I've been 'lurking' on this site for quite awhile and find the topics and replys to be interesting. MY .280 Rem is starting to give up the ghost after 2695 rounds. Yes, that is the correct number--I am very anal about how many shots go through my rifles. I keep very detailed logs. I only wish I tracked my fiances that way . Long story short for deer and black beer hunting, less than 300 yard shots. What caliber would recommend. No factory chamberings. Action is Rem 700 LA. I was thinking possibly 7x61 Sharpe and Hart.

Are you dissatisfied with the prior performance of your .280? If not, just rebarrel it in .280 REM. In order to achieve a significant increase in velocity and power you'll have to go with something "roomier" than the 7 X 61. The .280 in any given bullet weight and powder charge isn't eclipsed much by any of the 61 - 64 M/M cases. You have to go to the full length H & H case and then you are really poring a lot more powder in it to achieve any significant velocity/power increase and not by any means linear, not to mention decreased barrel life, increased component prices and recoil. Just my two cents as a current .280 REM owner and former 7 X 61 owner.

quote:

Originally posted by Birch107:
I've been 'lurking' on this site for quite awhile and find the topics and replys to be interesting. MY .280 Rem is starting to give up the ghost after 2695 rounds. Yes, that is the correct number--I am very anal about how many shots go through my rifles. I keep very detailed logs. I only wish I tracked my fiances that way . Long story short for deer and black beer hunting, less than 300 yard shots. What caliber would recommend. No factory chamberings. Action is Rem 700 LA. I was thinking possibly 7x61 Sharpe and Hart.

Neck down the 375 Ruger. Should come close to the STW.

Assuming you're going to rebarrel a Remington 700 formerly in .280 Rem and you're not wanting a factory chambering that leaves the folowing:
6.5-06
8MM-06
338-06
9.3 X 62
.375-06

Frankly.....the 280 is as good as it gets and is fully equal to the 30-06 in power and versatility.......I'd be very tempted to go back to it.

The belted 7x61 S&H will require you to alter both your bolt face and magazine rails, and possibly install a new follower. I would suggest staying with the '06-sized head.

Non-factory chamberings would include Vapo's list as well as Ackley Improved in 25-06, 6.5-06, .270, .280, .30-06, 8mm-06, .338-06, .35 Whelan, etc. My vote, if you just have to have a non-factory chambering, would be .280 AI.

quote:

MY .280 Rem is starting to give up the ghost

whats that mean exactly?

It sounds like you were happy with the .280 so why not either build another or go with the .280AI?

i wouldnt own a rifle that i couldnt get more than 3K rounds out of before it needed rebbling.
i think i'd dump that dog off at a gunshow and buy me a steyr.

did you mean finances or fiancees?

Rich
DRSS

I think he meant $$$$ but either is expensive!


I'd think seriousily about the .280 AI as the best for the existing platform. Though personally I love the 6.5/06.

quote:

Originally posted by 308Sako:

I'd think seriousily about the .280 AI as the best for the existing platform. Though personally I love the 6.5/06.

+1

7mmX57mm; have all you can need and handle and get a little more barrel life. Send me the .280 barrel. roger

I'd go with the 280AI as well


JErry

Nosler makes 280AI brass. You could neck that brass down for the 6.5 or just do a 280AI. Good luck

The 280 is a good round, very versatile. The jury is still out on the 280 Improved, in my book. I have not been very impressed by mine. A friend of mine has loaned me his to compare. I will have a better educated opinion after I am done with that.
At this moment, I would suggest one of the following cartridges for your platform. The 6.5-06 or the 338-06. There are several other cartridges you could choose from, but those are the two I would look at.

Another vote for a .280 AI!!!

Considering that you have Black Bear on the list, I think I would want to bump the bore size up if was going to rebarrel. The 9.3x62 Mauser, 35 Whelen, and 338-06 would be 3 cartridges that I would seriously consider. These would be more than you need for deer-size game, but would clobber bears with more aplomb than the 280Rem. Since you stated that the range would be less than 300 yards, these seem like logical choices to me.

If you like the rifle just bore it out to 338-06 and go huntin.

quote:

for deer and black beer hunting, less than 300 yard shots. What caliber would recommend. No factory chamberings

If I may ask......why are you against factory chamberings?......there are a good many excellent choices there!

I really don't think you want to rechamber to a 7x61 S&H. You will have to redo the bolt face and can have feeding problems too.
I personally would opt for the 280AI, which requires no bolt face work, and will be almost a potent as a 7x61 S&H.
My .02 from the north..Grins

Don

Wow, thanks for all the replys. It would seem the .280 Rem is the choice. Yep I am satisfied with it and I'm getting the impression if it aint broke don't fix it. As for giving up the ghost, groups just keep getting bigger no matter what load I try. I did check all normal things from stock screw tension, to scope rings and even tried a different scope. I have nothing against factory chamberings, just wanted something different. Is the .280 AI worth it? Does the .280 AI compare to 7mm Rem Mag performance?Please pardon the spelling, it took me awhile to figure out Dan Quayle spelled potato wrong.

If you don't want to go back to the 280 then go 338-06. BTW, what kind of groups are you getting? Check your stock for internal cracks (wood) around thebedding area. My 338-06 started shooting wierd groups & after really close inspection I found one fo the recoil lugs had a small crack all the way through. Some epoxyed screws & she's back shooting like before.

quote:

Originally posted by KSTEPHENS:
i wouldnt own a rifle that i couldnt get more than 3K rounds out of before it needed rebbling.
i think i'd dump that dog off at a gunshow and buy me a steyr.

What exactly does that mean? Does the bbl. on a Steyr not wear out?

quote:

Originally posted by Birch107:
Wow, thanks for all the replys. It would seem the .280 Rem is the choice. Yep I am satisfied with it and I'm getting the impression if it aint broke don't fix it. As for giving up the ghost, groups just keep getting bigger no matter what load I try. I did check all normal things from stock screw tension, to scope rings and even tried a different scope. I have nothing against factory chamberings, just wanted something different. Is the .280 AI worth it? Does the .280 AI compare to 7mm Rem Mag performance?Please pardon the spelling, it took me awhile to figure out Dan Quayle spelled potato wrong.

So what is the round count on this barrel. Perhaps it just needs a little bit of elbow grease and some JB bore paste or similiar strong cleaner?

quote:

Is the .280 AI worth it? Does the .280 AI compare to 7mm Rem Mag performance?

IMO none of the AIs are "worth it".....properly loaded the standard .280 Remington is on the heels of the 7MM Rem Mag and the AI offers very little over the "properly loaded" parent case.

The .280 Remington is one of the finest cartridges ever developed and should have taken over the #2 spot held by the .270 Winchester.....but we're a fickle bunch in gun buying land and it's never sold as well as it should have.

The 280 Rem is among the very few rounds that can substitute for the 30-06 totally and completely.

sorry but why not cut couple of threads off and get the smith to freshen up your current chamber and get another 2695 rounds out of it??

Later
P

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
[QUOTE]The 280 Rem is among the very few rounds that can substitute for the 30-06 totally and completely.

It pretty much has done that for me. Between the 338-06 & 280, why have a 30-06?

Like vapodog said. I'd go bigger. 8mm-06,338-06 or 35 whelen. But the 280 is a good one too. With the bigger bores the game size goes up. Good luck.

Birch107,

I would go with the 280AI. 7mm Mag performance yet you can still shoot 280 Rem factory ammo.
I have a 700 action blueprinted and lugs lapped, Hart #5 24" flutted barrel, Tubb recoil lug in a pillar bedded LSS stock.
My load with the Nosler 160 gr AB and RL22 gets me 3020 fps and shoots in the .2"s.


JD338

I agree that the 280 is a fine round (as is almost anything on an 06 case) but for deer and bear under 300 yards, 338-06 wins hands down. Used one for 10 years and didn't need to shoot anything twice. It is a very efficient round, easy to load for, lots of bullets to choose from, cases are easy to form, and it just plain works. IMHO.

In no particular order I would look at

6/06
280 AI
338/06

any of these will do you just fine.

Mark D

quote:

Originally posted by 308Sako:
So what is the round count on this barrel. Perhaps it just needs a little bit of elbow grease and some JB bore paste or similiar strong cleaner?

Good question on round count, as well as doing a JB bore scrub.
I'd also look at seating the bullets further out if the throat is washing away. For some strange reason, all of my rifles shoot best with bullets seated .010 off the lands. I just happened on to that over the years, and now go straight to seating bullets that way and it works.

Don

I've just gotten my Rem. back that I had chambered to 280AI.I'm having a great time with it thus far.

quote:

Originally posted by Ogre6br:
sorry but why not cut couple of threads off and get the smith to freshen up your current chamber and get another 2695 rounds out of it??

Later
P

Ogre listened.

Whelen on a rebore of the original barrel. Wish I had one. It would go well with my 7600 in Whelen. Packrattusnongratus

.358 STA

Again thanks for all the replies. Thanks for the stock tip, the stock is Brown Precison pounder model--carbon fiber and fiberglass. I did take the action out to check the bedding and tightend the screws with a tourque wrench. As for barrel cleaning, I always used Butch's or Sweets 7.62 and the patches are not showing any signs of copper. I was getting 3 shoot groups of 3/4 inch or less at 100 yards with bullets seated out into the rifling.Seat them deep for hunting. Now they average about twice that size. I am leaning towards the 280AI just to be different plus bullet selection though I am intrigued with the 338-06. The 338 wouldn't be too much for deer? The deer up in the mountains were I hunt don't get bigger than 140 pounds. 110 to 120 is the norm.
As for not cleaning up the chamber etc. I got some money burning a hole in my pocket and I always wanted a real nice hunting rifle, but not one too nice that I would be afraid to use it.

quote:

Is the .280 AI worth it? Does the .280 AI compare to 7mm Rem Mag performance?

The 280 can be made to safely shoot within 100 fps of 7 Rem Mag standard factory loads as is. That's unlikely to make any differeance to taking the game you mention.
AIing only makes sense if you use a powder that won't fit into the parent case but will fit into the slightly increased space of the AI case AND increases velocity in the process.
BUT since velocity increases at one fourth the increase in powder volume, its's unlikely that you'll get more than 50 fps increase (at comperable pressures). Many of the claims for greater velocity from AIing result from hotter loads being used than would have been used otherwise...usually to justify the AIng decision.
Finally, the hottest loads are seldom the most accurate. So more velocity may not get you better groups.
I'd start by seating out longer bullets (like the Barnes TSX) or take the rifle to someone with a bore scope to see if you really have a shot out barrel...or are just looking for an excuse to change.
BTW, I shoot 6 'cats and am not opposed to same.
Don't be disappointed, however, if you get less than you barganed for by going AI.

IIRC, someone, maybe Nosler, is making 280AI brass today. So, it's readily available with no fire forming of cases necessary.
Much to be said for that.. Better case shape, less trimming, a little more MV...

Don

I believe the Sharpe and Hart is a poor choice of the 7mm group. The Rem 7 Magnum is as good as any in that group. The 280 AI is another good round but its a wildcat.

My choice? I still love the little 7x57, and it will kill any animal the 7 mags will kill, and without the fuss..The 7 mags have a range increase of less than is measurable in field use, only on paper do the mags win.