Author Topic: is the 280 rem. that bad? (Read 3147 times)

bearit · « **on:** March 12, 2005, 04:41:56 PM »

I have an interest in getting an 280 so i can get a huntsman barrel with it but there has been no talk here of the 280 barrel for better or for worse....whats up with that? is the 280 that bad? no accuracy at all with that long 26" barrel?....i'm really wondering if anybody has tested the 280 barrel over 100yds. or if you guys have that it's old business..i'm new here and i'm wondering if i missed something.....it would seem that a 280 barrel thats 26" long would get the best from the cartridge....single shot,solid lock-up,26"barrel seems like the ideal thing for the 280....any help on this much appreciated.....thanks in advance......bearit.....

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** March 12, 2005, 05:00:07 PM »

Welcome aboard, bearit!

There's quite a bit on the .280 actually, but the thread titles probably are more on the .270 or 30-06. I bought a .280 Handi recently because of all the good stuff said about it, it's apparently a real good shooter with the 140 and 150 gr loads. Use the search feature at the top of the page and I'm sure you'll get lot's of info on it. Haven't shot mine yet, so I can't offer any first hand info for you.

bearit · « **Reply #2 on:** March 12, 2005, 05:28:47 PM »

hey thanks for the reply....i'm wondering if maybe the twist rate was wrong or if something strange with the barrel had got past me....the26" barrel is said by the experts[not me] to be ideal for the 280....if their is something wrong with the barrel i'd like to hear about it......thanks for the reply...bearit...

Mac11700 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 12, 2005, 06:20:53 PM »

Nothing wrong with the 280...Ditchdigger is getting some fine velocities out of his loads...and pretty good long range accuracy as well...about 100fps or so shy of 7MM Mag loads...so I wouldn't to much about it if your wanting to get one....most of the longer barrels gennerally will give better velocities and accuracy than the shorter barrels...a few of us here do really good with our 25-06's and it's 26" tubes...same for the Buff Classics and Target models 38-55's...if your wanting one...I wouldn't wait too much longer on them...since they no-longer are making an Ultra 280's...

Mac

James B · « **Reply #4 on:** March 12, 2005, 07:11:29 PM »

I have the 26 inch 280 and its a fine rifle and a good shooter. No trouble gettein groups of 1-1/2 inches or a bit less. Thats with no expiermenting. I tried 120 grain Sierra Pro hunters right off the bat and never saw a reason to change the load. I have taken two mule deer with it with two shots. Both went down in their tracks and both were 225- 250 yard shots. I have a Swift 3x9x40 scope on it. Great gun. I would take it anywhere in NA after any big game there is here.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #5 on:** March 13, 2005, 01:40:19 AM »

The .280 isn't bad, it may be "BAAAD!!" but that a compliment, it's actually BEAUTIFUL!!!. I have a 19" .280 H&R barrel I got that way from lik2hunt, and he got it that way, I removed the black paint on it and had it crowned, it is now a superb woods gun now and carries the name "Thunderboomer". I would highly suggest the .280 to anyone, especially someone whos reloads, the number and style of 7mm (.284) bullets out there is staggering. This one gun/caliber/diameter can really do it all!!!! All the 7mm's are the unsung heros....<><.... :grin:

Ditchdigger · « **Reply #6 on:** March 13, 2005, 04:58:31 AM »

The 280 is my favorite barrel.It chrono's 2975 fps with the 150 gr.Rem corlokts,and shoots 1 1/4 to1 1/2" all day long. It never fails if I have the 45 70 barrel on,I'll get a 300 yd.shot at a hog,so I just leave the 280 barrel on. So far,the 280 has killed 2 hogs dropped in there tracks,the 45 70 2 hogs,one ran 60 yds. ,and the other went nearly 1/2 mile. I'm going to do some serious reloading for it one of these days and see what the old thing will do. Digger

inzalu · « **Reply #7 on:** March 13, 2005, 05:19:19 AM »

The 280 remington is a great caliber. I recently bought a 26 inch TC custom shop barrel from ED's TC. The barrel would shoot around an inch all day long. My very best group however was using 150gr (Nosler Part.) federal premium factory ammo. This produced 1/2 inch at 100yds. It was amazing. It just likes those 150s. The barrel is very nicely done, high gloss blued. For the price you just cannot beat them. By the way the barrel is a standard taper, not heavy. It really shoots and I would highly recommend this combination. The 140gr and `120gr also shot very well. You read that this caliber doesn't get the attention the 270 gets, but I think there are a lot more satisfied hunters using this caliber than people realize. It truly performs, and is most anyone would need to get the job done from deer to elk.

Brett · « **Reply #8 on:** March 13, 2005, 06:08:24 AM »

Mine shoots 1-1/4" -1-1/2" groups with inexpensive 140gr. Remington Core-lokt ammo. Have not tried anything else in it yet because I haven't felt the need.

DakotaElkSlayer · « **Reply #9 on:** March 13, 2005, 02:55:57 PM »

Got my .280Rem Handi back in 2000 for an elk hunt. I went to the range and shot $120.00 worth of ammo through it...bought every different load I could find. There wasn't a load I could find that shot poorly. Shot from 139 to 165gr., and all shot well.

Jim

bearit · « **Reply #10 on:** March 14, 2005, 03:41:26 AM »

thank you all for the replies....that 280 barrel may be a good investment for an elk hunt in the future....thanks again....bearit....

while99 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 07, 2005, 07:54:24 AM »

Well I took the plunge and bought my first Handi rifle. I found a used .280 Remington on the internet for $150 plus $30 shipping. The price includes both the base and the rings. According to the owner it has been shot less than 20 times.
Does anybody have any recommended loads for a Handi chambered in .280? What kind of velocity can I expect to get from its 26-inch barrel?

MSP Ret · « **Reply #12 on:** April 08, 2005, 06:19:33 AM »

Congratulations while99, thats a great gun and a great caliber!! You got a wonderful buy also!!!....<><.... :grin:

Mohawk · « **Reply #13 on:** April 11, 2005, 04:44:48 AM »

I have a 26" .280 handi limited edition. Great gun. Wonderful deer and hog gun. I use the Remington 150gr. Pointed soft point core lokt. Load has worked great and shoots very accurately.

while99 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 23, 2005, 06:51:24 PM »

Well my Handi .280 should be here on Monday, 4/25. I have a used Simmons 3x9x40 that I'm going to install. I have several boxes of factory ammo to try and I'll run some through the chronograph and file a full report.

superhornet · « **Reply #15 on:** April 25, 2005, 05:50:51 AM »

Save the factory brass and if you don,t already reload, get set up and do so......Factory ammo where I live is pretty slim pickin's. The bullets available for the .280 for reloading cover a lot of ground and weights. I have had extreme accuracy shooting the 162 A-max over a charge of H4350.

Mitch in MI · « **Reply #16 on:** April 25, 2005, 02:16:36 PM »

Quote from: superhornet

I have had extreme accuracy shooting the 162 A-max over a charge of H4350.

Do you have chronograph numbers on it? I called Hornady last year, talked to a guy who said I'd be fine with 1 in 10" twist at 3000fps, might do OK at 2800, and would not be stable at 2600. I have a box of A-Max but haven't loaded any yet.

while99 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 25, 2005, 06:42:55 PM »

Well, the .280 Handi arrived at my FFL dealer's place today. Somewhere along the way the box had been dropped on a hard surface, such as concrete, and the muzzle was damaged. I've opened an insurance claim with the courier service and I will probably have to send the receiver back to NEF to get a new barrel fitted to it.
How much does a new barrel cost and how long does it take NEF to do the work and get it back to the owner?

quickdtoo · « **Reply #18 on:** April 25, 2005, 07:30:52 PM »

The .280 barrel is $100 plus $25 fitting and shipping....

http://hr1871.com/barrelAcc/index.htm

MSP Ret · « **Reply #19 on:** April 26, 2005, 03:20:20 AM »

Under a new program mentioned here the barrel may be $5 off, plus the labor and fitting may be FREE until September 30th of this year!!!!....<><.... :grin:

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=62021&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

quickdtoo · « **Reply #20 on:** April 26, 2005, 04:43:28 AM »

I just sent in a registration card, hopefully I'll get the info from em.... :roll:

while99 · « **Reply #21 on:** April 26, 2005, 07:19:03 PM »

Quickdtoo and MSP Ret, thanks for the info. I looked at the URLs you guys posted and now have an idea about what barrels are available for Handi rifles. The courier's insurance adjuster is coming tomorrow to look at the damaged barrel. If it turns out that the .280 barrel that I now have is useable, I'll probably get something like a .30/30, .45-70, or .308 Winchester.

K280 · « **Reply #22 on:** April 27, 2005, 03:24:41 PM »

I'm new here but my first Handi was a .280 and I had decent accuracy with factory Remington loads, the 140 & 150 cor-loks and the premium 140 ballistic tips. I tried the Hornady light magnums with the 139 SST that was moly coated and they shot a pattern, not a group. I started loading 145 speer hot-cors over 56 gr of RE-19 with a Rem 9 1/2M primer and they shoot great. I tried some 110 speer TNT over H4831 and RE-19 for PD, they group under 3/4 and make PD's fly at 300 yds +. I also have a .223 barrel and just picked up a .17 HMR w/scope for a $100.

mt3030 · « **Reply #23 on:** June 23, 2005, 05:17:48 PM »

The reason the SAMMI for the 280 is low is because the 280 was first chambered in Remington pump and semi-auto rifles. In a bolt or single shot it can be loaded to the same pressures as the 25-06 and 270. At this speed the 280 will really carry the mail.

Wally

kombi1976 · « **Reply #24 on:** June 25, 2005, 02:56:39 AM »

What size groups are people getting with hand loaded ammo?
What sort of MV are you getting from the 280 with 140gn bullets?

mt3030 · « **Reply #25 on:** June 25, 2005, 04:08:55 AM »

K280:

Just noticed your first post here at GBO. Welcome and thank you for joining us.

Wally

nomosendero · « **Reply #26 on:** June 25, 2005, 10:00:52 AM »

ridel

I am assuming the 3,600 FPS is a typo!

Mitch in MI · « **Reply #27 on:** June 25, 2005, 10:08:57 AM »

Quote from: rldel

Using a very standard load of H4831 and Hornady 140 gr SST I get acceptable accuracy and about 3600 fps on my chrony.

I'm thinking something is wrong here. You might shove a 100gr Hornady HP to 3600, but not with H4831, maybe with H4895.
It may be possible to reach book velocity for a 7mm RemMag in a 26" 280, but that's still only about 3200 for 140gr. 3600 would be over 4000 ft-lb with 140gr!

Mac11700 · « **Reply #28 on:** June 25, 2005, 10:20:28 AM »

Probably a typo...if not...might explain the lousy accuracy

Mac

quickdtoo · « **Reply #29 on:** June 25, 2005, 10:33:56 AM »

Hmmm, Hornady doesn't make a 140gr SST, only a 139gr...their 6th edition reloading manual shows a max velocity of 3000fps with that 139gr SST in a 22" barrel...... I think I'm gonna have ta try some of that 4831 in all of my 26" barrels if'n it will get me another 600fps, what can I expect in a 28" 405 Winchester barrel?

:-D :-D :-D

Tim :roll: