For its 60th birthday I brought Dad's Remington m/725 in .280 out of semi retirement for this hunting season. Dad purchased this rifle new in 1957 or 1958 while stationed at Ft. Hood, TX. This was my Dad's first and only big game rifle until the last few years of his life when he used a .243 as he said the .280's recoil was getting to be too much. Dad had hunted as a young man but only small game as deer were very scarce in the area where he grew up.
I remember asking Dad when I was a very young why a .280 and he replied it was a better round than the .270 Win or 30-06. I also remember him having to have the Rod and Gun Club special order ammunition as .280 was not a normal stock item and could not be found at stores in town. Dad had always used the 150gr corelokt factory ammo. This situation prompted our getting into reloading. I think I was about 15 at the time. Dad told me it would be my responsibility to load the ammo to keep our hunting rifles fed which I accepted with much enthusiasm. Dad provided supervision as I learned.
Anyway on the second weekend of the season I harvested a respectable whitetail buck with Dad's rifle. I even used 150gr Corelokt ammo. I think Dad would be proud. Somewhere I have a picture of the first buck Dad harvested with the .280 and I will post it if I can find it. That buck was not first big game animal Dad harvested. I remember Dad telling me about his first big game harvest which was not even in the states, it was in Europe during WW2. Dad told me they supplemented the K rations which they primarily lived on any time they could. Dad shot a deer with a M1 carbine. I am not sure if it was by Dad's design but I harvested my first deer with a Winchester M1 carbine manufactured in 1943, I was 9 years old. I vividly remember that hunt and harvest though is was over 50 years ago. Still have the carbine too.
I remember asking Dad when I was a very young why a .280 and he replied it was a better round than the .270 Win or 30-06. I also remember him having to have the Rod and Gun Club special order ammunition as .280 was not a normal stock item and could not be found at stores in town. Dad had always used the 150gr corelokt factory ammo. This situation prompted our getting into reloading. I think I was about 15 at the time. Dad told me it would be my responsibility to load the ammo to keep our hunting rifles fed which I accepted with much enthusiasm. Dad provided supervision as I learned.
Anyway on the second weekend of the season I harvested a respectable whitetail buck with Dad's rifle. I even used 150gr Corelokt ammo. I think Dad would be proud. Somewhere I have a picture of the first buck Dad harvested with the .280 and I will post it if I can find it. That buck was not first big game animal Dad harvested. I remember Dad telling me about his first big game harvest which was not even in the states, it was in Europe during WW2. Dad told me they supplemented the K rations which they primarily lived on any time they could. Dad shot a deer with a M1 carbine. I am not sure if it was by Dad's design but I harvested my first deer with a Winchester M1 carbine manufactured in 1943, I was 9 years old. I vividly remember that hunt and harvest though is was over 50 years ago. Still have the carbine too.
) Barrel is 24" the stock strictly classic with metal grip cap and trap door butt plate. SCope is a Burris Fullfield II 3x9X. Probably should have done this a long time ago. 
