I’m looking to get a lightweight backcountry 280 AI and have narrowed my choices to either:
Kimber Mountain Ascent
Weatherby 307
Fierce Rogue
They are all about in the price line that I’m looking for. Thoughts or recommendations on one over the others?
Also open to other ideas as long as it is similar in price and weight ($1500-2000 and 6-7lbs).
Thanks
Had a Kimber Mountain ascent. Ended up selling it. Didn’t particularly like
They have since upgraded that model, I know the new one has a different stock. I don’t know if the address any of the other issues I mentioned above
I also have a fierce, but a rage so not the exact model you’re looking at. It on the other hand is one of my favorite rifles. It would definitely be in the contention for one rifle for everything for the rest of my life contest. Very accurate and easy to shoot.
It’s got a carbon fiber Barrel which while I’m not wild about carbon fiber, it does at least allow it to use 5/8 threading for appropriate muzzle device or suppressor.
No experience with the weatherby. I will say that some of their models have the peak stock and most people seem to really love that. Some models have carbon fiber barrels which while carbon fiber at least allow 5/8 threading. They have steel barrel models typically are also quite thin and have half inch threading.
Browning has a few skus in 280 that look interesting. However last time I checked, which is probably been over a month now, absolutely not being produced or available
Thanks! Good to information about the Kimber. I was wondering how it would shoot being so light.
And that’s good to hear about Fierce. A lot of mixed reviews on the interwebs. Right now I’m really leaning toward the Fierce.
I know Fierce is like a lightning rod on the internet these days with everyone reporting issues. And I don’t discount those that do. I will say that I’ve got two of them and they’ve been both perfect.
Now mine happened to be the more expensive models because I really like the Sako Style action. But I just have a good friend who recently purchased a rival in 7prc For an upcoming elk hunt and he and I went to the range with it the other week and that thing is an absolute tac driver it was functioning flawlessly even when being run hard.
Thanks! I really like the look of the Rival so maybe it’s worth putting a little extra money towards that model
Do you happen to have an older rifle that you could take apart to use the action? Because I know a fantastically accurate barrel that you could get prefit for one of your actions. Barrel costs around $900 from Oregon Mountain Rifles.
You’d build something that would destroy any factory gun.
But of the ones you mentioned I’d pick Weatherby.
I actually do have an old Remington 700 30-06 that I was thinking of rebarreling into a 280 AI but only problem is I can’t find a chassis that I like for it. Do you know of any lightweight, affordable chassis that are do to hit the market anytime soon? 
Curious, what would make you pick the Wetherby over the Fierce?
I like Fierce. Great people and they care about what they do. But their customer service is really bad and they ignore problems in rifles. I have one lemon from Fierce and two fantastic rifles from them. Ya never know which you’ll get.
Great to know! Thank you for taking the time to respond. So do they not honor their 0.5-0.75 MOA guarantee?
You could Go this route, tikka T3x (599.00-$75)and build around the action, as they have a $75 nail in rebate, then get it re-barreled, and deal with the stock until the back-fire chassis comes.
I have the Weatherby ct alpine 307 in 6.5 prc, it’s a tack driver for sure. But what I don’t like is the 90deg bolt throw had to go to high scope ring mounts so that my hand had more space to work the bolt, also had to move the scope further forward as peak 44 stock has no way to adjust the length of pull, and the only way not to be bunched up into my scope etc… might look at the weatherby Mark V live wild series, as it’s light weight I
Their guarantee is that they can make it put three shots in that size group. That does NOT include the cold bore shot and they can try as many times as they want until three land that close. Ridiculous.
@backfire Which prefit barrel did you get from Oregon Mountain Rifles for your 280AI build that you are referring to?
I have 5 fierce, one being a twisted Rival in 280ai. Phenomenal gun. I’ll post a pic of my group when I tested ammo. 2 of my fierce rifles had issue, sent both in to fierce and had both back within 2 weeks, one with a new barrel the other with a new bolt. Both were sent back with a target showing groups and ammo. There’s a reason I keep buying them.
Barnes LRX - only a 3 shot group, but about .25 moa
Factory Barnes LRX or handload?
Either way, impressive!
Here’s the info on that build 280 Ackley Improved Rifle Build – Backfire
Yes, factory LRX 152g
Thanks for sharing this. I just grabbed a tikka T3x on sale for $700 to use as my action for a 280ai build w your chassis.
You can buy the 152 as a component bullet now. But darn, if Factory ammo is shooting that good I don’t know that I’d bother.
I don’t reload, so pretty excited how well it shoots.
I too am looking to build a 280 AI for several reasons but one of the bigger reasons is that I can get a faster twist than the 1:9 that is in SAAMI spec and seems a lot of factory rifles are going with. I really want a 1:8 twist for more options when hand loading.
