.270 vs. .280. i need help!!

[buckslayer]

hi y'all hows it go???. well i'm 14 yrs old and am saving my money for a NEF[god bless my soul :cry: ] i'm very impressed with the ballistics of the .270 and .280. the .270 has more "premium" factory ammo but the .280 has much more avalible for the hanloader. the first year i get the gun i'll stick with the factory "stuff". the next year i'll go with handloads[i should have enough money for a single stage press by then[i hope]]. what would you pick. they'er both very flat out to 350 yds but which one is the most accurate for you??. i would like any help :-)  :-)
later buckslayer :wink:

[like2shoot]

I think the two rounds are close enough to call them even. You are correct with the ammo and reloading components also. I chose the 280 synthetic because I didn't have one, every one I know doesn't have one, and I do reload so the ammo isn't a concern. I also like the 26" barrel because of less muzzle blast.   :pizza:

[handirifle]

Buckslayer
Everything I read on elk hunting lists the 270 as minimum.  That said the advantage should go to the 280 because, as you said, more, better bullets available.  Heavier bullets too which always helps with penetration.

On deer, it's a moot point.

[Mitch in MI]

I might have gotten the .270, but the 26" barrel was the deciding factor for me and I ordered a pair of .280s last year. I'm planning to rechamber one of them to .280 Ackley Improved, which should shoot at least as fast from the 26" barrel as 7mm Remington Mag will from a 22" barrel. (and a 26" Handi is shorter than a 22" bolt action gun)

[Brett]

My .280 shoots right around 1 moa with cheap Remington fodder so I'm sure I could hit anything I ever intend to shoot with it.  I like the balance of the 26" barrel and as someone else had pointed out the Handi w/ a 26" barrel is no longer than most bolt rifles with a 22" barrel.  You would not make a bad choice by choosing either caliber but if you intend to role your own ammo I would give the nod to the .280.

Good luck w/ whichever you go with.

Brett

[Tcallbuilder]

buckslayer;
the rounds you are looking at are very close ballistically.
both are great deer rounds and are very accurate.
if i didnt have either i would probably opt for the .270 due to availabity,and a wider selection of factory loaded ammo.

the great thing about the h&r/nef is, for about half the price of a new rifle you can order another barrel.

TCB

[stuffit]

I have been a devotee of the .270 since I was able to read Jack O'Conner's shooting column in Outdoor Life.  That has been a long, long time.  That being said, my wife won a .280 Handi at a gun club, and the rifle is a dream.  The heavier 26' barrel is a real plus.  It just "feels" good.  And when sighting it in, it turned out to be unbelievably accurate for a rifle out of the box, minute of angle accuracy being the rule with factory loads.  Haven't reloaded for it yet, but, all things considered (and remember my bias if favor of the .270), the .280 handi is a special rifle unto it self. My choice here for sure.
 
stuffit

[MSP Ret]

Since your going to reload I'd go with the .280. A better all around cartridge with an enormus range of good .284 bullets to choose from. The .280 is getting more and more popular all the time. I also grew up reading Jack O'Connor and thought about a .270 for years but the 30/06 won out over it. For me accuracy after 250 yards was not necessary, more important was killing power within my normal hunting distance. The .280 has it all....<><.... :grin:

[buckslayer]

i was rooting for the .280, boy did you'all convince me GET THE .280. thank you very much for the great info it was a big help :-D  :-D  :-D . more to help me get the .280 i looked at it in the gun shop and by the gun, the tightness of lock-up, the looks, AND THE PRICE :-D  :-D  :-D  270.00$. :eek:  :eek:  thank y'all very much ounce again :-D  :-D  :-D
later buckslayer

[Mitch in MI]

The two cartridges are virtually identical. .007" of bullet diameter is insignificant. The 280 having the shoulder pushed forward .05" is insignificant, only about .15cc more room for powder than the 270. 270 is nicer in factory loads because the selection is better, the price is lower, and the pressure and performance are higher. The 280 was designed to function in 1950's Remington autoloaders which didn't really like full pressure 270 loads, so Remington specified a 50,000 cup pressure limit for the 280, same as the old 30-06 Springfield.

If you handload, there are a few more bullet choices for the .280, (but .277 bullets span a pretty good range too) you can load your 280 single shot or bolt gun to .270 pressure if you want, and H&R gives you 4" more of barrel in the .280.