I own a Browning A bolt in .280, and it's been my go-to rifle for over 30 years. I own several rifles for specific situations but don't really need anything other than the .280.
Same way i feel but with 308. Its worked for my style of hunting all my life. Yes there is faster more cool rounds out now. But i can always find ammo and thats not the case w 280. Or 7mm08 n several others as well. Ive often thought bout getting something else. But i stop myself because why? I cant shoot farther then 200 yards in the most extreme casees and more realistic 30 to 75 yards 99 percent the time. The 308 shines at this distances. Hunted a lifetime and never lost an deer. Pretty good track record 👌
Been using the 280 AI for 30 years, long before it became standardized. It has reasonable recoil, gets similar velocities to factory 7mm Rem Mag when hand loaded but uses less powder, and in my rifles it has been very accurate. I recently used it in Africa with 168 grain Barnes LRX bullets and had impressive results on plains game, and have taken deer at extended ranges with equally impressive results. Shoots flat and hits hard at the business end without taking a toll on the shoulder.
I bought a m77 mk2 in 280rem as my first rifle when I was about20 years old. Its been a great rifle and I've taken many elk, deer and other game with it.
I got a Rem 742 in 7 Express when my grandfather passed away. He was a gunsmith and this was one he had "Magnaported" himself and used for his East Texas hunting. I floundered trying to find 7 Exp ammo. Then learned about Rem's Faux Pa. He was the beginning of my love the 7mm projectile. I know own 6+ 7mm rifles. Thanks for the great video.
The 280 is Mr Hornaday favorite caliber! I bought one when that caliber first came out and hunted with it for a couple of years and never let me down but it got where ammo was a little harder to find ammo so I started reloading but sold the rifle in the mean time! Remington killed the 280 with all of the stupid advertising!
Love my 280. Started life as M70 FWT. Rebarreled in stainless by Bill Wiseman. Brown Precision Pound'r stock. Has worn a few scopes. Currently, a Leupold VX-R 4-12. Thanks Tom!
The .280 can also be considered the Phoenix of cartridges. Seems like it gets buried every few years, but it continues to awaken and rise from the ashes. Browning still lists an X-Bolt in .280 and it's just a matter of time before Remington brings it back, possibly in a limited edition. My .280 is a Marlin MR-7 and it is a fine shooter.
the Browning X-bolt medallion is also listed to be chambered in the .280.. i’ve personally owned 2 x-bolts.. one was a .25-06 and the other is a .308 and they both shot incredible! I sold the .25-06 but my wife still hunts with the .308
280 and 280ai are the best. They are for everyone. Love my 280ai. I beat factory 7rm ballistics with my handloads with less powder less recoil and excellent brass life. It’s unfortunate it’s not more popular.
280 AI is the new 280 Rem. You can increase the pressure in an AI due to the design. Modern bolt action rifles are built for it. Going to an improved shoulder and straighter sidewall alleviates headspace and stretching problems.
@@anthonykaiser974 you can increase the pressure in the 280 as well in the same rifles. The AI version having slightly more volume handles slower burning powder better and with the few extra grains it holds is why it sees the performance increase it does. You are right about the sharper shoulder limiting forward stretching, but most handloaders also don't full length size AI brass. That helps too.
@@DrewEdwardBacklas nice, as long as it works for you don't change it. 🙂 My comment was more in line with how reloading die sets are usually packaged(or offered). Due to its nature as a wildcat, the Ackley version of dies were made to match the chamber and reamer that was used for the rifles built. When Hornady standardized the dimensions to meet SAMMI specifications they were slightly different from several wildcat versions, but it maintained a die setup built with necksizing in mind due to the fireforming aspect of the cartridges origins. Me I don't mind a slight cam-over when I close my bolt, but I also will anneal the front third of my cases. They only get fired in my rifle, as any handload should be tied to one rifle, and it is a production rifle anyway.
Thanks again for another very informative video. I owned a Ruger #1B in 280 but let it slip away as it was heavy. This last year I found at a local gun show an unfired Ruger M77 marked 7mm Express and 280 Rem, it came home with me. I can't decide to shoot it or leave it as is for investment purposes. I agree with your findings on the scarcity of factory new rifles chambered in this great all round cartridge, too bad as it's such a good all rounder.
Built a 280 Rem on a Stiller TAC300 action, 24" #3 Shilen bbl, Jewel trigger at 1 pound, 700 bottom metal floorplate kit, McMillan stock. Unreal accuracy. This was long after my ownership of the 270 and 30-06. To me, the 280 should be a lot more popular TODAY. Earlier this year, I got a decent deal on a Defiance action but it was backwards (right handed). A friend bought a Shilen barrel the same time I did and never did anything with it. I bought the barrel from him for $175. I bought a McMillan stock on sale, got all the needed stuff, another Jewel trigger etc., built another 280 Rem, also insanely accurate. But, just couldn't get used to shooting a right hand bolt being left eye dominant and shooting left handed so I sold it for what I had into it. THEN, I decided to check out the 280AI so I built one of those, Defiance action, Bartlein 9twist #3 barrel, Trigger tech Diamond trigger, but just pillar and skim bedded a factory Remington BDL wood stock. Just euthanized a deer with it 2 weeks ago using factory Remington 280 Norma TipStrike 160s ammo (yes I'm fireforming). I do have Peterson 280AI brass to use but will start that after deer season is over Frankly, the 280 REM is a deserving cartridge but they all do the same thing inside 300 yards on average on deer. I plan to build a few more 280 REMs and 280AIs in the next couple years.
That would be an awesome rabbit hole. I've been looking for a 280 for a couple years now. I ran across one like about 3 years ago at a great price. Yet I hesitated 2 min. Literally I looked at something else said no ill grab the 280. Went back and it was gone. They hit the buy now. So the hunt continues. The thing is i shoot left handed and I got a love for nice wood old rifles. Ya the hunt continues.
I got a Ruger Mark II .280 for my high school graduation present from my dad. He told me "it's a weird gun, for a weird girl." I dropped my first antelope with it. I absolutely love the rifle. Hoping to drop my first mule deer with it in Oct.
Andrea, the Mark II's are as fine of a rifle as anyone could ask for, and in 280 that rifle will take down anything you would ever want to hunt. And good luck that first Mule deer!
I bought a Winchester Featherlite chambered in 280 Rem. years ago and have never felt under gunned. I live in Idaho and hunt antelope, deer (both white tail and mule deer), and elk, with the occasional black bear. I'm a reloader and am able to get 7mm Rem Mag velocities with the 280 Rem. A couple of years ago I got a Kimber Mountain Ascent chambered in 280 AI, which has given me even more velocity without the powder charge or recoil of the magnums. The rifle weighs 5.4 pounds and only 6.6 pounds with scope and loaded. I can carry this rifle up and down the mountains all day long. Both the 280 Rem and the 280 AI are very accurate rounds, even in my two light weight rifles. I own several other rifles that I bought for various specific purposes, but 9 times out of ten, I'll grab one of my 280's
The Marketing/production debacle from Remington killed the .280 and it's a shame. It is a fantastic round and frankly superior to (GASP.....sorry Jack) than the more popular .270.
Enjoyed the comment but I think the use of the term “superior” just doesn’t apply. Both have their place ( I own a .270) but I do appreciate the BC of the 7mm bullet. Yes, I’m nitpicking word usage but, like you, I do see the value of a 7mm bullet with a heavier bullet. Great insight and comment.
How is it superior? Factory loaded .280 Rem has lower muzzle energy than .270 Win at all bullet weighs, presumably due to lower maximum chamber pressure.
@@edwardhoward4708loaded to the same pressure, there is a greater base area, which translate to greater velocity. On addition to that, there are more bullets available for .284 in all weights.
I bought one the first year they came out and was impressed with its performance but I kept listening to all the press and I found something else I wanted more and traded it off but it’s a great cartridge and with todays bullets it’s a great all around cartridge but what do I know being a 60+ year gun collector reloader and hunter!
Tom, I bought a Ruger 77 Mark II in a 280 Rem about 15 or 20??? years ago. The young man that bought it new, put a 3X9 Simmons Pro Hunter scope on it. He never shot the rifle. His wife divorcing him and he had to sell it. I ask what he would take for it. He said $200.00, I said it's gone. I forgot to to tell you it's a all weather canoe paddle. I put a 44 mag Simmons scope on it. I've shot I think six or seven deer with it. I absolutely love the rifle.
I built a custom .280 on a Model 700 action with a Hart Barrel and a Grayboe stock and TT trigger...finest rifle I own. It is a reloader's dream...Safely pushing the Barnes 120 TTSX at 3200 fps with IMR 4831..bug holes
It is a shame Remington isn't making one. I have a "new" 700 and it came with a stock Timney trigger and shoots sub MOA. Beautiful rifle and glad that Remington is making a comeback
I love my ol 280 it’s . Been my go too for awhile. Own 3006 270 . But the 280 is the one for me . I hand load for mine use Ken Waters pet load 53 grains h414 . It bad news for deer. 120 grain sierra soft point. Every body’s got their own opinion. I use it because I like it .
I had a fling with the .280 Remington. I had that "fling" when the Model 700 Mountain Rifle in .280 Remington was getting A LOT of favorable press in the mid-to-late 1980s. I bought the first Model 700 Mountain Rifle in .280 Remington that I could get my hands on and the one I got my hands on had an absolutely spectacular walnut stock with figure and feather-crotch punching far beyond the price class of the rifle. She was a looker. What she wasn't was a shooter. Remington was initially of zero help to me. The absolute best I could get the thing to group was 2.5 MOA. Average was more like 3.5 MOA. That's not what one expected when one bought a Model 700 back then. One of my best friends also bought a 700 in 1987 but he bought a BDL in .30-'06 that was a sub-MOA tack driver right out of the box. I expected my 700 to perform more like that. I had a gunsmith look mine over. He found all kinds of problems and itemized them all in a signed, type-written letter on his business letterhead. Remington offered to replace my rifle with a new one. I asked if they could just replace the barreled action but they said "No" to that, citing multiple undisclosed problems with my stock. The rifle they sent as the replacement shot a 700 is supposed to, but the stock was so homely looking that it could have been made from pallet wood and been prettier to look at. I was kind of disgusted by the experience and when a fellow Sheriff's Deputy I worked with offered me more than I paid for it just because it was, in his words, "A known good shooter," I sold it to him. And that was the end of my direct association with the .280 Remington. It certainly wasn't for the guy who bought mine from me, though. He used it on javalina, feral goats, pronghorn, feral pigs, blacktail deer, mule deer, calibou, elk, moose, and took it to South Africa theee times and shot plains game over there with it. It was his "main squeeze" until he passed away a few years ago. So, who is the .280 Remington for? I'd say it is for a guy or gal who wants to be a user or one rifle rather than a collector of many. At present, I have the Marlin 336 that I started off with as an 11 year old kid 47 seasons ago, and I have a tack-driving Remington 742 semi-auto in .308 Winchester that I inherited a few months ago. The 742 is my "telescopic sight" rifle, My 336 is peep-sighted. Those two pretty much cover everything from javalina to moose for me. But if I were going to buy another bolt-action center-fire meat-getting rifle, the first thing I'd have to deal with is what I want it chambered to.. It would be 6.5 CM or .280 Remington in a bolt gun and instead of buying something off the shelf nowadays, I'd be more inclined to have something made to order. If I decided on 6.5 CM, it would be on a Remington Model Seven action with a 20" barrel set in a high-grade walnut stock. If I decided on a .280 Remington, it would be on an FN Mauser action with a 24" barrel set in a high-grade walnut stock........ But, in all honesty, that's not what I would do. What I'd be more inclined to do would be to buy a Uberti single-shot "Stalking Rifle" in .303 British. But it is hard for me to justify doing any of that after inheriting a minty, tack-driving Remington 742 in .308. .280 Remington in a falling-block single-shot would be pretty dang nice. I could have a 26" barrel but still have a short overall length.
I used a 260Rem for the first time for Michigans opening of rifle season this year. Took my buck using the 260rem for the first time, and it did a great job. I built,well I assembled the AR10 in 260 and being picky on what parts I used made for a very accurate rifle. Yes I hand load so I can and have experimented with a few bullets n loads that shoot beautifully. The 260Rem is a forgotten round unfortunately. Tom I would much appreciate a video on the 260 like you just did on the 280. If you want i would be happy to loan you my thompson center encore in 260Rem along with my reloading dies so you could do a complete video of the 260. Looking forward to your next video.
Great video. Personally love the 280. Funniest part is, 30 years ago I was exactly the young man you were talking about. Fortunately back then, there were rifles chambered in 280. I couldn’t afford the stainless REM 700 so I got a Win M70 lightweight with a 22” barrel! Hunted deer and elk with it for 25 years until the barrel was shot out. Now I hand load and it’s waiting to be reborn as a 280 AI. Crazy how you really called it for this cartridge.
Personally like the 270 Winchester better but the 280 is an awesome all around cartidge. I think the 280 gets over shadowed a lot by the 30-06 and the 7mm-08.
Tom I'm seeing this today on 5/20/24. I have a Browning A Bolt in 280 Remington. It's my favorite rifle for Deer hunting. The day I found this rifle I entered Cabela's in Mitchell, South Dakota. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted it as I approached the used rifle rack I thought to myself please be a 270 ,win. It's Lefty . I picked up the rifle and checked for the caliber a 280 Remington. I didn't hesitate and bought the rifle.
There are two perfect rifles for it: The 742 and 760. Just make sure whichever one you buy says 7mm Express on the barrel 😉 I happened to become aware of the cartridge due to the heavy marketing at the time it was released as the 7MM Express, so for me, the 742 -and 760 are the rifles I associate with the cartridge, whether badged as 280 or 7mmXR. Great episode as usual.
@@snookmeister55 My family had several Remington/Peters sponsored shooters for a long period, way back when in the late 50s, 60s, and 70s. I grew up with 740s and eventually 742s. Finding the right magazine/clip seemed to be the best insurance against this, though QC on some rifles was suspect. My Father's 740 never jammed for the first 20 years he owned it. Then one day he lost the clip during a hunting trip. The replacement caused all sorts of jamming issues. The replacement of the replacement was less problematic, but he eventually found an original era clip that was no problem again. I had a 742 in '06 that never jammed on me for the several years I shot it, but my 308 was always problematic, and no replacement clip seemed to help. I had a Winchester 1500 XTR that was more problematic with jams than any 74x I experienced. It damn near ruined a duck hunting trip in Canada for me (My Dad told me not to buy that thing, lol. I ended up using the guide's 870). So I get hate for the 74x, but I still have a lot of fondness for them, and fond memories of many hunts with my family using them successfully and with no issues (we had .243s, 308s, and 30-06s in the mix- 740s and 742s- we all used Remington factory ammo of course)
Love this cartridge! Been hunt'n with it since '90! 120 grain Nosler Partition Boat-tail ,140 gr. Rem. Core-lokt PSP and 165 gr. Rem. Round-nose! Great video!
I went on Winchester's website, and they do have the .280 Rem listed as a Chambering for their Super Grade model for the model 70. I thought about getting a rifle chambered in .280 Rem. It's difficult to find rifles in said cartridge. There are rifles widely available for its cousins. The .280AI and its European counterpart 7x64 Brenneke. I am a fan of the 7mm bullet.
For a 280 the first rifle that springs to mind is a push feed model 70. Maybe because that was the first rifle I saw in that cartridge and the owner could shoot.
ZASTAVA RIFLE IS FULL STRONG STEEL ,GOOD RIFLE,OLD SCHOOL,MAUSER CONTROL FEED 7X64 BRENEKE IS REPAIR TO 280REM....7X64BRENEKE AND 280 REM THEY HAVE VERY SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS AND BRASS BEARINGS. I DONT SPEAK ENGISH😁😆😀....BIG GREEATINGS FOR YOU FROM SERBIA.....OLD YUGOSLAVIA!
Love this video! And I found the perfect rifle for this cartridge on gunbroker a couple of years ago. A Remington 700 C-Grade with a beautiful walnut stock, unfired, in mint condition! Couldn’t believe it was out there and that I found it so soon after I began searching for a rifle chambered in .280 Remington. To find a matching rifle for caliber this nice was just meant to be.
There are more rifles being chambered in 280 Ackley Improved. They had ammo in stock at Cabelas the other day - only 2 choices but it was on the shelf. It is a very efficient, surprisingly “modern” cartridge for when it was created. The phrase “inherently accurate” keeps coming up while I research this cartridge. If you don’t look forward to the recoil of 7mm REM Mag or 7 PRC and you don’t have a stash of *magnum* large rifle primers, the 280 AI looks darned good.
The 280 is for anyone who wants to hunt muleys and pronghorn and feels comfortable taking shots out to 400 yards and would like a a cartridge that is very similar to a 270. But, as you said, rifles in 280 Rem are hard to find unless you can spend at least $2000. I believe Winchester still makes a Model 70 in 280 Remington in Super Grade, but it will cost you! I killed my first muley buck and pronghorn buck with my uncle's semi custom model 700 in 280 shooting handloaded 140 Partitions at 2950 fps and 3/4" groups. So, I have a soft spot for this cartridge and still use one to this day.
It took me years to find what was my Holy Grail. In a Browning catalogue there was a 2 page sized photo of a Stainless Stalker LEFT handed with B.O.S.S. in 280 Rem as a factory chambering. I began to think I'd never see one but I found a minty used one and bought it. Very accurate rifle and nice to carry in the bush. Years later I found the same set up but in 7mm Rem Mag, so I bough it! Now I have the 2 Browning LH Stainless Stalkers equipped with the B.O.S.S. option, a 280 Rem and 7mm Rem Mag so all my bases are covered. THANK YOU TOM for telling the story of my favourite cartridge in the way only you can do.
A great potential cartridge as it was tested at the Remington factory range with a nice long 26-inch barrel. That barrel gave it great velocity. Many people read the test reports and pre-bought one. Sadly, the numbskulls at Remington company did not ship the rifles withe the 26-inch barrel but instead put a 22-inch tube on it. The buyers took it to the range and were very disappointed. 4 inches less of barrel ruined the potential F.P.S. velocity of the .280 Remington cartridge and the rifle. I spoke to the Remington factory rep at the N.R.A. convention at Anaheim Convention center in the 1980's about the problem, and he just stared at me and said nothing.
I had the 270 win, but one of my brothers have has a couple 280 Rem. It is a great cartridge, also another cartridge Remington killed just like the 260.
Sometimes the best do not make it to the top because of a mistake. I think Remington doomed the 280 in many ways. 280 factory ammo is way under loaded to the performance of 7mm-08 and 7mm Mauser. I know this first hand because I have worked up hand loads for Remington 742s and one 7600 pump. None of those rifles in any caliber can be load to the maximum powder charge shown in reloading manuals. Im talking 5 to 8 grains below max. I judge pressure by primer flattening and ejecter indentation. Brass cases fired in Remington 742 and 7600 looks over pressured with factory loaded ammo. I think the 7mm Remington Magnum hurt 280 sales almost as bad as 264 Winchester sales. The 280 is a riflemans cartridge. It combines the best of calibers like the 270, 30-06 , 7mm Magnum, and 7mm Mauser . I don't own one because of brass availability. I sticking to my 30-06.
I am getting started on a project it’s a 280 AI that I am building I had bought a Remington 721 b model at a pawn shop it was a 30-06 and I took it out and shot it this last fall and it never shot very good so I took it to a friend that had a bore scope after scrubbing the bore and changing out scopes and bedding action anyway the bore scope showed that the chamber was not cut straight to the bore the rifling was longer on one side than the other side coming out of the chamber so now I’m ordered a barrel pre treaded short chambered and crowned and I am going to finish it myself being I had other 30-06 rifles and hopefully if I’m careful cutting the head space right it will shoot good my new barrel is 26” long
I bought a .280 Remington in 1993 in the form of a model 7400. If it was a model 700 I’d still be hunting with it. I did buy a 700 in .270 WIN in 1997 and never looked back. I gave the 7400 to my brother in law who was new to hunting and needed a rifle. The .280 is a very capable cartridge.
I have a Winchester featherweight 70 i bought in the 80's in 280 Remington. I just bought it because I like to have all the rifle cartridges but I never hunted with it. It throws fireballs and recoils the same as my full size Remington 700 in 7 mag.So I really never seen a reason to use it. It's a good accurate round though.
In his COMPLETE BOOK OF RIFLES and SHOTGUNS Jack O’Connor wrote in chapter 14 in the section regarding ideal cartridges for mountain rifles “…the most useful mountain cartridges are within the range of the 7x57, 270 Winchester, 280 Remington, .308 and 30-06”. He went on to say that although he had a slight preference for the 270 because of its somewhat flatter trajectory “…the new .280 Remington should rank right up there at the top with the .270”. Sorry I can’t quote my source but I seem to remember O’Connor writing the 280 Remington was more versatile than the 270 because of the wider range and heavier bullets available much the same as the 30-06. I submit that the 280 Remington IS a reloader’s cartridge. I find plenty of data from Hornady, Nosler and Lee. I don’t know about case availability or factory ammo. Published pressures are generally under 60,000 psi. One could load it up or down depending on the hunting situation. Some loads duplicate the 7x57. Others will equal the AI version. 140- 160 grain bullets running from 2800 to 3000 fps for a flat shooting western cartridge. 175 grain round nose at 2300 fps for thick woods. Then look at what it can do with the Nosler 175 grain Long Range Accubond and Partition bullets. Run the numbers for both the 280 Remington and the 7x57 at about 2600 fps through a ballistic calculator with both set at a 250 yard zero. You will be amazed. In the last 50 years I’ve killed more deer with the 270 Winchester than anything else because that’s what I started with and what I started hand loading for. Now I have a lot of others including one 7x57 built on an early 98 Mauser action “just cause” but no 280. If I was starting all over again I think I would be happy with a 280. We have too much magnumitis. Although O’Connor’s favorite cartridge was the .375 H&H rifle for hunting the world over, he proved over and over again that you don’t need a magnum anything for hunting anything on the North American continent. You just need to be a HUNTER and RIFLEMAN. No disrespect to the ladies intended. BTW if your dad is still around and still has the rifle, why didn’t you borrow it at least for show and tell? Old farts like me still like seeing such things. Happy hunting boys and girls!😊
Thanks Dave for confirming my suspicions on why Jack wanted a 280. I figured it was for the heavier bullet for bigger game. It also sounds like we are in a similar boat, I suspect the biggest reason I don't have a 280 is because I never really saw a need for it since I have a 7x57 that I love shooting. And yes I have been blessed and my Dad is still alive and hunting and I was thinking I should do a video on his rifle. I need to go over it for him and clean it up anyway. It's a BDL mountain rifle and has been a great rifle for him.
The 280 died for lack of sales. The new 280 AI would be a great modern cartridge if many rifles were made for it that had a faster twist to accommodate the new longer all brass bullets. If some of these were S/S with iron sights they would be exceptional. For a cartridge to last it has to dominate a niche market or have wide spread acceptance. Marketing decisions killed the 280.
I consider the 280 to be the 30-06 and the 270 rolled into one. The real beauty of it in my opinion is the fantastic 7mm bullet selection. For a reloader, it can do anything from hunt varmints to take the toughest game in North America. There is nothing that a 30-06 can do that a 280 cannot with a good 160-175 grain bullet. And it does all of this with mild recoil and power that is right on the heels of the 7mm Magnum. Who is it for? Pretty much anyone, including long range shooters. I am on my third. Love the 280.
There is a good selection of used rifles in .280 Remington that are higher quality than new factory editions. I own a Ruger m77 mk2 stainless all weather that shoots 140grain TTSX BARNES in tight clover leaves every time. The fact 140 grain mono TTSX terminal performance gives me the confidence to hunt Elk with my .280, more so than my .270 win with available factory ammo. Because of the greater bullet weight possibilities, increased BC, and higher velocity the .280 holds a measurable advantage over the .270 Win....Also the pressures have long been increased on factory .280 ammo.
I think it would be reasonable to mention the euro analog of .280 that predates it by ~40 years - 7x64. I wonder if it is possible to fire form the 7x64 casings out of .30-06 casings.
I’d love a 280 ai. The. I got to thinking I’d like a 7mm in the 6.5 prc case. So a modern 280 short action. Then I found out there was one. The 284 Winchester.
The 280 Rem chambered in a model 700 mountain rifle with 22" bbl is like bread and butter just like the 7mm08 Rem chambered in a Rem mod 7 with 20" bbl. Shame Remington has no vision.
I hunt exclusively now with a 280 Rem in a Ruger M77 with a 24-inch barrel. Who is this round for? Simple, like me, it's for that young man who hunted with a 7mm Rem Mag and has grown older. At 63 I no longer want the recoil of the Magnum and probably don't have the eye-sight for 300+ yard shots. Yet I trust the 7mm round as I've used one my entire life. I tried the 7mm-08 but was unimpressed with the lack of a "twack" or "pop" when a round struck its target. The 280 however, under 250yrds, hits just like the mag with noticeably less recoil and has that 7mm outstanding accuracy. Who is this round for? Why me of course, it's for me.
I see the 280 as not really having any advantage over other century-old cartridges like the 30-06 or the 270 Win. The 280AI is a little improvement, but still uses the same type of chamber and throat as the 30-06. The 280 is a good cartridge, but It does not use the improvements of the "match chamber" designs: a section of tight cylindrical freebore before the throat. Those cartridges allow more of the bullet to extend in front of the case and stuff the shank of the bullet into the freebore to improve accuracy. To do this in a standard 3.34" action (30-06 length), the case needs to be a little shorter. To take advantage of the 280 with an improved chamber, you need a slightly longer action.
One I have wanted badly but never have got.. I was going to do a custom on a masuer but somebody needed it n others more than me. Maybe someday. I think now would do 280 Ackley
I have a browning BAR in .280….hard to find but found one and it’s exactly what I was looking for….I have several BAR .270 and even one in .308 but even as popular as the .270 is from personal experience the .280 has that slight gain in terminal performance….it may not be much more than a .270 and on paper the .270 is superior but the game I took with it had noticeable differences in ballistic “damage”….I have a local store that still stocks .280 but they have changed something over the years and the factory ammo won’t feed correctly….I was told they are now loaded farther out of the neck and the overall length prevents them from feeding properly….not a big issue since the person who loads for it is the person I purchased it from so I’m in a good spot for now
Thirty one years ago I went to a gun show to look for a hunting rifle. I had decided on a 7mm cartridge with 280 Rem as my number one choice, 7mm-08 second, 7mm Rem Mag number three, and 7X57 Mauser last. I still have the 7X57 and still would rather have a 280! Remington 700 Mountain Rifle.
Call it a 280 creedmoor and it’ll fly off the shelf. Rifle cartridges are just marketing. All the good calibers have been around 50-75+ years, but now they’re “obsolete”
I know I'm going to get hate for this, but the .280 is an answer to a question no one asked, never has asked and never will ask. That's why it's dying.
The 280 (and 280AI) were better prospects than the 270 winchester as they had during the same time heavier bullets than the 270. When the Ackley Improved version was standardized by Nosler, they gave it a faster rifling twist as well to stabilize longer heavier bullets which are now popular with "long range" shooters. For ethical hunting if you take shots at 300 to 400 yards(which should be the max if you are accurate at that distance, both beat out the 270 winchester.
Odd thing is why manufacturers are still chambering in WSM calibers when I can't find any ammo for those. Midway seems to have plenty of .280. Not already having a 7X57, .270 and .260. I might have explored the .280.
@@JosephWilhoit-ef6nl Yes. been looking everywhere for 270WSM When I do find, like at ammo seek, it's almost $100 for 20. Winchester did one run at around $60 a box. Brass? Forget it.
🕵♂ Does The 280 Have Alot More Bullet Choices Than The 270, As You Stated? Nope, Not in "Hunting Bullets" (Bonded Bullets or Monolithic Solids) in More Bullet Weights (The 270 Hunting Bullets Range From 80 grains to 180 grains in These "Hunting Bullets")! 🤔
Std 280 Rem, 24" barrel. Check the Nosler Manuals #4 & #3. 160g most accurate load is with IMR 7828 with a federal 210 at 2930 fps. I have found this to be accurate in three different Rem 700s, accuracy is sub half inch, no kidding. Only the federal 210 will get tiny groups, and I have tried every brand of primer.
Ironic that Remington does not produce a rifle in .280 Remington. Irony of ironies, I own a Remington rifle in .270 Winchester, and a Winchester rifle in 7mm-08...and I never once considered getting any rifle in .280 Rem. I guess I kind of fell into the majority and ignored it given I don't see I niche that it would fill that wasn't already occupied in my gun safe.
Anything that have been said about the 270 win the 280 rem does it better with more punch,sorry Mr GunBLUE490 I KNOW U LOVE THE 270 but it does not make my cut that ammo is not so much available like the 270 is true,and 280AI is exelent too.
I built, by myself, a 280 back in the early 1980’s. Oberndorf action, Douglas air gauged barrel, Timney trigger, Bishop Alaskan wood stock. I used “The Accurate Rifle” by Warren Page. I bedded the action with aluminum Devcon putty. It is without a doubt my most accurate rifle. I hunted it a lot and the stock now has “character” marks. Wouldn’t trade it for anything. It is a handloader’s cartridge but saw a store the other day with 20+ boxes of CorLokt 150’s.
The 280 is another failed cartridge who did not catch on. Competing with the 30-06 (more power) and 270 (flatter trajectory and less recoil) was very difficult. If both of these never existed the .280 Remington or 7 mm Express would have caught on big time and sold like crazy.
I bought an Encore, so when the cartridge bug bites, I can buy a barrel and optic instead of an entire rifle. My current pet is a 23" heavy barrel chambered in .300 Savage. The 260 and 280 have been intriguing me for several years now.
One of the greatest underrated/ unknown cartridges. What a shame. Remingtons marketing dept. is to blame.
I own a Browning A bolt in .280, and it's been my go-to rifle for over 30 years. I own several rifles for specific situations but don't really need anything other than the .280.
Same way i feel but with 308. Its worked for my style of hunting all my life. Yes there is faster more cool rounds out now. But i can always find ammo and thats not the case w 280. Or 7mm08 n several others as well. Ive often thought bout getting something else. But i stop myself because why? I cant shoot farther then 200 yards in the most extreme casees and more realistic 30 to 75 yards 99 percent the time. The 308 shines at this distances. Hunted a lifetime and never lost an deer. Pretty good track record 👌
Being a hand loader ammo has never been a problem. I load a 150 grain nosler partition and duplicate the old federal premium factory load.
I also hand load and am thinking of having a 280 built...I was thinking a 24" barrel and starting with 140 Nosler Accubond @@lawrencesears7255
I'm just seeing this today on 5/11/24. I have a Browning A bolt chambered in 280 Remington it's a Lefty with a muzzle break. I love this Rifle.
Been using the 280 AI for 30 years, long before it became standardized. It has reasonable recoil, gets similar velocities to factory 7mm Rem Mag when hand loaded but uses less powder, and in my rifles it has been very accurate. I recently used it in Africa with 168 grain Barnes LRX bullets and had impressive results on plains game, and have taken deer at extended ranges with equally impressive results. Shoots flat and hits hard at the business end without taking a toll on the shoulder.
Hey H the Canadian and British Army use your 280, I think that they have a machine chambered in the 280, man I don't want them shooting at me.BB
I bought a m77 mk2 in 280rem as my first rifle when I was about20 years old. Its been a great rifle and I've taken many elk, deer and other game with it.
I got a Rem 742 in 7 Express when my grandfather passed away. He was a gunsmith and this was one he had "Magnaported" himself and used for his East Texas hunting. I floundered trying to find 7 Exp ammo. Then learned about Rem's Faux Pa. He was the beginning of my love the 7mm projectile. I know own 6+ 7mm rifles. Thanks for the great video.
The 280 is Mr Hornaday favorite caliber! I bought one when that caliber first came out and hunted with it for a couple of years and never let me down but it got where ammo was a little harder to find ammo so I started reloading but sold the rifle in the mean time! Remington killed the 280 with all of the stupid advertising!
Not anymore! Hornady wants to sell its PRC cartridges.
Love my 280. Started life as M70 FWT. Rebarreled in stainless by Bill Wiseman. Brown Precision Pound'r stock. Has worn a few scopes. Currently, a Leupold VX-R 4-12. Thanks Tom!
The .280 can also be considered the Phoenix of cartridges. Seems like it gets buried every few years, but it continues to awaken and rise from the ashes. Browning still lists an X-Bolt in .280 and it's just a matter of time before Remington brings it back, possibly in a limited edition. My .280 is a Marlin MR-7 and it is a fine shooter.
I sure would love to see Remington come back strong and bring the 280 with it.
I've got an X-bolt in .280 on layaway right now. Looking forward to paying it off.
the Browning X-bolt medallion is also listed to be chambered in the .280..
i’ve personally owned 2 x-bolts.. one was a .25-06 and the other is a .308 and they both shot incredible! I sold the .25-06 but my wife still hunts with the .308
280 and 280ai are the best. They are for everyone. Love my 280ai. I beat factory 7rm ballistics with my handloads with less powder less recoil and excellent brass life. It’s unfortunate it’s not more popular.
Have to agree.
280 AI is the new 280 Rem. You can increase the pressure in an AI due to the design. Modern bolt action rifles are built for it. Going to an improved shoulder and straighter sidewall alleviates headspace and stretching problems.
@@anthonykaiser974 you can increase the pressure in the 280 as well in the same rifles. The AI version having slightly more volume handles slower burning powder better and with the few extra grains it holds is why it sees the performance increase it does. You are right about the sharper shoulder limiting forward stretching, but most handloaders also don't full length size AI brass. That helps too.
@@patrickhenry236 I full length resize but only bump the shoulder .002”.
@@DrewEdwardBacklas nice, as long as it works for you don't change it. 🙂
My comment was more in line with how reloading die sets are usually packaged(or offered). Due to its nature as a wildcat, the Ackley version of dies were made to match the chamber and reamer that was used for the rifles built. When Hornady standardized the dimensions to meet SAMMI specifications they were slightly different from several wildcat versions, but it maintained a die setup built with necksizing in mind due to the fireforming aspect of the cartridges origins.
Me I don't mind a slight cam-over when I close my bolt, but I also will anneal the front third of my cases. They only get fired in my rifle, as any handload should be tied to one rifle, and it is a production rifle anyway.
Thanks again for another very informative video. I owned a Ruger #1B in 280 but let it slip away as it was heavy. This last year I found at a local gun show an unfired Ruger M77 marked 7mm Express and 280 Rem, it came home with me. I can't decide to shoot it or leave it as is for investment purposes. I agree with your findings on the scarcity of factory new rifles chambered in this great all round cartridge, too bad as it's such a good all rounder.
Built a 280 Rem on a Stiller TAC300 action, 24" #3 Shilen bbl, Jewel trigger at 1 pound, 700 bottom metal floorplate kit, McMillan stock. Unreal accuracy. This was long after my ownership of the 270 and 30-06. To me, the 280 should be a lot more popular TODAY. Earlier this year, I got a decent deal on a Defiance action but it was backwards (right handed). A friend bought a Shilen barrel the same time I did and never did anything with it. I bought the barrel from him for $175. I bought a McMillan stock on sale, got all the needed stuff, another Jewel trigger etc., built another 280 Rem, also insanely accurate. But, just couldn't get used to shooting a right hand bolt being left eye dominant and shooting left handed so I sold it for what I had into it. THEN, I decided to check out the 280AI so I built one of those, Defiance action, Bartlein 9twist #3 barrel, Trigger tech Diamond trigger, but just pillar and skim bedded a factory Remington BDL wood stock. Just euthanized a deer with it 2 weeks ago using factory Remington 280 Norma TipStrike 160s ammo (yes I'm fireforming). I do have Peterson 280AI brass to use but will start that after deer season is over
Frankly, the 280 REM is a deserving cartridge but they all do the same thing inside 300 yards on average on deer. I plan to build a few more 280 REMs and 280AIs in the next couple years.
That would be an awesome rabbit hole. I've been looking for a 280 for a couple years now. I ran across one like about 3 years ago at a great price. Yet I hesitated 2 min. Literally I looked at something else said no ill grab the 280. Went back and it was gone. They hit the buy now. So the hunt continues. The thing is i shoot left handed and I got a love for nice wood old rifles. Ya the hunt continues.
I got a Ruger Mark II .280 for my high school graduation present from my dad. He told me "it's a weird gun, for a weird girl." I dropped my first antelope with it. I absolutely love the rifle. Hoping to drop my first mule deer with it in Oct.
Andrea, the Mark II's are as fine of a rifle as anyone could ask for, and in 280 that rifle will take down anything you would ever want to hunt. And good luck that first Mule deer!
@@TomRiverSimpleLiving Thank you!
Thankfully the 280AI is bringing the great cartridge back.
I bought a Winchester Featherlite chambered in 280 Rem. years ago and have never felt under gunned. I live in Idaho and hunt antelope, deer (both white tail and mule deer), and elk, with the occasional black bear. I'm a reloader and am able to get 7mm Rem Mag velocities with the 280 Rem. A couple of years ago I got a Kimber Mountain Ascent chambered in 280 AI, which has given me even more velocity without the powder charge or recoil of the magnums. The rifle weighs 5.4 pounds and only 6.6 pounds with scope and loaded. I can carry this rifle up and down the mountains all day long. Both the 280 Rem and the 280 AI are very accurate rounds, even in my two light weight rifles. I own several other rifles that I bought for various specific purposes, but 9 times out of ten, I'll grab one of my 280's
The Marketing/production debacle from Remington killed the .280 and it's a shame. It is a fantastic round and frankly superior to (GASP.....sorry Jack) than the more popular .270.
I've used 280 for years and it's the only one I like.
Enjoyed the comment but I think the use of the term “superior” just doesn’t apply. Both have their place ( I own a .270) but I do appreciate the BC of the 7mm bullet.
Yes, I’m nitpicking word usage but, like you, I do see the value of a 7mm bullet with a heavier bullet.
Great insight and comment.
Yeah, “superior” is certainly just an opinion, when used in a general sense. 22lr is superior than a 280, in the correct context.
How is it superior? Factory loaded .280 Rem has lower muzzle energy than .270 Win at all bullet weighs, presumably due to lower maximum chamber pressure.
@@edwardhoward4708loaded to the same pressure, there is a greater base area, which translate to greater velocity. On addition to that, there are more bullets available for .284 in all weights.
I bought one the first year they came out and was impressed with its performance but I kept listening to all the press and I found something else I wanted more and traded it off but it’s a great cartridge and with todays bullets it’s a great all around cartridge but what do I know being a 60+ year gun collector reloader and hunter!
Tom, I bought a Ruger 77 Mark II in a 280 Rem about 15 or 20??? years ago. The young man that bought it new, put a 3X9 Simmons Pro Hunter scope on it. He never shot the rifle. His wife divorcing him and he had to sell it. I ask what he would take for it. He said $200.00, I said it's gone. I forgot to to tell you it's a all weather canoe paddle. I put a 44 mag Simmons scope on it. I've shot I think six or seven deer with it. I absolutely love the rifle.
This is the kind of content I enjoy on your site.🙂
I built a custom .280 on a Model 700 action with a Hart Barrel and a Grayboe stock and TT trigger...finest rifle I own. It is a reloader's dream...Safely pushing the Barnes 120 TTSX at 3200 fps with IMR 4831..bug holes
I have a late 80’s vintage Remington 700 mountain rifle in 280. A joy to carry in the woods
Me too!
Had one myself! A pleasure to shoot and hunt with! Have a 700 Classic now in you guessed it... 280 Rem.@@Cjtarinelli
I love mine!
It is a shame Remington isn't making one. I have a "new" 700 and it came with a stock Timney trigger and shoots sub MOA. Beautiful rifle and glad that Remington is making a comeback
Weatherby now offers 280AI factory ammo . Pretty cool
I love my ol 280 it’s . Been my go too for awhile. Own 3006 270 . But the 280 is the one for me . I hand load for mine use Ken Waters pet load 53 grains h414 . It bad news for deer. 120 grain sierra soft point. Every body’s got their own opinion. I use it because I like it .
I had a fling with the .280 Remington.
I had that "fling" when the Model 700 Mountain Rifle in .280 Remington was getting A LOT of favorable press in the mid-to-late 1980s.
I bought the first Model 700 Mountain Rifle in .280 Remington that I could get my hands on and the one I got my hands on had an absolutely spectacular walnut stock with figure and feather-crotch punching far beyond the price class of the rifle.
She was a looker.
What she wasn't was a shooter.
Remington was initially of zero help to me. The absolute best I could get the thing to group was 2.5 MOA. Average was more like 3.5 MOA. That's not what one expected when one bought a Model 700 back then. One of my best friends also bought a 700 in 1987 but he bought a BDL in .30-'06 that was a sub-MOA tack driver right out of the box. I expected my 700 to perform more like that. I had a gunsmith look mine over. He found all kinds of problems and itemized them all in a signed, type-written letter on his business letterhead. Remington offered to replace my rifle with a new one. I asked if they could just replace the barreled action but they said "No" to that, citing multiple undisclosed problems with my stock. The rifle they sent as the replacement shot a 700 is supposed to, but the stock was so homely looking that it could have been made from pallet wood and been prettier to look at.
I was kind of disgusted by the experience and when a fellow Sheriff's Deputy I worked with offered me more than I paid for it just because it was, in his words, "A known good shooter," I sold it to him.
And that was the end of my direct association with the .280 Remington.
It certainly wasn't for the guy who bought mine from me, though. He used it on javalina, feral goats, pronghorn, feral pigs, blacktail deer, mule deer, calibou, elk, moose, and took it to South Africa theee times and shot plains game over there with it. It was his "main squeeze" until he passed away a few years ago.
So, who is the .280 Remington for?
I'd say it is for a guy or gal who wants to be a user or one rifle rather than a collector of many.
At present, I have the Marlin 336 that I started off with as an 11 year old kid 47 seasons ago, and I have a tack-driving Remington 742 semi-auto in .308 Winchester that I inherited a few months ago. The 742 is my "telescopic sight" rifle, My 336 is peep-sighted. Those two pretty much cover everything from javalina to moose for me.
But if I were going to buy another bolt-action center-fire meat-getting rifle, the first thing I'd have to deal with is what I want it chambered to..
It would be 6.5 CM or .280 Remington in a bolt gun and instead of buying something off the shelf nowadays, I'd be more inclined to have something made to order. If I decided on 6.5 CM, it would be on a Remington Model Seven action with a 20" barrel set in a high-grade walnut stock. If I decided on a .280 Remington, it would be on an FN Mauser action with a 24" barrel set in a high-grade walnut stock........
But, in all honesty, that's not what I would do. What I'd be more inclined to do would be to buy a Uberti single-shot "Stalking Rifle" in .303 British.
But it is hard for me to justify doing any of that after inheriting a minty, tack-driving Remington 742 in .308.
.280 Remington in a falling-block single-shot would be pretty dang nice. I could have a 26" barrel but still have a short overall length.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and keep your videos coming please.
I used a 260Rem for the first time for Michigans opening of rifle season this year. Took my buck using the 260rem for the first time, and it did a great job. I built,well I assembled the AR10 in 260 and being picky on what parts I used made for a very accurate rifle. Yes I hand load so I can and have experimented with a few bullets n loads that shoot beautifully. The 260Rem is a forgotten round unfortunately. Tom I would much appreciate a video on the 260 like you just did on the 280. If you want i would be happy to loan you my thompson center encore in 260Rem along with my reloading dies so you could do a complete video of the 260. Looking forward to your next video.
Great video. Personally love the 280. Funniest part is, 30 years ago I was exactly the young man you were talking about. Fortunately back then, there were rifles chambered in 280. I couldn’t afford the stainless REM 700 so I got a Win M70 lightweight with a 22” barrel! Hunted deer and elk with it for 25 years until the barrel was shot out. Now I hand load and it’s waiting to be reborn as a 280 AI. Crazy how you really called it for this cartridge.
Informative Information.. Watching from Northeastern Ontario Canada 🇨🇦
Personally like the 270 Winchester better but the 280 is an awesome all around cartidge. I think the 280 gets over shadowed a lot by the 30-06 and the 7mm-08.
Tom I'm seeing this today on 5/20/24. I have a Browning A Bolt in 280 Remington. It's my favorite rifle for Deer hunting. The day I found this rifle I entered Cabela's in Mitchell, South Dakota. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted it as I approached the used rifle rack I thought to myself please be a 270 ,win. It's Lefty . I picked up the rifle and checked for the caliber a 280 Remington. I didn't hesitate and bought the rifle.
There are two perfect rifles for it: The 742 and 760. Just make sure whichever one you buy says 7mm Express on the barrel 😉 I happened to become aware of the cartridge due to the heavy marketing at the time it was released as the 7MM Express, so for me, the 742 -and 760 are the rifles I associate with the cartridge, whether badged as 280 or 7mmXR. Great episode as usual.
742 is famous for jamming at the worst times
@@snookmeister55 My family had several Remington/Peters sponsored shooters for a long period, way back when in the late 50s, 60s, and 70s. I grew up with 740s and eventually 742s. Finding the right magazine/clip seemed to be the best insurance against this, though QC on some rifles was suspect. My Father's 740 never jammed for the first 20 years he owned it. Then one day he lost the clip during a hunting trip. The replacement caused all sorts of jamming issues. The replacement of the replacement was less problematic, but he eventually found an original era clip that was no problem again. I had a 742 in '06 that never jammed on me for the several years I shot it, but my 308 was always problematic, and no replacement clip seemed to help. I had a Winchester 1500 XTR that was more problematic with jams than any 74x I experienced. It damn near ruined a duck hunting trip in Canada for me (My Dad told me not to buy that thing, lol. I ended up using the guide's 870). So I get hate for the 74x, but I still have a lot of fondness for them, and fond memories of many hunts with my family using them successfully and with no issues (we had .243s, 308s, and 30-06s in the mix- 740s and 742s- we all used Remington factory ammo of course)
@@JBASH2011 Very interesting. Thank you. In 1974 I bought a 742 in 280, then a 760 in 30:06. I've bought only Bolt rifles since. I love a tack driver.
@@snookmeister55 same here. I moved on to bolts.
Love this cartridge! Been hunt'n with it since '90! 120 grain Nosler Partition Boat-tail ,140 gr. Rem. Core-lokt PSP and 165 gr. Rem. Round-nose! Great video!
I went on Winchester's website, and they do have the .280 Rem listed as a Chambering for their Super Grade model for the model 70. I thought about getting a rifle chambered in .280 Rem. It's difficult to find rifles in said cartridge. There are rifles widely available for its cousins. The .280AI and its European counterpart 7x64 Brenneke. I am a fan of the 7mm bullet.
For a 280 the first rifle that springs to mind is a push feed model 70. Maybe because that was the first rifle I saw in that cartridge and the owner could shoot.
ZASTAVA RIFLE IS FULL STRONG STEEL ,GOOD RIFLE,OLD SCHOOL,MAUSER CONTROL FEED 7X64 BRENEKE IS REPAIR TO 280REM....7X64BRENEKE AND 280 REM THEY HAVE VERY SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS AND BRASS BEARINGS.
I DONT SPEAK ENGISH😁😆😀....BIG GREEATINGS FOR YOU FROM SERBIA.....OLD YUGOSLAVIA!
Love this video! And I found the perfect rifle for this cartridge on gunbroker a couple of years ago. A Remington 700 C-Grade with a beautiful walnut stock, unfired, in mint condition! Couldn’t believe it was out there and that I found it so soon after I began searching for a rifle chambered in .280 Remington. To find a matching rifle for caliber this nice was just meant to be.
It's a 7mm fan's cartridge. Mine is in a Weatherby Mk5 and it just it impresses me every time.
There are more rifles being chambered in 280 Ackley Improved. They had ammo in stock at Cabelas the other day - only 2 choices but it was on the shelf. It is a very efficient, surprisingly “modern” cartridge for when it was created. The phrase “inherently accurate” keeps coming up while I research this cartridge. If you don’t look forward to the recoil of 7mm REM Mag or 7 PRC and you don’t have a stash of *magnum* large rifle primers, the 280 AI looks darned good.
Seen a Browning X-bolt in 280, definitely enticing prospect.
The 280 is for anyone who wants to hunt muleys and pronghorn and feels comfortable taking shots out to 400 yards and would like a a cartridge that is very similar to a 270. But, as you said, rifles in 280 Rem are hard to find unless you can spend at least $2000. I believe Winchester still makes a Model 70 in 280 Remington in Super Grade, but it will cost you! I killed my first muley buck and pronghorn buck with my uncle's semi custom model 700 in 280 shooting handloaded 140 Partitions at 2950 fps and 3/4" groups. So, I have a soft spot for this cartridge and still use one to this day.
It took me years to find what was my Holy Grail.
In a Browning catalogue there was a 2 page sized photo of a Stainless Stalker LEFT handed with B.O.S.S. in 280 Rem as a factory chambering.
I began to think I'd never see one but I found a minty used one and bought it. Very accurate rifle and nice to carry in the bush.
Years later I found the same set up but in 7mm Rem Mag, so I bough it! Now I have the 2 Browning LH Stainless Stalkers equipped with the B.O.S.S. option, a 280 Rem and 7mm Rem Mag so all my bases are covered.
THANK YOU TOM for telling the story of my favourite cartridge in the way only you can do.
A great potential cartridge as it was tested at the Remington factory range with a nice long 26-inch barrel. That barrel gave it great velocity. Many people read the test reports and pre-bought one. Sadly, the numbskulls at Remington company did not ship the rifles withe the 26-inch barrel but instead put a 22-inch tube on it. The buyers took it to the range and were very disappointed. 4 inches less of barrel ruined the potential F.P.S. velocity of the .280 Remington cartridge and the rifle.
I spoke to the Remington factory rep at the N.R.A. convention at Anaheim Convention center in the 1980's about the problem, and he just stared at me and said nothing.
I had the 270 win, but one of my brothers have has a couple 280 Rem. It is a great cartridge, also another cartridge Remington killed just like the 260.
I had a lot of 280 . A Rem.. in 7600 Sweet. 5 in H&R 26in.bor. still use it today.
Sometimes the best do not make it to the top because of a mistake. I think Remington doomed the 280 in many ways. 280 factory ammo is way under loaded to the performance of 7mm-08 and 7mm Mauser. I know this first hand because I have worked up hand loads for Remington 742s and one 7600 pump. None of those rifles in any caliber can be load to the maximum powder charge shown in reloading manuals. Im talking 5 to 8 grains below max. I judge pressure by primer flattening and ejecter indentation. Brass cases fired in Remington 742 and 7600 looks over pressured with factory loaded ammo. I think the 7mm Remington Magnum hurt 280 sales almost as bad as 264 Winchester sales. The 280 is a riflemans cartridge. It combines the best of calibers like the 270, 30-06 , 7mm Magnum, and 7mm Mauser . I don't own one because of brass availability. I sticking to my 30-06.
I am getting started on a project it’s a 280 AI that I am building I had bought a Remington 721 b model at a pawn shop it was a 30-06 and I took it out and shot it this last fall and it never shot very good so I took it to a friend that had a bore scope after scrubbing the bore and changing out scopes and bedding action anyway the bore scope showed that the chamber was not cut straight to the bore the rifling was longer on one side than the other side coming out of the chamber so now I’m ordered a barrel pre treaded short chambered and crowned and I am going to finish it myself being I had other 30-06 rifles and hopefully if I’m careful cutting the head space right it will shoot good my new barrel is 26” long
I bought a .280 Remington in 1993 in the form of a model 7400. If it was a model 700 I’d still be hunting with it. I did buy a 700 in .270 WIN in 1997 and never looked back. I gave the 7400 to my brother in law who was new to hunting and needed a rifle. The .280 is a very capable cartridge.
Have a couple of them, perfect for muleys and prongs here in wyoming
.
Ruger 77 is the rifle that immediately comes to mind when I think 280Rem
7 mm Remington Magnum pretty much killed the 280
Remington said, Not abandoned, just not there yet.
I have a Winchester featherweight 70 i bought in the 80's in 280 Remington. I just bought it because I like to have all the rifle cartridges but I never hunted with it. It throws fireballs and recoils the same as my full size Remington 700 in 7 mag.So I really never seen a reason to use it. It's a good accurate round though.
I love my 280 I reload for it light recoll super accurate I have it in a Ruger mk2
I’d love to find a Remington 7600 in .280 Remington 👍
Remington 760 or 7600
Is what comes to mind when I think .280
Remington 700 mountain rifle 140Gr Nosler partition @ approx 2900 works great.
In his COMPLETE BOOK OF RIFLES and SHOTGUNS Jack O’Connor wrote in chapter 14 in the section regarding ideal cartridges for mountain rifles “…the most useful mountain cartridges are within the range of the 7x57, 270 Winchester, 280 Remington, .308 and 30-06”. He went on to say that although he had a slight preference for the 270 because of its somewhat flatter trajectory “…the new .280 Remington should rank right up there at the top with the .270”. Sorry I can’t quote my source but I seem to remember O’Connor writing the 280 Remington was more versatile than the 270 because of the wider range and heavier bullets available much the same as the 30-06.
I submit that the 280 Remington IS a reloader’s cartridge. I find plenty of data from Hornady, Nosler and Lee. I don’t know about case availability or factory ammo. Published pressures are generally under 60,000 psi. One could load it up or down depending on the hunting situation. Some loads duplicate the 7x57. Others will equal the AI version. 140- 160 grain bullets running from 2800 to 3000 fps for a flat shooting western cartridge. 175 grain round nose at 2300 fps for thick woods. Then look at what it can do with the Nosler 175 grain Long Range Accubond and Partition bullets. Run the numbers for both the 280 Remington and the 7x57 at about 2600 fps through a ballistic calculator with both set at a 250 yard zero. You will be amazed. In the last 50 years I’ve killed more deer with the 270 Winchester than anything else because that’s what I started with and what I started hand loading for. Now I have a lot of others including one 7x57 built on an early 98 Mauser action “just cause” but no 280. If I was starting all over again I think I would be happy with a 280. We have too much magnumitis. Although O’Connor’s favorite cartridge was the .375 H&H rifle for hunting the world over, he proved over and over again that you don’t need a magnum anything for hunting anything on the North American continent. You just need to be a HUNTER and RIFLEMAN. No disrespect to the ladies intended. BTW if your dad is still around and still has the rifle, why didn’t you borrow it at least for show and tell? Old farts like me still like seeing such things. Happy hunting boys and girls!😊
Thanks Dave for confirming my suspicions on why Jack wanted a 280. I figured it was for the heavier bullet for bigger game. It also sounds like we are in a similar boat, I suspect the biggest reason I don't have a 280 is because I never really saw a need for it since I have a 7x57 that I love shooting. And yes I have been blessed and my Dad is still alive and hunting and I was thinking I should do a video on his rifle. I need to go over it for him and clean it up anyway. It's a BDL mountain rifle and has been a great rifle for him.
Well Said Sir well said.
TOM There you go..would be good if ya can doey one with Your Fathers ol Deer Getter..
The 280 died for lack of sales. The new 280 AI would be a great modern cartridge if many rifles were made for it that had a faster twist to accommodate the new longer all brass bullets. If some of these were S/S with iron sights they would be exceptional. For a cartridge to last it has to dominate a niche market or have wide spread acceptance. Marketing decisions killed the 280.
I always think of the .280 in a custom Mauser or custom stocked Ruger No. 1. Someday…
Great cartridge.
Could you do a video on barrel life.I would love to hear your opinion on the subject , I have two 270 win and would like to know what to aspect.
Right now, the availability of 280AI factory ammo surpasses plain 280. I wouldn't necessarily call the AI a handloader's only cartridge.
I consider the 280 to be the 30-06 and the 270 rolled into one. The real beauty of it in my opinion is the fantastic 7mm bullet selection. For a reloader, it can do anything from hunt varmints to take the toughest game in North America. There is nothing that a 30-06 can do that a 280 cannot with a good 160-175 grain bullet. And it does all of this with mild recoil and power that is right on the heels of the 7mm Magnum. Who is it for? Pretty much anyone, including long range shooters. I am on my third. Love the 280.
There is a good selection of used rifles in .280 Remington that are higher quality than new factory editions. I own a Ruger m77 mk2 stainless all weather that shoots 140grain TTSX BARNES in tight clover leaves every time. The fact 140 grain mono TTSX terminal performance gives me the confidence to hunt Elk with my .280, more so than my .270 win with available factory ammo. Because of the greater bullet weight possibilities, increased BC, and higher velocity the .280 holds a measurable advantage over the .270 Win....Also the pressures have long been increased on factory .280 ammo.
I think it would be reasonable to mention the euro analog of .280 that predates it by ~40 years - 7x64.
I wonder if it is possible to fire form the 7x64 casings out of .30-06 casings.
It would make more sense to chamber with the AI version .It nips at the heels of the 7mm Remington Mag, and you can still use .280 Remington in it.
I’d love a 280 ai. The. I got to thinking I’d like a 7mm in the 6.5 prc case. So a modern 280 short action. Then I found out there was one. The 284 Winchester.
.284 Winchester was/is a really cool cartridge. I always thought if I hit the lottery I'd get a NULA Rifle in .284.
exactly all their doing is reinventing the wheel. prc and creedmoor LOL!
280 short action - 7MM 08
@@russellparrish5745 not quite. 280 is a little slower
The 280 Rem chambered in a model 700 mountain rifle with 22" bbl is like bread and butter just like the 7mm08 Rem chambered in a Rem mod 7 with 20" bbl. Shame Remington has no vision.
Winchester still chambers their Supergrade model 70 in 280 and Browning chambers 6 rifles in 280, ironically.
I hunt exclusively now with a 280 Rem in a Ruger M77 with a 24-inch barrel. Who is this round for? Simple, like me, it's for that young man who hunted with a 7mm Rem Mag and has grown older. At 63 I no longer want the recoil of the Magnum and probably don't have the eye-sight for 300+ yard shots. Yet I trust the 7mm round as I've used one my entire life. I tried the 7mm-08 but was unimpressed with the lack of a "twack" or "pop" when a round struck its target. The 280 however, under 250yrds, hits just like the mag with noticeably less recoil and has that 7mm outstanding accuracy. Who is this round for? Why me of course, it's for me.
I see the 280 as not really having any advantage over other century-old cartridges like the 30-06 or the 270 Win. The 280AI is a little improvement, but still uses the same type of chamber and throat as the 30-06. The 280 is a good cartridge, but It does not use the improvements of the "match chamber" designs: a section of tight cylindrical freebore before the throat. Those cartridges allow more of the bullet to extend in front of the case and stuff the shank of the bullet into the freebore to improve accuracy. To do this in a standard 3.34" action (30-06 length), the case needs to be a little shorter. To take advantage of the 280 with an improved chamber, you need a slightly longer action.
My Ruger 77 in 280 is the best big game gun I have ever had!
In a similar vein, you can't find a rifle without a detachable box magazine any more. From anyone. I'm glad I don't need anymore rifles.
I been using a REM. 760 pump in 280 back in the early 70’s with a 3x9 wide scope and still use it today for white tail to varmits
Enjoyed your video as always. My brother in law has the 7mm Express in Remington 700 BDL
One I have wanted badly but never have got.. I was going to do a custom on a masuer but somebody needed it n others more than me. Maybe someday.
I think now would do 280 Ackley
I have a browning BAR in .280….hard to find but found one and it’s exactly what I was looking for….I have several BAR .270 and even one in .308 but even as popular as the .270 is from personal experience the .280 has that slight gain in terminal performance….it may not be much more than a .270 and on paper the .270 is superior but the game I took with it had noticeable differences in ballistic “damage”….I have a local store that still stocks .280 but they have changed something over the years and the factory ammo won’t feed correctly….I was told they are now loaded farther out of the neck and the overall length prevents them from feeding properly….not a big issue since the person who loads for it is the person I purchased it from so I’m in a good spot for now
Thirty one years ago I went to a gun show to look for a hunting rifle. I had decided on a 7mm cartridge with 280 Rem as my number one choice, 7mm-08 second, 7mm Rem Mag number three, and 7X57 Mauser last. I still have the 7X57 and still would rather have a 280! Remington 700 Mountain Rifle.
Always wanted one but never enough to buy one over a 270 or 30-06
Call it a 280 creedmoor and it’ll fly off the shelf. Rifle cartridges are just marketing. All the good calibers have been around 50-75+ years, but now they’re “obsolete”
I own a 7mm-08 still can get guns shells in it. Probably the death blow of the 280.
It is a near copy of the 7x64 Brenneke, designed and introduced in 1917.
I know I'm going to get hate for this, but the .280 is an answer to a question no one asked, never has asked and never will ask. That's why it's dying.
The 280 (and 280AI) were better prospects than the 270 winchester as they had during the same time heavier bullets than the 270.
When the Ackley Improved version was standardized by Nosler, they gave it a faster rifling twist as well to stabilize longer heavier bullets which are now popular with "long range" shooters. For ethical hunting if you take shots at 300 to 400 yards(which should be the max if you are accurate at that distance, both beat out the 270 winchester.
Odd thing is why manufacturers are still chambering in WSM calibers when I can't find any ammo for those. Midway seems to have plenty of .280. Not already having a 7X57, .270 and .260. I might have explored the .280.
U can find 300wsm just not 270wsm trust me I have one lol
@@JosephWilhoit-ef6nl Yes. been looking everywhere for 270WSM When I do find, like at ammo seek, it's almost $100 for 20. Winchester did one run at around $60 a box. Brass? Forget it.
The 280 is my favorite cartridge.
🕵♂ Does The 280 Have Alot More Bullet Choices Than The 270, As You Stated? Nope, Not in "Hunting Bullets" (Bonded Bullets or Monolithic Solids) in More Bullet Weights (The 270 Hunting Bullets Range From 80 grains to 180 grains in These "Hunting Bullets")! 🤔
Std 280 Rem, 24" barrel. Check the Nosler Manuals #4 & #3. 160g most accurate load is with IMR 7828 with a federal 210 at 2930 fps. I have found this to be accurate in three different Rem 700s, accuracy is sub half inch, no kidding. Only the federal 210 will get tiny groups, and I have tried every brand of primer.
Ironic that Remington does not produce a rifle in .280 Remington. Irony of ironies, I own a Remington rifle in .270 Winchester, and a Winchester rifle in 7mm-08...and I never once considered getting any rifle in .280 Rem. I guess I kind of fell into the majority and ignored it given I don't see I niche that it would fill that wasn't already occupied in my gun safe.
Another "zombie" cartridge is the .243 Winchester: after all the similar cartridges that have come and gone it's still here.
Browning X-Bolt White Gold Medallion Octagon/Maple 22 inch stainless steel 6 lbs 12 oz $1,779.99 - $1,849.99
MSRP
Anything that have been said about the 270 win the 280 rem does it better with more punch,sorry Mr GunBLUE490 I KNOW U LOVE THE 270 but it does not make my cut that ammo is not so much available like the 270 is true,and 280AI is exelent too.
.280 should be the most popular 7mm in America. 7mm-08 should be number 2 with 7mm Rem Mag number 3. Its just practicality of application.
👍
I built, by myself, a 280 back in the early 1980’s. Oberndorf action, Douglas air gauged barrel, Timney trigger, Bishop Alaskan wood stock. I used “The Accurate Rifle” by Warren Page. I bedded the action with aluminum Devcon putty. It is without a doubt my most accurate rifle. I hunted it a lot and the stock now has “character” marks. Wouldn’t trade it for anything. It is a handloader’s cartridge but saw a store the other day with 20+ boxes of CorLokt 150’s.
Loyd, that sounds like one fine rifle! I can only image how that combination of components turned out.
The 280 is another failed cartridge who did not catch on. Competing with the 30-06 (more power) and 270 (flatter trajectory and less recoil) was very difficult. If both of these never existed the .280 Remington or 7 mm Express would have caught on big time and sold like crazy.
I bought an Encore, so when the cartridge bug bites, I can buy a barrel and optic instead of an entire rifle. My current pet is a 23" heavy barrel chambered in .300 Savage. The 260 and 280 have been intriguing me for several years now.
The 280 out shoots the 270 all day.
G.O.A.T Deer Rifle want proof at 400yards it's 1/10th of a inch flatter. Lots of bullets in 7mm maybe more than 30 caliber.