Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Elk loads for a .280 Rem and 30-06.

Looking for experience with using both on Elk. I have a good idea as what will work fine in either but want actual experience. Currently have 180 Accubonds and 180 Speer grand slams in 30 cal and figure they will be fine. The .280 however, all I have on hand that I would use is a 160 Gr Speer mag tip. Obviously can and will buy others.
Terrain would be mixed cover; hardwood mixed with spruce or hemlock and a chance for a shot at one in a clear cut or meadow. Hilly but not mountainous. Late in the year so figure on it being cold. Not that bullet type would be a temperature concern but I will choose a temp stable powder. All in all a long shot of 300 yards max as I won't shoot past this because that aint huntin to me.
Like I said I have a good idea on what to use just would like a little "hands on" experience on this to chew on. I have loaded and used both on big black bear so I'm thinking those loads should work.

I don't know about the Speer Mag Tip 160 grains for your .280 Rem. as I've not used it, but in my two .280 Remingtons, I've long used the 160 grains Nosler Partition bullets for elk with very satisfactory success.

My load has long been 54.0 grains of IMR 4350, a CCI L.R. primer, and Rem. cases, with the 160 grains Nosler Partition.

That load shoots 3/4" groups from the bench in both my rifles.

It also puts elk and deer down right quick, too.

Good luck.

L.W.

i've never owned a 280, but hunt elk every year with a 30-06. i use 180gr nosler partitions, ww cases, wlr primers, and imr4350 powder. as with all hunting (and accurate bullet placement), elk at the ranges you mentioned would not be a problem . good luck.

In the 280 I'd look at 140gr TSX, 140gr AB, or 150gr Partition. .30-06 would get 165 Partiton, AB or TSX...

I used to use the 180 mag Tips in my 06, they did well for me and I'd say if they shoot well then use them.

The 160 MTip in your 280 will do you good as well.

Dober

I think you can't go wrong with those bullet choices. Reloder 19 has worked very well for me in both calibers.

I like the 175 Mag Tip in the 280 over 7828, but I've also used 150 grain Partitions.

Thanks. A lot of votes for the old partition. Not surprised and will give'm a go with the 280

In the 280, the 140 partition will kill elk.

I have always shot them in the heart/lungs with that bullet, and they go down. Usually part of a lung or part of the heart is jellied. some bloodshot meat in the off shoulder, some from bullet fragments, some from bone fragments (ribs, or off shoulder bones).

I'm not talking trophy bulls in the dark timber at the edge of a canyon, at dusk, on the last day of the season, with wolves all around.

Cows and raghorns, in the Ponderosa. Usually jump, start to run/walk away, and fold in 50-100 yards. Have had two hit the ground so fast I couldn't find them in the scope and thought they got away.

Don't remember the load, but IMR 4350, under book (speer) max, CCI primers, and R-P brass.

Probably about like a 7mm-08, or handloaded 7x57.

Sycamore

I can't say to the .280 as I've never had one, but back when I hunted with a .30-06, Sierra's 180 gr SPBT over IMR 4350 and a CCI 250 primer worked well for me on 7 or 8 elk.

My elk load for my 7 mm Rem mag is the 160 gr Accubond over H4831 and a CCI 250 primer.

280 Remington with Remington Express 150 CoreLokt commercial ammo. Hasn't failed me yet.

In .280 caliber, I've used both 140 gr. Nosler Partition and Accubond bullets, very successfully- ranges from 275 to 325 yards. Rocky Mtn. elk and NZ Red Stag.

In the .280, we used 160 Partitions over 52.0 grains of RL-19 in R-P cases, with W-W large rifle primers. Only two elk have been taken with this cartridge, but both were one-shot kills.

In the .30-06, my old go-to elk load was the 165 Partition over 57.0 grains of H4350 in W-W cases with W-W large rifle primers. Back in those days I was a shoulder shooter and penetration was never a problem.

We have used both of these loads in Colorado in some pretty cold temperatures (single digits) and everything worked fine.

In 30-06 Springfield I would load a 165gr Swift A-Frame over H4350. In 280 Remington I would load a 140gr Swift A-Frame over H4831.

I've taken elk with Federal 180gr Nosler Partition load from a 30-06 and all dropped to the shot. All shots under 100 yards and all broadside.

My buddy uses a downloaded 7mm Rem Mag using 160gr Nosler Accubond at just under 2800 from the muzzle (similar to 280) and dropped two elk with it at 200 and 250 yards. Neither went more than 30 yards after being hit and both bullets were recovered against the hide. Broadside shots as well.

I think the 160gr 7mm bullet and 180gr 30 caliber is a good balance of penetration and trajectory in the 2700/2750fps range.

I'd stick a 140 Aframe or Northfork in the 280 and go slay an elk....

280 rem 162 a-max, 250yds+-, 1 step and DRT

gbp - tell us about that rifle please.

Brinky 72:

5 Elk have been shot with my 30-06 and 180 Nosler Partitions. 57/IMR4350. About 2800fps, out to 200 yds, they were all pass thru's, and DRT.

The 180, or 165 Nosler Partition in the 06, is deadly medicine on elk.

Jerry

I shot my first elk using a 200gr Speer GS bullet and a 30-06. (it didn't look anything like GBP's ) and I've killed 1 cow elk with a .280 using a 150gr Core Lokt bullet in a reloaded case.
I went to WY mulie hunting and once I got there I got a cow tag and went elk hunting. The .280 was the only rifle I had with me.