Detective work on a 280

[crow_feather]

Went to the range with my 270 and my wife's 280 to try new loads.  The first shot with my wife's 280 sounded loud and I smelled burnt powder.  Discovered that I had blown the primer out of the case as I had accidently loaded 10 grains too much powder in the case.  As I usually load to moderate levels, I wasn't too bad off. I thought that the Browning A-bolt had handled the error quite well.  Until I tried another load..

The first shot with the new load, I found that the case would not eject and the primer was backed out about halfway. I used a cleaning rod and the case easily backed out of the chamber.  At the next shot, the yellow tipped Nosler Ballistic Tip went in easily and the case ejected, but it didn't again on my third shot.  On all, the primers were back out about half way.

I checked my target and found that all three shots had keyholed and were about 10 inches apart.  I was sure that I had destroyed my wife's rifle.

Anybody figured out what i did?





ANS:  In my stress at almost destroying my wife's rifle, I used my 270 bullets (yellow tipped Nosler BT's) instead of the 280's.  I thought that this could never happen to me.  Now I write "280" on my loaded 280 cases with black felt pen.

Case closed.

[Skeptic10787]

How did you discover that you loaded the round 10 grains too hot? Also, I was under the impression that the shoulder angle of the two rounds was intentionally offset so they couldn't be chambered in the wrong rifle.
I'm not doubting your story... I'm curious how that could have happened.

[EVOC ONE]

As I understand it, when Remington designed the .280, they set the shoulder a little farther forward to prevent the .280 cartridge from being fired in the .270 rifle.  However, this doesn't prevent the .270 cartridge from being capable of being fired in the .280 chamber.

EVOC ONE

[beemanbeme]

were you shooting .270 ammo in the .280 or loading .277 bullets in the .280??? 
I strongly urge you to get a reloader book (or two) and read them.  Cover to cover.  You seem to be a little too cavalier in your approach. 

[victorcharlie]

Glad you did't use the .280 in the .277 or the result might have been really bad.

I'm sure you learned a few things so there's no need to remind you to be careful and pay attention to detail.

[Don Fischer]

Everything here soundy fishy. A 270 bullet fired down a 280 barrel should not rasie pressure. 10 grs over max? What powder were you using, Red Dot? I can't imagine how you could have gotten that much powder in the case! How come you fired anything else at all after the first round, that was pretty ugly. And as someone else said, how do you know it was ten grs over max?

[crow_feather]

O K

First, I have reloaded for about 25 years and in the thousands of rounds reloaded, have had only one other primer rupture and that was on a 22-250 many years ago when I was reloading 250 rounds a week for varminiting.

I brought 270 and 280 rounds to test in two rifles, a 270 Colt Light Rifle and 280 Browning A-Bolt.  I had loaded five rounds each of different loads to test for groups.  The first shot of group A for the 280 Browning popped the primer.  I later at home checked the weight of the powder in group A and found it 10 grains over, I believe that the powder was IMR 4895, and remember that I said that I usually load light.

Shaken I reached over and grabbed load B, but by error (NOT MY DAY) I pulled group B of the 270 loads.  What supprised me was that the primers backed out, indicating that the case was not against the bolt, but the case did not rupture or split.  I had actually thought that I had set the bolt back somehow when the primer let go and that was why the primers were backing out. 

I hope that this clears things up. 

Anyhow, it's all my wife's fault because she wanted a 280 instead of a 270 like mine.

C F

(last statement was a bad attempt at humer)

[rickt300]

Well having accidently fired 270 shells in a 30-06 I can't hold that against you. Having ruined a Remington extractor by loaind too much of the wrong povder I  can see that too. Clean the 280 and try some reasonable loads and your problems will disapear.

[Skeptic10787]

Well, if nothing else, this story should act as a reminder of two major safety issues.
#1) Always check and double check your charge. A drastic overchange such as 10gr should be noticable by sight.
#2) Never set two smiliar cartridges on the bench at the same time.

[crow_feather]

 Skeptic10787,

If all are charged 10 grains over, they will all look the same.  They trick is not to shoot the other 4 that you loaded. 

[victorcharlie]

Anyhow, it's all my wife's fault because she wanted a 280 instead of a 270 like mine.

(last statement was a bad attempt at humer)

Just like a woman.....always wanting something bigger than what you have.......

[Skeptic10787]

Skeptic10787,

If all are charged 10 grains over, they will all look the same.  They trick is not to shoot the other 4 that you loaded. 

Not what I meant. If you're used to loading, say 53-56 grains in that case, a charge of 63-66 grains will just plain look like too much powder. I tried it today just for giggles. No way in heck I could miss that, as long as I look.