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Kimbers in 257 Roberts and 280 AI

WORLD TWORLD T MemberPosts: 262 Member
in Hunting #1
I just left Scheels in Omaha, Ne. This place is better than Cabelas. :) I was drooling over all of the Kimber rifles. Two got my attention. 257 Roberts and 280 AI. Does anybody own either of those calibers? I sold my Browning 6.5 Creedmoor and need to replace it with something.
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  • Six-GunSix-Gun Senior Member Posts: 8,155 Senior Member
    #2
    I don't have any experience with those calibers, but I AM jealous that you got out the Scheels in Omaha. You ain't kidding about them being better than Cabela's. They waste very little floor space on the animal mounts and other décor. A whole lot more gets filled with guns and the other accessories a real sportsman needs. I miss that place!
    Accuracy: because white space between bullet holes drives me insane.
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  • WORLD TWORLD T Member Posts: 262 Member
    #3
    Six-Gun wrote: »
    I don't have any experience with those calibers, but I AM jealous that you got out the Scheels in Omaha. You ain't kidding about them being better than Cabela's. They waste very little floor space on the animal mounts and other décor. A whole lot more gets filled with guns and the other accessories a real sportsman needs. I miss that place!

    I was like a kid in a candy store.
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  • BigDanSBigDanS Senior Member Posts: 6,992 Senior Member
    #4
    Six-Gun wrote: »
    I don't have any experience with those calibers, but I AM jealous that you got out the Scheels in Omaha. You ain't kidding about them being better than Cabela's. They waste very little floor space on the animal mounts and other décor. A whole lot more gets filled with guns and the other accessories a real sportsman needs. I miss that place!

    If you get to North Canton, Ohio, try Kames Sporting Goods.

    D
    "A patriot is mocked, scorned and hated; yet when his cause succeeds, all men will join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." Mark Twain
    Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.... now who's bringing the hot wings? :jester:
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  • RazorbackerRazorbacker Senior Member Posts: 4,646 Senior Member
    #5
    Teach is building. A 280AI for me and I cant b wait to get my grubby mits on it. It's very versatile for the hand loader. I've been stockpiling various bullets since I ordered the barrel.
    Teach your children to love guns, they'll never be able to afford drugs
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  • snake284snake284 Senior Member Posts: 22,429 Senior Member
    #6
    I have just the opposite. My .257 Roberts is AId and my 280 is plain old Remington dimensions.
    Daddy, what's an enabler?
    Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
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  • Savage_99Savage_99 Member Posts: 47 Member
    #7
    Both the 257R and the 280 are scarce cartridges. Unless you already handload for them and have plenty of brass the 270, 308 or 30-06 will do as well with less hassle.
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  • snake284snake284 Senior Member Posts: 22,429 Senior Member
    #8
    Savage_99 wrote: »
    Both the 257R and the 280 are scarce cartridges. Unless you already handload for them and have plenty of brass the 270, 308 or 30-06 will do as well with less hassle.

    I've got all of the above, 270, 280, 308, and 30-06. I load em all with the .257 and .280 being no more hassle than the others. Brass for both is plentiful and no more expensive than any other. .257 and .284 (7mm) bullets are plentiful. Lots of custom rifles for both of these available in standard and Ackley Improved versions.
    Daddy, what's an enabler?
    Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
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  • shootbrownelkshootbrownelk Senior Member Posts: 2,035 Senior Member
    #9
    IMO, the Ackley Improved .280 wins hands down.
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  • Six-GunSix-Gun Senior Member Posts: 8,155 Senior Member
    #10
    BigDanS wrote: »
    If you get to North Canton, Ohio, try Kames Sporting Goods.

    D

    Noted!
    Accuracy: because white space between bullet holes drives me insane.
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  • jaywaptijaywapti Senior Member Posts: 5,037 Senior Member
    #11
    I don't have a .257, but I do have a .280AI , the only load I have so far is with 57gr IMR 7828, M70 action, 26" Shilen bbl. Puts 5 into 1 1/2" with Sierra 160 GK, haven't worked up a real accurate load or chrond. it yet. Book says 2900fps. I fireformed using Fed. new brass and Hornady superproformance .

    JAY
    THE DEFINITION OF GUN CONTROL IS HITTING THE TARGET WITH YOUR FIRST SHOT
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  • snake284snake284 Senior Member Posts: 22,429 Senior Member
    #12
    My plain Jane .280 Remington will get close to that, about 2800+ with a 160 grain GK. But my .257 IMP tops the standard Roberts by 200-300 FPS with any bullet I've tried, from 100 grains to 117s. That's one reason I went for the .257 Roberts AI. I read 30 years ago that the .257 AI was about the most efficient and worth while AI. And from what I've seen that was more than correct.

    My pet load in my .280 is a 150 grain GK or Nosler either Ballistic Tip or Partition over 56 grains of IMR 4831 which gives me between 2980 and 3000 FPS with no pain. I had thought about improving it, but I can't in good conscience screw with something that gives me this kind of performance with acceptable recoil and very good accuracy.
    Daddy, what's an enabler?
    Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
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  • RazorbackerRazorbacker Senior Member Posts: 4,646 Senior Member
    #13
    Wambli Ska wrote: »
    I've owned them both and did not find it to be particularly difficult to get ammo for either.
    I knew the minute I started following this thread, you enabling sunny beaches would talk me into yet another rifle.
    a .25 is a hole in the collection.
    Teach your children to love guns, they'll never be able to afford drugs
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  • snake284snake284 Senior Member Posts: 22,429 Senior Member
    #14
    Razorbacker wrote: »
    I knew the minute I started following this thread, you enabling sunny beaches would talk me into yet another rifle.
    a .25 is a hole in the collection.

    Oh you're gonna love it!!!
    Daddy, what's an enabler?
    Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
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  • WORLD TWORLD T Member Posts: 262 Member
    #15
    Razorbacker wrote: »
    I knew the minute I started following this thread, you enabling sunny beaches would talk me into yet another rifle.
    a .25 is a hole in the collection.

    I hear ya!!! Almost have myself talked into a new Kimber in 257 Roberts.
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  • snake284snake284 Senior Member Posts: 22,429 Senior Member
    #16
    WORLD T wrote: »
    I hear ya!!! Almost have myself talked into a new Kimber in 257 Roberts.

    That would be very sweet. It would be akin to an old Model 70 in .257 Roberts, only probably smoother. I'm not familiar with Kimber's pricing, but it would easily be worth $1200-$1400 in my opinion. That's about what I paid for my Yugo build without the scope. Of course it was reamed to the .257 Improved chamber.
    Daddy, what's an enabler?
    Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
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  • JasonMPDJasonMPD Senior Member Posts: 6,577 Senior Member
    #17
    Razorbacker wrote: »
    Teach is building. A 280AI for me and I cant b wait to get my grubby mits on it. It's very versatile for the hand loader. I've been stockpiling various bullets since I ordered the barrel.

    I has the jealous.

    I love my normal .280Rem and I love it. If it was a 1-8" or 1-8.5" twist I would ream it out to AI spec and launch 168gr or 175gr bullets from it.
    “There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” – Will Rogers
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  • snake284snake284 Senior Member Posts: 22,429 Senior Member
    #18
    JasonMPD wrote: »
    I has the jealous.

    I love my normal .280Rem and I love it. If it was a 1-8" or 1-8.5" twist I would ream it out to AI spec and launch 168gr or 175gr bullets from it.

    I haven't read up on it, but for even a 175 grain Spitzer, I'd think a 1:9 twist would be plenty. But I'll stick to my 1:10 twist 26 inch regular .280 chambered barrel. With 150 grain Spitzers it will kill anything I'm capable of hitting. And with that bullet it will hold the velocity up for as far as I'm capable of seeing a deer or a hog.
    Daddy, what's an enabler?
    Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
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