What Happens, Performance-wise, Shooting Factory Ammo in an AI Gun?

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Blaine
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What Happens, Performance-wise, Shooting Factory Ammo in an AI Gun?

Post by Blaine »

I know that's one of the ways to make brass, but is it useful for hunting or ?
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vancelw
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Re: What Happens, Performance-wise, Shooting Factory Ammo in an AI Gun?

Post by vancelw »

I've never had an AI caliber gun.
But supposedly, that's one main benefit of it. That you can shoot regular ammo out of it with no I'll effect and end up with AI formed brass to boot.

I almost bought a Kimber Montana in .280 Rem AI but snoozed too long. The Leupold vx6 scope retailed for twice what they wanted for the rifle and scope.
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Re: What Happens, Performance-wise, Shooting Factory Ammo in an AI Gun?

Post by GunnyMack »

I have a 257 AI that I put together. Mexican Mauser, Shilen bbl, nice hunk of Claro walnut.
Short answer is the brass flows into the new shoulder very nicely!
Velocities of factory is a tad lower, I never bothered to check accuracy. Gotta trim some after fire forming but I've never lost a case from forming.
If memory serves, I used a factory round for head space gauge, set to just touch the datum of neck / shoulder. This prevents cases from separating.

Oh yeah, this rifle is kinda strange, it doesn't shoot great groups at 100 but let it stretch its legs a bit, say 200 and groups come right tight. It drove me nuts while developing loads. No idea how many weights, styles, makes t tried!
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Re: What Happens, Performance-wise, Shooting Factory Ammo in an AI Gun?

Post by harry »

On my 6mm Remington AI factory loads perform well in fire forming, I've shot prairie dogs and stuff with them but just on the chance that Murphy might show up I never shot at deer or elk while fire forming brass.
The 280 AI is different in that there are several "dimensions" used, some on the 30-06 and some on the 30-03 (longer case), different shoulder angle.
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Re: What Happens, Performance-wise, Shooting Factory Ammo in an AI Gun?

Post by GunnyMack »

Sorry its NOT Claro but bastone!
See-
20180815_180440-600x800.jpg
20180815_180429-600x800.jpg
This was my 3rd rifle that I put together while attending TSJC gunsmith program.
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Re: What Happens, Performance-wise, Shooting Factory Ammo in an AI Gun?

Post by Blaine »

Our erstwhile formite Bestlever loaded for his Son's 30WCF AI: 130 grain pointy bullets. A double rifle of sorts that approached 2800fps, so the story goes and a death ray on deer so the story goes. Sounds interesting.
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Re: What Happens, Performance-wise, Shooting Factory Ammo in an AI Gun?

Post by Pisgah »

I have never owned a gun chambered for an AI round, but I do own a Brown Model 97D chambered for .300 Bench Rest Magnum. This round is akin to the .30-30 AI, although the detailed specs differ. Fireforming .300 BRM brass is a simple matter of firing factory .30-30 rounds in the rifle -- they come out as perfectly-formed .300 BRM cases. While accuracy with .30-30 is not quite up to what the gun is capable of with my .300 loads the rifle is still the most accurate .30-30 I have ever owned, and that ain't too shabby.
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