Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats .284 Win.

Exactly.
A 280 ai. Necked to 277 with 130s would be wicked.

I'm gonna just go straight. 280 Rem. Always used shilen, but I think I'm gonna try a Bartlein. Steel number 3.

Otherwise I'd say you're finally on the correct trail. I have a Remington 700 Mtn Rfl in 280 Rem and after giving the action a correct bedding job in the stock it shoots 1MOA with 120gr Nosler BT. My load chronographed 3180 fps using H4350. I think you'll like the performance advantage over the 284. Winchester ultimately decided that the 284 Ballistics nearly match the 308 Win, so the 308 is credited with knocking off the 284..that and the more popular 7mm-08 didn't help it either.

I noticed a somewhat local GS had two boxes of Nosler competition brass 280 Remington. I haven't seen any 284 Win brass in a long time.

that #3 bart is not a light weight

I have formed many 280 cases from 30/06 virgin brass. Set a secondary shoulder to a crush fit. Case is a little short but I never experienced any downside. I have shot out two 280’s so what I suggest isn’t theoretical. I like 30/06 Lapua cases. Peterson will be running 280 cases sometime.

If you are worried about case length then use 270 cases, expand neck to 30 and then set a secondary shoulder just as I described previously.

Have had three, or so, improved versions and at same pressures the difference is maybe 35 fps. Two were the Ackley and one the RCBS versions. Smooth feeding is much better with the original.

Hoping to have an 8 to 8.5 pound rifle scoped capable of 600 yard shots. I think that 700 with a hunters edge and a Bart 2b or 3 with a leupold 4.5x14x40 30mm lr will accomplish that. Hopefully

I would consider the McMillan hunter especially with the contours you’re talking about. I have a Hunters Edge and it’s not my favorite. Between myself and a couple friends we have several rifles with the McMillan hunter and Sako Hunter stocks with bart 2b’s. Real nice blueprint. For shooting out to 600 yards I would keep an open mind about a different scope.

Those Bartlien contours are much heavier than those of other makers. I suggest you look closely at the prints.

I would pick something close to the Douglas #2 dimensions. Benchmarks are good too.

Yes, I have had one for years, a Rifles Inc. Ultra lightweight shorter. 23” barrel with an elongated Wyatt magazine (COL 2.93”). 140gr TTSX’s at a smooth 3100 fps second with R17. 2.5-3” groups at 400 yds. Of course, it’s a handloading decision, but don’t regret it. It’s on a Rem SA of course, but I did add a PTG one-piece bolt with a beefier extractor. Ballistically, there isn’t a spit of difference between the 280 and the 284.

Big mule deer at a100yds.
Cinnamon black bear at 150.
Nebraska whitetail at 500 yds.
Young 6x6 bull at 125 yds.

Honestly, there are a boatload of cartridges from 270 to 30 cal that do about the same thing in the field. A good, well fitting rifle that you like to carry around trumps the cartridge head stamp IMO.

I was looking at douglas too. As far as the scope goes, I know there are better out there with dials and what not, but I've had that scope for a long time and trust it. I've killed 100s of critters with it. Literally. 600 is a poke with that scope, but I've done it. I like to stay within 400, but in the right wind, setup, animal, ect., I'd take the 600 yarder. As far as the cartridges go, they both have the same capacity plus or minus a grain or so, but the 280 stuff is just a little more available around here.

Coyote
I have used most of the barrels and have decided to use Douglas. Why: they are available, the most pleasing contours, you can get a lw ss if you want. For your job a #2 air gaged would be perfect. Twist, I am dated so a 1-9 but for some newer bullets then 1-8. I am not certain the faster twists are optimal but that is not the prevailing view.

Good luck

My vote/suggestion is still for the 284 Win. Cool and efficient.
Brass is available. You just have to pay attention.

Thanks for all the input guys, this site is awesome. I'm gonna build one of them. I'm seeing a stock 280 running 140s 3100 plus. And 160s 2900 plus. That's smoking. I was shooting a 6.5x300 and only getting 156s to run 3200 with about 20 more grains of powder. I think 7mm is where it's at, but I don't need a magnum.

For these kind of speeds allow the maximum barrel length you can be comfortable with. A 22" won't come close to this..at least not mine. 24-26" is very easy to make desired velocity. 22" will lag behind and struggle with specifications, unless some powder optimization happens like a bunch of RL-26. My max speeds are 2950fps with 140gr, 2900fps with 154gr, and 2850fps with 160gr. I get accuracy nodes with 120's and 154gr, but 140gr and 160gr not so much. I also tried 175gr sierra's at 2750fps and they shot well. I happen to like the 120's the best and I've read good reviews on heavier game such as elk.

Rick really nails it. The plain Jane 280 has a lot of performance. I have a 7600 and 725 and both are really easy.

I'll go at least 24 inch. 25 would be nice. But anything shooting a 140 or 150 over 3000, sign me up. I think a 280 will do it. I'll put an 8 twist on it in case I want to shoot a 160 or heavier, but I think I'll stay with 140s and 150s.

Coyote
I started shooting 160’s in my long throated 280 with a 24” bbl. Then I went to 150’s and then to 140’s.

Today I would use 140-145 monolithics. Tried 22”, 24”, & 25” and ended up using 22.5”.

Jim Carmichael was a 280 fan and went through the same bullet weights. He settled on 140 Partitions.

With 140’s I had best results with IMR4831 for around 3060 in a 22.5”.

Rick

You’ll never regret the 8 twist, even with the 140 class bullets.

Rick, what twist did you run on your 280’s?

I like the sound of 4831 and 140s. Got a bunch of that.

Scotty
I used 1-9.25 and 1-9 (multiple).