Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 280 rem and 175 grainers......

Been a while 'years' back, but I was playing with the 280 and 175 gr. noslers and hit a sweet spot with 53 gr. imr4831 cci 200 rem case 3.34 seat and a chronoed velocity of 2686 fps from my 22" ruger barrel.

I have yet to kill a damn thing with this 175 gr load, no excuses why just have not. Main reason partially being already had a 50 box full of assorted 160 grain loads 'partitions, accubonds, sst' that has taken a "few" years and much dead game to whittle down to almost empty status. In the 7mag, I know the 175 partition at 2900 is a heavenly combo of fast, flat and full of zap load . Well, till I scorched the big7's barrel anyhow...

I know the lighter weights '120,130,140,150 get the lions share of work for the 280... wich I am also guilty of on rare occasion. So, for the other .280 toters on the 'fire, who runs 175 grainers in there 280??

We loaded my cousins's 280 with 175 gr Speer G.S. bullets at around the same speed as you, they worked great Another buddy uses the now defunct 160 gr Nosler Partition Gold which also works well.

IMO a splendid set up. Makes using "cheap" cup & cores work just fine! I am fond of the 175 Hornady Interlok's..

Thanks guys on the input

I did kill a mule deer with a 175 gr horn from my 7mag a couple years back. At 25ish yards the bullet entered the left side rib cage liquified the heart/lungs, broke the opposite side lower leg on exit to continue on to all but fell a small alpine-fir tree about two inches in diameter, yes the bullet exited the tree also. The young buck dropped where he stood, but on a dead blow-down tree and actually slid down the mountain on the limb-less tree stem. It was steep, rugged ground.

My main 280 go-to load has been the 160 gr. pills. I have used lighter bullets on occasion, mostly over the years the 160 has been the work horse from my 280. Felling all manner of rocky mountain game from ground squirrels to mature bull elk.

Yes, "plain" bullets from around 2900 fps on down work with boring reliably. One of the many reasons cartridges in this class 270,7-08,280,308,30-06 are popular. I have a small supply of 175 gr partitions intended for the 7mag that should work with UBER boring reliability from my 280 also

I would think any of the current 175's will work well at 280 Rem speeds, those Nosler's of yours are going to penetrate deep that's for sure. No flies on the 175 gr Hornady's either......

I've got a .280 Model 70 Featherweight that does well with 175 gr partitions and Ramshot Hunter. My intention was to use it when I hunt timber but that's never happened.

I would use a load like that on grizzly too and feel good about it........

Stomatador, have you run that 175 grain load across a chronograph?

Nope. I should have 6 or 7 years ago when I bought it and worked up the load. Now the gun just sits in the back of the safe.