Advice on next rifle purchase
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Calvin45
Well-Known Member
to explain my opinion further, I have a .270, it was my first rifle. It's not the same thing as your .280 but pretty dang close, certainly they're the same class of cartridge and horsepower. I was in a similar place to you and decided on .300 win mag. No regrets. I love that round, and there's brass of many brands in good supply pretty much always if you look around. Not so for some of the other .30 mags. But there's no wrong .30 caliber magnum choice haha. It's my favourite "ballistic niche".
Sirrated
Well-Known Member
I agree with these comments, and that's exactly what I use down here in the south pacific.
Tom Wright
Well-Known Member
I've given similar responses before, but I'll share this again. I'd go for a 300WM. I don't know what is in your hunting future. About 15 years ago in preparing for a Saskatchewan whitetail tail hunt I bought a browning xbolt in 300WM. It was a great flat shooting almost perfect gun for that trip. I took home a 300 lb 10 point. But the real tale is what it has been used for since then. In cathedral following years that gun has been to the western states, Europe, and 4 times to South Africa. Even in remote places ammo is fairly easy to find, and if you don't reload you can buy great factory ammo from 150 to 220 grains. I have put over 40 animals on the wall with it including prong horn, mule deer, aoudad, nilgai, scimitar oryx in the US, Gredos ibex in Spain, and over a couple of dozen antelope from South Africa, from steenbok and klipspringer to kudu and eland. It's taken animals from less than 20# to 1700#+. At least look at the option. I had two 7mm when I bought it. It turns out to have been a clairvoyant purchase—one of the best ever made. It has made memories for a lifetime. Good luck. I home yours does the same. Tom
Highlander44
Well-Known Member
.280 AI, and in these times, I'd be sure not to get a cartridge you cannot get ammo or reloading components in.
If you like to travel to hunt, there will be a time that your ammo doesn't arrive but your rifle does. Being able to source ammo is a consideration for me and agree with 300 win mag ammo being available in the remote corners of the world.
ndking1126
Well-Known Member
As long as you mean 280 and not 280AI, 7mmRM would be a good upgrade. 280 is perfectly capable of killing deer from a pretty decent distance and elk at reasonable distances. You didn't include a use case that makes you NEED a bigger caliber, but nothing wrong with buying one anyways. (As others mentioned, providing your intended distances would help. We are shooting in the dark for now.)
On the other hand, 7mmRM isn't the most efficient cartridge any more. Many can get the same ballistics from less powder (so less recoil and barrel wear, all else being equal). I just built a 7mmRM for elk because I only had a long action on hand. If I was starting from scratch, I probably would have gone 6.8 Western.
On the other hand, 7mmRM isn't the most efficient cartridge any more. Many can get the same ballistics from less powder (so less recoil and barrel wear, all else being equal). I just built a 7mmRM for elk because I only had a long action on hand. If I was starting from scratch, I probably would have gone 6.8 Western.
Murph1951
Active Member
Real easy question: A Remington 700 in 30-06. There is a mountain of history on this caliber and a 30-06 still, as of today, makes up the bulk of all rifle sales. The 30-06 will kill everything and anything in North America, because bullet selection is so good! You would be so lucky if you could find a lightly used, 60's era 700 with a Walker Trigger. IMHO this model Remington is so much better than a pre-64 Winchester Model 70.
Dude did you open yourself up to the ford/chevy/dodge battle. 280Rem is a great round. My questions would be what are you planning to hunt and distance you want to be able to hunt at. Also, whats your budget? I have a ton of rifles from 17rem to 375WTBY. Do I need that many sanity probably says no but I keep justifying them in my mind and that is all that matters 
Are you looking for one rifle to do all? I hunt N. America and if truth be told and I had to have one rifle it would be 340WTBY and it would cover every species easy. Is it the perfect rifle for every species absolutely not. Would I ever be under gunned nope. I know I dont need a 22Creedmoor for coyotes or a 240WTBY for Antelope or... You get my point. Its an addiction and welcome to the club. Let us know what you pick cause I might need that caliber too...
Are you looking for one rifle to do all? I hunt N. America and if truth be told and I had to have one rifle it would be 340WTBY and it would cover every species easy. Is it the perfect rifle for every species absolutely not. Would I ever be under gunned nope. I know I dont need a 22Creedmoor for coyotes or a 240WTBY for Antelope or... You get my point. Its an addiction and welcome to the club. Let us know what you pick cause I might need that caliber too...
wkdwdg66
Well-Known Member
.270 was my first, second and third rifle. I've owned 10 so far.......
Blkrflguy
Well-Known Member
As far as make, stay away from Savage. In 3 years I've sent two 110 High Country rifles back and one Ridge Warrior. All have failed their accuracy standard and none of their chambers were polished. All brass had striations on fired cases. They know this but refuse to correct in QC.
. Get a Tikka, Christiansen Arms, or something else.
jdavistx
Well-Known Member
No one that I've seen has addressed the fact that he doesn't like the wood stock. If he's happy with the performance of the 280, get a new stock.Dude did you open yourself up to the ford/chevy/dodge battle. 280Rem is a great round. My questions would be what are you planning to hunt and distance you want to be able to hunt at. Also, whats your budget? I have a ton of rifles from 17rem to 375WTBY. Do I need that many sanity probably says no but I keep justifying them in my mind and that is all that matters
Or, perhaps he suffers from the same affliction we all have. 
Rifles don't have to cost a mint to be accurate. $500-600 will get you a Brownin AB3 in your 7mm Mag-300 (WM or WSM) as well as other common calibers.
I ended up with about 2000 primed 308 brass, and bulk 308 bullets. My problem is the only 308s I had were target rifles. I didn't want to ruin those barrels so I despised on a cheap 308 to burn up that ammo. Ended up finding a super sale on an AB3. The real surprise was the accuracy. Bulk Hornady 180 gr SPBT gave me less the 1/2 in at 100 yards. 175 SMKs somewhat better.
Todays modest priced $500-600 guns shoot as well as those $3000-5000 guns.
I ended up with about 2000 primed 308 brass, and bulk 308 bullets. My problem is the only 308s I had were target rifles. I didn't want to ruin those barrels so I despised on a cheap 308 to burn up that ammo. Ended up finding a super sale on an AB3. The real surprise was the accuracy. Bulk Hornady 180 gr SPBT gave me less the 1/2 in at 100 yards. 175 SMKs somewhat better.
Todays modest priced $500-600 guns shoot as well as those $3000-5000 guns.
I have a couple of the big 7's! 7mm STW, 7 RUM, 7 mag and a 28 NOSLER. Out of all of them the 7mm STW is the most accurate but out dated and belted cartridge. The best overall if I was buying or building a new 7 I would stick with the 28 Nosler! Throughout the whole Ammo shortage 28 Nosler Ammo and brass was always available. Nosler kept up with demand. It is a great shooting round but like the STW and the RUM it can be hard on barrels. I also have both of the PRC's great cartridges but finding Ammo or reloading components will require you to put your house up as collateral! A good shooter out of the box is the TIKKA T3 in 300 win mag.
