DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,317
- 5,990
I managed to make it to the range yesterday to work with a customer's rifle. I took my new 280 Remington with me to do some load development. This is the 50th Anniversary Edition that I picked up recently.
I was shooting some 139 grain Hornady GMX bullets, trying a few powders that I don't use often. With Rottweil R905, I developed some exciting velocities, but as the charge approximated maximum, the groups opened from 0.86 inches (3016 +/- 8 fps) to 2.21 inches (3169 +/- 13 fps). There would be nothing wrong for whitetail, mule deer and black bear with a load at 3016 fps shooting sub-MOA.
With ReLoder 17, I generated some fine velocities and excellent groups. At a maximum charge, I was generating 3035 +/- 10 fps with a group of 0.56 inches.
At my lowest charge, the group was 0.81 inches. There may be possibility for this load.
Though the velocities were not great with A4350, the groups were very nice. The best group was 0.37 inches and the velocity was about 2600 fps.
At a maximum charge, the group has opened to 0.56 inches though velocity was still only about 2700 fps.
Bear opens next weekend, so I shot a couple of my hunting loads to see what they were doing in my other 280 (Winchester Featherweight). The 140 grain Combined Technologies BST is launched at 2801 +/- 11 fps and grouped at 0.85 inches. Yeah, that'll do. In the same rifle, a 150 BT charged with IMR 4350 gave me 2516 +/- 10 fps and a group size of 0.56 inches. A couple of hunting loads in my 7 RM give me 2999 +/- 12 fps and 0.93 inches with a 160 grain TSX and 2984 +/- 26 fps with a group of 0.94 inches with a 160 grain Fail Safe. In all, I believe I'm ready. I'll do some more work with this new 280. I hate to admit that a Remington could grow on me, but I suppose I'm easy to please.
I was shooting some 139 grain Hornady GMX bullets, trying a few powders that I don't use often. With Rottweil R905, I developed some exciting velocities, but as the charge approximated maximum, the groups opened from 0.86 inches (3016 +/- 8 fps) to 2.21 inches (3169 +/- 13 fps). There would be nothing wrong for whitetail, mule deer and black bear with a load at 3016 fps shooting sub-MOA.
With ReLoder 17, I generated some fine velocities and excellent groups. At a maximum charge, I was generating 3035 +/- 10 fps with a group of 0.56 inches.
At my lowest charge, the group was 0.81 inches. There may be possibility for this load.
Though the velocities were not great with A4350, the groups were very nice. The best group was 0.37 inches and the velocity was about 2600 fps.
At a maximum charge, the group has opened to 0.56 inches though velocity was still only about 2700 fps.
Bear opens next weekend, so I shot a couple of my hunting loads to see what they were doing in my other 280 (Winchester Featherweight). The 140 grain Combined Technologies BST is launched at 2801 +/- 11 fps and grouped at 0.85 inches. Yeah, that'll do. In the same rifle, a 150 BT charged with IMR 4350 gave me 2516 +/- 10 fps and a group size of 0.56 inches. A couple of hunting loads in my 7 RM give me 2999 +/- 12 fps and 0.93 inches with a 160 grain TSX and 2984 +/- 26 fps with a group of 0.94 inches with a 160 grain Fail Safe. In all, I believe I'm ready. I'll do some more work with this new 280. I hate to admit that a Remington could grow on me, but I suppose I'm easy to please.
I believe it'll do, though.
