Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles .280 load encouragement

Follow you on that ChanceD seems like it might be worth the chance, good luck.mb

Cool

I've got a 280 Ruger M77 Mark II. Tried every trick I knew to get good speed and accuracy with 140s. Multiple bullet/powder combos. Accuracy went to absolute hell above 2800 every time. It shoots 120s great at 3150. Same with 160s at 2975. I'll run 140s in something else.

Interesting info on the 139 SST's at Terminal Ballistics Research... Cliff Notes... Tonto say, Push them Faster Kemosabe!...

I had the exact same problem with a Remington 700 Mountain rifle in 280 Rem with 140gr Sierra's and Nosler Ballistic tips. Couldn't get them to shoot for sour apples. Switched to 120gr NBT's powered by H4350 and it now shoots lights out. I did an action bedding job last winter on it, so that's also a contributing factor.

I recently acquired a set of 7x57 Mauser dies, so maybe I'll go that route with the 140s.

I've had several 280; never felt comfortable enough with 160'a to come close to 2975, even in a 24" barrel.

And I've never seen a load published that will get you there either.

Just sayin.

Also never had a problem getting 140 BT's to shoot well either at around 2850-2900.

MM

The quickest I've had 160grs Sierra's going was 2850fps using Nosler load manual #5 data and the top load of IMR-7828 SSC. I would agree 2975fps sounds optimistic.

In all fairness I should revisit the 140gr combination in the 280 Remington. As mentioned, the action bedding job in the stock plus free floating the barrel is a game changer and negates previous test data.

Interesting. I run the Speer 160 gr. Grand Slams (older two core style) at 2910 FPS in a 1909 Argentine Mauser with 24" barrel. Unfortunately the powder is the Winchester long discontinued WMR. I show absolutely no pressure signs with the load.

The Nosler #8 load manual shows 2929 FPS with 61.5 gr. Magpro as max. IMR 4831 is good for 2888 FPS and RL22 for 2873 FPS. The Nosler #8 also showed only 200 something with IMR7828 and IIRC, I got something around 2880 FPS.

Dunno exactly how the various manuals are handling data for the .280 but I do know Remington asked SAAMI to keep pressures lower so they would not be potentially damaging to Remington pump and semiauto rifles. If "published" data in the manuals conforms to SAAMI MAP,(Maximum Average Pressure, then you may have enough leeway for 2900+FPS.

All I can add is primers are still nice and round, brass slides out and ejects smoothly and brass life has been excellent. The load is very accurate in my rifle as well.
PJ

"Carefully" try working up to a possible higher accuracy node... i found magic with 55 grns of H4350 under a 150 NBT...

I'm averaging about 2980 with the 160 TBT's and 60.0 RL26. I worked up to to it extrapolating Alliant's 270 Win data with the 150s (60.8 with the Partition). I thought was a little warm but nothing indicating and excessive pressure and a check in QL put the psi around 64k and about 3fps difference.

I don't doubt that you're getting what you say, but I've still not seen any published current or old data that gets to 2980, & The current Nosler data is using a 26" barrel & only gets to around 2925 or so as I recall.

Also over the several 280's that I've had, although the traditional wisdom says it should do better that a 270 with comparable weight/diameter bullets, 280 's have usually shown pressure signs at lower velocities than the 270 using the same criteria, except for 1 current Rem 700, which seems to tolerate slightly higher pressures than the other 4 280's that I have or have had.

But it is near max on headspace & has a 22" barrel.

Nonetheless, with 140' at 2900÷, & 160's at 2800, ir does all rhat it's asked to do & is very accurate.

MM

My 2975 load with 160s also uses RL26.

I don't see any Barnes TSX or TTSX in your tested bullet choices.
My .280 is built on a pre-'64 Winchester action, with a 22" barrel. It shoots both these Barnes 140 gr. bullets at a chronographed MV of 3050 fps with IMR 4350 and RL 19, and sub-MOA accuracy. Great big game load for everything from hogs to elk. Combination of both speed and accuracy, with excellent bullets.

I've only had one 280, a M700 with 22" barrel but a few different 270s. Interesting you mention that, I've seen similar in my M70 .270 w/a 24" barrel, I can touch 3500 fps with book loads of Ramshot Hunter and the 110 TTSX. I can't seem to come close to that in the 280 (22")and the 120 TTSX.

No, I haven’t tried any Barnes bullets in this rifle yet. I was trying to use what I had on hand already. I do have several other bullets that I could try, I was just really done trying and wanted to be good with what I had. I was hoping for a little encouragement from you guys saying that what I had would work. I definitely know it’s not maximized but like most of the replies on this thread have eluded that they wouldn’t be happy and that most of you wouldn’t just settle. I guess I need to keep working on a load. I’ll keep y’all updated.

3 powders one bullet

I would seldom stray from imr 4831 and the H 4831 in my .280 for 140 to 160 grain bullets

2700 fps is fine. Only thing you loose is a little trajectory compared to 3000 fps and that will be minimal.

Before I acquired a chronograph in my younger days, I was under the impression that my 160 gr. Handload in my .280 was just north of 2800 fps according to the Speer manual. Wrong, it was more like 2570 fps. The load shot very well from the m-77 and that load and rifle combo fell many, many deer, elk and bear. Missed some longer shots more due to me not the load I'm sure, but 200 yards and under things died abruptly.

In the same .280, the load I'm running now is 150 gr. ballistic tips over 58.5 gr. Of H4831 and fed 210 primers. One inch groups at 100 yards with 2850 average over the chrono. The load is stolen from 270 win data but i will give 'ol Mule Deer credit for the load. Also found that this load works wonders on elk and deer too....

A while back I chronographed some 280 Factory loads in a 22" Model 70. RP factory 150SPCL averaged 2652fps, the RP factory 7mm Express 150 SPCL load averaged 2794fps, & the Norma 150 Semi pointed SP averaged 2731fps. I realize these are 150s rather than your 139s, but the point is that they are all well below the expected velocity written up in the catalogs.

All velocities are @ 10 ft instrumental not corrected to MV.

A 140 @ 2700 & a little change is rather standard fare for a SAAMI specced 7x57 & I've never heard of anyone complaining about a lack of snot at 200 yds from that cartridge. If the accuracy is as good as you say, & consistent, why mess with it for this season? It sure as hell wont bounce off a deer at 210 yds. If the daughter's boyfriend works out you can spend time with him over the next year improving the load if needed... or not.

The guys around here love spending other people's time & $$. It's a 24hcf thing.

The only factory 280 Remington loads I've tested are the Superformance 139gr SST loads. Rated for 3090 fps, they actually ran 2975fps from a 22" skinny 280 Remington barrel. Handloads provided greater accuracy, so that's all I've used since then

It will be fine. If he wants sub 7mm-08 speeds out of that 280. You are leaving a lot on the table, but how much does one really need for a deer at short to medium range? If you were wanting to shoot steel at 1,000, I'd tell you to step on the gas pedal. In this case, what you have will work adequately.