I have been looking for a new rifle... something in .284. I mentioned a 7mm Rem Mag to a buddy the other night and he told me to look at 280 Remingtons instead. What do you guys think? Surely somebody on here has one and can tell me how they stack up against the 7mm Rem Mag.

If it were me, I would look into a 280AI. Little difference from the 7mm Mag. Nosler has factory ammo if you reload.

I like them both. And have one of each. If you are going to mainly hunt elk or prey of that size and occasional deer and antelope, I'd say go with the big 7. If you're mainly a deer hunter with an ocassional elk, I'd say go with the .280. A whole lot of elk are killed every year with a .280 (a .280 is what a .270 wisht it was) but as a regular thing, I like the little extra pop of the bigger cartridge. And it handles the heavier bullet a bit better. Ideal elk medicine is a 7mag with a 160gr NP or Grand Slam.

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I like them both. And have one of each. If you are going to mainly hunt elk or prey of that size and occasional deer and antelope, I'd say go with the big 7. If you're mainly a deer hunter with an ocassional elk, I'd say go with the .280. A whole lot of elk are killed every year with a .280 (a .280 is what a .270 wisht it was) but as a regular thing, I like the little extra pop of the bigger cartridge. And it handles the heavier bullet a bit better. Ideal elk medicine is a 7mag with a 160gr NP or Grand Slam.

+1 except I'd go for the 160 Accubond.
The 280 is loaded to only 60,000 compared to the 65,000 of the 270. So if you handload there is room for some gain. 7mag ammo is more common and easier to find if you feel that is an issue.

I happen to like the 280 with factory ammo it will give up 50-150fps to the 7mag.

In my handloads using 160Accubond my 280 would get 2950+ I could get 3060 with the 7mag. Both 24" When I used them I'd grab the 280 the majority of the time.

I also like them both and have both. As a practical matter there is not a lot of difference in performance. The 7mm RM is a better long range gun. The 280 has less recoil. If you want a light mountain rifle go with the 280. It will perform better with a shorter barrel as well as have less recoil. If you are building the rifle use a 1-9 or even 1-8 twist. Most factory rifles are 1-9.5 or 1-10. Either 7mm will perform well I'm sure you won't be unhappy no matter which you choose. I just built a 7mm RM with a 1-8 twist because the customer uses 160 to 175 gr. bullets for hunting. It shoots 1/2 inch groups......Tom

I've got both and like both, but my pick is the 280 Rem. hands down. The 280Rem w/ a 140 grain pill is perfect for deer IMO. And no slouch with the 160's for elk/moose/BB. Beeman is right, the 7mmRM will give you more punch at longer ranges than the 280, but if you are shooting within 300yds, IMHO you dont need it. There is not the huge selection of factory ammo for the 280 that there is for the 7RM so that is a downer, but it has gotten better in the last few years. If you are a handloader, no worries. I've killed more deer with my 7RM than my 280 but only because I have had my 7mm for 20 years and my 280 half that. My 280 is my go to deer/elk rifle and my 7mmRM has now been relegated to bean field/Africa PG use only.

My 280 is my deer rifle but recently it has been staying home in favor of a short barreled 7/08. I have a 7 Mag but when elk is on the menu I reach for a 300 Mag. The 280AI is probably the best of both worlds. I'm probably going to sell my 7 Mag for lack of use.

Of the two, I'd pick the 7 mag. Recoil will be slightly lighter in the .280, but it's a barely noticable difference IMO. There are more factory rifles in 7mm Remington mag, and more factory ammo too.

I'd personally probably opt for a 7x57 if I wanted a 7mm rifle; either a CZ550 or by doing a rebarrel of a 98 Mauser.

They're all too much gun, just reach for a 270 ...


uh oh

7mm Remington Magnum.

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I mentioned a 7mm Rem Mag to a buddy the other night and he told me to look at 280 Remingtons instead.

Your buddy knows his $h*t!

The only advantage in a 7mm Mag over the .280 is if you really want to shoot the 175 grain bullets but if the 160 accubond will suffice then the .280 is all the 7mm caliber you need.

Both are great rounds so you can't go wrong but I'll take the .280 any day!

Great replies. You can't go wrong with either. I have shot 7 mags for years, but I think in the big picture, I would prefer the 280 if I did it all again. Find the gun that fits you and buy it in either caliber and you will be happy. Factory ammo is easier for the 7 mag for sure.

might as well put my .02 in. Go with a 280AI. Then you have 7 mag performance with out the recoil. I love mine and it has been on many sheep hunts.

I kinda like 7 m/ms, so I've currently got a few....a 7x33 Sako, 7mm/08, 7x57, .280 Rem, 7x65R, 7 Rem Mag, and 7 m/m Wby.

Among the 7's , for varmints I'd choose the 7x33 Sako, for deer-size game any one of the 7/08, 7x57, or .280, and for biggest ungulates, the 7 Rem Mag. The 7-Weatherby is just as good as the Rem, but among my specific rifles, no better.

I actually use the 7x65R for my elk hunting, but that is as much sentiment for the Ruger No. 1 it is in as anything else.

If I was going to recommend just one 7m/m for all hunting (varmints, deer, and bigger) I'd suggest one buy a 7x57 and choose different bullets for different game.

Go with the 7x64 Brenneke. It's as different from the .280 as the 7mmRM is from the .280. There's just sooo much differnce between them all; it's a mind boggling decision.

7x57 or 7x64. Here's my favorite 7x57

The 280 Remington is EVERYTHING that the 270 Winchester should have been from the start. That is a very capable copy of the German 7x64.

What it isn't is a "like for like" rival to the 7mm Remington Magnum in rifles of equal barrel length.

But in a 24" barrel it is probably just as effective as any 7mm Remington Magnum in a 22" barrel plus usually one extra round in the magazine.

My preference?

I'd take a 24" barrel 280 Remington in preference to a 22" barrel 7mm Remington Magnum any day.

But if you put a 26" barrel on that 7mm Remington Magnum then it of course is a far more powerful combination.

However do you need all the power? Depends on your quarry and the range that you shoot it at.

For what I do here in Britain and in Europe the 280 Remington gives me more than enough power and more than enough range. And an extra cartridge in the magazine.

280 - lighter recoil.. no meaningful difference in killing power ..

in general,i prefer the 7x64, but those are externally speaking, interchangable

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In general,i prefer the 7x64

In the wallet and bank account I prefer, here in England, the 280 Remington!

Why?

Remington made 280 Remington cases are HALF the price here in England of European made 7x64 cases!

I would choose either one, its no big deal, all the 7mm’s work just fine. I like the 7 Rem Mag and the 7x57. Nothings wrong with a 280 either, I just don’t own one at this time.

Pick the one you like, not what other people like.

Really, the long shots I’ve made over a number years with the 7mm Rem Mag I could have made with the 7mm Mauser and visa versa. Learn how to shoot the guns you own.

If you handload, .280 Rem. If not, buy 7mm Rem Mag and the ammo for it. (.280 Rem factory ammo has to be loaded down in case it is used in non-bolt rifles for which the round was originally issued.)

Thanks for the info guys. I have a savage action that I could order a barrel and stock for. ER Shaw sells barrels pretty cheap. Now the next question would be, are the Shaw barrels pretty good?

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Originally posted by Cary Howard:
Thanks for the info guys. I have a savage action that I could order a barrel and stock for. ER Shaw sells barrels pretty cheap. Now the next question would be, are the Shaw barrels pretty good?

That depends on who you ask. I have two rifles with Shaw barrels and both shoot MOA or better. If A&B barrels are as some say Shaw barrels I have three rifles that shoot sub MOA with them.

If you handload a 280 to 7mm Mag pressure there is probably less than 100 fps in a 24" barrel W/a lot less muzzle blast & recoil.

You can't stuff enough Norma MRP into the 280 case to exceed 62,000 psi when pushing a 140gr pill & I was able to get a bit better than 3150 fps in a 24" tube.

RL 22 will almost get there too, but you can get pressures up a bit too highif you really stuff the case W/it.

For any deer size game I am a fan of either...I got a sweet spot for the 7remmag but its all personal. I was given an early 70's 700 which is deadly, 160 accubonds or 150 tsx's, Elk size game I am gonna reach for something bigger, just my opinion

Matt

Cary: I have a couple of Shaw barreled rifles. One is a dream the other was a POS, that took a lot of extra work and money to turn into a shooter. All that said, if you need an MOA hunting rifle, Shaw might be your answer. Besides, if it turns out bad, you can rebarrel with someone else's barrrel, and not have much invested. On the other hand, if it turns out to be a tack driver, you saved a lot of money.

Jerry

You might consider a Criterion barrel. The one I have on my Savage action is a shooter for sure and I read lots of other good things about them. Mine is a medium contour, 26-inch barrel in 7 mag.

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Originally posted by vapodog:

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I mentioned a 7mm Rem Mag to a buddy the other night and he told me to look at 280 Remingtons instead.

Your buddy knows his $h*t!

The only advantage in a 7mm Mag over the .280 is if you really want to shoot the 175 grain bullets but if the 160 accubond will suffice then the .280 is all the 7mm caliber you need.

Both are great rounds so you can't go wrong but I'll take the .280 any day!

+1

M

IMHO comparing the 280 and the 7Mag is like comparing the 308 and the 30/06. The only significant difference is with heavier bullets at longer ranges.
E.R. Shaw barrels? I have used Shaw once for a 220Swift re-barrel. With IMR4064 and 60gr V-Max
it is minute of prairie dog out past 350yds.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

I like my .280 but either way you cant go wrong.

The 280 vs the 7mm RM is a matter of personal preferance.. The one thing I feel is significant is the 280 will come close to the 7mm with quite a bit less powder.. But 7mm Balistics are fantastic, very powerfull for a 7mm..

They are both great rounds. My personal preferance is the 280.

I had both and prefer the 7mm Rem mag.

I ordered another savage 111 action and a 26" stainless match Criterion barrel from Northland Shooters Supply. I went with the 280 this time. I figure I could just swap the barrel out if I don't like the 280. I found a Bell and Carlson Medalist stock on Midway for $230.

Exactly what I was planning to say when I came across this post! 160gr Nosler Accubonds at 3050 fps are awesome.

My Sako Finbear in 280 AI is a great shooter and very reliable at long range. I have shot varmints at 400+ meters and deer at 350+ meters (finishing shot). Last week I just shot a fallow deer at 324 meters through the heart while it was bedded down. It just slumped down at the shot.

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Originally posted by Caretaker:
If it were me, I would look into a 280AI. Little difference from the 7mm Mag. Nosler has factory ammo if you reload.

In addition to all trhe other ones mentxioned already here by everyone, I've also owned & shot the .375 H&H, the 7x64, the original .280 Ross, and the virtually identical but slightly later and a wee rtad differently loaded .280 Kynoch.

For North american shooting of "big" game (which includes some mighty small deer), he only on which isn't really suitable is the 7x33 Sako.

So, I suggest finding the rifle and sights you like is probably a lot more important for happy hunting than picking nits between cartridges. It IS important to determine that cartridges for the gun you choose can be bpought with relative ease pretty much wherever you may reasonably expect to hunt.

Shot both a lot and the "at least perceived" recoil of the 7Mag is just a "lot more" than the 280 Express loaded to max levels! Have and load for some 20 rifle/calibers up to 416 and none, zero, nada are 7 Mags! JMO of course and for sure many of your miles do in fact vary a lot. The 7 Mag just hammers me with its "sharp" muzzle jump.

.280 all the way.

Same great 7mm bullets, marginally less recoil, no belt on the case, and gives up little velocity.

-nosualc

You will want to get a machined recoil lug to replace the factory piece. The factory is stamped and uneven. A machined piece will improve accuracy.

Sid, the guy that I ordered my action and barrel from suggested the same thing. I did get the heavier machined lug.

When I was younger I doted on the 7 mag and shot it all the time but after getting the opportunity to expore new things I found that I killed just as many animals with less power. I still think the 7 mag is one of the greatest calibers of all time but it doesn't do anything more than the 280 would do except shoot a hair flatter.

If your looking for the all powerful, its available but you don't need it.