight in and fire forming of the 57.0 load), 142 NABLR (which I have never had good results from), 140 Berger Hybrid, 127 Barnes LRX (only the 57.5gr charge weight), 140 Berger HVLD. Got 50 of 101 pieces run through the FL die, chambered, annealed and loaded. 142 SMK 140 HVLD 127 LRX 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
