Building a LW Storm .280 ai?

[Newtosavage]

Nice! I ordered a .270 LWH with the intent of using it for a lightweight 280ai build, and it shot so good i just decided to keep it as it was. So i bought another Savage lightweight hunter just like it. The kimber is sub MOA and most of the time sub 3/4. I was looking to make something like my kimber Classic select 280ai, but i wanted it to be better accuracy. No matter what i did, i just couldn't get the kimber to go better than 7/8 with hand loads. I figure since most of my savages are better than that it would be easy with an aftermarket barrel on a Savage LWH. After i got a 300 WSM ultralite i changed my thinking and kind of decided if i was to do another lightweight rifle it would be a 6.5 PRC Savage ultralite and the 280ai kimber and .270 LWH will go down the road... and then i picked up a kimber adirondak 7mm-08 because it was half price at Cabelas.
The moral of the story, roll with the punches, and keep your eyes open... but that things can get away from you in a hurry if you don't stick to the plan.
Seriously that is a good plan you have! I would go with a slim profile savage prefit in one of the big name aftermarket barrel makers and you will probably love life

I suppose I would be tempted to do the same thing if I didn't just buy a LWS in 7mm-08 that shoots lights-out. I mean 0.3-0.6" with three different hand loads. There is so little difference between a 7mm-08 and a .270 (especially in a 20" barrel) that keeping the LWS .270 as a .270 would just be redundant.

I have a 116 '06 that is a tack driver, and I like the idea of having an '06, so I may pull the barrel and make myself a LWS with a sporter '06 barrel and see how I like it. As much as I want a .280ai, there isn't that much difference between it and an '06 for all practical purposes.

Hate to break apart that 116 because she shoots so damn good, but a .280ai barrel is gonna cost me!

[Newtosavage]

x2

That may very well be exactly what I do if I choose to stick with the .280ai plan.

Great advice btw about sticking with the plan. I get easily distracted by shiny things and often spend more time and money chasing things I never really wanted, than if I had just been patient and followed my original plan. But I guess that's also how you learn. :D

[Newtosavage]

I have a 116 '06 that is a tack driver, and I like the idea of having an '06, so I may pull the barrel and make myself a LWS with a sporter '06 barrel and see how I like it. As much as I want a .280ai, there isn't that much difference between it and an '06 for all practical purposes.

Hate to break apart that 116 because she shoots so damn good, but a .280ai barrel is gonna cost me!

I wanted to update this thread with what I decided to do -

I did pull the '06 barrel off that 116, and swapped it with the .270 barrel on a brand new long action LW Storm. So rather than build the .280ai I had initially talked about, I've ended up with a LW Storm (new version stock and action) with a stainless '06 barrel off that 116. I then trimmed an inch off the barrel and recrowned it for length and balance. Topped with a Redfield 3-9x40 Revolution scope, it weighs in at exactly 7 lbs. now. And yes, that barrel is still a tack driver.

I now am the proud owner of a Lightweight Storm in 30-06, and I hauled that thing all over the mountains of NW Colorado during the 2nd rifle season, where we had 15" of snow and temps down to 1 degree. The rifle was great. I had an opportunity to shoot it to 400 yards at a public range, and it grouped consistent and very well.

I never thought I'd end up with a Lightweight Storm barreled in 30-06, but here I am. And I'm completely satisfied with the end result.

[yobuck]

In my limited experience, there are other benefits that come with the AI. My 280 AI cases don't grow in OAL and the shoulder hasn't grown through 4 firings. So far, I like it for sure.
Ok, but that has nothing to do with the actual performance, as in muzzel velocity gain with a short barrel.
I have owned a factory Rem 700 in 280 for several decades, probably three decades, with the standard 22” barrel.
But i question the wisdom of having it converted to the AI chamber for the roughly 100 fps gain which may not even happen?
Id personaly be more apt to rebarrel to a 26” if i were to do that.

[Orezona]

Ok, but that has nothing to do with the actual performance, as in muzzel velocity gain with a short barrel.
I have owned a factory Rem 700 in 280 for several decades, probably three decades, with the standard 22” barrel.
But i question the wisdom of having it converted to the AI chamber for the roughly 100 fps gain which may not even happen?
Id personaly be more apt to rebarrel to a 26” if i were to do that.

Which is why we live in "A'Merica". i like what I did and you can do the 26" whatever. Cheers to you as a 2A brother!

[Orezona]

I wanted to update this thread with what I decided to do -

I did pull the '06 barrel off that 116, and swapped it with the .270 barrel on a brand new long action LW Storm. So rather than build the .280ai I had initially talked about, I've ended up with a LW Storm (new version stock and action) with a stainless '06 barrel off that 116. I then trimmed an inch off the barrel and recrowned it for length and balance. Topped with a Redfield 3-9x40 Revolution scope, it weighs in at exactly 7 lbs. now. And yes, that barrel is still a tack driver.

I now am the proud owner of a Lightweight Storm in 30-06, and I hauled that thing all over the mountains of NW Colorado during the 2nd rifle season, where we had 15" of snow and temps down to 1 degree. The rifle was great. I had an opportunity to shoot it to 400 yards at a public range, and it grouped consistent and very well.

I never thought I'd end up with a Lightweight Storm barreled in 30-06, but here I am. And I'm completely satisfied with the end result.

Great for you Sir! I hope you enjoy and harvest animals for the freezer.

[want2ride]

I wanted to update this thread with what I decided to do -

I did pull the '06 barrel off that 116, and swapped it with the .270 barrel on a brand new long action LW Storm. So rather than build the .280ai I had initially talked about, I've ended up with a LW Storm (new version stock and action) with a stainless '06 barrel off that 116. I then trimmed an inch off the barrel and recrowned it for length and balance. Topped with a Redfield 3-9x40 Revolution scope, it weighs in at exactly 7 lbs. now. And yes, that barrel is still a tack driver.

I now am the proud owner of a Lightweight Storm in 30-06, and I hauled that thing all over the mountains of NW Colorado during the 2nd rifle season, where we had 15" of snow and temps down to 1 degree. The rifle was great. I had an opportunity to shoot it to 400 yards at a public range, and it grouped consistent and very well.

I never thought I'd end up with a Lightweight Storm barreled in 30-06, but here I am. And I'm completely satisfied with the end result.
Glad to hear it!