Looking for gun for dad....

[kevinsmith5]

Looking for a gun for dad to have in his truck. He hunts with a hunt club here in east NC where they run dogs through the swamp to drive the deer out. Not my cup of tea, but in Onslow County its about the only way to get a shot. Most of the time he has his Rem. 1100 with buckshot because they are shots at running deer as they pass the road edge (gravel roads they have cut in themselves).  Occasionally they do get a chance at a longer range shot and I was thinking of getting him a Handi for a truck gun. THe local shop has a .280 Rem handi with scope already mounted for $280.  I have never fired a .280 in my life. IS this a good gun for this purpose?

[canon6]

If anything the 280 may be to much for the application you have presented., having said that it will kill anything in the U.S. Not counting big bears.That is a good deal however.I don't know if you or your dad reload , but 280 ammo , like everything else is getting hard to find.
If it were me I might consider either the Winchester 243  or the 7MM08.  just my 2c    Doug

[chipmunk]

Personally I would want a bit more pop if running shots are the norm.   The 280 is a great deer cartridge, but it just doesn't "knock em down" quite like a bigger caliber would.  As long as the likely max range is under 200, I would suggest something like a 45-70 or 444 if he can handle the recoil.  

[Swampman]

The .280 is a common and excellent cartridge.  It's almost as good as the .30-06.

[dpe.ahoy]

280 is excellent for anything in the lower 48 with the right bullet.  The handi has a 26" barrel though, and may not be right for a truck gun.  30-30, 44 mag, 444 rem or 45-70 could all be a great choice for just stopping them there.   DP

[kevinsmith5]

THe kinda shots I'm thinking he'll get with this won't be on the running deer. Occasionally the big smart ones take the oppurtunity of the dogs being attratced to "sneak off". That's when the rifle would get used. I got one last year with my BC under those circumstances.

I already load for the 45-70 and he has definitely said the recoil from my loads is not his cup of tea. Also load for 30-30. May just order him a 30-30.  Mostly was thinking .280 because it is there on the rack and seemed like a good deal. 

[mitchell]

thats a good deal and i think the 280 would fit your job just fine. i havnt killed any deer with mine yet but the 7mm-08 i used to have shooting the same bullet dropped them everytime just about

[dpe.ahoy]

6 of the 7 deer I got last fall were with the 280.  One went 20 yards or less and the rest just dropped.  It is a great cartridge as is the 7mm-08.  DP

[myarmor]

The 280 is awesome, I won't knock it.
What distance are we talking about here?
If it's not too long then a 30-30 would do fine, plus it's shorter with a 22" barrel and may be "Handier" than a longer barrel 280. Though the ballistics between the 2 are nothing alike. The 280 is great at long range.
 If it's within the 150yard line then a 30-30 would be fine, as would even a 44Mag...though a little rainbow in trajectory there.
If your pops don't like recoil then these 2 are nice too shoot. Plus if you are reloading for your 30-30 you can get more flexability out of a Handi with the advantage of Spitzer bullets..




-Aaron

[chipmunk]

I just thought it would be nice to be able to plant a deer with the rifle in hand if a running shot presents itself.  A 444 might be worth considering as it doesn't recoil as bad as the 45/70 but still has plenty of power to floor a running deer. 

But if running shots are not a consideration, then the 280 would be excellent.  I prefer my 30-06 but thats just a preference.  The 280 is really just as good on deer sized game plus it has an edge at a distance.  If shots would be under 150 or so then a 30-30 is defiantly worth a look, although I feel it is not as flexible as the other cartridges suggested.

[petemi]

I already load for the 45-70 and he has definitely said the recoil from my loads is not his cup of tea. Also load for 30-30. May just order him a 30-30.  Mostly was thinking .280 because it is there on the rack and seemed like a good deal. 

The .45-70 with factory trap door loads should be mild in recoil.  I don't know bout youze guys, but when I'm shootin at game, I don't even hear the gun go off, let alone feel any recoil. 

The extra 4 inches on the .280 barrel may just be a pain in the butt in a pickup.

Pete

[quickdtoo]

Kevin, you could always get that 280 and have the barrel shortened to your Dad's liking, MSP has a 19" .280 "Thunderboomer" that he's very fond of. 

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,108228.msg1098316823.html#msg1098316823

[Default]

Well I would think if your pop is doing fine with buckshot that the recoil of most handis shouldnt be a problem.. If you want the animal anchored , careful bullet design selection would be key in my opinion  ..  Would think with the right bullet 243 on up to the 280 should work fine , but like the boys said the 280 in a 26" tube..


   Default

[Sourdough]

I have an old friend in Tennessee that uses an H&R 45-70.  Has used it since back in the early 70s that I know of.  He only shoots factory loads.  The factory loads made by Remington are very mild, and I do not think your Dad would find them objectionable.  If you reload do a few with the mild loading and let him try them out.  Also go with the lightest bullet you can find to reduce the recoil.  Even that will be devastating on those eastern whitetail.