280 Remington loads

Horsethief · Jul 9, 2012

Does anyone have a pet load for a bolt-action 280 Remington? I have one at a gunsmith now that is being fitted with a 24" barrel. I'm not interested in loads for a semi-auto rifle as I suspect those will not take the pressures a large-ring Mauser 98 action will handle.

JD338 · Jul 9, 2012

Horsethief

Welcome to the forum.

My go to load for the 280 Rem was a 140 gr BT/PT and 57.0 grs RL 19. I also loaded the 140 gr BT/PT with 53.0 grs IMR 4350. Both shot sub MOA in 3 different rifles.

JD338

DrMike · Jul 9, 2012

Horsethief,

Welcome to the forum. You won't do much better than what is published in the Nosler Reloading Guide No. Six. Upping the maximum chamber pressure by 5000 psi will net you less than 100 fps or 150 ft-lbs of kinetic energy. Chamber pressure is beginning to plateau as the bullet is engaging the lands.

6mm Remington · Jul 9, 2012

Welcome to the forum. My .280 liked 140 gr. Partitions and 54.0 grs. of IMR4350 for 2940 fps in a 22" barrel. Great round you have there.
David

SJB358 · Jul 10, 2012

Welcome aboard Horsethief! Sounds like a great rifle you are putting together. I think the 280 guys will have you hooked up with enough loads to make you dizzy pretty soon!

roysclockgun · Jul 10, 2012

While I do hunt FL. wild pigs and deer, my primary target for my hand loads for my 280Rem is Mule Deer in Wy. and after that Pronghorn. I am often offered shots on good animals at 300-400 yards, so I want a very flat shooting bullet. I went from the 140 AB to the 120 Ballistic Tip (Hunting). I am getting more MV and therefore, flatter trajectory.
My load for the 140 Nosler AB is : Win. Large Rifle Primer, 53gr. IMR 4350, average MV from 10 rounds 2945 fps, that shoots one hole at 100. Hotter loads opened up the groups.
For the 120 BT, same primer, 57.5gr. IMR 4350, 3125 fps.
Steven L. Ashe

sask boy · Jul 10, 2012

Good morning Horsethief, glad you joined the forum. I know that you will enjoy the company and the knowledge is next to none when it comes to the sport of shooting & loading

Blessings,
Dan

Horsethief · Jul 10, 2012

Well, gents, thank you for the data on your 280 Rem loads. This is going to get me off to a great start. I also would like to work up some loads for the 150gn bullets after I have found a load or two that are the most accurate with the 140s. I don't think I have a rifle that I only have one accurate loading for, but I figured I would start with the 140s. I hunt in the plains of western Kansas where the 300 yard shot is basically the normal one, unless you get really lucky.

Thanks again!

Desert Fox · Jul 10, 2012

I built my first bolt gun around the 1909 Argentine Mauser chambered for the 280 Remington. I developed load using the 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, 55.5 grain of IMR 4831, Federal Brass and Federal 210M primer. Velocity is around 2875 ft/sec from a 24" Douglas XX. I never tried anything else. The load accounts for several California muleys, coyotes and a few squirrels.

Oldtrader3 · Jul 10, 2012

The hot load for elk or bigger animals with the .280 Rem is 58.0 grains of IMR 7828 SSC with a Fed 215 Mag Mat primer and W-W or Federal brass, using a 160 grain Partition bullet. Close to the 7mm Rem Mag with 3010 fps and 8 grains less powder at <50 fps velocity loss from the 7mm mag.