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 👌
I'm kind of a 7mm enthusiast. I have a custom built on a Ruger M77 MkII action in 7X57. It has a Douglas barrel and has had the receiver and trigger worked over. t's a shooter. I also have two 7mm Rem magnums. One is a Remington 700 BDL and the other is a Winchester Model 70 Classic. Then we come to my 280 Rems. The first one was a stainless Savage 110 with a plastic stock that I bought specifically for hunting in nasty weather and believe me It has seen a lot of nasty weather. It has also dropped a lot of deer. The second is a Browning A Bolt II Medallion. It is a beautiful rifle that fits me like a glove and is probably the most accurate rifle I own. The last of the group is a custom commercial Mauser that I built about three years ago. McGowen put one of his barrels on it and did the receiver and trigger. All of my hunting rifles are special to me but the Mauser is my favorite. It shoots about a .75 inch group if I'm really trying and does that with commercial good quality ammo or my hand loads. By the way, I'm 82 years old and I killed a very nice buck this fall with a muzzle loader. Also, all my hunting rifles are left handed. That makes them a little rare, especially the Winchester and the Mauser. I guess you could say that I am both a gun guy and a hunter and that I love mu 280s.
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.
Poor man's magnum. I knew a guy who didn't like the recoil of the 30 06 . So he jumped on rem bandwagon with the 700 bdl in the early 7mm express. His son took a liking to caliber. So when the mountain rifle came out he had to get one. In 280 He couldn't believe how light of a rifle it is and he couldn't believe how well it grouped with the skinny barrel how. I find the cartridge to be one of the most underrated. 7mm is a great diameter for larger whitetail
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.
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
A young man’s cartridge; you bet. A seasoned hunter/shooter’s cartridge; you bet. I was a young man on a budget with a growing family in the late 80’s and thought long and hard before I bought a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle chambered in .280 Rem; at the same time I began hand loading. Just about anything I loaded, 140 grains, 154 gr. Hornady Interlocks, 160 grain Nosler partitions, etc… shot amazingly accurate. I hunted deer, black bear, elk and varmints with my .280 and touted the old saying, “Beware the man with one rifle, he knows how to use it”. And yes, as you said, as we get older we venture into other rifles and calibers; my favorite now for long range hunting or for bigger game such as moose is .300 WSM. So the .280 Rem gets left behind in the gun cabinet on those hunts. But when I trudge out in the Pennsylvania woods for deer or bear, my trusty .280 Rem is what comes with me. So yes, it is both a young man’s cartridge and a seasoned hunter/shooter cartridge.
I’d use a 280 if I already had one for antelope, deer and maybe elk but wouldn’t buy a new or used rifle chambered for that cartridge. Same with a lot of the older established calibers (243, 264, 270, 280, 300 etc etc). If you have it, use it, they kill pretty much as well as the super duper all new PRC’s. The actual improvements for hunting are in the optics (including rangefinders) and the rifle stocks.
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 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 was fortunate enough to come into possession of a pretty rare rifle in .280 Rem. It’s one of 500 made in a collaboration between Midway USA and Winchester. A Model 70 Supergrade in the most spectacular wood I’ve ever seen. It took its first deer last weekend on opening day and I’m certain it’ll take more in the years to come. I’ll certainly be saving my brass to reload though. This rifle has a 1:10 twist barrel and that limits me to 150gr and under. And there’s only three factory loads available. None of which shoot lights out in this rifle. But come spring, I’m getting to work!
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!
I’ve had a 280AI built on a Mauser action for 15 years. Load development was fun. Wouldn’t part with it at this point. I deer hunt in Western Oklahoma. It’s flat, windy and 300 yard shots aren’t uncommon. It’s extremely well suited. Settled on 4831sc and 139 gr bullets. The gun eats it up and it is a tax driver. I’d say your assessment is spot on. It’s not for everyone. Found your page because I just got my first bob. Enjoying the content.
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.
I built custom Mauser and chambered it in .280 Rem. It took very little messing around to make a good load for it. It's a very versatile and accurate cartridge.
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!
My grandpa hunted with a 284 Winchester when I was growing up. He loved his model 88 and I am happy to say it is now mine. With that said looking up to him as I do when I was old enough for a large caliber hunting rifle I wanted the 280 Rem. But like you couldn't find many options even back then. But since I have always been fascinated with PO Ackley also I bought the 280AI. While I don't push it like most now a days do I enjoy loading for it and it is my favorite rifle for the reasons you stated, it is my do it all rifle and it has yet to disappoint me. Thank you for the video.
Thanks Tom, it's a great cartridge. Try finding a 280 Rem in a left-handed rifle! No bueno. So, I bought a second hand Model 700 CDL in 30-06 and re-barreled to 280 Rem with a 25" barrel. It is a superb setup for pronghorn. As you stated, it is getting harder to find premium factory ammo for the 280 Rem. Nosler E-Tip & Ballistic Tip are available (sometimes) as is Remington Core-Lokt Tipped. Thank you again.
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.
I commented before, watched this again, and have a couple more comments. It truly is a “rifle man’s cartridge” and a “hunter’s cartridge”. The 24” barrel really brings it to another level. I personally have found the 140gr Sierra Game King to be the perfect bullet for deer sized game, with the Barnes TTS even better. If you handload, I noticed a press behind you, you can do well.
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 .
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 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.
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
Hello, Enjoyed the video and found you a REM .280 on Gun Broker. It’s a Browning A-Bolt, stainless and appears to be a 22” barrel. Not sure of your price-point but this one is advertised at $1,400-ish dollars. Again, love the video and always appreciate your demeanor. Happy hunting!!!
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
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.
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!
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 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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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 have used the versatile 280 for moose/deer/bear for many yrs, I'm a handloader & consider it the best all-around cartridge for anything in N America, minus big teeth & claws.
It's just about a copy of the old 7X64MM. Brenneke round that is over 100 years old. I have a Tikka in 7X64mm. for deer in the U.K. and can't fault it for performance. A well balanced round.
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
I have a stainless steel in a 280 ruger mark II model 77 and I also have a oncore single shot in a 280 and use both of them in deer season and love both of them….
I bought a Rem 700 280 back in the 70’s. The first group I shot looked like I shot buckshot at the target. Oh well , broke out the reloading press and after a lot of load development have a hand load that groups under 1/2 inch. I found a McMillan stock at a gun shop that was closing down for a Benjamin and had my gunsmith bed it and free float the barrel. Talk about 6.25 lb. Rifle that will shoot !!!! I’ve shot numerous game animals with it including an elk !!! Remington should have chambered this round in the new 700 Alpha ! I can’t believe they would kill off such a great cartridge!
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.
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 ordered my 700BDL in 7mm Express in 1978 and it finally arrived in March of 1979. I was told they waited until enough orders came in and then made batches of them. Mine hates 165gr. round noze, but will easily dump sub minute groups as long as I do my part. That is getting harder after 44 years, but the 139 gr. BTSP with 56 gr. of IMR4831 is super accurate and easy to shoot. More than that it hit's harder, but I lose a little accuracy and get punished at the bench. With heavier loads I use a 2 1/2 high 100 yard zero and then can stay on target out to 275 yards. At 400 yards it is 13.75" low. I killed a whitetail in kansas at well over 600 yards and the bullet cleared out the chest. At close range the bulets can get a little irratic in a deer body, but as long as I am shooting the hornady's there is no problem. The only time I have an expansion issue or lack of expansion was when I was shooting partitions on the lighter loads when I didn't use a should shot. I also load the 7mm mag.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Let me pick your mind, sir. If you're interested in having a classic cartridge, and the ballistics of the .28 Rem intrigues you, then might I suggest you look at the 7x64 Brenneke instead? It lies right in between the .280 Rem and the .280 AI (give or take - you can always find outliers) - but it saw the light of day 40 years before the .280 Remington. Most of the European rifle manufacturers that come to mind still make a 7x64. I handled a nice Sako 85 in my local gun store just a few months ago, a pretty thing indeed! But oh so expensive, so I "settled" for a used 7x64 instead - a Mannlicher Schönauer GK, built in the 1960s, for less than half the price. The laws in my country being what they are, I am still waiting for the paperwork on it, but I sure do look forward to taking it out for a red stag or fallow deer!
I was going to mention the 7x64 in my long detailed post but it probably was too long already. I believe that with modern powders either can equal the AI version. Same thing can be said for the 7x61 Sharpe&Hart vs the 7 REM Mag. A few years ago I passed up a set of 7x61 dies just to collect. Now I’ve found a box of NOS 7x61 factory ammo. I’m trying to control myself😅Then I’d have to have a rifle built to take up more space in the safe.
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.
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.
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.
Remington's Advertising Quote, "The 280 Remington bridges the gap between the 270 & the 30-06 and out performs them both." True if you reload it to it's true potential. The problem with factory ammo was/is that it was down loaded so it could be used in the semi-auto's & pump rifles that Remington introduced this cartridge in. What most people do notunderstand or do not research is the max pressures that the 280 was listed/limited to. SAAMI listed the pressures lower to insure that the semi's & pumps were not over pressured. Thus, listed velocities (as compared to the 270 were lack lustered). Any modern bolt action rifle built in 280 Rem can shoot at the same SAAMI pressure listed for any 270. If you disagree, then i guess they build 280's out of different steel or inferior steel versus a 270, i call b.s. Comparing apples to apples or oranges to apples, according to the Nosler Reloading Guide #6 a 270 with W760 and a Accubond 130 gr bullet (the highest BC listed at .435) coupled with the "fastest velocity/powder is 3,158fps. A 280 with a 140 gr N.A.B (B.C. .485) with RL 19 has a max of 3,152fps. 6 fps slower than a 270 but with a 10 gr heavier bullet and with much higher B.C. and people want to believe a 270 will out perform a 270, once again I call B.S. PLUS, understand that the 280 is loaded at lower pressures. The 280 is a much more efficient cartridge and when loaded to the pressures equal to modern day bolt actions, it will out perform any 270 period. The 280 Rem is probably the most balanced cartridge ever without getting into mag cartridges. It does more or equal with less. Granted, factory 280 ammo is down loaded and performance is lacking behind what it is capable of. Factory ammo is hard to find, yes. Reloaders don't worry one bit because there is no shortage of 30-06 brass that can be sized down to make 280 brass. Shame on Remington for destroying one of the best cartridges ever developed. I've been shooting one for 40 years, along with everything from 22's to 338's. The 280 Remington will be the last rifle I would ever sale out of my collection. However, I have an appreciation for all the other calibers also, but no 270 is ever going to out perform a 280 when the 280 is loaded to its full potential.
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 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 have a few 280 rem. I load a speer 130 gr hot core. I remember i was little dad bought a new 742 280 rem. Hunted with it a few weeks. Took it back traded and paid the difference in for a new 742 308 win. Had it ever since. I cant decide i am looking at a 280AI. Savage Ultralite 280AI. Browning xbolt speed 280AI. Weatherby Mark Hunter 5. Christensen Arm Ridgeline 280AI.
I would love to have a rifle chambered in every cartridge/ caliber. I couldn't afford one even in just the 6 mm family. There's no bad caliber, wildcat variation and It's sad to see great cartridges like the 257 R and 222 Rem dying fast or rifles chambered for them. The ammo will be here or could be made. Really enjoying learning your thoughts. Thank you.
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!
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 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.
280 Remington and the AI version are both extremely good cartridges. Saami pressure on the 280 was set at 60,000psi while the AI version 65,000 psi. The AI will run right with the 7mm Remington magnum in most loadings and is in this guys opinion a better round than the magnum for several reasons. No belt, more rounds in the magazine, very little body taper in the case which makes it a superb candidate as the reloaders dream. Oh, and it will handily take out any and all big game in North America in good hands.
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.
One of the greatest underrated/ unknown cartridges. What a shame. Remingtons marketing dept. is to blame.
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!
I'm kind of a 7mm enthusiast. I have a custom built on a Ruger M77 MkII action in 7X57. It has a Douglas barrel and has had the receiver and trigger worked over. t's a shooter. I also have two 7mm Rem magnums. One is a Remington 700 BDL and the other is a Winchester Model 70 Classic. Then we come to my 280 Rems. The first one was a stainless Savage 110 with a plastic stock that I bought specifically for hunting in nasty weather and believe me It has seen a lot of nasty weather. It has also dropped a lot of deer. The second is a Browning A Bolt II Medallion. It is a beautiful rifle that fits me like a glove and is probably the most accurate rifle I own. The last of the group is a custom commercial Mauser that I built about three years ago. McGowen put one of his barrels on it and did the receiver and trigger. All of my hunting rifles are special to me but the Mauser is my favorite. It shoots about a .75 inch group if I'm really trying and does that with commercial good quality ammo or my hand loads. By the way, I'm 82 years old and I killed a very nice buck this fall with a muzzle loader. Also, all my hunting rifles are left handed. That makes them a little rare, especially the Winchester and the Mauser. I guess you could say that I am both a gun guy and a hunter and that I love mu 280s.
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
Poor man's magnum. I knew a guy who didn't like the recoil of the 30 06 . So he jumped on rem bandwagon with the 700 bdl in the early 7mm express. His son took a liking to caliber. So when the mountain rifle came out he had to get one. In 280 He couldn't believe how light of a rifle it is and he couldn't believe how well it grouped with the skinny barrel how. I find the cartridge to be one of the most underrated. 7mm is a great diameter for larger whitetail
7mm is a great diameter for most game, regardless of size.
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.
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
A young man’s cartridge; you bet. A seasoned hunter/shooter’s cartridge; you bet. I was a young man on a budget with a growing family in the late 80’s and thought long and hard before I bought a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle chambered in .280 Rem; at the same time I began hand loading. Just about anything I loaded, 140 grains, 154 gr. Hornady Interlocks, 160 grain Nosler partitions, etc… shot amazingly accurate. I hunted deer, black bear, elk and varmints with my .280 and touted the old saying, “Beware the man with one rifle, he knows how to use it”. And yes, as you said, as we get older we venture into other rifles and calibers; my favorite now for long range hunting or for bigger game such as moose is .300 WSM. So the .280 Rem gets left behind in the gun cabinet on those hunts. But when I trudge out in the Pennsylvania woods for deer or bear, my trusty .280 Rem is what comes with me. So yes, it is both a young man’s cartridge and a seasoned hunter/shooter cartridge.
I’d use a 280 if I already had one for antelope, deer and maybe elk but wouldn’t buy a new or used rifle chambered for that cartridge. Same with a lot of the older established calibers (243, 264, 270, 280, 300 etc etc). If you have it, use it, they kill pretty much as well as the super duper all new PRC’s. The actual improvements for hunting are in the optics (including rangefinders) and the rifle stocks.
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.
Weatherby now offers 280AI factory ammo . Pretty cool
Bless you for sharing. Best I’ve heard for the 280!!!!!
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.
I was fortunate enough to come into possession of a pretty rare rifle in .280 Rem. It’s one of 500 made in a collaboration between Midway USA and Winchester. A Model 70 Supergrade in the most spectacular wood I’ve ever seen. It took its first deer last weekend on opening day and I’m certain it’ll take more in the years to come. I’ll certainly be saving my brass to reload though. This rifle has a 1:10 twist barrel and that limits me to 150gr and under. And there’s only three factory loads available. None of which shoot lights out in this rifle. But come spring, I’m getting to work!
I've got a Browning A-Bolt in 280 with a 1:10 twist. That rifle loves the 160gr GameKing. That's been my do all handload. From Red Deer to rabbits.
First rifle, Mauser Sporter in 280. Last year I gave it to the Son-in-Law. 140s Noslers for deer, 165s and 175s for elk and whatever, 400# up..
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!
I’ve had a 280AI built on a Mauser action for 15 years. Load development was fun. Wouldn’t part with it at this point. I deer hunt in Western Oklahoma. It’s flat, windy and 300 yard shots aren’t uncommon. It’s extremely well suited. Settled on 4831sc and 139 gr bullets. The gun eats it up and it is a tax driver.
I’d say your assessment is spot on. It’s not for everyone. Found your page because I just got my first bob. Enjoying the content.
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.
I built custom Mauser and chambered it in .280 Rem. It took very little messing around to make a good load for it. It's a very versatile and accurate cartridge.
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.
My grandpa hunted with a 284 Winchester when I was growing up. He loved his model 88 and I am happy to say it is now mine. With that said looking up to him as I do when I was old enough for a large caliber hunting rifle I wanted the 280 Rem. But like you couldn't find many options even back then. But since I have always been fascinated with PO Ackley also I bought the 280AI. While I don't push it like most now a days do I enjoy loading for it and it is my favorite rifle for the reasons you stated, it is my do it all rifle and it has yet to disappoint me. Thank you for the video.
Thankfully the 280AI is bringing the great cartridge back.
Thanks Tom, it's a great cartridge. Try finding a 280 Rem in a left-handed rifle! No bueno. So, I bought a second hand Model 700 CDL in 30-06 and re-barreled to 280 Rem with a 25" barrel. It is a superb setup for pronghorn. As you stated, it is getting harder to find premium factory ammo for the 280 Rem. Nosler E-Tip & Ballistic Tip are available (sometimes) as is Remington Core-Lokt Tipped. Thank you again.
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.
I commented before, watched this again, and have a couple more comments. It truly is a “rifle man’s cartridge” and a “hunter’s cartridge”. The 24” barrel really brings it to another level. I personally have found the 140gr Sierra Game King to be the perfect bullet for deer sized game, with the Barnes TTS even better. If you handload, I noticed a press behind you, you can do well.
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 .
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 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.
I've been wanting a modern action in 6.5x55 swedish. The original 6.5. In a modern action, you can load them up to really make the 6.5 prc sweat.
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
Hello,
Enjoyed the video and found you a REM .280 on Gun Broker. It’s a Browning A-Bolt, stainless and appears to be a 22” barrel. Not sure of your price-point but this one is advertised at $1,400-ish dollars.
Again, love the video and always appreciate your demeanor.
Happy hunting!!!
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
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.
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!
I have a Remington 700 BDL deluxe chambered in .280 that I purchased in 1996. It’s my go to rifle.
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 have a Remington 740 chambered in 280. It has checkered stock and forearm. It was made in 1958. I have got many deer with it. Have a Great Evening!
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!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and keep your videos coming please.
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.
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.
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.
This is the kind of content I enjoy on your site.🙂
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.
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.
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.
FYI
Winchester is showing the .280 remington an option on their model 70 super grade .. but only the standard super grade.
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 have used the versatile 280 for moose/deer/bear for many yrs, I'm a handloader & consider it the best all-around cartridge for anything in N America, minus big teeth & claws.
It's just about a copy of the old 7X64MM. Brenneke round that is over 100 years old. I have a Tikka in 7X64mm. for deer in the U.K. and can't fault it for performance. A well balanced round.
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
I have a stainless steel in a 280 ruger mark II model 77 and I also have a oncore single shot in a 280 and use both of them in deer season and love both of them….
I bought a Rem 700 280 back in the 70’s. The first group I shot looked like I shot buckshot at the target. Oh well , broke out the reloading press and after a lot of load development have a hand load that groups under 1/2 inch. I found a McMillan stock at a gun shop that was closing down for a Benjamin and had my gunsmith bed it and free float the barrel. Talk about 6.25 lb. Rifle that will shoot !!!! I’ve shot numerous game animals with it including an elk !!!
Remington should have chambered this round in the new 700 Alpha ! I can’t believe they would kill off such a great cartridge!
Seen a Browning X-bolt in 280, definitely enticing prospect.
For Reloaders, working with a 180g Hornady ELD-M at 2700 fps out of this cartridge with a BC of .796 checks a lot of boxes for reaching way out there.
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.
Have a couple of them, perfect for muleys and prongs here in wyoming
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280 Remington. Could be called a 7mm-06? Seems sound to me. I don't need that much power in my future, but I have no specific gripes either.
It's a 7mm fan's cartridge. Mine is in a Weatherby Mk5 and it just it impresses me every time.
Informative Information.. Watching from Northeastern Ontario Canada 🇨🇦
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 ordered my 700BDL in 7mm Express in 1978 and it finally arrived in March of 1979. I was told they waited until enough orders came in and then made batches of them. Mine hates 165gr. round noze, but will easily dump sub minute groups as long as I do my part. That is getting harder after 44 years, but the 139 gr. BTSP with 56 gr. of IMR4831 is super accurate and easy to shoot. More than that it hit's harder, but I lose a little accuracy and get punished at the bench. With heavier loads I use a 2 1/2 high 100 yard zero and then can stay on target out to 275 yards. At 400 yards it is 13.75" low. I killed a whitetail in kansas at well over 600 yards and the bullet cleared out the chest. At close range the bulets can get a little irratic in a deer body, but as long as I am shooting the hornady's there is no problem. The only time I have an expansion issue or lack of expansion was when I was shooting partitions on the lighter loads when I didn't use a should shot. I also load the 7mm mag.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Let me pick your mind, sir.
If you're interested in having a classic cartridge, and the ballistics of the .28 Rem intrigues you, then might I suggest you look at the 7x64 Brenneke instead? It lies right in between the .280 Rem and the .280 AI (give or take - you can always find outliers) - but it saw the light of day 40 years before the .280 Remington.
Most of the European rifle manufacturers that come to mind still make a 7x64. I handled a nice Sako 85 in my local gun store just a few months ago, a pretty thing indeed! But oh so expensive, so I "settled" for a used 7x64 instead - a Mannlicher Schönauer GK, built in the 1960s, for less than half the price. The laws in my country being what they are, I am still waiting for the paperwork on it, but I sure do look forward to taking it out for a red stag or fallow deer!
I was going to mention the 7x64 in my long detailed post but it probably was too long already. I believe that with modern powders either can equal the AI version. Same thing can be said for the 7x61 Sharpe&Hart vs the 7 REM Mag. A few years ago I passed up a set of 7x61 dies just to collect. Now I’ve found a box of NOS 7x61 factory ammo. I’m trying to control myself😅Then I’d have to have a rifle built to take up more space in the safe.
How about 7.7 jap
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.
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've had a mod 700 mountain rifle in .280 ditched the auger mod77 30/06 never looked back great rifle
I had a lot of 280 . A Rem.. in 7600 Sweet. 5 in H&R 26in.bor. still use it today.
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..
Remington's Advertising Quote, "The 280 Remington bridges the gap between the 270 & the 30-06 and out performs them both."
True if you reload it to it's true potential. The problem with factory ammo was/is that it was down loaded so it could be used in the semi-auto's & pump rifles that Remington introduced this cartridge in.
What most people do notunderstand or do not research is the max pressures that the 280 was listed/limited to. SAAMI listed the pressures lower to insure that the semi's & pumps were not over pressured. Thus, listed velocities (as compared to the 270 were lack lustered). Any modern bolt action rifle built in 280 Rem can shoot at the same SAAMI pressure listed for any 270. If you disagree, then i guess they build 280's out of different steel or inferior steel versus a 270, i call b.s.
Comparing apples to apples or oranges to apples, according to the Nosler Reloading Guide #6 a 270 with W760 and a Accubond 130 gr bullet (the highest BC listed at .435) coupled with the "fastest velocity/powder is 3,158fps. A 280 with a 140 gr N.A.B (B.C. .485) with RL 19 has a max of 3,152fps. 6 fps slower than a 270 but with a 10 gr heavier bullet and with much higher B.C. and people want to believe a 270 will out perform a 270, once again I call B.S. PLUS, understand that the 280 is loaded at lower pressures.
The 280 is a much more efficient cartridge and when loaded to the pressures equal to modern day bolt actions, it will out perform any 270 period.
The 280 Rem is probably the most balanced cartridge ever without getting into mag cartridges. It does more or equal with less.
Granted, factory 280 ammo is down loaded and performance is lacking behind what it is capable of. Factory ammo is hard to find, yes. Reloaders don't worry one bit because there is no shortage of 30-06 brass that can be sized down to make 280 brass.
Shame on Remington for destroying one of the best cartridges ever developed. I've been shooting one for 40 years, along with everything from 22's to 338's. The 280 Remington will be the last rifle I would ever sale out of my collection. However, I have an appreciation for all the other calibers also, but no 270 is ever going to out perform a 280 when the 280 is loaded to its full potential.
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 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.
Another really enjoyable video. Love your content.
I have been thinking about a 280 22" barrel for my T/C Encore
I have a few 280 rem. I load a speer 130 gr hot core. I remember i was little dad bought a new 742 280 rem. Hunted with it a few weeks. Took it back traded and paid the difference in for a new 742 308 win. Had it ever since. I cant decide i am looking at a 280AI. Savage Ultralite 280AI. Browning xbolt speed 280AI. Weatherby Mark Hunter 5.
Christensen Arm Ridgeline 280AI.
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.
Winchester still chambers their Supergrade model 70 in 280 and Browning chambers 6 rifles in 280, ironically.
Remington 700 mountain rifle 140Gr Nosler partition @ approx 2900 works great.
I’d love to find a Remington 7600 in .280 Remington 👍
Prob go with the 280ai. You can even buy factory ammo and chamber reamers. Or have a factory barrel or gunsmith do it
Ruger 77 is the rifle that immediately comes to mind when I think 280Rem
I would love to have a rifle chambered in every cartridge/ caliber. I couldn't afford one even in just the 6 mm family. There's no bad caliber, wildcat variation and It's sad to see great cartridges like the 257 R and 222 Rem dying fast or rifles chambered for them. The ammo will be here or could be made. Really enjoying learning your thoughts. Thank you.
Right now, the availability of 280AI factory ammo surpasses plain 280. I wouldn't necessarily call the AI a handloader's only cartridge.
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.
Got a 280 rem in an xbolt real nice rifle and cartridge but a pain to find ammo for lol
One of my rifles is a 7mm-08 and it loves eldx 150 grainers. Just get one of these very high performing and going no where.
Savage makes a 280ai. So does Kimber. You can shoot 280 Remington in the AI. 7mm seem to be where people are going these days.
7 mm Remington Magnum pretty much killed the 280
Could make the same arguments bout 7mm08. And 280rem What a great round that barley stays around.
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!
Remington 760 or 7600
Is what comes to mind when I think .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 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.
280 Remington and the AI version are both extremely good cartridges. Saami pressure on the 280 was set at 60,000psi while the AI version 65,000 psi. The AI will run right with the 7mm Remington magnum in most loadings and is in this guys opinion a better round than the magnum for several reasons. No belt, more rounds in the magazine, very little body taper in the case which makes it a superb candidate as the reloaders dream. Oh, and it will handily take out any and all big game in North America in good hands.