280 Remington
- Thread starter SuperCub
- Start date
There are two 280s in my safe, a Browning A Bolt Medallion, which I love to shoot, and a plastic and stainless Savage for when the weather is crappy. Both shoot rather well and have accounted for many whitetails. I took them to Montana for an elk hunt but sadly didn't even see one. No doubt either one would have been up to the task.
I have always wanted a 280 Rem. Why you ask? Because its better than... I recently had the good fortune to pick up a Rem 7600 pump in said caliber. I like the pump guns as my dogging rifle for the deer hunt, and have previously used a 760 in 300 Savage with good results. I was at the range today playing with the new pump - I think I'm going to have to start an exercise regimen for my left arm, so I can deal with that lonnggg cartridge.
Nope ..... The Frankengun still "lives".
I had a SS SPS 30-06 bbl laying around, so I re-purposed it as a 300H&H.
SuperFranckieFuddlyCubb………………………..that's awl I gotta type 'bout that.
My current favorite 280 is a Rem 725. Burris FF2 on top, great hunting combo. - dan
A Remington 700 BDL SS. The load is over max Re19 with a 140 grain Barnes TTSX. Great accuracy, consistent and deadly on Deer, Black Bear and Coyotes.
The scope is a Leupold VX-6 with the CDS and at a getting of 400 yards the shot was 2" left . . . good enough for the girls I take out!
The scope is a Leupold VX-6 with the CDS and at a getting of 400 yards the shot was 2" left . . . good enough for the girls I take out!
Hand Skills
CGN Regular
- Location
- In the 'heartland', southern SK
I agree - brass for the Rem is relatively inexpensive and easy to find.
Some load data suggests the AI offers a significant increase in performance, but the truth is; loaded to the same pressures (and with the same barrel length) the difference is very small (~50fps).
I don't see much loaded ammo for either on the shelves though. For one who doesn't reload, I think .270 or 7mm RM makes more sense.
Agreed. Couldn't find the time to load for a .280 Remington 7400 which I sold a while ago. Just sold the dies and spent brass last week. Will focus on.270 because of the accessibility of good factory ammo over the counter. I have 53 pcs of Federal premium Factory ammo to sell off if anyone is interested.The 280 ammo all had to be ordered in for me where I live.
All kinds of it in ranges around the country. All you have to do is take it home and resize it to 280 Rem.
Ted
I bought 100 pieces of Nosler from Jerry at Mystic Precision. Can’t find the receipt, but don’t recall it being crazy expensive.
CranePete
Damn auto correct. I meant Prophet River have it
Hand Skills
CGN Regular
- Location
- In the 'heartland', southern SK
Yup, they haven't always stocked it, but they have for the last year or so.
Hornady is among the least consistent (I weight sort)
Winchester is nickel plated only now
Nosler and Norma are expensive, but come well prepared (prime, charge, seat bullet - no brass prep required)
Remington brass is relatively consistent and relatively inexpensive.
It's true there is an abundance of .270 and 30-06 brass (cheap!) but I've stuck with headstamped brass for the .280.
Using 30-06 brass is easy though, running through a .280 sizing die forms a false shoulder on that looong neck and its ready to load. The cases come out ~.020" too short overall, but they will still function.
.270 -> .280 is trickier. Seems like instead of sizing the neck to 30 cal and then forming a false shoulder some prefer to seat bullets into the lands (to ensure headspace). 270 win cases are longer, so they'll make the trim length, but either way, you end up fireforming.
At that point, why not call it a 7mm Express, that sounds way cooler than .280AI
Hornady is among the least consistent (I weight sort)
Winchester is nickel plated only now
Nosler and Norma are expensive, but come well prepared (prime, charge, seat bullet - no brass prep required)
Remington brass is relatively consistent and relatively inexpensive.
It's true there is an abundance of .270 and 30-06 brass (cheap!) but I've stuck with headstamped brass for the .280.
Using 30-06 brass is easy though, running through a .280 sizing die forms a false shoulder on that looong neck and its ready to load. The cases come out ~.020" too short overall, but they will still function.
.270 -> .280 is trickier. Seems like instead of sizing the neck to 30 cal and then forming a false shoulder some prefer to seat bullets into the lands (to ensure headspace). 270 win cases are longer, so they'll make the trim length, but either way, you end up fireforming.
At that point, why not call it a 7mm Express, that sounds way cooler than .280AI
I built a 280 Remington a couple of years ago on a 700 RA action. I was hoping to get some substantial velocity gains with 140 grain bullets over my 7x57.
I did get a slight velocity gain but not enough to warrant the expense. Where the 280 shines over the 7-08 and 7x57 is with heavy bullets.
A bit of history, the 280 has a 25 inch bbl, 7-08 has a 24 inch bbl and the 7x57 has a 25 in bbl. All have 1-9 inch twist rates. All shoot everything from 120 grain monolithics to 175 grain spitzers into 1moa or less if I do my part and I have the witnessed targets to prove it. The only rifle that doesn't have a factory bbl is the 280.
About the maximum velocity I can get out of any of them, with 140 grain bullets is 3000fps and that's with the 280, loaded hotter than most manuals suggest. The 280 pressures are kept purposely low because of the Remington semi auto and pump action rifles it came out in, or that's the story anyway.
The Model 7 with the 7-08 chamber will give me 2850 fps with the same 140 grain bullets and the Mod 1935 Mauser will generate 2900 fps before showing pressure signs.
Now, here's where the 280 shines. It will shoot the 168 and 175 grain bullets of any design significantly faster than the other two 7s. No, not as fast as a 7mm Rem Mag but close to factory specs and it doesn't have nearly as much recoil and uses a lot less powder. (I'm recoil sensitive.) No, I'm not saying it's a better all around ctg than the 7 Rem Mag, which IMHO is a great performer.
The 280 Rem is a good choice for hand loaders. IMHO it's the Rodney Dangerfield of the 7mm cartridges because of the rather mild factory loads that are available. Brass is available but most shops don't carry it and it has to be ordered. Yes, there are a few places that do carry it. Sadly, most of the brass I've found is Winchester nickel plated, which I really don't like because of the extra hassle reloading it.
SuperCub, your cartridges shouldn't be limited to the loads listed in most loading manuals. There's no reason I can see for not loading up to 60K psi in a modern strong action, in the same manner the 7-08 and other high pressure cases are loaded. Same goes for the 7x57.
I really like my 280 and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if it were the only choice I had for my needs. Thankfully I'm blessed and that isn't an issue. IMHO, you've made a superb choice.
I did get a slight velocity gain but not enough to warrant the expense. Where the 280 shines over the 7-08 and 7x57 is with heavy bullets.
A bit of history, the 280 has a 25 inch bbl, 7-08 has a 24 inch bbl and the 7x57 has a 25 in bbl. All have 1-9 inch twist rates. All shoot everything from 120 grain monolithics to 175 grain spitzers into 1moa or less if I do my part and I have the witnessed targets to prove it. The only rifle that doesn't have a factory bbl is the 280.
About the maximum velocity I can get out of any of them, with 140 grain bullets is 3000fps and that's with the 280, loaded hotter than most manuals suggest. The 280 pressures are kept purposely low because of the Remington semi auto and pump action rifles it came out in, or that's the story anyway.
The Model 7 with the 7-08 chamber will give me 2850 fps with the same 140 grain bullets and the Mod 1935 Mauser will generate 2900 fps before showing pressure signs.
Now, here's where the 280 shines. It will shoot the 168 and 175 grain bullets of any design significantly faster than the other two 7s. No, not as fast as a 7mm Rem Mag but close to factory specs and it doesn't have nearly as much recoil and uses a lot less powder. (I'm recoil sensitive.) No, I'm not saying it's a better all around ctg than the 7 Rem Mag, which IMHO is a great performer.
The 280 Rem is a good choice for hand loaders. IMHO it's the Rodney Dangerfield of the 7mm cartridges because of the rather mild factory loads that are available. Brass is available but most shops don't carry it and it has to be ordered. Yes, there are a few places that do carry it. Sadly, most of the brass I've found is Winchester nickel plated, which I really don't like because of the extra hassle reloading it.
SuperCub, your cartridges shouldn't be limited to the loads listed in most loading manuals. There's no reason I can see for not loading up to 60K psi in a modern strong action, in the same manner the 7-08 and other high pressure cases are loaded. Same goes for the 7x57.
I really like my 280 and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if it were the only choice I had for my needs. Thankfully I'm blessed and that isn't an issue. IMHO, you've made a superb choice.
Yes, that is the story, and yet the same rifles have always been chambered in 270 Winchester which operates at the highest end of factory pressures.
Ted
Winchester nickel plated, which I really don't like because of the extra hassle reloading it.
The problem I encountered was trimming to length as the nickel raises hell with the Forster carbide cutter.
Fortunately Forster has a resharpening service but once they require trimming in the future there is always a scrap brass bucket.
Cost: I don't recall as it was bought at Kesselrings in 1998.
After selling the 338 WM this is my "GoTo" rifle.
The problem I encountered was trimming to length as the nickel raises hell with the Forster carbide cutter.
Fortunately Forster has a resharpening service but once they require trimming in the future there is always a scrap brass bucket.
Cost: I don't recall as it was bought at Kesselrings in 1998.
After selling the 338 WM this is my "GoTo" rifle.
