120gr BT or 140gr AB in 280 Rem for antelope?

Scott Spencer

Handloader
Mar 27, 2008
525
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I bought a couple of bags of the 120gr BT seconds a while back and I was thinking about toying around with them. Looks like I'll get to go hunt antelope after all this fall so I've been trying to decide if I want to use the 120 BT or the 140 AB. I've seen pics of the BT on antelope and I was really leaning to the 140 AB even though the MV is lower than the 120 BT.

Thoughts on the 120 BT vs the 140 AB for antelope in the .280 Rem?

Thanks!!

P.S. I'm loading the 130 AB for my son's .270. It shoots well and I think it will do the trick on the antelope.
 
Scott,

The 140 gr BT is better than the 120 gr BT for antelope. The higher BC (.485) of the 140 gr BT will buck the wind better.
I am going to use the 140 gr AB in my 280 AI for my speed goat. :wink:

JD338
 
JD338":2elx6yhy said:
Scott,

The 140 gr BT is better than the 120 gr BT for antelope. The higher BC (.485) of the 140 gr BT will buck the wind better.
I am going to use the 140 gr AB in my 280 AI for my speed goat. :wink:

JD338
I'm with Jim. The 140 gr. AccuBond or Partition should work very well for you. Shoot which one of those two your rifle likes best and you cannot go wrong. I used IMR4350 54.0 grs. in my .280 Remington and it worked great. It's over the max in the Nosler book but I never had any pressure signs.
David
 
Thanks Jim and David. I think I will go with the 140gr AB. It shoots well in my .280 and I should be good to the 250 yds +/- I am comfortable shooting
 
I believe you are making a good choice. A 140 AB launched from your 280 will perform flawlessly on antelope, deer, black bear and even on elk if you should so choose.
 
Wise choice Scott.
Where are you hunting Speed Goats?

JD338
 
While I agree that the 140AB would buck the wind better, I don't know that it will do anything any different than the 120 Bt when it gets there. The 120 Bt is a pretty stout bullet. I used them to take a black bear out of my 280 AI last fall. And have used them to take several deer as well.

If you have the 120 Bts on hand I would not think twice about using them.
There is no question that the ABs are great bullets, but I think sometimes we underestimate the BTs. In last few years my 280 AI has taken a bull elk, a black bear, and a buck. All with Bts. I can't say that given the exact same shot placement that an AB would of offered much of an advantage.

I do really like the ABs, but if you already have a good load worked up, and bullets for it, I wouldn't change anything.
 
Thanks for the comments, Jake. I want to see how the 120 BT shoots since I bought 100 of them as seconds when they were in stock last year. I figure they will push 3000 +/- which will give me a pretty flat trajectory out a good ways.

Jim - My son and I will be hunting unit 22 (out of Buffalo) with a friend of mine from Utah. My buddy is friends with an outfitter there and he's going to let us hunt his private land. Just have to make sure I can buy our tags when they go on sale in July. :)
 
I am with the others. Shoot whatever shoots best Scott. I think they will both work excellent on antelope. Great to see you back around too buddy!
 
I took my 280 AI to the range yesterday to play with it a bit. My 120 Bt load is doing 3160, and put five under half inch. I'm using a mild IMR 4350 load. I would sure think that you should be able to get up to that speed with a 280 pretty easy.

That is the same load I used to take my bear last fall.
 
I have killed a couple deer with the 140 BT's in the .280 Rem and my grandson has killed one deer and (5) wild hogs (to 450 pounds) with the 140 CT Silvertip, .280 Rem, Browning rifle which is the same bullet as the Ballistic Tip. My load was 55 grs of IMR 4350 at 2940 fps with BR-2 primer.
 
Scott,

We are not that far apart, I am area 42/47.
Hope you get your tags.

JD338
 
Scott, I agree that either bullet will work. If you have wind conditions like here in Saskatchewan I think I would go with the heavier of the 2 :) but that is just my opinion :roll:

Blessings,
Dan
 
If you're limiting yourself to 250 yards there won't be much difference due to BC. I'd suggest you stretch that limit out to 350 yards, at least. It's easy to do and even 350 is a chip shot with a little practice. Distances in antelope country can stretch quickly.
 
Greentimber":1autw5nv said:
If you're limiting yourself to 250 yards there won't be much difference due to BC. I'd suggest you stretch that limit out to 350 yards, at least. It's easy to do and even 350 is a chip shot with a little practice. Distances in antelope country can stretch quickly.

Greentimber

Welcome to the forum.

You nailed it.

JD338
 
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