CCI 250 M primer/ W-W case/ 79.0 gr H870/ Hornady 160 gr. Spire Point. This load killed elk and deer until I shot the barrel out and made it into a .358NM.

3584elk: Is that the 162gr Hornady BT you are shooting? To my knowledge Hornady does not make a 160gr 7MM bullet. Not trying to be anal. Just interested in how the Hornady 162grBT might work on elk in a 280. Thanks, Jim

Jim,

You are exactly correct, thank you for getting it straight! I have been loading and shooting for so many others for so long, I have forgotten.

Incidentally, I used a .280 for a few years on elk. I used 140 gr. Nosler Partitions. I gotta tell ya- NOT IMPRESSED! I have shot bull elk through the lungs with the Partition, and had them stand there and stare at me. I have only seen Partitions pencil through. And I wasn't throwing them at low velocities! I ended up finally anchoring this particular bull by shooting him lengthwise. Now, I am a meat lover, and I don't typically go around shooting elk in the shoulder, or the hindquarters. I HAVE had good luck using the .280 with the 154gr. Spire Points on elk. Surely the 162's would be great also. If you are interested, I can share a few loads I have worked up for the .280!

Also not to be anal, but Nosler partitions don't "pencil thru". They expand rather violently, so much that the front core shears off & the rear core often completely penetrates. Bull elk are often not impressed w/ bullet impacts. The last bull I shot was w/ my .338-06 & 210gr NP @ 2700fps. The bull took the shot thru the heart @ 300+yds & just stood a little straighter @ 2nd shot broke the off leg (I thought I was a bit high when he showed no reaction) & he went down. The post mortem showed the heart was pulverized, he was dead on his feet just didn't know it. I also shoot the 7mm 160grNP & have had great results on game from deer size to spike bull size. At ranges around 100yds the 160grNP is pretty devastating on deer size game in my exp. BTW, you can better the vel. of H870 by almost 100fps w/ RL22, IMR7828 or H1000 under a 160gr bullet. Good shooting!

Okay, not to start a pissing match, but my experience has shown that those wonderful NP's do not expand. Expanded bullets leave bigger holes on exit than entrance. Also, when you hit an elk in the boiler room with an expandING bullet, the shock is such that they react very differently.

I have had NP's exit AND expand, evidenced by the large exit wound. This was after they had struck some large bones.
I dont make it a practice to shoulder shoot elk or deer, I enjoy the meat too much. So, I will continue to shoot them in the ribs with Hornady Interlocks, continue to find beautifully mushroomed bullets on the far hide, and a very dead elk on the ground, be it a bull or a cow.

For those who think an Interlock isn't tough enough, I hit a bull on the run this past October, through the shoulder :-( , at 225 yards with a .358 Norma Magnum. That elk hit the ground so fast, I lost sight of him in the scope. I found bullet laying against the off shoulder, where it had broken not one, but two shoulders. It weighs 159 grains (out of 250), and I couldn't ask for better performance. I have always had positive results with Interlocks, no matter the caliber.

Again 358, not to get an argument going, but hitting an elk w/ a 225gr .358NM vs a 140grNP from a 7mag isn't even close to a fair comparison. Nosler partitions do expand. It's the only bullet I hunt with. Every animal I have shot well has gone down within a few yards of impact. I like them because I know I'll get penetration from any angle. I shot my only pronghorn to date w/ my 7mm Dakota & a 160grNP @ 3250fps. The impact was at about 120yds, high, broadside chest hit that missed the front shoulder & existed the off shoulder leaving a silver dollar size hole. The buck dropped, kicked twice & died on the spot. So even on a lightly musceled speedgoat I got enough expansion to cause enough damage to drop him instantly. The NP is a good bullet if, as other bullets, you match it to the game animal you are after. Good hunting!

I guess different opinions are what make a horse race!

Olarmy,

I have found those .280 loads I promised. I will try to post the Excel File here. If it doesn't work, send me your email address and I will shoot it to ya!

Do not try this load. Work up slowly and look for signs of pressure. That said this is the load I use in my 7mm mag.

Rem 700
74gr of Rel 22
CCI match primer
127gr EXP Groove Bullet
3480 FPS measured 10 feet from the muzzle.
24" S/S Barrel

Our 7mm, 127gr EXP has killed many elk, deer, mule deer and many other large game animals in the USA. In Africa I recently used my 7mm mag to kill a Steenbok (tiny animal), Springbok and a Blesbok. My buddy used his 7mm mag with the 127gr EXP to kill his Blesbok, Impala and Kudu. Nothing has stopped the 127gr EXP to date, that I am aware of. All shots were complete pass through.

Don

Jim, I have taken my .280 along while elk hunting but never had the chance to shoot an elk w/ it. This rifle loves H4831sc & IMR7828 under a good 160gr bullet. My elk/deer comb load is:
57gr IMR7828
Rem. 9 1/2 primer
RP case
160grNP or 160grNAB
Vel. is about 2850fps from my 23"bbl. on a good day I have broken 2" @ 300yds. I have taken elk w/ the 160grNP @ 3050fps from my 7mag & had good results. I wish Hornady made their 162grIL in a flat base design. Good shooting!