Wby ultralight in 280 Rem.

[SJB358]

This is what my .280 did on Saturday:

.280 154 SST @ 2945 fps

It was hot on Saturday, but the velocity in Feb. was only about 10 - 15 fps slower. This is out of a 22" barrel. I would stick with the standard .280 and see what you can do. As OT3 mentioned, load data for the .280 is very anemic. I'm roughly five grains over book max and am not getting any pressure signs. The brass I believe has been fired six times now and is doing fine. Someone ran QuickLoad on this for me and my pressures should be right around what is max for the .270. There is no reason a .280 in a modern bolt action can't be run at the same pressure as a .270.

P.S. The targets don't typically look like that with this rifle, I wish they did. Bedding or a new stock might get me close.

Very nice shooting Trevor! That 280 looks really good! Scotty

 

[DrMike]

Trevor,

Your load mirrors what I've often witnessed in any of the 280s I've owned. It is a cartridge that is very forgiving.

 

[SJB358]

Trevor,

Your load mirrors what I've often witnessed in any of the 280s I've owned. It is a cartridge that is very forgiving.

Man, I might need a 280 around if this is common with them! Scotty

 

[DrMike]

Scotty,

I've owned three 280s, and each shot better than I could. I won't say they are more accurate than my 7mm RM (though they were and are) or that they are more accurate than my 7mm WSM (though they each would have given it a good run for the money), but each I've shot has been very accurate. People that own them don't often get rid of them. You don't see a plethora of them on the used rifle rack.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Dr. Mike, I have owned (4) .280's and (2) 7mm Rem Mags. Out of that collection, I have held unto (2) of the .280's (both A-Bolt BOSS rifles) and (1) 7mm Mag (Mauser custom). Rifles which have been/are extremely accurate (under MOA at 300 yards) with handloads. The others were accurate but not accurate enough for me to keep them more than 5 years apiece ("only accurate rifles are interesting").

The Winchester Model 70 and the Rem 700 Mountain Rifle, .280 Rem's just would not hold small groups, probably because of wippy, thin barrels. Plus, the other 7mm Rem Mag which I had (a Husqvarna 3000), I shot the barrel throat out of.

 

[DrMike]

Charlie,

You've trumped me. You are correct that the whippy, thin barrels can be problematic. However, I've had good success thus far. I've only had three .280s and two 7mm RMs, and each shot very well. I traded off my first Featherweight (push-feed) for an insulation job on our house when we moved to this area. That rifle shot amazingly well, and I was sorry to let it go. Fortunately, Winchester was then producing the .280 in the CRF and I purchased another Featherweight when I was able to do so. I sold a Browning Eurobolt chambered in 7mm RM. It would hold ten rounds of 162 SSTs into a group of about 0.8 inches. Three shots groups were consistently 0.5 inches. The stock was a 14 inch length of pull, however, and it just didn't feel right. I've regretted selling that rifle ever since. I should have kept it and had a custom stock cut for it. However, my Featherweight 7mm RM, has been a consistently performer, stuffed with a stiff charge of H870 and 175 grain PTs or with WXR and 175 grain TBBCs. It has never let me down. They are certainly a couple of great cartridges.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I just have one of each .280 and 7mm Mag now. The .280 (A-Bolts) that I have owned were both extremely accurate. I guess that the Eurobolt is an A-Bolt with a Snable tip stock on it? All of the Medallions and A-Bolts (4 of them) that I have owned were very accurate. My son still has my .300 WSM A-Bolt Medallion for elk hunting.

My Win 70 Sporter .280 just was not well crafted. USRAC had their quality issues after about 2000 and mine just did not shoot well. I was very unhappy with it and a .338 Mag USRAC Model 70 with a crooked action to barrel joint which I purchased about the same time. Too bad about USRAC, they had a good thing going and lost control of qulaity and workmanship.

 

[DrMike]

My Win 70 Sporter .280 just was not well crafted. USRAC had their quality issues after about 2000 and mine just did not shoot well... Too bad about USRAC, they had a good thing going and lost control of qulaity and workmanship.

My present 280 was manufactured in that era. You are correct that the rifles turned out then were a real problem. This particular rifle had one of the roughest barrels I ever saw. I almost ridded myself of it on multiple occasions. Had I been able to secure another Winchester chambered in .280, it would have been gone early on. However, after well over 250 rounds, it began to gain velocity and tighten the groups. Then, I began to notice an increasing number of groups that were 0.25 inches or so. I continued using JB Paste and shooting 139 grain Hornady SPs, and it began to shoot consistently. At last, the barrel was properly lapped and the rifle has acted decently for the past six or seven years. I admit that I did have some serious discussions with this rifle on a few occasions. ("You can be traded for a Ruger, you know. Would you really drive me to buy a Remington?") I guess the rifle finally got the message that I was serious and smartened up. In any case, it has done me good for a few years now.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I guess that USRAC only chambered the .280 Sporter for 2-3 years before they evaporated. Mine was rough barrelled also and would not shoot the way my other .280's had. Even threatening to replace it with a Japanese made A-Bolt was not insulting enough to change its ways and so I did trade it for an A-Bolt, so there USRAC, take that!

The A-Bolt Composite is as ugly as a Yasuka but shoots well.

 

[6mm Remington]

Greg YOU MUST get that .280 Remington! :shock: You will love that cartridge. I worked up a load for mine with a 140 gr. Partition using 54.0 grs of IMR4350 with NO pressure signs and really good case life in my Remington 700 MTN rifle, another light barreled one! I never felt a need to load 150's or 160's although there is nothing wrong with that. An H4831SC load I worked up with magnum primers also shot very well. I tried it just for fun but I was getting 3/4" groups at 100 yards so I never touched it.

I am completely ashamed that I sold that rifle. I still want to replace it someday. I was drooling over Ruger's controlled round feed and same with the New improved Winchesters, and I do mean to replace that rifle, someday! I am sorry I got rid of it as it was fantastic.

I just had to put this picture of a bull I took, one of several elk with this rifle, and my largest elk. I shot him twice at 250 yards. One bullet exited the ribs on the off side, one was just under the hide in perfect Nosler perfection. He took just a couple steps and tipped over. I guess those 140's don't bounce off after all! :shock: If it were me I would load 140, 150, or 160 and shoot the one that shot best in your rifle. Being nothing but a Nosler guy I would try the AccuBond, Partition, and E-Tip in any and all of those weights and be completely happy.

Buy it, you must buy it! :evil: :evil:
David

 

[brianwyo]

Great picture 6mm remmy. We need more pictures like that. Brian

 

[JD338]

David,

That is a great bull, congratulations!
The 280 Rem 140 gr PT is a tough combo to beat.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

David,

It proves the point that the 280 is enough cartridge even for tough critters like elk. (How many of those 140 PTs bounced off before he was winged?)

 

[SJB358]

Greg YOU MUST get that .280 Remington! :shock: You will love that cartridge. I worked up a load for mine with a 140 gr. Partition using 54.0 grs of IMR4350 with NO pressure signs and really good case life in my Remington 700 MTN rifle, another light barreled one! I never felt a need to load 150's or 160's although there is nothing wrong with that. An H4831SC load I worked up with magnum primers also shot very well. I tried it just for fun but I was getting 3/4" groups at 100 yards so I never touched it.

I am completely ashamed that I sold that rifle. I still want to replace it someday. I was drooling over Ruger's controlled round feed and same with the New improved Winchesters, and I do mean to replace that rifle, someday! I am sorry I got rid of it as it was fantastic.

I just had to put this picture of a bull I took, one of several elk with this rifle, and my largest elk. I shot him twice at 250 yards. One bullet exited the ribs on the off side, one was just under the hide in perfect Nosler perfection. He took just a couple steps and tipped over. I guess those 140's don't bounce off after all! :shock: If it were me I would load 140, 150, or 160 and shoot the one that shot best in your rifle. Being nothing but a Nosler guy I would try the AccuBond, Partition, and E-Tip in any and all of those weights and be completely happy.

Buy it, you must buy it! :evil: :evil:
David

Great picture David.. Those 280's really have a fan base that is really large! It will be interesting if Winchester chambers the 280's again. I can only think it would make an excellent addition to the current line up. The 280 has been one of the rifles I have always wanted. Scotty

 

[DrMike]

Everyone needs a .280. As I said, you really don't see many on the used rifle rack. One shows up occasionally, usually from an estate sale or from someone who doesn't know rifles.

 

[HTDUCK]

Everyone needs a .280. As I said, you really don't see many on the used rifle rack. One shows up occasionally, usually from an estate sale or from someone who doesn't know rifles.

That was the case with mine DrMike.
It was unfired when I acquired it 10 years ago.
It's a Rem 700 that is stamped 7MM Express.
Guy said he'd looked and looked but couldn't find any ammo for it :mrgreen:

 

[DrMike]

Guy said he'd looked and looked but couldn't find any ammo for it

That is just too funny.

 

[Oldtrader3]

That is pretty funny but sad too in a way. The guy did not have enough interest or intellectual curiosity to find out about the rifle's possible ammo uses and sold it instead. Also a failure of Remington Marketing to tell the public about their marketing buffoonery by hiding their stupid mistakes, sad really.

Glad that you got a good deal on the rifle.

 

[SJB358]

failure of Remington Marketing to tell the public about their marketing buffoonery by hiding their stupid mistakes, sad really.

Glad that you got a good deal on the rifle.

Stand by because I don't think Remington is done yet. Their SPS line of rifles is going to hurt their name more than they help I think. I see a few decent shooters, but the majority need some work to be good rifle. Scotty

 

[Guest]

Oddly enough, I've seen numerous green box ammo on shelves over the past few years designated "280Rem (7mmRem Express)" so I'm not sure what his difficulty was in finding ammo. Perhaps it occurred at an earlier timepoint where ammo was only designated 280Rem?

Remington has certainly had some boneheaded marketing over the years, haven't they? The 280Rem, the 6mmRem, the 6.5 & 350RemMag, the 222RemMag, the SAUMs - anybody see a trend? And then, of course, anything with 7mm (except the SAUM) seems to be a winner - 7mm-08, 7mmRemMag, 7mmRUM. Well, maybe not the RUM? Anyway, big green seems to be pretty poor at marketing. And it's a shame. Lots of good rounds by the wayside...