.280 Remington anyone?

[JM]

Got a wild hair for the .280 a few weeks back and chased down a lightly used Mark II so chambered. I'm having a ball finding loads it likes, definitely IMR 4350 over H4831 with 160 grain Sierra and Nosler. Doesn't care much for Hornady 162 gr BTSP over anything. RE 22 is looking pretty good with Sierra and Nosler alsoand IMR 7828 isn't bad either.

Have a couple of loads that have shot 3 inside a half inch (100 yds) more than once per trip.

This just seems to be a nice easy to load for cartridge and will likely go on the late season elk hunt with me around Christmas.
I just want to get some of your thoughts on this rifle. I'm definitely happy with it and looking to see what else it will do.

Jim

 

[horseshoe]

I shot a 280 Rem 700 with a rynite stock for years with no regrets. They are a deer killing machine with the 140 grain bullets. This was perhaps the most accurate rifle I ever owned. It had been sent back to the factory before I got it and the trigger was sheer perfection. I never loaded anything in it but H4831SC. It would be a candiate for a all around rifle for Deer or Elk.

horseshoe

 

[Stumps13]

I had a M77 in 280 and it was a good shooter but I have since gone to a 280 Ackley Improved and it really is a GREAT shooter. I use H4831SC for both and have had wonderful results.

 

[Coyote Hunter]

Was going to post a pic of my #1 in .280 Rem but the web site it sits on is down.

 

[guidedfishing]

I have two of them. A tag safety M77 in 280, and a M77 Hawkeye SS that I dropped into a Boyd's stock.

You now have one of the best all around cartridges ever when handloaded not much will match it in its class.

I've killed elk with a 162gr Hornady out of the 280. Its a great economical bullet if your rifle will group them. I typically use IMR 4350 with good results. For Whitetail my son prefers 154gr Hornady. When I'm goat hunting I load 140gr Nosler ballistic tips and it just drops goats in their tracks. I've also used 160gr speer grand slams on elk with good results but the 162 Hornady works fine and are easier on the wallet.

I usually hunt whitetails and up with my 35 Whelen these days, but did take the 280 out after our buck tags were full and dropped a doe later in the season this year with my goat load.

Your going to love your .280, and the reloading options are staggering. Looking back in my log book I have accounted for over 80 head of various big game with the .280.

Good luck
GF

 

[mattsbox99]

I picked up a closeout MKII when the Hawkeyes came out. Mine was kind of tough to find that MOA accuracy I knew it was capable of. 150 grain Nosler E Tips with RE 22 proved to be it, with 3/4" groups at 200 yards. Even shooting 2-2 1/2" groups my brother and I managed to harvest 5 deer with 7 total shots a few years ago.

 

[guidedfishing]

I did notice the other day that the local gun shop has what looks to be a very lightly used All weather M77 MKII in .280 with a boat paddle stock on the rack for 495.00. If I did not already have two I would of tried to talk him down.

Good luck
GF

 

[DocHolliday]

My favorite all time deer cartridge! I have two-first is a less than 1/4 MOA custom built by Charlie Sisk. Second, is a Ruger #1 rebarreled. The Sisk likes 150 gr Swift Scirroco over Ramshot Magnum and the Ruger loves 160 gr Swift A Frame over a very healthy dose of Magnum. Have a great time with one of the all around best out there- the old 7mm Express!

 

[bennettfam]

Have a family gun: custom built Mauser chambered for wildcat 7mm-06 AI, which I'm told was later made into the .280 Rem commercial cartridge. I have yet to shoot it but have a pile of loaded ammo for when I am ready.

 

[mattsbox99]

I do know the 280 and 280AI were John Nosler's favorite cartridges. So much so that his Legacy rifle was first chambered in 280 AI.

 

[BearStopper]

I wish I could remember who I bought the custom Winchester 280 AI from on this site because it is ridiculously accurate. The original owner gave me some left over Barnes bullets and load data using 4831. I had some 4831sc on hand so used that with a sub 3/4" group at 100 yards. When I ran out of the old Barnes bullets I bought the tipped triple shock bullets with the same load data and the first two shots went into one hole and the third a quarter inch away, all from a wobbly portable varmint rest. I am sold after hearing all the stories of accuracy both from the standard 280 and 280 AI. If I ever get an M77 I think I will get a 280 after hearing your report.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive got a win featherweight 280 now. I had a rem mountain rifle that i had to sell during a divorce and had a #1b that was a real tack driver but to heavy. Never had a 77 but was at the range with a guy shooting next to me with a tang safety 280. Talking to him he didnt know much about guns but when we went up to the 100 yard range and saw the 5 shot group he shot that could easily be covered by a dime i was floored. It was probably the most accurate sporter weight 77 id seen and he did it with remington 165 factory corelock ammo. Ive yet to find any 280 that shot that stuff much under 2 inch. As a matter of fact i was given 10 boxes of it once when my buddy closed his gunshop. I decided to pull the bullets and get the brass. For grins i weighted the powder charge and it varied as much a 5 full grains from case to case in the same box!!

 

[JM]

Thanks for sharing your experiences here. I'd read about the cartridge and was attracted to it, partly because it's a bit out of the mainstream, but didn't know anyone who actually used it.

Haven't done anything with IMR 4831 yet but have a couple jars on the shelf.

Jim

 

[Lloyd Smale]

its what every 270 shooter really wants!