Just traded a stock set that I made for a .280 barrel for a H & R break-action, and am wondering how many of you reload for the .280 Rem/7MM Express? I'd imagine that it will like the same powders as the others in calibers in the 06 cartridge family, IMR 4895, IMR 4350, H 414, RX 19, RX 22. I'd like to know what's the favored weight bullet for this round. My first thought is to try 150gr boattails, as my favorite load for my .270 is a 140 gr bullet and for the .30-06, my son and I like the 165 gr SSTs. Opinions please? Here's the stock set I traded.. with no finish, just a good rubdown with the 320 grit. I would also be interested in a set of .280 AI dies!

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You can pretty much, using usual new load precaustions of reduce by 5% to 10% and work up, use the 270 Winchester data straight across in the 280 Remington.

However I've always felt that if you have a 270 and a 280 (as I do here in Britain) that you should take advantage of it being a true 7mm and load at least a 160 grain or 165 grain bullet in the 280 Remington.

Like its parent case, the 280 Remington works well with any powder suitable for the -06 & 270. I've loaded for a couple of 280s, and Hornady provides two good choices: a 154 grain flat base, and the 162 grain boat tail. Both are spire point bullets and both are suitable for big game. I mentioned the 154 because I ran across a Winchester model 70 that didn't like boat tail bullets. This is a great hunting cartridge right on the heels of its bigger brother the 7m/m Rem mag...

I just did some development with the 139gr Hornady and the 154's in a older Ruger 77 thumb safety, in a Varminter configuration with the 24" bull barrel from the factory.

Across the board the 139's did better in that one than the heavier weight. I used several powders and RL-19 won the race in both accuracy and velocity. I only worked up to 2850 with this load as it matched the drop data supplied with the scope I had just mounted on it.

That said, I had also worked up the 162's in the past which shot excellent as well with many 1/2" groups at 200yds. This was also an excellent load for feral hogs and deer as well. It also used RL-19 as the best powder tried.