Anyone else shooting a .280REM?

[crothmeier]

I picked up a Remington Model 7400 about 7 years ago, brand new and this calibur becasue of the price. I knew it was an odd calibur, but brand new it was 1/2 the price of a 30-06.

Yesterday I picked up a Browning A-bolt Stainless barrel, Black stock .280 and again, 1/2 the price of a 30-06 or .270

I wanted a bolt action w/ scope for the stand, and the semi w/out scope for inside the woods.

I happen to like this calibur, although everyone I talk to gives me carp about having such an odd calibur. I have 4 grain weights factory load that I have found, and find it to be a good, accurate, short and long-range gun. I've shot deer at 25yds, and 325 yds.

Anyone else out there shooting a .280? Positive or Negative comments????

[Bassman55]

My dad shot a .280 for about 20 years and when my brothers and I got old enough he bought us .280s. He had a 7400, but traded it this winter and brought a 750 woodmaster. Since they don't offer them in .280 anymore he went with a .270. My brothers and I all shoot Remington 700s that are stainless/synthetic. We all love them. We started hand loading 140 gr. Silvertip ballistic tips and really like that bullet for deer. With the hand loads we are getting nearly the fps as a 7mm mag which is the exact same caliber.

[crothmeier]

Remington makes 1 Model yet in the .280 a mountain gun, stainless barrel that retials for around $999. Noone i've seen stocks it, i just happened to find the two I have at Scheels

[Cooter]

I have a 700 Mountain in .280, have used it the past 15 years and really like it. My brother has a newer 700 Mountain(detach mag) in .280 and my dad has a 700BDL in .280. If I had a good excuse to replace mine I'd get it in .280 again in the 700 Mountain LS(which you mentioned above), which is laminated stock and stainless finish - I just love the looks of that gun.

We've shot 140 and 150gr bullets - remingtons psp core-lokt work well, I've killed a bunch with Winchester 140 ballistic silvertips, one with a 150 partition, and a pair with 140 fusion - pulled one of those out of the buck I shot last year and the mushroom was sweet.

Gonna handload one of these days, would also like to try Hornady's light magnum loads with a 139gr SST.

[creepworm]

A guy I deer hunt with has a model 700 in a 280. Sweet gun and killed a lot of deer with it. Everything I have experienced about these guns has been positive.

[crothmeier]

I used the 165gr remingtons the last 2 years deer hunting, and wow. What a chunk of lead compared to the 140 or 150. Im gonna sight in for using the 140 grain, possibly that hornaday 139gr round. See if i cant be accurate and not loose too much drop farther out.

Cooter, i was looking at the Stainless w/ laminated stock, that is a sweet lookin gun, i just wasnt sure i wanted to drop a grand on it, then found the Browning a-bold for less than half that price, with scope mounts on it.

[Cooter]

Too bad on the price tag for the Rem, I'd have a tough time spending that much as well. Guess I'll have to hang onto the old girl for a while yet!

[Full Choke24]

I have used my .280 since 1990 I had a 30.06 before that. I don't think there's too much difference between the two .06 has a little more knock down power but the .280 shoots flatter. The only complaint I have is finding the shell I like and the price.

[DRH1175]

It is a 7mm in a 30-06 case. 7mm is one of best bullets out there IMHO. .270, .280, and 30-06 are all about the same when it comes to killing power as they all are from the same case. I would buy one in a heart beat if a good deal came around.

[stretch]

I own 2-.280. One is in a browning a-bolt and the other one is a tikka bolt action. I love that caliber in both my guns and they both have killed many deer. The only down fall is trying to find ammo. It's not like you can go to the small sporting goods store and buy it there like the 7mm, 30-30 or the 30-06. Other than that i would buy another one.

[paul pachowicz]

I've watched this cartridge slowly fade away in popularity. I' think it was just a bad time to introduce a calliber so close, ballistically, to the venerable .270 and old favorite .06. and other then Remington, few other manufacturers, showed much interest in it. Maybe because it was introduced in pumps and auto loaders, I dunno. There isn't a thing wrong with the caliber and if I owned one I'd hold on to purely for sentimentality and prosperity. It'll knock a oose or a bear in the dirt for sure.

[Black_Bay]

Two of my uncles and I each have .280's and love them. Mine is a Mountain rifle. We've found that the most accurate round for this rifle is something in 140 grain. I've shot 140 and 165 grain. All have killed deer with ease. I've settled on using Hornady light magnum in 139 grains. For me this is a tack driver and performs very well on deer.

[Harmonica Bear]

I've had my .280 Browning A-bolt, 20 years now? Absolutely love it. 30-06 necked down to 7mm (ballistically more accurate). I think it is a great round. I've hunted it from the Big Woods up north to the Big Sky out west and think it works superbly. Again the only drawback is ammo availibilty and selection. the 140 gr. winchester ballistic silver-tip is all I've used the last several years.

[crothmeier]

What is the difference between a Remington Core-Lockt and the Winchester Ballistic Silver-Tip, besides the price difference? I've only ever shot the Core-Lockt, and had good luck, but have always wondered about the Ballistic-Tip.

[4buckisland]

I absolutetly love my .280. I shot my first deer with my late father's .280 woodsmaster. Two years ago I got a new Rem bolt action .280, and that same year my wife shot her first deer with the dads old .280 and this coming season, I am hoping that my son will shoot his first deer with that same gun. The only problem i am having is that most of the 140 gr. loads i have shot from my new bolt action blow up on impact. The damage is devastating and fatal, but usually no pass through and no blood trail.

[paul pachowicz]

Croth....to make matter simple, GOOGLE Winchester silver tip ballistic tip bullets. They are a variant of a hollowpoint which, in my estimation, cause ecessive meat damage. Now, the Rem core-lokt are a tried and true cooper encased lead bullet capable of meeting the needs of an average deer hunter in any caliber. I use the expression of "exotic" bullets as a commercial gimmick to lure shooters away from traditional bullets at a much high price.

[crothmeier]

Well i've had good luck with the Rem Core Lockt at $20 a box so i'll just stick to them i think. . . Im gonna sight my bolt action in with 150gr and the semi-auto w/ rifled sights with the 165, being that i have a few boxes of each.