Not counting .22 LR's (we should all have multiples of those), I have a pair of 30-06's and a pair of 257 Roberts. Each in bolt action and Encore pistol. I loved them so much in rifles, I thought I'd better have them in pistols too! Beyond that and a few 9mm's, 40's & 45's, I try not to have the...
I have zero experience with either and like it has been mentioned multiple times before, they are extremely similar. Personally I'd go with the 9.3x62 if it was me, just for something a touch more unique and a little bigger bullet. Hell, you can't go wrong with either.
Nice load development so far. I love some Interbonds as well. I was able to find .277 130gr & 150gr Interbonds online just a couple of months ago. Scheels & Euro Optic had some. Not sure about now though.
My fireform loads were a 140gr, either Hornady or Berger doing about 2500 fps. Very accurate and I hunted with them. I haven't really played around a lot with the loads on formed brass. IIRC I had a 130gr Accubond doing 2700ish out of the 15" barrel. JD Jones claimed 2750+ with 140gr pills but...
139gr Hornady Interbond over 42 grs of Varget was a good load. Velocity was a little over 2700 fps in a 20" barreled A-Bolt of my buddy's. Absolute hammer on deer. Those bullets have been discontinued but it works almost as well with a 140gr Accubond.
The biggest buck I've ever killed was with...
257 Roberts in rifle & pistol
260 Rem in a pistol
6.5-270 JDJ in a pistol
6.5 PRC
270 Win
7mm-08
7 Rem Mag
7mm PRC
30-06 in rifle & pistol
35 Rem
44 Mag in revolver
454 Casull in revolver
45-70
Hoping to add 10mm in a Sig P220, 6.5x55, & 257 Bee this season. I also realize I have some serious...
None of the several barrels I have are rimmed and it's never been an issue. Not opposed to them, just haven't found one I'd want. Though a 30-30 AI in a Contender would be fun.
Definitely my favorite is the good ol' 30-06. Like everyone else has said, super versatile and even better with modern powders and bullets. My dad's favorite and my second favorite is the 270 Win. I wouldn't mind a 35 Whelen one day though.
I wouldn't let any of the above scare you off, the 280 will be great. I've had excellent luck and accuracy in my 7 Rem Mag rifle barrel. I have a 223, 257 Roberts , 6.5-270 JDJ and 30-06 pistol barrel. All have been great and I reload for all of them. All but the 223 have killed deer and hogs...
I've been shooting Encores for over a decade, mostly pistols. I own several barrels and got my first rifle barrel a few years ago, a 7 RM. Every barrel I've ever had, even in 15" pistol barrels, have been sub-moa. One thing too you don't think about until you get one, is their overall length...
Hard to pick one favorite of anything. I don't have any guns that I dislike or only mildly like, because they get sold. Favorite rifle is a custom 270 Win that started as a stainless factory gun. Dad had the barrel cut back, the whole action coated in some 3M thing in the 80's and put in a Brown...
I'm partial to the Marlins. I have a 336C in .35 Rem that's my favorite. Handles every bullet very well and I've shot several sub-moa groups with it. A couple years ago I got an 1895 SBL in 45-70 that's awesome too, but haven't killed much with it. My buddy has a 39A that I've tried to buy from...
I've killed whitetails out of my Super Blackhawk Hunter in .44 Mag with several bullets including 200gr & 240gr XTP's, 210gr Gold Dot, Lyman 429421 Keith bullet and Lyman 429640 280gr cast HP. All have done very well and were pushed with either 2400 or H110/W296. My favorite without question is...
Picked up my first Weatherby, a Mark V Accumark in 257 Weatherby. While not a rifle, I also got a Mossberg 835 Turkey which I bloodied this past weekend. I haven't shot the Weatherby yet but will soon.