I always avoided the 280 rem like the plague because you can't find the ammo in a store where I live
And it's twice as high as 270 .The other reason I never got a 280 is brass you can't make it from 270 or 3006.This was just too good a deal to pass up for her .I hope I can find some brass and ammo decient priced and some brass .Then I can load her some loads .I think the 140 grain should be the ticket for deer .
I going to get her to get a 260 rem which I am already set up for which is my favorite cartridge for new shooters to start with .Then this 280 rem Weatherby v popped up as a bargain because no one wanted a 280 for just the same reason as me .It's an awesome caliber just a pain in the butt to get ammo and brass for .
Hopefully she can shoot this gun well and has a good time hunting with it .The 280 got off to a bad start with Remington putting it in a semiautomatic rifle first .It's a very good caliber just not that common.This is the only weatherby v I have seen in a 280 rem .

Grafs has Hornady brass in stock.

I like the .280. Actually shoot a .280 AI now. For deer I really like the Nosler 120 BT. But a 140 AB would be good as well.

I’ve been shooting and reloading for the 280 Rem since the late 70’s. Got an Interarms MK X that I had rebarreled to 280 and it’s about the only caliber I shoot jacketed bullets in. Most everything else is cast.

It’s a great caliber, you won’t go wrong with it.

I have a Remington 725 in 280. Wal Mart doesn't have ammo but most every gun shop around does.
Big chain stores like Bass Pro Cabela's has it.
A bit of online shopping will find plenty of brass.
Local actions often have it. I picked up 5 boxes of Remington. 3 with 140 gr, 2 with 165 grs. I also got about 500 rounds of brass. About 1/2 was once fired, another 100 was primed the rest unfired.
most of the local gun shows always have ammo, while there pick up the dies and bullets.
Might even find it at places that sell once fired brass.
270 can be necked up, just go up to 30 cal then size till cases just fit. '06 just size till case fits. Fire form.
Once you get the brass it cost about the same to load as most any cartridge.
Leo

When loaded to the same pressure in the same length barrel, the 280 is right on the heels of the 7mm Rem Mag with less powder.

Good choice. I always wanted one it just has never been high enough on my list to follow through on it.

You can make brass for it from 3006. you simply expand the neck with a 3006 die, then reduce that to 280 diameter with your 280 dies . you have to fiddle around here to get the right amount of shoulder. Will likely take two or three cases. Then add 13 or so gr of bullseye cover the end with rolled up toilet paper, and fire them off. Makes perfect brass. Check with local friends to see if the bullseye charge is
correct. That is how I made 280 cases when it first came out. Had a rifle but no brass. Can also be loaded down to slightly less than 7x57 velocities of that is your wish.

I see .280 brass frequently at Sportsmans warehouse and on line at Grafs, Natchez and more, readily available so no reason to tinker with other brass that will end up short and wrong on head stamp.

My sons .280 shoots every 139 and 140 grain bullet extremely accurately (Hornady GMX, Sierra and Speer) with near max loads of IMR4350.
The .280 is a great Cartridge for everything in North America, hopefully yours is accurate and well liked.

Did your GF make you and offer you can't refuse?? If you don't know then go to God Father 2 on your computer, that will clear things ups for you!! I need help!!

The rifle was a very good weatherby v USA made 280 rem .She got it for less than a junker rifle we looked at .She has two replaced vertebrae in her neck so I hope she can handle shooting it.I thought it would be a little heavier but it's very light so we will see .I was going to get her a 260 rem but when this weatherby V popped up cheap I told her to get it quick .The only thing I don't like on.weatherby v is the safety that you have to take the safety off to get the shell out of the chamber .I will take her shooting soon and make sure she can handle the recoil .She shot my 20 ga perfectly fine so she should be able to shoot this little 280 rem just fine .I am glad she likes hunting and wants to start hunting .

280 is a great round; but make sure she can handle some recoil; it ain't a 243.
Get her to shoot, hunt, and go to gun shows as much as you can while she is still your friend; once you get married it is all over. My wife won't shoot, hunt, etc, now.

I may load it down to 7x57 speeds so it's not a blaster .It's a six lug lightweight weatherby v.I.thought it looked way littler than my mark v rifles .My girlfriend just spent three months going with me hunting at my off the grid farm house .She and I had a blast .I may get to shoot my 260 rem first then try reduced loads .I know it kicks alot less than 3006 when you slow it down to 7x57 speeds .I will see what she can do with the 280 .I know not to scare her a way from shooting with too much recoil .She loved shooting my 20 ga pump shotgun .We will know soon when we go shooting.!

Those ultra lightweights are nice little rifles. One good thing about the Weatherby stock is it allows for a higher head position which I think women do better with.

Regarding the safety, proper training to keep fingers off the trigger until actually firing solves that. Much better than that silly Remington design where the bolt is never locked.

Ive wanted another 280 ever since I peddled my last one years ago. Finally replaced it last year, love it. Such a great round.

Nice choice....you must have “feelings” for her! memtb

I will start out with 140 grain factory loads and see if she can handle those .I have been looking at tons of different bullets .I had totally bad luck with hornady bullets in my 338 so staying away from them .I think Speer ,Serria and Nosler are the ones I will try .If she can handle it the 175 grain at 2400 fps or 2600 should be perfict for the big whitetail deer and wild hogs up to 200-yards .It's in thickets so accuracy through the brush is the key where we will hunt .I think it's an awesome cartridge too .It's a shame it's not more popular .

I wouldn't start off with factory loads. They have quite a bit of snap to them and its easy
to develop a flinch. I would start off with reduced loads or factory low recoil loads and work up gradually to whatever she can handle.

I have a WB Ultralite in 280....bought it 20 years ago. Never really reloaded for it. The new Hornady factory ammo with the 150 gr ELD X looks REAL good. I've used it out west to take a speed goat and mulie...both at about 315-320 yards with older Hornady factory 140 gr SST's. Both never moved more than 3 feet straight down. Great round and great rifle. BTW rifle and scope weigh right at 7#.

Gary

This company has once fired brass on sale, including .280 Remington: http://www.diamondkbrass.com/

Just my opinion: the .280 Rem is the best cartridge of all North American big game hunting. No, I don't own a .280 Rem. I do own a 7MM Rem Mag. What it will do so will the .280 Rem.