Cut/Crown my .280?

[RickC.]

For a couple of years I have been considering having my .280 barrel cut back to 22".  

 I have shot 100 yd groups of less than a half inch with this rifle and a max Speer book load of 4831 under their 145 grain spitzer averages 2998 fps-- two good reasons to leave it alone (which is why I have).   I have killed 4 bucks with this rifle (2 of which had been previously shot, which are stories in themselves) and I like it, but find myself not hunting with it as much as I might because  the 26" barrel makes the rifle less "handy" in the deer woods.

I'm not worried about some velocity loss and I realize I may have to go back to the drawing board with a faster powder, but this rifle just shoots so well that I'm afraid of messing that up.

Opinions, comments? 

Thanks,

Rick

PS. I'd be having a smith do this.

[thejanitor]

If you lose your accuracy you may not hunt with it then for other reasons. If it shoots that good I would leave it alone, and spend the money you would have paid the smith on a used 22" here in any caliber you may want. Then you still have a tack driver and maybe a shorter hunter that still may shoot well, but I would sure hate to hear you ruined a great shooter. If it shot poorly you would not be out anything gambling on the cut/crown, but since it shoots very well my thought would be "it aint broke... don't fix it".
Just my thoughts. 
But if you have your mind made up, you will probably still have a gun that will kill deer well enough, just MIGHT not shoot as well as now. thejanitor

[Spanky]

A good cut and crown won't hurt accuracy. Alot of times it'll help because there is less "barrel whip" with a shorter barrel.
You'll lose some velocity but I don't think a deer would notice.




Spanky

[cwlongshot]

I know what you mean. I'm kinda thinking the same with my shorty build. I have a good shooting maxi but don't want to cut it to make a shorty. SO I bought a second barrel!!! Now that I have it I'll shoot it and decide what to cut. I'm now leaning on chopping the orig as it's a much faster taper and lighter barrel.

So maybe look for another barrel. Shoot them both and chop one to what you want.

I like long barrels for open spacesand long range shooting I have two 26" barreled bolt guns.

CW

[jedman]

   I agree with what Spanky said, Done properly a cut and recrown will not hurt your accuracy.
I have a 280 barrel that shoots just OK with the right handloads about 1" @ 100 yards but is very finicky.
With my barrel if you shoot more than 2 shots without letting it cool the POI starts to move and going from 139 GR. to 154 GR. bullets the POI is at least 14" different a 100 yards.
  I kinda quit shooting it because of this behavior and was thinking of cutting mine back some and see what if that might help mine shoot like my other handi barrels, as in excelent.
 I dont like the way the 26" barrel handles either, I think now you gave me the push I needed to cut mine shorter and then parkerize it to match most of my other barrels.    THANKS,  Jed 

[gcrank1]

Man, you got a shooter there.......it would be a shame to chop it. Get another barrel and do it and if it satisfies your notion sell the first one. Im sure somebody here would be glad to get a shooter like that.

[moorepower]

By the time you shorten the barrel you will come real close to a 7-08 velocity, just something to think about.

[ihookem]

I am thinking of cuttoing my .270 from 22" to 18-19" because I am tired of a full size gun. My son has a H&R superlight with a 16 or 18" barrel and knocked his only deer down dead as can be, a .243. From the mid 90's till a few years ago it MORE velocity!!! We have gotten away from big calibers and long barrels. I want a small gun, real small and handy. Cut it off and make it fun to hiunt with.

[MSP Ret]

I have a 19.5" .280 Handi that is a regular 1" shooter (my "Thunderboomer") and a favorite hunting gun when I need the power. If you want a short .280, do a GOOD cut, and a GOOD recrown, and go for it....<><....

[dpe.ahoy]

I think the 280 is great, but if you cut it back, might as well get a 7mm-08 barrel and leave the 280 alone.  They are both outstanding cartridges, I have 3 - 280's and 5 - 7mm-08's in the house.  Course the true answer is do what ever you want, it's yer rifle.   DP

[MSP Ret]

Your right, the .280 Remington vs. 7mm-08 discussion comes down the being the same old 30/06 vs. .308 discussion. In fact they are all good....<><....