Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles .270 win vs .280 rem

I'm going to hop-in on the "add the 40 degree shoulder to either". I'd still go .270 Win though.

I won't ever be able to make myself get a .280 Rem until my .284 Win. itch is scratched.

I'll bet a few bucks that when we see one of these cartridges show clear superiority over the other, it's because some handloaders are more than willing to operate either one in excess of 60,000 lbs/ sq inch. I see some data for the 270 where the velocity of a 130 gr bullet is listed at over 3200 fps.In Richard Lee's Modern Reloading, second edition, there's a load listed at 3234 with 65 gr AccMagPro. I cannot tell what barrel length. Pressure is 63,200 lbs.

On the other hand, I don't see any loads listed for the 280 that exceeds 60,000 with a 140 gr bullet and the highest velocity is 3010. Fastest load I ever developed for the 280 was with 62-RL22-140 Nosler for a hair over 3100 in a 23" Shilen barrel.

About all this means is that you can make a case (a pretty weak one) for either cartridge being superior to the other if you want to load one to substantially higher pressures with the correct powder, and handicap the other by loading it down, or at least to unequal pressures.

Either one works very well,and there is no difference in effectiveness because the bullet diameters are essentially equal and the powder capacities are similar; hence velocities are also similar. I like the 270 because I can find ammo everywhere, and I have more experience with it.Plus, the factory 280 ammo I've chronographed is pretty slow. Makes sense cause the cartridge was designed for autoloaders and I think pressures are held back for that reason. Maybe this has changed.....

Truly, the difference comes down to the bullet selection ... that's really all that matters on any practical level, and most 'impractical' levels ...

The .277" bullets might tend to have a slightly higher SD, but the 7mm bullets tend to have a slightly higher BC ...

another thing to consider, whether you hand load or not, is availability of factory ammo, should you ever be in a bind and need to use some ... the .270win ammo is in pretty much any store that sells ammo ... the .280, not so much ...

I can't really say I prefer one over the other, because I've had a .270, but not a .280 ...

but right now, I find myself very infatuated with 7mm bullets, so I'd have to choose the .280 if I were forced to choose between the two ...

Bobin - very interesting - the findings on the factory 280 velocity numbers. Considering that most of my shots will find the shoulder of a whitetail between 150 and 250 yards, I'm not so sure I should be terribly worried about the loss in velocity.

I went to Academy today to pick up a few fishing things, and decided to walk through the ammo aile to get an idea of 280 Rem bullet choices. Now, Academy is no Cabelas/Bass Pro/Specialty Gun shop, but they do have a wide variety of options for John Q. Hunter. The Academy I went to - fairly large in size - had 15 different boxes of 270 win ammo in all kinds of ammo brands.

How many boxes of .280 Rem ammo... 1 One stinking box of 150gr Remington Core-Lokt ammunition for the .280. There are plenty of reasons for this - mainly that very few people down here in Texas shoot a 280 Rem and Acadamey, like all other sporting goods stores, is in it make business and sell the stuff on the shelves. Guess it was just a little eye opening to see.

There are a million and one reasons to buy a .270win. The ranch I hunt has 3 guys that are regular .270 shooters. All 3 are from the same family, and has a retired grandpa and does all the reloading they want. So if I go .270, I would be blessed with putting time tested hand loads down the tube. If I ever forget some, I can bum a round or two. Like I said - a million and one reasons to go .270

But no one shoots a 280. None of my hunting buddies have probably ever considered a 280 - not because it isn't a great caliber, just because they are happy with what they have. So yes, there is plenty intrigue into hunting with a caliber that no one else has. There is an excitment to that - knowing that you are taking on something new and learning the in's and out's of the caliber from the start. I'm not the only one to feel this way - someone out in the gun business understands this same complex.... and thus - the WSM's were born.

I've never found myself wanting a chambering simply because it's one that is 'unique' or 'uncommon' ... I have chosen my chamberings by what they are to be used for, and the 'best' one (by my research) is what wins ...

of course, I'm one of those very practical rifle loonies ... a loony, yes, but not like some here ...

OutdoorAg-a couple of things to consider is if you don't reload then the 270 availability factor is something to consider.

Secondly I'd look at the rifle you want, is it chambered in both and or are you building? What cals does the rifle that you love the fit and feel in come in?

Lastly it has long been my contention that to 300 yds all shooters and all rounds are pretty much equal!

Mark D

I realy agonized over this myself before I built a semi custom Mauser. It is much easier to find max top published loads for a 270, a plus. all 270 bullets are made for 270 speeds, another plus. 270 deer loads are avaliable anywhere, another plus. for deer and game up to 600lbs their is no difference. For larger game 160-175gn 7mm bullets are probably more suited. I chose a 280 only because I also shoot a 7x57 and can interchange bullets. For the neophite not cartridges, just bullets. capt david

This is the rifle I am looking at: Rem LSS 280

Only chambered in the .280 - Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of other Rem guns that I love. The mountain LSS rifle with the brown laminated stock comes in the 270. But when I first saw this stick it really caught my eye. I love the Monte Carlo style stock - personal pref. and I know some people can't stand it. I think the gray laminate and SS combo is quite good looking along with being pretty hard to ding up and having a heck of a long life ahead of it. Simply put, I fell hard for the gun, and now I'm trying to do as much research on the caliber as I can.

if you like the rifle, and know that the chambering will do you and the rifle proud, don't worry about it ... just get it ...

and if you don't yet reload, now would be a good time to start ...

Hey to me rifles are all about fit and feel formost, then a good bullet, cal comes about next to last for me.

If that is the one you like then I would saddle up and get it.

Find a load it likes and put away a few boxes of ammo and go forth and fill an ark.

Mark D

There was a time I'd have agreed with those saying 2 things: there's no practical difference, and if you handload then the .280 is the way to go. #1, there's still no practical difference, and that comes from a confirmed .280 man. #2, there are a few readily availble factory rounds that are not loaded up to full potential, ie the Hornady Lite Mags. Even Remington's basic 150 Corlokt load gets 2850 in my 24" bble. The Lite Mags get all the advertised velocity of 3100+. To me the only nod for the .280 is the slightly better selection of bullets available for the handloader, AND the reason you stated...you can tell all your buds you got something they aint AND its better! .

Lets see in the 270 for bullets one can get 90's,100's,110's,120's,130's,135's,140's,150's,160's,180's (I think).

In the 280 you can get 100's,110's,120's,130's,140's,145's,150's,160's,175's, and 195s (I think).

In the real world, no difference. Now in the world of micro mgt of ballistic gack and rifle looney's then I guess so...grins

Dober

There is one signifigant difference between the two that noone here has mentioned yet. When the 280 first came out it was chambered in a Remington Auto rifle that needed lower chamber pressures than the 270 to operate long term. The 280 was loaded to max pressures of IIRC 58,000 psi vs 62,000 for the 270.
A lot of the reloading data you will see will show larger powder charges for the 270 than for the 280 with the same weight bullets. The 280 will actually take very slightly higher powder charges with the same weight bullets than the 270 will and remain at the same pressures. An example of this can be found here:

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

The 280 loads are listed at up to 48,500 CUP and the 270 Win loads are listed up to 51,000 CUP...

The practical result of this is that if you reload for the 280 you should also reveiw data listed for the 270 with the same weight bullets. If they list lower powder charges for the 280 they are probably loading it to the lower pressure levels. It pays to check several sources of data....................DJ

Like others, it has been easier for me to reach higher velocities with the same bullet weight in the .270 with handloads (and no, not book .280 loads, but .270 loads plus something as dj pointed out). I have had to lean much harder on the .280 to reach 3000 fps w/140s for example. I have no idea why and thought I was alone, but apparently am not and in good company considering the other board member posts and even John Wooters wrote the same thing in Petersen's Hunting. I thought it might have something to do with the twist rate since I believe 7mms are normally 1 in 9 1/2 and .270s are 1 in 10. Of course it could just be bad luck as I have had other "slow" rifles, but I have been through several .270s and .280s now. In any case, the .280 is a great round and unlike others have mentioned, mine have not been too finicky and shot most bullet weights great.

-Lou

280 Always. My motto is: Never ever no not never ever get rid of a 280. I have four. I love them all they are not finicky at all and they beat a 270 and a 30-06 all to pieces. Faster and flatter.

I have seen far too many wounded critters from 270's. I personally do not like them.

I have shot a bunch of deer with a 270.Only 2 of those were hit and not found.One .........in my younger day,I tried to shoot through a bunch of brush.I hit the deer somewhere.I found a couple of drops of blood and a bunch of hair.Bad choice on my part.Two.......I shot at a deer running straight away from me in an open field.I hit it in the back leg........I found bone and some good blood at first that petered out after awhile.

My point is.....the only way a deer is wounded by a 270 is because of a bad hit.

Relo'a'der28

When I was about 12, I had an uncle that shot a blacktail buck in the leg with a .270. He lost that deer and blamed it on the cartridge. "That damned .270 is too fast, it's just a wounder!", he said. I thought he was an idiot then and I still do. Gods putting up with him now.
He bought a .280 to replace the .270..? Go figure. Then he shot a bull moose in the nose with the .280.....do you see where I'm going with this...?
A good bullet in the right place...who care's what the head stamp sez.
If indeed you have seen lot's of wounded critters with the .270 cartridge, it probably reflects the fact that there are many hundreds if not thousands of .270's out there to every .280 and they are being driven by everyone from the village idiot to professionals that can use any gun they please.
There is no real world difference between the .270 and the .280. What one will do, so will the other.

Mark: I have a box of Speer 170 gr rnd nose .270 on hand, to add to your list. The old Speer #9 manual sez they will lope along about 2650 with 4350 or 2785 with H4831 and top loads. BT

More good laughs, we started the morning with one and now this one, they just get better...grins

Mark D

Lol! Ya that .007 extra really makes the 280 a real deer slayer. I like it better but there is no difference between the 2.

Dang 270s wont kill chit.

Only thing a 270s good for is shooten round corners.

All those mickey mouse 270WCFs do when they hit someting is bounce off.Worthless.

Man I sure am glad I dont own or use one of those worthless wounding POS 270 WCFs.
dave