Author Topic: 270 vs 280 (Read 1403 times)

grousehunter · « **on:** March 21, 2006, 03:31:39 PM »

Which is a better rifle? Hunting, ballistic wise and so forth, why should I consider buying a 280 instead of a 270 or an 06?

old06 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 21, 2006, 06:11:09 PM »

There so close, very close if you handload, short answer bullet slection or factory loads. Your talking spliting hairs. Now let the war begin.

Do search you'll get a bunch of answers

Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #2 on:** March 21, 2006, 06:28:12 PM »

Not enough difference to worry about.

YMMV

Mac11700 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 21, 2006, 08:08:52 PM »

That's a good question...one that's been asked about a bazillion times

I'll let you know what I think in a few weeks after getting my first 280...

Mac

RaySendero · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2006, 12:49:37 AM »

270...

EVOC ONE · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2006, 01:15:45 AM »

Each are very close, depending what you want to hunt. Other than that, it pretty much comes down to personal preference. Which one would you prefer to own? What type of hunting do you most expect to do? If Elk, Moose or big bears are in the future, I would suggest a hard look at the .30-06. If you're only going to hunt medium sized game, then either would work well.

You do have the availability of heavier bullets with the '06. The .280 closely approaches the 7mm Rem Mag when reloaded. The .270 has a reputation of very flat shooting. Whether you reload or not, the '06 probably offers more bullet selection. The 180's and above tend to have a bit more recoil in the '06. Ammo for the '06 and .270 are less expensive and probably more available than the .280.

I have each in a Handi rifle. The .270 is a synthetic model and is very accurate with Win. 130's. Recoil is very comfortable. The .280 had a 26" bbl and is scary accurate out of the box with Rem 150's. Again, recoil is comfortable. I've only shot 180's out of the .30-06. It was not as accurate as the others out of the box. But its on the money now. Recoil is noticable, but not offensive. However, it recoil's less than my Mossberg ATR but not as much as my .30-06 700 BDL with the same ammo.

Good Luck!

EVOC ONE

victorcharlie · « **Reply #6 on:** March 22, 2006, 01:34:09 AM »

Quote from: Coyote Hunter

Not enough difference to worry about.

YMMV

Ditto!

High Brass · « **Reply #7 on:** March 22, 2006, 02:02:24 AM »

.284 cal bullets
.277 cal bullets

Grand total of .007" difference. I don't think that makes a difference either way. FWIW though, I have the 280 and love it

lilabner · « **Reply #8 on:** March 22, 2006, 06:54:44 AM »

If you are going to hunt game larger than deer with the rifle, buy the mother cartridge (30-06). It is more versatile. If not, the choice boils down to whether you handload and what bullet weights you want to use. The .270 has better sectional density and ballistic coefficient for bullets of the same weight. That means it is slightly flatter shooting at long range and the bullets theoretically should penetrate slightly better and lose velocity more slowly. The .280 will give slightly higher muzzle velocity (with handloads) for bullets of the same weight. It also will shoot heavier bullets than are available for the .270. In factory ammo, it is generally not loaded as "hot" as the .270 so if you don't handload, the .270 will have the advantage.

skb2706 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 22, 2006, 08:40:50 AM »

Many a gun writer for all the big gun mags has hashed this question. Some have made a lifetime commitment to the question. Some cannot seem to find anything else to write about even after all these years. What is best to me is probably not best to all................

animal · « **Reply #10 on:** March 22, 2006, 08:51:25 AM »

I have a .280 and have always viewed it as a compromise between the .270 and 06. It uses the superlative 7 mm bullet and if hand loading it is versitle. Col. Whelen compared it to the .270 and 06 as "just a little better rifle". It does put the deer down better than the 06 in my experience. All three including the .308 and 7mm08 are very close in terminal performance on deer. The .280 seems to be about the most powerfull non magnum. I'm not a ballistics expert and am just giving my opion based on many days in the field.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #11 on:** March 22, 2006, 09:25:06 AM »

A friend and I started this argument back in the late 50's. My Dad had given me a M760 in .270 the year before and it had already scored a deer. The 130 grain bronze pt. had destroyed the heart, lungs, and part of the liver. The range was less then 50 yards. I knew that "Jack" was right and the .270 was great.

The next summer a friend's Dad gave him a new M760 in .280 Remington. We spent hours going over the ballistics of each round. And while the ammunition he had was the very, very slow factory 165 grain load, he would brag about the speed of the 125 grain load. Of course I would argue the proof was in the freezer. My hole card was that "Jack" used the .270 for about everything. Luck helped when he did not get a deer the next season and luck was with me.

I choose to ignore another neighbor who was filling tags with his .280 Remingtion. Or that my brother bought one later on.

What do I think about the .280 years later. I think it is a fine cartridge. For the reloader is maybe slight(ly) better then the .270 Win.(Choke) But there are advantages the .270 has over the .280 that I never thought about way back when. The .280 has been around a lot of years but you cannot go into a rural Mom and Pop store and buy .280 ammo. While you will find 30-06, 270, 30-30, and maybe 7MM Mag ammunition. While you can find bulk .280 brass on line, you will have a harder time finding it at your local gunshop.

The .270 and the .280 arguement has helped many a winter day pass. If the .280 had been loaded to the same pressures as the .270 would there have been an opening for the 7MM Remington in the market place?

victorcharlie · « **Reply #12 on:** March 22, 2006, 09:37:34 AM »

Quote from: Siskiyou

The .280 has been around a lot of years but you cannot go into a rural Mom and Pop store and buy .280 ammo. While you will find 30-06, 270, 30-30, and maybe 7MM Mag ammunition. While you can find bulk .280 brass on line, you will have a harder time finding it at your local gunshop.

The .270 and the .280 arguement has helped many a winter day pass. If the .280 had been loaded to the same pressures as the .270 would there have been an opening for the 7MM Remington in the market place?

Not very many mom and pops left around here, much less those that carry ammo. The gun control act of 1968 has pretty much killed that.

In today's world, the word Magnum is equated to better. Marketing hype no doubt........other like cartridges have not prevented the sales of the most recent round of WSM's, WSSM's and RUM's........

MY GUNS BIGGER THAN YOUR GUN....NA..NAH.Na NA NAH.....!!!!!! :-D

jro45 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 22, 2006, 09:42:47 AM »

A friend said to me right after I got my 270 Win. he'd get the 280 just to be a little faster. Well I told him he might get there first but don't blink cause I'm there to.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #14 on:** March 22, 2006, 01:11:18 PM »

I was raised in a town which had more dogs then people. And every once and a while somebody would ride their horse into the bar. In fact the local bar had a few boxes of shells for sell during hunting season. It sponsored the local big buck contest. That way a guy could pickup a box of shells late at night on his way home from the woods. He only kept a few calibers in stock.

Now over at the Big Store you could buy horse shoe nails, and a box of shells for you 32-20 Winchester. Times have changed. I doubt if he ever carried .280 ammo.

grousehunter · « **Reply #15 on:** March 22, 2006, 01:13:46 PM »

all right guys! to be honest with everybody, for whatever reason the 280 had eluded my attention and just recently started hearing of it! I presently own 2 - 760 gamemasters, 1 in 270 and 1 in 06_ I shoot 90gr hornady out of the 270 and 125 win's out of the 06, as much as I have heard about the 280, I had to find out if there really was anything special about it! I guess I'll stick with what I have for the present!!! THANKS

beemanbeme · « **Reply #16 on:** March 23, 2006, 04:28:59 AM »

Anyone that would sell his 270/280, in order to buy a 280/270 needs to spend some serious couch time.
Other than bullet selection, there isn't any real difference. Since I'm a "find a good load and use it on everything" kinda guy, even that option isn't of importance.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #17 on:** March 23, 2006, 12:11:07 PM »

If your only gonna have one rifle, I think the 280 has an advantage over the 270. It's called a 175 gr bullet. Then of course I've never been a big 270 fan.

longwinters · « **Reply #18 on:** March 23, 2006, 12:24:36 PM »

Personally, I like calibers a little different than what is common fodder. So I went with the 280. I doubt it is any better cartridge than the 270, although being a handloader, I like the wide assortment of bullets available and I am also a fan of the 7mm calibers. That is why my "smaller" rifle is in 7m-08. :grin: Like so many others have said, either will get the job done.

Long

lilabner · « **Reply #19 on:** March 25, 2006, 06:58:36 AM »

The .270 is common as dirt - a so called world cartridge not far behind the '06 in popularity. If you prefer not to mill around with the herd, buy a .280. It will set you apart from the commoners and is a fine cartridge in its own right, somewhat better for elk than the .270 but not as good as the ancient '06. On the other hand, a .270 with light bullets makes a decent long range varmint rifle. Whatever floats your boat!

Lou270 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 25, 2006, 08:06:54 PM »

The only real reason I can think of to buy a .280 over a .270 or .30-06 is if you happen to find a better deal on one in a particular rifle you like. Some people like the .280 just because it's different than the super common .270 & .30-06. Common has it's advantages though, such as being able to find .270 & .30-06 ammo in just about any place that may carry ammo such as a gas station out in the middle of no where. Ballistic wise, they are all very similar. The .270/.280 shoots a little bit flatter and retain higher velocity out and longer ranges and the .30-06 carries a bit more whomp, but I don't think you will ever see the difference in the field. Really, the only rational way to solve the dilemna is to buy 1 of each.

-Lou

Dave in WV · « **Reply #21 on:** March 26, 2006, 12:55:01 PM »

I've never owned a .270 or a .280. I never had a desire to. That said, IMO the .280 loaded with the new low drag bullets probably has an edge on a .270 because of available bullet weights in 7mm. I'm a 30-06 fan. Don't try to confuse me with the facts .... I've already made up my mind because they all three kill effeciently. :wink:

Holman · « **Reply #22 on:** March 27, 2006, 02:31:50 AM »

All the rifles you listed will get the job done. In most cases they are all close in performance, with the advantage going to the 06 ( ammo availability) and next to the .270, I am not knocking the .280 it is a good caliber also.

Just buy one of each and your problem will be solved :wink: , that is what I plan on doing.

Holman

razmuz · « **Reply #23 on:** March 31, 2006, 04:09:54 PM »

I'll say this. I've read a lot about the 280 and it looks good. However, none of my hunting partners have a 280 and I've never seen one at a hunting camp. I've been hunting deer for 56 years. Most of our bunch use 270's. So did I until I wised up that I was overgunned and have used a 6.5X55 ever since.

nasem · « **Reply #24 on:** March 31, 2006, 09:08:33 PM »

ok, I know the post is 270 vs 280 but I say.....

Get the one round that gives you flatter bullets and have more power than both of them, and defenetly earned people's respect as one of the greatest north american rounds ever..........7mm Mag