Accuracy and Velocity Loading 160 gr Accubonds for .280 Rem

[JD338]

Thanks, I will just have to reload the cases and see what life is with the brass. I am going to go with it for now.

I think you are on to a really good load! Excellent velocity and accuracy.
Way to go!

JD338

 

[Greg Nolan]

I'm a little late on this but I finally got to the mountains to do my long range sight in for Idaho. It's always been difficult to get velocity readings at the range because of the number of people shooting. It re-sets or alters my velocities. My 280 Wby ultralight with 60 gr. of 7828 and a 24" barrel and 2" of that lost to a muzzle brake is shooting an honest 2950 fps. with 160gr. Accubonds. And accurate. I punched the 3/4 in black dot at 300 yards. I'm impressed. I'm 1.5 grs. over the Nosler #3 manual but that's normal for Accubonds over partitions. I did work up to the load. I never did have pressure signs, I just stopped for safety sake and the accuracy was great. It's not a 7 mag. but the deer will never notice the difference.
Great Thread
Thank You
Greg

 

[Oldtrader3]

Greg, I am happy to see that others are able to verify my results with this caliber and IMR 2878 SSC. I was also very pleased withe the accuracy that I got with the Accubonds in the .280. Anytime that I can get within 100 fps of the 7mm Rem Mag with a smaller case, I am a happy camper. Good luck with this hunting load this year.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Thanks Oldtrader3
It was a co-incidence that I set about loading from the Nosler #3 book. I like 7828 and the velocity it claimed. When I saw your post it made me feel a little better about it. My range velocities where all over the place 2500 to 3500 depending on who shot when around me. Today I got the real deal and what you said was verified for sure. Every now and then I look at some of the old manuals and change powders. It sure paid off this time.
Thanks
Greg

 

[Oldtrader3]

My pleasure, every now and again one can glean some good information out of older manuals (like #3). I always wondered why no one had really wrung out IMR 7828 in the .280 with 160 grain AccuBond, Partition and heavier bullets? The light just went on and it worked!

 

[nvbroncrider]

I use 4350 with 150 PT and get 3150fps. Everyone says I'm nuts that I can't be within 50 fps of a 7mag. I shoot 3/4" groups with it and could bump it up 1 gr but why? Your talking .5" maybe an inch drop @ 300yd difference but I'm doing that with 50% less recoil it shoots the lights out and you can comfortablly shoot her all day. Like anyone here who is a member of the ".280 cult" Remington killed it before she had her feet on the ground when they introduced it in the 740 and 760 instead of a 700. It's no different than what Winchester did to the .284 it's in the same boat, great little cartridge but was failed from the start. If you look at all of the most popular cartridges today every one of them are introduced in a good strong bolt action where they are set up for success. At least these companies have learned from their follies in the past. Imagine if Remington had introduced the 7RUM or 7SAUM in a 740 or 760 what kind of performance would you be getting?

 

[Oldtrader3]

Exactly, right on Nvbroncrider! A lot of us have been aware that Remington dropped the ball on the .280 and Winchester on the .284. All of Winchester's bolt actions back in those days were the long Model 70 action. There are quite a few cartridges out there which have been, for whatever reason, mismarketed and never became as popular as they should have been, given the design of the cartridge.

The 8mm Rem Mag is another cartridge that should be as popular as the .338 Win Mag but Remington hampered it from the start with poorly performing bullet choices. The Remington SAUM cartridges were also pretty well DOA also, because they did not market them well as short fat magnums! Ruger did a better job with their RCM line. Not picking on Remington in particular but they are good examples.

 

[Greg Nolan]

Your right about that. The 8MM Rem mag was a great long range power broker and even had Craig Boddington writing it's praises but it never got much publicity from Remington or the other writers of the day. The Irony is that Winchester later stold the 8MM mag. niche with the 325 WSM and it's found a solid footing in the market.
Greg

 

[orchemo]

Realize this is an old thread, but I am just going to have to try 7828. My Rem 700 280 shoots very well with IMR-4831, but not at the velocity you all are getting with 7828.

I hear people aregetting really great velocity with the new LRAB 150 gr. Wonder what these bullets would do loaded up to the higher pressure limits ?

Now I need to find either some 7828 or some 150gr LRAB.

Cheers

 

[PJGunner]

Orchemo. I just started playing with 7828SSC and the 150 g. ABLR. Worked up to the max load in the #7 manual using the AB data as a guide. Now I have to play with the seating depth but at the max load I got 3010 FPS. Now I have to wonder what kind of results I'll get with the ABLR in my 7x57. I've been trying to find more of those bullets and 7828SSC but they seem to have evaporated from the face of the earth.
Paul B.

 

[Horsethief]

My 280 Rem with 58gn of RL-19 and 160gn Partitions averaged 2975fps muzzle velocity with bullet holes touching @ 100yds. Supreme 780 and the 160 PTs shot OK, but the RL-19 was better. Win large primers were used with both loads.

 

[elkeater2]

My old reliable 7mm/.284 caliber is built a Mauser 98 action. It was re-barrreled to 7x57 with a Douglas barrel. I came into heaps of milsurp 30-06 brass, and started making 7x57 brass from it. Got tired of the process, and followed an old Laramie gunsmith's advice and had it re-chambered to 7mm/06. I have never had difficulty reaching the velocities listed as max for the .280 Rem in the manuals even though case capacity is slightly less, with the shoulder at '06 length, .050 less than the .280. I have always thought .280 data was limited because of the semi-autos and pumps as well.
Wish somebody would do some actual pressure gun testing with the .280 and modern powders and bullets, it could be an eye-opener!
EE2

 

[orchemo]

Paul - Natchez had a bunch of IMR-7828 SSC last week. While the shipping an hazmat are price killers, just order enough to dilute the pain. I ordered a bunch of IMR-4831 and 3 cans of 7828SSC

 

[PJGunner]

I hit the range yesterday with the .280 and the 150 gr. ABLR's again. I guess the rifle just does not like them. :roll: To add insult to injury, the load that was just fine last week showed pressure signs and velocity was erratic. :?: :?: :?:
On anoter note, I loded five rounds with the 160 gr. Speer Grand Slams with WMR to try. I used the load as is from an older Winchester booklet (#15). The load was 57.8 gr of WMR for 2795 FPS at 56,800 PSI. Average velocity was 2816 FPS with as ES of 47 FPS. Group was 1.5x7/8" counting the one flyer. Discount the flyer and it's one inch ny seven-eights. Bullet was seated to the cannelure There just isn't enough room in the magazine to seat it out any farther. Methinks I'll play with that one a bit more. I've set the ABLR's aside for use in my 7x57s, at least for now.
Paul B.

 

[Horsethief]

Elkeater: Nosler's 7th edition reloading manual has the hottest / fastest 280 Rem loads I've seen. I've exceeded the loads in that book by 2 to 2.5gn and had no signs of overpressure. I am using a Mauser 98 action and a 24" barrel.

 

[nvbroncrider]

Elkeater: Nosler's 7th edition reloading manual has the hottest / fastest 280 Rem loads I've seen. I've exceeded the loads in that book by 2 to 2.5gn and had no signs of overpressure. I am using a Mauser 98 action and a 24" barrel.

I don't about the fastest or hottest but if you look at some of the data in the #3 some are hotter and most of the data is the same which was printed in 1989. Although I will agree a lot of it is underloaded. With 150's in my gun I can run up to 55.5 in my gun with no pressure book is 51.5. With 140's I can run up to 57.5 and book max is 52.5. With 160's max in #3 is 58.5 with 7828 in #7 its 54.

I have found that in modern actions and powders with older cartridges that were not properly introduced or have been loaded to lesser standards because of safety concerns. I load for a number of these 257 6.5X55 7X57 280 because SAMMI has set standards all ammo manufactures must abide by these standards although it may be perfectly safe to exceed these pressures with modern actions. It becomes a liability issue.