Looks like a really functional caliber. The only drawback I can see if ammo options are fewer than some, still pretty good stuff out there though. Im not a handloader, not going to be so Im limited to whats on the shelf. What do you guys think of this caliber or is there no advantage to it over the good old 270 win?? Thanks
Dano

Good round. I don't know if it's the same now, but back when I was handloading, there was a much better selection of 7mm bullets than .270.

It's a great cartridge, but the 270 and 280 are like 2 peas in a pod. Very similar.

Since you are not a handloader, the 270 would be much more practical due to much more available (and cheaper) factory loads.

All comments so far are exactly correct...280 aka 7mmExpress is an excellent Deer & Elk caliber...Remington failed at making it as popular as some others and scored a winner with their 7Rem Mag...then screwing up the name by changing it a couple times trying to seperate the 280 from the 7RemMag and really big time confusing the issue.
270Win has been around since 1925 and ammo will always be available in every gas station, bar & C Store anywhere in hunting country...but 280 ammo availability in any bullet selection is a very very limited thing.

IF you were a reloader & I am for just this very reason ...I'd be all over a good 280 if the deal for the rifle was a good one, 'cause of the great bullet selections available in .284 diameter. I have been shooting a 270 since 1969 even though my Grand Dad told me I should look for a 280 "as it was a better caliber". I will always have a 270 regardless of whatever else is in the truck just for the ammo access thingy....and I am shooting a 6.5x55 Swede - soft 243 level recoil & almost equal to a 270 in performance & bullet weights with great bullet selections - and a 9.3x62 Mauser that no retailer in Texas stocks ammo for....for under $100 a box and it costs me about $15-$20 a box to reload deer qulity ammo for.

IF the rifle is cheap enough, you could have it re barrled into whatever other '06 length caliber you wanted for about $300 and up to whatever mega bux you can afford...but then you could learn to reload for about the same initial $300+ investment and never be without ammo for the 280 or any other caliber you shoot for the rest of your life....and I am shooting bullets & brass I have owned for 20 & 30 years or more I own at less than a dime each. FYI my 270 ammo has cost me $5-7 a box for the last 20 years for name brand cup & core SP bullets that give me MOA accuracy. Like the Federal ad's say...Reloading lets me "Shoot More and Shoot More often. Or you could be like a buddy who bought a new '06 5-6 years ago with 2 box's of factories and is good for another 15-20 years as he only fires a 1-2 rounds a year.
JMHO but YMMV
Ron

what do i think of the .280?


yet another weak attempt by remington to cut in on winchester

280 is a fine round. But if you don't reload and want to take advantage of a round's versatility, then the 270 might well be a better option for you. I have to go shower now. I can't believe I just recommended a 270 to anyone.

I would rather use the 280 than a 7mag!

Sounds like I just need to start reloading Are the bullets for the 280 pretty easy to get and the brass?? Im totally green when it comes to that sort of thing, but I do have access to a reloading maching and all I would have to do it buy the stuff for that round Im pretty sure. Correct me if Im on the wrong track please.
Danny

.284 bullets are easy to come by, brass is usually the same way.

Great round!

If we can believe what Jim Carmicheal writes in Outdoor Life Jack O'conner told him that between the 270 and the 280 he would now choose the 280.

There is only a .007 inch differene ib bullet diameter between the 270 and 280, with a well constructed bullet placed in the right place, I doubt anything from small varmits to moose can tell the difference in which it was shot with.

Reloading componants are easy to find for the 280 and it is an easy cartridge to reload for.

i don't believe that for a second.


what i do believe,however, is that gun writers are running out of things to write about and tend to put some total b.s in their articles

If you reloaded you could almost duplicate 7mm mag performance with a 280 remington. couple that with the never ending choices of bullets it would be hard to go wrong.

I dont think so. I load for a 270 my gun and 280 dads gun and it aint gettin close to a 7mag. They are for all practicle purposes the same bullet, why would you buy a 280, the gains are so negligable that there is virtualy no diference. If you are stuck with a good 280 like my dad is then reload and make the best out of it(not hard to do) but why would you buy one, especialy if you arnt a reloader. If you buy one it is because you want one, not because it will be any better, or different for that matter as a hunting rifle.

matt

yes, I would agree with what you are saying. You cannot get very close to the 7mag's capability with the 280, even if you load it on the warm side. I have a 280imp (40* shoulder), and even it still lags a bit behind the 7mag. And all that is comparing my reloads to factory 7mag ammo. Start reloading that mag and the gap gets wider.

But back to what you were saying about one being better than another, that coin has two sides. Why would anyone buy and use a 270 when the 7mm08 will almost mirror it in every way? Things like this are what makes the world go around. It'd sure suck to walk into the sporting goods store and see just one caliber of ammo available in tx, huh? Everybody has their likes and dislikes, and all for good reason. And that's why there are so many of these calibers available today that basically duplicate older calibers that have been the benchmark.

I know, not saying 280 is a bad round at all, I love my 270 and it is basicaly its twin. I dont dislike a 7mm-08 by any means, a very capable (anything you will do with a 270) critter getter. However I wouldnt buy one with more popular choices such as the 270 win.

matt

It's kinda funny. Just got a hunting mag where the writer placed both the .280 and 7mag in the category of worst deer rounds of all time.

I read a Auto-Biagrophy about the late Jack O'coner, he himself stated "he did the hunting community a great diservice when it came to the .280, he let personal problems with remington intefere with his objectivity" Later he went on to say he belived if it was given half a chance it would have faired far better than the .270 winchester

As mentioned Jim Carmichael later corroberated this, and he has no reason to lie about it.

Another thread addressed that same article. I think the consensus ended up being the author was full of

Never read anything by O'Connor. Seen him referrenced a few thousand times by the 270 crowd here and elsewhere though. But if he let any beefs he had with a manufacturer influence his writings, I don't see how I could consider him to be very objective, thus any opinion he had would be null and void to me. Not knocking the 270 one bit. But I never saw it as the holy grail of calibers some see it as either.

I have both. I shoot 130 grain in the 270 and 150 grain in the 280. So both are set up and ready, distance and size of game decides witch one gets used.

If I remember that book correctly Jack also said he killed more game with the 30-06 than any other round, and Jack's Wife prefered the 7X57 for most of her hunting.

FYI Jack O'Connor Made the .270 winchester what it is today, his writings and advice surged that round into popularity. Granted he apoligized for it, I think they both have there place.

After all even he said the round was develpoed for shooting Couse Deer, it was never meant for Whitetail or Elk but it has made its own way and does a great job with most animals in the Americas short of Bear and Moose, personally I think if given half a chance the .280 would be better though.

That would be the same book sir, definately a good read for any of the .270 fans out there.

Not much difference but I have a 280 because it is different just like my 6.5 Grendels. I do not handload and had no problem finding factory loads that shoot well in my 280. Dallas Reloaders can load you ammo if you know what she likes.