need .280 reload advise

[archer786]

hey everybody, my names caleb and im new here. i have a ruger .280 with a 22'' barrel. im loading 50grs. of 4350 imr powder behind a 140gr. remmington core lok bullet. all the reloading manuals i have are pretty old and could be considered out of date. im getting good groups out of the loads but for some reason i feel like it s running slow and that im not getting the velocity i could.

if anyone has any advise or tips that would help me get max performance i'd really appreciate it.

Thanks - Caleb

 

[Stocky]

Hi Caleb,

I don't know about the other guys, but I've found factory ballistic tables, reloading manual(s) and other published velocity tables not much better than a rough guess. Many times, not even close.

Like the 3200 fps I was supposedly getting from my .264 Win with 120 Ballistic Tips. Not. 2900 more like. Or the 3000+ listed on a load in the manual from a 6.5/284. I was popping primers all the way down to 2800, well under the "listed" starting load, and the velocities were about 200 fps off in my rifle on that unit also. (Wake-up call #362 I think.)

Don't go with feelings! An inexpensive chronograph is one of the best investments any handloader can make. No way to tell what your rifle is doing with that particular lot of powder/primer/case and bullet without one.

Literally like shooting in the dark.

Hope this helps, Don

 

[archer786]

thats my problem. i dont have access to a chronograph to find out what my ballitics are truly like

 

[gbp]

the problem with the 280 rem is that the published load data takes into consideration the semi auto rifles that the round is also chambered in. if your ruger is a bolt gun and i am assuming that it is and if it is in good condition use the reloading data for the 270 as a starting point.
As Always start below max

 

[archer786]

the reload data that i have says that i can reach 3250fps. i think thats a lil more than what realistic. im trying to reach a good load that puts me as close to 3000fps as i can. if i can make 29000fps i'll be happy. i think i can reach it but im not sure if i can reach it without blowin primers. is there a website i could go to to get some up to date reloading info? the reloading manuals i have are older than i am.

 

[Shortmagman]

You can get information on the 280 Rem at alliantpowder.com and Hodgdon - The Gun Powder People .

I load for two different rifles in 280 Rem.. My son shoots a Ruger Mark II, and I have a Remington 700 CDL . Both guns like 140 Nosler Accubond bullets and RL-19 powder in RP case with Winchester primers.


I have gotten over 3000 ft/sec in my Rem gun with a 24 inch barrel. I shot 139 Hornady SP bullets and RL-22 powder. With a 22 inch barrel you will have to exceed the Max listed in most manuals. We have been happy with 2900 ft/sec out of the Ruger Mark II with a 22 inch barre.

 

[archer786]

if i could get in the 2900fps area i'd be happy. IMR 4350 is a slow burnin powder and i just think because i have a 22'' barrel that its a bowder thats to slow. all the data i find that gives the result for 4350 is with either a 24 or 25 inch barrel. and i've even been thinking about ordering a new barrel thats 25''. i do most of my hunting with a bow but when i do use a rifle i like shootin a long ways off. kinda makes it a lil more challenging lol. so thats why i'm being real picky about my rifle cause i want it to be at max performance. the load i have worked up now will put 3 shots in a dime @ 100yds but i dont think my velocity is very high. i'll shoot at 100yds then at 200 and the bullet drops quiet a bit. i cant find my old target to measure it but its somewhere around 4-5 inches drop. where it should be somewhere around 2 inch drop or less.

thats what started me on my quest to find out whats goin on with it. because i zeroed at 100 then shot at 200 and it was so low i didnt even hit the outter ring od the bullseye. group was good but like i said it dropped more than i thought it should over 100yds.

 

[bkondeff]

I reload for my son's .280 which is the exact same as yours. With Win Brass and CCI 200 primer, using 140 Accubonds the muzzle velocity was ave 2810 with 50.0 gr IMR4350, 2840 with 51.0 and 2880 with 52.0 gr. IMR 4831 was faster with 2870 at 54.0 gr at 2920 at 55.0 and 3000 at 56.0. We settled on RL19 for accuracy @ 2895fps @ 57.0gr w/ Fed 210. I did get almost 3000 fps with this same load using Fed215 primers, but the accuracy was not good.

Of course barrels vary and getting ahold of your own Chrono would make more sense than assuming our barrels would be the same, but at least this gives some reference.