.280 Rem. Mountain Rifle

[Blkram]

My current 280 Rem so far likes the 140 gr AccuBond best (Federal Premium ammo) , producing 1/2" groups, and worked well on a nice spike elk At 110 yards.
As that is the bullet weight I have chosen to use in the 7mm-08, and using 155 gr in my 7mm Rem Mag, and 160's in the STW, I am going to move to the 150 gr bullets in the 280 Rem.

The Federal Premium ammo with the 150 gr Partition produced a group of 1.165" at 100 yards, at 2804 fps from my factory 24" barrel.
I do have a good supply of 150 gr BTs and ABs for it!
I have load data for the following powders and 65,000 psi, that should produce between 3000-3085 fps at max.: Re-16, H-414, Re-19, and Re-17 (slower to faster), and I have all of these powders on hand. These will all retain over 2000 ft. lbs of energy at 300 yards, and more than 1500 ft. lbs at 500 yards. The drops at 500 yards, with 200 yard zeroes, will be from 35.3" to 37". We'll see which provides me the best accuracy...

For reference, a moose's chest is approx 36" from back to brisket; not much holdover on a moose out at 500 yards, should one ever need to make a follow up shot with a 150 gr bullet at this performance level. A BDC type reticle makes it quick and simple for this type of scenario! I know I love the Leupold B&C reticle that I have on my 280 Rem!

 

[Capttom67]

Welcome from me as well. You have gotten some excellent advise from the guys. Any good bullet from a 280 Rem will work well for moose. I've taken a bunch over the years with a number of cartridges but not the 280 yet. I have two friends who use the 280 and they used 150 -175 gr bullets for moose. The one guy has shot a lot of bulls including some giants with 160 gr Partitions. My take is any good bullet from around 140 gr up will work well. The 150 gr Partition is one I would consider as well.

Sure appreciate your input
It all sounds good to me sounds like my 280 will do the job as long as I do my part!
Thanks

 

[SJB358]

Welcome aboard, can't give you any better advice than the others have!

I would hunt about anything with a 280 and 160 grain bullet that shot well. Just a great do it all sorta set up, if you don't have a 270 Winchester handy

 

[Capttom67]

I think you're correct Thank you, both are very good calibers!
Another week and a half down here in NC for heading home to Vermont probably will be quiet on my end for a little while until I can get home and get working on my reloads

 

[SJB358]

I think you're correct Thank you, both are very good calibers!
Another week and a half down here in NC for heading home to Vermont probably will be quiet on my end for a little while until I can get home and get working on my reloads

Good luck. Looking forward to seeing how you make out.

 

[M1Garand]

Good morning folks, I have a 280 mountain rifle that I've had for years and it is a great deer and bear rifle. I have hand loaded everything from 140 grain to 160 grain
Bullets for it, and can usually get a one to one and a half inch group at 100 yd traveling roughly 2,900 to 3,000 fps.
I am scheduled for a moose hunt in Newfoundland this fall and was thinking I should try to hand load some 175 grain bullets. Any thoughts on powders and loads for this?
I have 90% been using 4831 hoddson. powder. Thanks Captain Tom

I'm a little late coming into this, but I have a M700 Mountain Rifle DM in 280 Rem and have shot mostly 150s and 160s. Mine really likes IMR4831, RL19 & 26 (those two hard to get now) so I'd been working with Viht N560 I had on hand with the 154 and 175 Hornady Interlocks. It really seems to like N560 so far giving good accuracy and good velocities. And it's readily available. I'm still tweaking some seating depths but here's my results so far. Hopefully it's helpful, as I think either would do the trick for you.

57.5 grns N560 175 Hornady average velocity 2790 fps, Quickload pressure prediction, 61.5K.

60.5 grns N560 154 Hornady average velocity 2967 fps, Quickload pressure prediction, 61K. Two different seating depths (0.012" difference) so it doesn't' seem to be too sensitive to it.

 

[JD338]

Looks pretty good Randy.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

I'm a little late coming into this, but I have a M700 Mountain Rifle DM in 280 Rem and have shot mostly 150s and 160s. Mine really likes IMR4831, RL19 & 26 (those two hard to get now) so I'd been working with Viht N560 I had on hand with the 154 and 175 Hornady Interlocks. It really seems to like N560 so far giving good accuracy and good velocities. And it's readily available. I'm still tweaking some seating depths but here's my results so far. Hopefully it's helpful, as I think either would do the trick for you.

57.5 grns N560 175 Hornady average velocity 2790 fps, Quickload pressure prediction, 61.5K.

60.5 grns N560 154 Hornady average velocity 2967 fps, Quickload pressure prediction, 61K. Two different seating depths (0.012" difference) so it doesn't' seem to be too sensitive to it.

That's minute-of-deer to way out there.

 

[M1Garand]

Looks pretty good Randy.

JD338

Thanks Jim, this is one of my more fussy rifles so I'm liking how it shoots these and N560.

 

[walkinhorseman]

The 7mm bore has always been my favorite. I’ve had a number of 280 REM’s. A couple of custom rifles and a couple factory rifles. As far as Remington factory rifles, I have always liked the Limited Edition Classics and the Mountain rifles. But, over the years, I have had a number of factory rifles, including a couple out of the Remington Custom Shop. The problem that you get into with production rifles is it’s like a box of chocolates. You don’t know what you got until you shoot it. If you get a production hunting rifle that will statistically give you close to a minute of angle, you won. Sometimes, bedding will help, trigger tuning and load development will get the job done. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, there is a lower limit to what that barrel will give you. I’ve wasted a lot of time at the loading bench and shooting bench trying to make a silk purse from a sow’s ear.

Be realistic about what that rifle is giving you and just enjoy it for how it feels in the hand and accept what it is giving you if it does the job reliably.

I always looked at the 280 case as being best balanced in the 150 to 160 grain bullet weight range. Shot a couple deer with the 140’s and didn’t like the performance on game. I have used the 140’s in the 7-08 quite satisfactorily. Going up in case capacity, I feel that the 7mm rem Mag capacity is better served in the 160-175 grain range. Case capacity beyond the 7mm Rem in this bore is not of interest to me. I’v e often thought that I would like to muck about with 7x61 S&H but since I have a 280 AI, I’ll forgo that thought.

Sorry, but IMHO the Ultra Mags, Nosler 28 and similar case capacities are more about T-Factor than common hunting sense.

 

[Capttom67]

Tom,
I forgot to mention in my first post that I have owned 3 Rem 700 Mtn Rifles in 280 Rem over the years, but unfortunately never could get any of them to shoot less than 1" groups with factory ammo or handloads with 140-160 gr bullets. I attributed it to the pencil thin barrels, but there were bedding issues that I did correct on the latter two rifles after learning more, but only gained some improvement. Was disappointed because I really liked the mtn rifle configuration, weight, and checkering pattern. The 280 Rem is a favourite cartridge of mine!
I am happy to hear that yours is performing well for you.

I never did try the 175 gr bullets, in any of my previous, or current, 280 Rem rifles (current is a LH Rem 700 XCR that also has a LSS stock for fair weather/not so rugged terrain hunts), so couldn't provide any advice or other comment on 175 gr loads for you.

Hopefully the info others have provided will net you a good load!
A 175 gr bullet at 2800+ fps will be a tough combination to beat for large game!

So , I 've found since joining the forum and looking for nostler bullets that for some reason not everybody is carrying them but I got a box of Nosler AccuBond 175 grain
boat tails. I loaded up 3 each ( I know you should do five rounds) But as Bkram said, the mountain rifle has a thin barrel and heats up pretty quick, of IMR 4831 starting with 50 grains, 51.5 grains and 52.5 grains
LOA 3.279, BR primers
Hopefully It will cool off enough tomorrow to do some shooting It's been 95 to 100° here in Vermont! With over 90% humidity!
OMG ! I'm excited to try these loads
About a week ago I cleaned my rifle and shot three rounds each of 165 grain Remington factory loads three of my 150 grain Sierra BTHP deer hunting loads here's the targets

 

[PJGunner]

I do all my preliminary load work ups shooting three rounds. Later final testing may also be three round groups or depending on the cartridge five round groups. My pet load for the .280 Rem. is the 160 gr. Speer Grand Slam (older two core version. I haven't tried the newer version yet.) at 2910 FPS. I load the .280 at .270 Win. levels rather that thr SAAMI mandated 30-06 level.
Paul B.

 

[longrangehunter]

I think what Paul B. said is solid. If the first two are way off you’ll know you’re on the wrong track, and the third is the truth. A bullet never lies as they say.

I prefer to see a triangle over vertical or horizontal no matter how big it is. That’s were you want concentrate your efforts.

As long as you are producing a triangle, it’ll tend to shoot good out to distance.

Good luck, and focus on good fundamentals while you’re shooting.

 

[Capttom67]

I think what Paul B. said is solid. If the first two are way off you’ll know you’re on the wrong track, and the third is the truth. A bullet never lies as they say.

I prefer to see a triangle over vertical or horizontal no matter how big it is. That’s were you want concentrate your efforts.

As long as you are producing a triangle, it’ll tend to shoot good out to distance.

Good luck, and focus on good fundamentals while you’re shooting.

Thanks to both of you for your insight and I agree with you three decent shots will tell you if you're on the right track That's what I'm looking for at this point.
I like the knowledge I am picking up and seeing on this forum Thanks again I'll let you know how things work out

 

[wvbuckbuster]

I load four rounds of each load I'm shooting for groups. Not as many as 5. Can't get by with just three as I'm bad to pull shots

 

[PJGunner]

I load four rounds of each load I'm shooting for groups. Not as many as 5. Can't get by with just three as I'm bad to pull shots

I have been known to pull a shot now and then. It just means most of the time I have to run another three rounder the next time out. Worst one that just about made me sit down and cry was a ten rounder from my Kimber M84 in .223 Rem. I thought I'd try the old NRA test of shooting a ten round group. So help me, the first nine shots at 100 yards could be hidden under a dime. Shot number ten was enough out of the group that a nickel barely covered it. Whether I just flinched, rushed the shot or had a sudden change in the wind, there it was, out of the group at two o'clock. FWIW, that Kimber is my favorite coyote buster.
Paul B.

 

[frankm]

You ve gotten lots of good advice here. My input would be any properly constructed large game bullet (moose are large ) between 150-175 grs will do the trick as long as you put it in the correct spot! Let your rifle decide which bullet in these weight ranges it likes best based on accuracy/grouping; after that don’t look back or second guess yourself….. go find Bullwinkle !!

 

[Capttom67]

You ve gotten lots of good advice here. My input would be any properly constructed large game bullet (moose are large ) between 150-175 grs will do the trick as long as you put it in the correct spot! Let your rifle decide which bullet in these weight ranges it likes best based on accuracy/grouping; after that don’t look back or second guess yourself….. go find Bullwinkle !!

Thank you for your post and advice you're right, I have gotten tons of good advice And it's fun to see how many guys are into hand loading and hunting!
Yesterday I took three sets on three hand loads to the 100-yard range where I do most of my shooting. My good friend has a new very nice chronograph which we used
It was still pretty hot out, so took my time shooting and made out real well!
I loaded three shells with 50 grains of IMR 4831, three with 51.5 grains, and three would 52.5 grams (This last one was shown as Max)
After shooting the first shot at the third or max load we couldn't find the bullet hole and I thought maybe I had missed
Turns out it was the dead center hole! I don't think I have ever shot one quite as dead center that's that lol
Plan on loading some more after cleaning and shooting a few at 200 yd just to be sure but I think this number three load is my one for my hunt! B/Rgds
Capt Tom