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

nice gun nice glass

LMAO too........can't believe I'm reading such as this.

0.007" difference in bullet diameter; come now, please Reloader 28.

I gotta call BS on this one....

MM

Exactly why I bought my Ruger Model 77 over 20 years ago in 280 Rem. Love it. Yes , I handload for it.

Faster? Flatter? On what planet? Kills better than a 270? Hell, sometimes I can't see the differemce between a 300 and a 270. How can there be a difference between these two?

Your 7mm Weatherby barely edges out a 270...

Here's a slightly different take ...

I went with a 280 over a 270 because I am the worlds worst rifleman and needed to become a handloader to make me improve marksmanship due to the bench time that came with load development.

I'm staying with a 280 over a 270 because of the bullets. No, the range of bullets is same/same between 277 and 284 (Although I am infatuated with the "120 Trinity", I do see utility in the 110 gr 277 TSX). BUT having a stockpile of 284 bullets has allowed me to play with 7mm08's, 7x57's, 284's, 7 Remmy Maggy's, etc in different rifles possessed by friends, family and acquire some extra 7mms myself. Had I been a 270 guy I wouldn't have swam in that pool.

While at one time the justification for 280 over 270 was the abundance of 284 bullet variety. Nowdays, the justifications for the handloader include the abundance of 284 chamberings you can load for with your stock of bullets.

Well until some factory chambers the 277 Dobrenski (270-08)...

I like to call it the 270 Dober Dog.........grins

More ballistic gack 101, but hey I am a gun loonie!

Dober

In other words, one must exceed SAAMI maximum pressure with a 280 to equal a 270?

If one exceeds SAAMI maximum pressures with a 270 by the same proportions as one would with a 280, what would I get?........

(I'm just asking for it--ain't I? )

Casey

You guys have entered into the debate that I have had with my self for 20 years. Which is better, more accurate, more deadly etc. ? I currently have 4 rifles in 270win and 5 in 280 remington.I have owned and worked with lots more in each caliber. Several of the previous comments have differed with my experiences. On the subject of accuracy I have had better results with the 280. Every single 280 that I have ever owned would group factory loads into less than 1moa except for one Ruger77, it was a 1.25moa gun. I have owned a number of 270 rifles that would do no better than 1.5moa. On the subject of velocity with handloads, if barrel lengths are equal and bullet weights are the same I have typically been able to get a little more velocity out of the 280. It is not difficult to push 140 grain bullets 3150fps in my 280s. This is about 100fps faster than my 270s. On the subject of field performance I have found that there are subtle differences between the two. 7mm bullets tend to be a little tougher than the same bullet in 270. I think this may be because 7mm bullets are built to be used at magnum velocity. The practical effect is that 270 bullets seem to expand more violently and are a little less likely to exit. My observations are not based on theory but on using both calibers on more than 100 deer and more than 40 hogs. The 270 may kill small critters a little quicker but on animals over 200 pounds they are about the same except blood trails are often lighter with the 270 since it exits less. Pick the one you like, If you don't reload 270 ammo is everywhere although ammo selection for the 280 is far better than it used to be. If you are a real gun nut true happiness only can be properly pursued by having at least one of each.

Ruraldoc - advice through experience - thanks for the great post.

Dang, you left of those 139's, 154's, and 162's for the 280. And I have flubbed shots with a .277 140gr that I know I could have made if the bullet had been .007" fatter and 1 grain lighter, on account of the increased frontal area of the bigger diameter and flatter mid-range trajectory allowed by the lighter weight.

I'm in that camp as well. However, debating the merits of one vs the other ad nauseam makes for interesting reading I suppose.

Sounds like pure ballistic cherry picking for your .280 and it sounds like you are falling for what Mark calls "ballistics gack 101."

The only "wounded" critters I have seen run off from a .270 were the result in poor shot placement and in one case poor bullet selection, a scenario that is going to be repeated regardless of the cartridge used. The idea that that .270 Winchester is going to be inadequate and the .280 is going to be a Dinosaur smasher is bovine excrement at best.

The .280 Rem. is a truly great cartridge. In fact, it is nearly as good as the .30-06.

I have both. My 280 performs better than my 270. I can do with my 280 shooting 160's what my 270 will do shooting 130's and 140's. I've seen a 280 perform better than most 7 mags.

I love my 270 but I'll take the 280 over it. Now I'm in the process of having another 280 built for me. This time I'm doing one in Ackley Improved. I'll have a 270 Win, 280 Rem, 280 AI, and 7mm Rem Mag. I would say that they are all close, but who cares. I like each individually.

Alfredo

You know this already, but I'll say it for those that don't and are confused by your comment. The .280 can be safely loaded to 65Kpsi just like the 270. The .270 is not safe to load over 65Kpsi. At like pressures the .280 does what the .270 does with 10 grains more bullet. Significant? Nah, not really, but it is more and thats a fact.

I've been running 139s and 140s at 3100-3150fps in my 24" .280 for years. No, nada, not any signs of pressure, including normal brass life. Have run 150s and 154s 2975-3025fps. Same same. The .280 IS MORE gun than the .270 slightly though it may be.

I always relate the .280 is more anything than the .270 to $10,000,000.01 is more than $10,000,000. Technically it's more, but the difference can't buy you anything:)

-Lou

Now you have gone and done it, stired up the ant bed of best all around cartridge. The 30-06 kicks harder and does not shoot quite as flat when both are loaded to maximum velocity with bullets of similar sectional density. However the 30-06 will handle heavier bullets of greater frontal area . It is really an apple and orange comparison. For deer sized game make mine a 270/280. For elk they are about equal. For critters bigger than elk give me the 30-06 with 200grain bullets at maximum velocity. But don't tell me the 30-06 is better than the 280 or 270. Better at what? It's not better, it's just different.

Actually it it will give you about 3% more velocity with similar bullet weights. What I have enjoyed is the 25% better accuracy in my guns in 280. To me it's like getting interest on my $10,000,000.00 I probably won't need the extra but it's fun to have anyway.

Where does 3% come from? If you get 3% velocity increase for a given bullet weight .270 vs .280, then you should get something along a 12% increase in velocity from .270 to .30-06 (I don't see too many guys bragging on 150s at 3300 fps .30-06s). My opinion is if there's any advantage to the .280 it's around 30 fps with the same bullet weight. Incidentally, the .270 & .280 are my favorite rounds. I've sent thousands of round down range from each, have high dollar custom guns in each, and have had several normal factory rifles of each (and still have a few). I simply don't see a difference in velocity and there is much more delta caused between variences in guns that a .007" larger bore will do. The trend I do see with the .280 is guys pick a number based on what they think it should be by extrapolating .270 data or .30-06 data or whatever and try and hit it. I have had no trouble getting either to shoot in either off the shelf factory guns or my custom guns, so not sure why your .270s are less accurate.

-Lou

Oh yeah! well I think the .264 WM is better than all of em so what do ya think about that!