Experience with the 280 Remington

[1r4rc]

Can't help w loads yet but following w interest. Building a 280 on a sweat VZ 33 action.

 

[Rem280]

In about 1999 or 2000, the Australian Weatherby distributor had a super sale of Mk5 rifles, i purchaced a stainless 280 Rem & a blued 240 Weatherby mag in the 6 lug mk5 model both shoot 3 shots about 1 moa very constantly with 100g bullets the 240 is my favorite goat rifle both rifles are fitted with Leupold vx2 3-9 scopes.
I have shot a lot of pigs with the 280 using 140 grain rem cor lokt bullets hand loads, comparing its results to my 270 Win with 140 grain bullets & my 30/06 with 150 g bullets the results are identical dead pigs. is any body able to share their experiences with the 280 rem & what bullets they use ?i purchased 300 rem cases no factory ammo.

Federal Trophy Copper factory in 140 grain has done wonders. Countless hogs, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer and Black bears up to 350 yards. Here are some slugs I have recovered from a few. Here is one example that was DRT and weighed 240lbs or so.

 

[rookhawk]

Federal Trophy Copper factory in 140 grain has done wonders. Countless hogs, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer and Black bears up to 350 yards. Here are some slugs I have recovered from a few. Here is one example that was DRT and weighed 240lbs or so.

The “problem” with the 280 is the same “problem” as the 7x64 brenneke, 7x61 S&L, 7x65r, etc. Sometimes you have too much of a good thing and it zips through animals too quickly. It’s such a versatile caliber, the 7mm, that we end up with bullets too good for their own good.

My son’s 7mm with 140gr TTSX doesn’t open too well on deer, it kills with a horrific gas bubble of hydrostatic shock in the killing theory Roy Weatherby certainly loved. What a lot of us need are actually “bad” bullets. Nothing has killed more game on planet earth than remington core lokt bullets. Smooshy soft, and as my son says “the deadliest mushroom in the woods”.

So you kind of have three choices:

1.) Monometal softs going really fast because they are light by volume.
2.) Heavy for caliber 165gr-180gr softs that are “old school Africa cool”
3.) And classic, very soft “softs” like 140gr-150gr core-lokt

They all are really good bullets for their given application. At 100 yards in the woods for deer, or at 300 yards for a mountain goat, I’d like a core lokt. At 250 yards on African Plains game, I’d want a Barnes 140gr-150gr. For running boar in europe, or black bear, or an eland at 50 paces, I’d like a 175gr Norma Oryx or Swift A-Frame.

 

[Nevada Mike]

Can't help w loads yet but following w interest. Building a 280 on a sweat VZ 33 action.

View attachment 521497

Years ago my brother had a custom 280 built on a VZ33 by Steve Heilmann and Gary Goudy. It is, perhaps, the most elegant rifle I have seen, and I've seen many rifles.

Personally, I have used a couple of 7mm cartridges - 7 X 61 S&H, 7mm RM, and 7X57. Right now I am having the 7X57 (a M70 with Krieger bbl) rebuilt by Aaron Little as a 280AI in a lightweight mountain rifle format. I expect that it will replace my 7mm RM for a lot of my hunting, which is often in difficult country. I like both the 160 and 140 grain Nosler Partitions and Swift A Frames and have used the 160s on elk, roan, zebra, hartebeest, reed buck and impala., and 140s on deer.

 

[TMac]

The “problem” with the 280 is the same “problem” as the 7x64 brenneke, 7x61 S&L, 7x65r, etc. Sometimes you have too much of a good thing and it zips through animals too quickly. It’s such a versatile caliber, the 7mm, that we end up with bullets too good for their own good.

My son’s 7mm with 140gr TTSX doesn’t open too well on deer, it kills with a horrific gas bubble of hydrostatic shock in the killing theory Roy Weatherby certainly loved. What a lot of us need are actually “bad” bullets. Nothing has killed more game on planet earth than remington core lokt bullets. Smooshy soft, and as my son says “the deadliest mushroom in the woods”.

So you kind of have three choices:

1.) Monometal softs going really fast because they are light by volume.
2.) Heavy for caliber 165gr-180gr softs that are “old school Africa cool”
3.) And classic, very soft “softs” like 140gr-150gr core-lokt

They all are really good bullets for their given application. At 100 yards in the woods for deer, or at 300 yards for a mountain goat, I’d like a core lokt. At 250 yards on African Plains game, I’d want a Barnes 140gr-150gr. For running boar in europe, or black bear, or an eland at 50 paces, I’d like a 175gr Norma Oryx or Swift A-Frame.

Try some LRX’s, 139 or 145 grain offerings. My 280 shoots the 145’s well and they open faster than the TTSX.

 

[Rickmt]

Just purchased a 280 rem on gunbroker. It’s a 2001 production Dakota with real nice walnut. Ordered 60 rounds of Nosler custom 140 grain accubond ammo . Looking forward to seeing how well it shoots. Getting a scope from Mark Biggerstaph to top it off.

 

[rookhawk]

Just purchased a 280 rem on gunbroker. It’s a 2001 production Dakota with real nice walnut. Ordered 60 rounds of Nosler custom 140 grain accubond ammo . Looking forward to seeing how well it shoots. Getting a scope from Mark Biggerstaph to top it off.

Awesome rifle. But be careful, I don’t believe that 280AI (the SAAMI standard cartridge, reamers, headspace gauges) existed in 2001. Only the wildcat 280AI existed at that time. I don’t believe modern factory ”standard” 280AI ammo operates correctly in a pre-SAAMI wildcat chamber.

Can someone that knows more about this step in to clarify for safety’s sake?

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Just purchased a 280 rem on gunbroker. It’s a 2001 production Dakota with real nice walnut. Ordered 60 rounds of Nosler custom 140 grain accubond ammo . Looking forward to seeing how well it shoots. Getting a scope from Mark Biggerstaph to top it off.

Nice rifle. Assuming that the rifle likes the load, I think you'll be happy with the ammo you bought. My 7 RM and 7-08 both think the 140 grain Accubonds are the best thing going. The deer I've shot with them didn't live long enough to have an opinion.

 

[Rickmt]

Awesome rifle. But be careful, I don’t believe that 280AI (the SAAMI standard cartridge, reamers, headspace gauges) existed in 2001. Only the wildcat 280AI existed at that time. I don’t believe modern factory ”standard” 280AI ammo operates correctly in a pre-SAAMI wildcat chamber.

Can someone that knows more about this step in to clarify for safety’s sake?

My rifle is a 280 Remington not the 280 AI

 

[rookhawk]

My rifle is a 280 Remington not the 280 AI

Then you’re golden. Love to see a pic and here how well it shoots!

 

[Rickmt]

Will do Rookhawk ! Give me a couple days as my lovely and I are spring cleaning our place in central Montana and the gun is home.

 

[209hunter]

I love the 280 Rem. It was my main hunting rifle for the last 8 years. I’ve used 140 accubonds and 140 trophy coppers with great success. Coincidentally I just sold my 280, but only because I didn’t care for the rifle itself. I already miss the cartridge and I’m sure I’ll own another one again. Maybe a Ruger No. 1 in 280 Rem….

 

[geoff rath]

Awesome rifle. But be careful, I don’t believe that 280AI (the SAAMI standard cartridge, reamers, headspace gauges) existed in 2001. Only the wildcat 280AI existed at that time. I don’t believe modern factory ”standard” 280AI ammo operates correctly in a pre-SAAMI wildcat chamber.

Can someone that knows more about this step in to clarify for safety’s sake?

Follow Nosler's recent load data ?

 

[geoff rath]

Nosler stuck with P.O's recipe when they "legitimised" the AI; Sierra followed the same recipe...

 

[benchracer]

Nosler stuck with P.O's recipe when they "legitimised" the AI; Sierra followed the same recipe...

Not sure what you mean by "recipe", but the chamber dimensions and the dies are not the same between the SAAMI version and P.O. Ackley's version of the 280 AI.

 

[geoff rath]

P.O.'s early version was certainly different to what he have today; RCBS brought out their own, then P.O. altered his (at least once?) before finally settling on his last one. (Source: C O W, 15th Ed, Pp. 99).
Sierra used that, then finally Nosler legitimised it by presenting that version to SAAMI for ratification. As with any wildcat, check your own rifle, especially if it is an earlier version (a chamber cast?).
I can understand the confusion; somewhat similar to what happened with the 500 Jeffery/ 12.5X70Schuler (same reference, Pp. 607).
I hope I'm not confusing the issue further, meanwhile, check Bob Nosler's statement in his 9th(?) edition manual, Pp 344)...

 

[sgt_zim]

I'm getting a skosh under 3K fps with 160 gr A Frames out of my new Savage 280 AI. That's still just above 2k fps at 500 yards, which is about 100 yards further than I'm comfortable shooting at game animals. I expect that's enough pill for just about anything that can walk and chew grass.

 

[Mark R]

I have a Kimber in the 280AI version. Using 140gr Accubonds and locally produced 135gr Atomic29’s with great results. I think I like it….

 

[Rickmt]

Then you’re golden. Love to see a pic and here how well it shoots!

Here you go Rookhawk . Dakota 280 Remington made in 2002.

shoots very well .not unusual to have shots touch in a group. I will get better pic in the AM.

 

[Rickmt]