i was looking at the ballistics of the .280 Remington and it was just a smidge better than the 30-06. How hard is it to find a g

[phconk]

i was looking at the ballistics of the .280 Remington and it was just a smidge better than the 30-06. How hard is it to find a gun and ammo and how affective would the .280 be on elk or caribou?

[jhjimbo]

.280Rem is a great cartridge but you will find it is not as prevalent as a 30-06. The .284 bullets do have good B.C. and S.D. It can handle elk and caribou but if that is going to be a regular hunt i would get something like a .30 magnum, maybe a .300WbyMag. A little more punch for elk at the longer distances.

P.S. My .280Rem was the most accurate cartridge for me. I shot a 5 round group of .284" bullets in a hole .380"

[WA Mtnhunter]

If I had to have only one rifle in a standard cased cartridge, the .280 Remington would certainly be on the short list. I like the 7mm Wby and .300 Wby for longer range hunting chores, but the .280 Rem will do just fine.

[Treestand]

JMO~~ The 280Rem is a fine Cartridge for Deer,Black Bear and Open plans Game,but for Elk and Caribou the 7mm/Rem-Mag,300Wby would be a better choice do to the Pay-load. I had a 280Rem and did not care for the Recoil its very sharp not like a 06-push.

[Edward J. Palumbo]

The .280 Rem is an excellent choice and, if I might add, the .280 Ackley Improved offers the slight improvement that P.O. Ackley intended. Though frequently ordered from gunsmiths when standard-sized actions are rebarreled, few rifles are initially chambered for the cartridge, though I think that Remington's Model 700 is readily available, typically in a 1-in-10-inch rate of twist, and this cartridge is highly appreciated by shooters who know how to read a ballistics table.
The .280 Rem is one of those cartridges that has a great deal to offer and reaches its pinnacle performance on the handloader's bench. There is a spectrum of excellent 7mm/.284 bullets, and some of the Match projectiles can provide superb accuracy in well assembled rifles. There are several propellants that are well suited to the .280's case capacity and bullet weights.
Assuming you do your part with good bullet placement, there's every reason to expect the .280 will anchor your elk effectively.

[FirstBubba]

Think EJP summed it up best! "...you do your part..."
From the lowly .22LR to the mighty .700 Nitro Express, if you don't put that "pill" where it belongs, you're going to be disappointed.
Bullet diameter can't compensate for "poor" marksmanship!
Your .280 Rem will take anything on the NA continent, IF, you put the bulllet where it counts!
Good luck!

[steve182]

Very well put by the guys above. Great cartridge though not as readily available as ol' reliable -06

[Happy Myles]

I have successfully used the 280 on several caribou. For some reason have not used that caliber on elk. I cannot remember why not, as I have killed elk with so many different calibers, many of which are not as well qualified as the 280. As I recall, used the 160 grain bullets on caribou. There are so many good modern bullets let your rifle tell you which it likes best. Kindest Regards

[Happy Myles]

Personally, my experience indicates caribou are not as hard to bring down as elk. Recent years have primarily used a 300 Win Mag on wapiti with 180 or 200 grain bullets. I am sure if you don't alert the elk you are using a mere 280 it will kill it just fine. All The Best

[Happy Myles]

The 280 ammo will never be as readily available or less expensive than 06

[Sarge01]

If my .280 was all that I had I would not hestitate to use it on elk. The 162 grain or 175 grain Hornady Interlock bullets would work just great. Nosler 160 grain or 175 grain Partition would be another good choice. In factory loaded ammo Federal loads their Federal Preminum ammo with 160 grain Trophy Bonded Tip bullets. I wouldn't feel under gunned at all with any of the above bullets.

[357]

My Cousin's Daddy gave him a 280 bolt action, said it was the only rifle he would ever need so far it has been. It's been to Alaska and back and taken an elk every year or so for the last 20 years. It's a good caliber.

[Cazador119]

My current .280 Cooper 52 classic will put 3 145 Barnes X in a dime at 100 yards. Compared to 300 Win Mags it recoils not at all. I will be working up some 175's in the future. Sometimes elk are found in the deep timber and a bigger pill works better.

[Rachel White]

I have been prepping for my 1st elk/mule deer hunt in Montana this fall (Nov '14). I spent a ton of time looking at the 300WSM, 7WSM, 280, 280AI, and the 30-06. I finally went the -06, and plan to revisit my decision following the hunt. My reasons were simple: ammo and finding a rifle/scope combo I liked. In the end I took the inexpensive route with the rifle and went with a Tikka T3 (love the trigger and I regularly shoot an Ed Brown Kobra Carry so I know a good trigger when I feel it) and a super Nightforce 3x15 that was on sale over the holiday season (will shoot the rifle for the 1st time this week).

The 1st time expense is doable but nothing to sneeze at (I'm getting back into big game hunting and gearing up to hunt mid-late season in MT). I want to be truly comfortable and confident in my gear w/help from my outfitter, nice folks. When I get back with some 1st hand experience, I'll settle on a custom 7WSM or 280 AI, favoring the 280 AI it would seem at this time. The Nightforce will move to the new custom rifle and I'll re-scope the -06 with a nice 2x12 of some kind.

Not an adventurous decision, I get that, but one I'm sure I won't regret. Having a 30-06 and great 7mm rifle for next season at the ready just seems like a great way to go.

Not everyone would take my path to deal with the 280 vs 30 caliber question but it works for me, and it is fun to create a nice big game hunting kit and armory!!! There's no reason to hurry.

Rachel

[Cazador119]

If I had to have only one rifle in a standard cased cartridge, the .280 Remington would certainly be on the short list. I like the 7mm Wby and .300 Wby for longer range hunting chores, but the .280 Rem will do just fine.

I will be using my .280 Rem with Federal Premium® .280 Remington Rifle Ammunition. With 150 grain Nosler Part. Should be fine to 450 yards be it an elk,or deer.