Loading .280 Remington to Full Potential

[LimaKilo]

I've been handloading rifle cartridges for about thirty years, but never loaded for .280 Remington before and I recently acquired a .280 Remington custom rifle with these specs:

- 24", 1-9" .280 Rem McGowen barrel with a fairly tight chamber and a long throat
- action & magazine handle up to 3.6" COAL

So far I've tested H4350 up to book max loads with various bullet weights to get a sense of the velocities & pressures. Accuracy seems promising, but velocities are on the low side and pressures seem VERY low.

I've heard that RL26 should work well with the heavier projectiles in .280 Rem, but the only official data I've found is for Berger 150s (61.0 gr max @ 2997 fps).
I haven't used RL26 before, so I ran the numbers for 168 grainers with Gordon's Reloading Tool and asked my buddy to do the same with QuickLoad - results look like this:

All firsthand information about loading .280 Remington using projectiles weighing 150 to 180 grains would be highly welcome and if you happen to load .280 Rem with RL26, I'd be very interested to hear about your experiences.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

If you didn't get any pressure at book max, did you try loading above that at all?

 

[LimaKilo]

If you didn't get any pressure at book max, did you try loading above that at all?

I haven't gone above the book maximums yet.

However, I did run the numbers on GRT - for example calculated pressure for max load of H4350 (50.0 gr) with 168 HPBT was about 45 kpsi. Predicted velocities were very close to chronograph values, so I'm inclined to think the predicted pressures would also be fairly accurate.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

Isn't max pressure closer to 58kpsi? I think there's still room to move up with H4350.

Having said that, you will get more speed with a slower powder like RL26.

 

[supercorndogs]

QL 280 rem please

I've got a custom shop 700 in a 280 remington with a 24" tube. If someone could please run it at max 270 pressures, with the 150g ballistic tip and 162g Amax with all powders, that would be awesome. Reason I ask at 270 pressures is because the 280 is historically down loaded to the...

forum.nosler.com

 

[LimaKilo]

Isn't max pressure closer to 58kpsi?

That's correct - CIP max pressure is 58.74 kPsi, while SAAMI max pressure is 60 kPsi. Highest pressures on Hodgdon's data seem to be 58.7 kPsi.

I think there's still room to move up with H4350.

Agreed - I think I'll slowly work up from up from 50 grains of H4350 with the 168 bullet and see how that looks like.

 

[LimaKilo]

Nosler Reloading Forum • View topic - QL 280 rem please

Thank you, this is very useful information!

 

[Steel head]

I’d also really look at h4831.
It’s a fantastic powder for cartridges using 55-60 grains and 150-180 grain bullets.

Based of of my R26 and 7 saum experience (about 4 grains more capacity) I’d guess 57.5-58 is safe start point.
I use 60 grains and get 2950 with 168’s and it’s a mild load.

 

[supercorndogs]

I had an OCW loaded for my 21" barrel with 4831SC and a 162 midway blem [not sure A max or SST} I dropped it on the floor, broke the box and mixed the ammo, so I shot it all over the chromo. top velocity was 2742 top charge weight was 55.5g. That was with a brand new barrel too. I ran some 4000MR which netted more velocity, it was 2850, when it started show pressure around 44.5. ES was was not good with 4000MR. I was going to try H4350 also. I have some RL26, when hunting season is over I will get out my long barrel and mess with some 185 RDF.

 

[Mike Casselton]

I had an OCW loaded for my 21" barrel with 4831SC and a 162 midway blem [not sure A max or SST} I dropped it on the floor, broke the box and mixed the ammo, so I shot it all over the chromo. top velocity was 2742 top charge weight was 55.5g. That was with a brand new barrel too. I ran some 4000MR which netted more velocity, it was 2850, when it started show pressure around 44.5. ES was was not good with 4000MR. I was going to try H4350 also. I have some RL26, when hunting season is over I will get out my long barrel and mess with some 185 RDF.

A sharpie is your friend...
I number all of my test loads for the exact reason you noted above. It happened a long, long time ago.
Sharpie will stick in your chamber, but Hornady One Shot sprayed on a 410 bore mop takes it right out.

 

[supercorndogs]

I wrote charge weights on brass for while. I didn't even think of it this time. Somehow I got back to writing charge weights on masking tape and sticking it in the top of the ammo box. Writing the charge on each case is a better method. I might have started doing that because I did the same thing with some 22-250 loads. Maybe thinking too hard is bringing out unreliable memories.

 

[Steel head]

I had an OCW loaded for my 21" barrel with 4831SC and a 162 midway blem [not sure A max or SST} I dropped it on the floor, broke the box and mixed the ammo, so I shot it all over the chromo. top velocity was 2742 top charge weight was 55.5g. That was with a brand new barrel too. I ran some 4000MR which netted more velocity, it was 2850, when it started show pressure around 44.5. ES was was not good with 4000MR. I was going to try H4350 also. I have some RL26, when hunting season is over I will get out my long barrel and mess with some 185 RDF.

I’ve had that happen to me.
I’m curious as to to your future results with the 185.
They did well for me.

 

[supercorndogs]

Here is an OCW I did for 162 with h4350. The large bunch is all the 3rd round per charge weight fired over the magneto for velocity. This is a 21" 1 in 8 barrel. The first charge was load suggested to me by another member. It was very accurate, but kind of slow in my shorter barrel. The charge weight I chose also seems to be very accurate and much faster.

 

[supercorndogs]

After hunting season i will get out my 26" 1 in 9 barrel and see if it will stabilize the 185s and test out some RL26.