280 or 7mm-08

Logan9885 · June 18, 2012, 11:23 PM

I have finally decided between two cals. for my new encore barrel....280 or 7mm-08. Which would you choose? Deer will be the game.

oldmanFCSA · June 18, 2012, 11:28 PM

7mm-08.
VERY good round - use 139 to 150 grain soft points.
I love ballistic tip bullets, but if bullet hits a crusty snow covered spot on deer, it will open too soon and fail to do as it should. But I still use them!
End of story.

270Win is overrated in my opinion, takes a longer action and barrel to accomplish the same results.
Sorry read it wrong.

I have a 280 and love it but for shorter ranges and a quick handling gun, I would still use a 7mm-08. Mine is a Remington youth model 7 with walnut stock and 3x9 Leupold scope with QD rings. My 280 is in a 7400 model Remington.
If you want a "beanfield" rifle, get the 280 Ackley Improved version.

taylorce1 · June 18, 2012, 11:33 PM

Having owned both in the past I can say there isn't a huge difference between the two. Expecially if you're going to use 140 grain bullets or lighter. The 7-08 Is more popular and easier to find ammunition for.

If I had to choose I'd pick to .280, simply because I don't hunt just deer. I also reload so not being able to find ammunition isn't a problem for me. Plus it will handle heavier bullets more easily than the 7-08.

Saltydog235 · June 19, 2012, 07:41 AM

7mm08 hands down. Its a great little cartridge and is capable of doing a whole lot more than most will give it credit for. I prefer the 150grn bullets as I get the best results accuracy wise from them. For deer, there is probably no better round out there, it has the best attributes of the .308 and the .243 mixed together.

The .280 is a good round too. I have a very nice A-bolt in .280 but it sits in my vault in favor of the 7mm08. If I think I'm going to be shooting across a beanfeild, then I'll grab the 7mmMag or 7mm08 still.

PawPaw · June 19, 2012, 07:42 AM

The .280 Remington is one of those oddball cartridges that never really caught on, but those who use it, love it. It's very useful and fits between the .25-06 and the.30-06, basically being a 7mm-06. Remington didn't help with the popularity of the cartridge, calling it for awhile, the 7mm Express. If I'm cruising the used gun racks, I'll look for it and I'd love to find an older Rem700 marked Express. I'd probably buy it just for the weirdness factor.

That said, the most accurate factory rifle I ever owned was a Rem Model 7 in 7mm-08. When I bought the rifle I also picked up two boxes of standard Remington green-box ammo and found that the little rifle shot those 139 grain core-lokt bullets into the same hole at 100 yards. I never bothered to reload for that rifle because I simply couldn't do any better than factory ammo. I hunted with that rifle for five years, then lost it in the financial dynamic of a bloody divorce. I miss the rifle a lot more than I miss the woman.

old roper · June 19, 2012, 10:28 AM

I used the old 7mm Express hunting deer and I use the 7-08 in a factory match class and my 280AI was a factory 280.

With the Encore your not worry about action length so that's a plus. I like the 280 and it's a good handloader case not that there is anything wrong with the 7-08.

BigMikey76 · June 19, 2012, 10:36 AM

I've read many good things about the .280, but I have never shot it. I do own a 7mm08, though, and I absolutely love it. It has been nothing but accurate, so far, and I have high hopes for it come deer season. I can get ammo for it for $16.99 a box locally, which is a pretty decent price for 7mm08, and, even with the cheap ammo, accuracy is not an issue.

jmr40 · June 19, 2012, 12:02 PM

Normally I'd prefer 7-08, but in that rifle I'd go 280 if you handload. If you're buying factory loads forget 280 in any gun.

**Art Eatman** · June 20, 2012, 10:51 AM

For deer, within the common shooting distances of less than 200 yards (or even 300, for that matter) it's six of one, half-dozen of the other.

How to not "forget to take the ammo": Before hunting season, put a box of ammo in the glove compartment of whatever vehicle is to be used to go to the place of hunting. If it's already in there, a mid-season attack of the terminal stupid won't hurt a thing.

**Brian Pfleuger** · June 20, 2012, 11:00 AM

The 280 has very little benefit over the 7-08 and has drawbacks regarding ammo availability, load data, resale of the barrel, etc....

To me, it's a no brainer. 7-08 every day and twice on Sunday.

Performance is substantially identical, the cartridge is far more common.

Scorch · June 20, 2012, 12:14 PM

The deer won't know the difference. Pick whichever one you like and go for it.

Panfisher · June 20, 2012, 02:24 PM

I own both and have shot deer with both. No deer on the face of the earth will ever be able to tell if that 140 grain bullet was launched from a 7-08 or a .280. Personally I love the 7-08 but it has more to do with the little Rem Mdl 7 rifle vs. the Rem 700 than anything. And if your biggest worry is for some reason thing that a current Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet is going to explode on contact with a little snow on a deer then you need to find other things to worry about. Ballistic tips were for years my go to bullet, many many things dropped to them, never once had one mis-behave even in a 7 mag. (yeah I like 7mms

taylorce1 · June 20, 2012, 04:30 PM

Quote:

The 280 has very little benefit over the 7-08 and has drawbacks regarding ammo availability, load data, resale of the barrel, etc....

To me, it's a no brainer. 7-08 every day and twice on Sunday.

Performance is substantially identical, the cartridge is far more common.

Peetza,

While I don't disagree with all your points it is all dependant on where you live as well. I agree the .280 ammunition isn't as common and the load data is weak. However, out here in Colorado the .280 is a pretty common rifle. Most people who own them wouldn't give them up for anything, and they are running them at .280 AI levels for the most part.

Encore rifles aren't as popular here as well as they are in your neck of the woods. But when people do sell the barrels out here, there is no real difference in the cost between the two if they are the same type of barrel unless you are talking pistol barrels. If I were running one as a pistol the 7-08 is the hands down winner.

**Brian Pfleuger** · June 20, 2012, 07:42 PM

Yeah? I guess I'm not too surprised. Big game hunting with rifles has not been legal in southern NY until very recently (and still isn't in some counties). Most people who have rifles only have the most common calibers. 22-250, 223, 243, 308, 30-06, etc.

I'm not sure I've ever seen 280 ammo in a store. Maybe Bass Pro has it, I'm not sure. Certainly no little guys. Even 7-08 isn't common around here, by any stretch.

tahoe2 · June 20, 2012, 11:20 PM

the short round is a great cartridge, and if I was going for a lightweight mtn rifle, that would be a good choice.
I already have a .280 Remington 7400 that's as accurate as most bolt rifles and I'm looking at a Ruger M77 mkII in .280.
I know it's a long action, but it is such a great round, of course I handload, 130 grn to 162's and they all shoot really good,
but 150grn Remington Core Lokts group exceptional in my gun.
Thompson Center and Ruger "Hawkeye" have cataloged a .280 for this year, proving it's worth bringing back!!

ZeroJunk · June 21, 2012, 07:28 AM

I have hunted with a 280 for years. But, if I was buying a new rifle for deer only I would buy a 7mm-08.

Mobuck · June 21, 2012, 09:31 PM

Basically the same argument as the 30/06 vs 308. No best answer. Are you willing to compromise power for a POSSIBLE very slight increase in accuracy? Would you accept a little more effort at the reloading bench to have the power of the bigger case AND the accuracy to deliver that extra power a few more yards? I use all 4 cartridges mentioned and each has it's niche but those niches may be so narrow as to be undefineable in most cases.
Unrelated to this discussion is the fact that my old 30/06 was nicknamed"The Buck Hammer" by my kids( I don't name my guns) strictly based on it's ongame performance.
Longest kills by caliber:
30/06=540 yards deer
308=410 yards coyote
280=315 yards deer (Son's longest deer kill)
7mm08=285 yards deer-very tricky neck shot in heavy brush
all are adequate for most hunting conditions

warbirdlover · June 21, 2012, 10:43 PM

Both rounds are equal unless you handload. Then you can get a little more out of the .280. I'd take the 7mm-08 (had one) because they are a short action and a really great deer rifle.

MOshooter65202 · June 21, 2012, 11:59 PM

You can't go wrong with either cartridge,Deer being the game probably would sway towards the 7mm-08 because of ammo availability definitely it favors the 7mm-08.
I really like both.
Dad still has his Rem 721 280 I couldn't even count the number of deer that rifle has taken?Liked the 7mms so much 14 years ago I bought my son a Rem 700 mountain rifle in a 7mm-08 it has been a great deer rifle cartridge.

jmr40 · June 22, 2012, 09:56 PM

The 280 is a handloaders cartridge. With proper loads it is substantually better than the 7-08, especially when heavier bullets are involved and at longer ranges. The 7-08's biggest advantage is that it fits in a short action. In this rifle that is irrelevent. If buying factroy loads, then the 7-08 has a slight advantage.

uncyboo · June 23, 2012, 01:02 PM

I have both, and love both. I handload, so my philosophy has always been 280 for longer (22"+) barrels, 7mm-08 for shorter ones.

oldmanFCSA · June 25, 2012, 03:04 AM

Quote:

I have both, and love both. I handload, so my philosophy has always been 280 for longer (22"+) barrels, 7mm-08 for shorter ones.

I agree - I do the same.

7mm-08 for woods hunting.
280 for open country hunting.
But both could do both!

oneoldsap · June 26, 2012, 02:33 PM

Since action length makes no difference in an Encore . The .280 would be my choice , as I'm a handloader and the 280 can handle heavier bullets . Which is handy if something larger than deer wants to be on the menu !

gun nut · June 26, 2012, 03:05 PM

What range do you want too shoot, what other calibers do you have? Either will knock them down without much problem.

irish52084 · June 27, 2012, 01:40 AM

If you reload, then I vote for the .280. It's a bit more versatile. I've used an A-bolt stainless stalker in .280 for 15+ years now and it's handled, deer, bear and elk equally well.

That poor rifle has seen it's fair share of abuse and it's going to be retired soon for something else, but I'm finding it tough to let it go.

June 18, 2012, 11:23 PM	#1
Logan9885 Member Join Date: January 28, 2011 Posts: 81	280 or 7mm-08 I have finally decided between two cals. for my new encore barrel....280 or 7mm-08. Which would you choose? Deer will be the game.

June 18, 2012, 11:28 PM	#2
oldmanFCSA Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2010 Location: Osceola, WI Posts: 134	7mm-08. VERY good round - use 139 to 150 grain soft points. I love ballistic tip bullets, but if bullet hits a crusty snow covered spot on deer, it will open too soon and fail to do as it should. But I still use them! End of story. 270Win is overrated in my opinion, takes a longer action and barrel to accomplish the same results. Sorry read it wrong. I have a 280 and love it but for shorter ranges and a quick handling gun, I would still use a 7mm-08. Mine is a Remington youth model 7 with walnut stock and 3x9 Leupold scope with QD rings. My 280 is in a 7400 model Remington. If you want a "beanfield" rifle, get the 280 Ackley Improved version. __________________ OldmanFCSA = "Oldman" at Fifty Caliber Shooters Association www.fcsa.org 2012 & 2013 FCSA Regional Match Director - Alliance, NE - Spring Match June - Fall Match September 2013 - ALL 50BMG Shooters FCSA Member & SCSA Member & NRA Member & AMA Member "Oldage & Treachery will overcome Youth & Skill"

June 18, 2012, 11:33 PM	#3
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: Colorado Springs, CO & Lubbock, TX Posts: 4,750	Having owned both in the past I can say there isn't a huge difference between the two. Expecially if you're going to use 140 grain bullets or lighter. The 7-08 Is more popular and easier to find ammunition for. If I had to choose I'd pick to .280, simply because I don't hunt just deer. I also reload so not being able to find ammunition isn't a problem for me. Plus it will handle heavier bullets more easily than the 7-08. __________________ NRA Life Member The Truth About Guns

June 19, 2012, 07:42 AM	#5
PawPaw Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 2,665	The .280 Remington is one of those oddball cartridges that never really caught on, but those who use it, love it. It's very useful and fits between the .25-06 and the.30-06, basically being a 7mm-06. Remington didn't help with the popularity of the cartridge, calling it for awhile, the 7mm Express. If I'm cruising the used gun racks, I'll look for it and I'd love to find an older Rem700 marked Express. I'd probably buy it just for the weirdness factor. That said, the most accurate factory rifle I ever owned was a Rem Model 7 in 7mm-08. When I bought the rifle I also picked up two boxes of standard Remington green-box ammo and found that the little rifle shot those 139 grain core-lokt bullets into the same hole at 100 yards. I never bothered to reload for that rifle because I simply couldn't do any better than factory ammo. I hunted with that rifle for five years, then lost it in the financial dynamic of a bloody divorce. I miss the rifle a lot more than I miss the woman. __________________ Dennis Dezendorf http://pawpawshouse.blogspot.com

June 19, 2012, 10:28 AM	#6
old roper Senior Member Join Date: June 11, 2007 Posts: 691	I used the old 7mm Express hunting deer and I use the 7-08 in a factory match class and my 280AI was a factory 280. With the Encore your not worry about action length so that's a plus. I like the 280 and it's a good handloader case not that there is anything wrong with the 7-08. __________________ Semper Fi Vietnam VFW

June 19, 2012, 07:41 AM	#4
Saltydog235 Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2010 Location: Pawleys Island Posts: 956	7mm08 hands down. Its a great little cartridge and is capable of doing a whole lot more than most will give it credit for. I prefer the 150grn bullets as I get the best results accuracy wise from them. For deer, there is probably no better round out there, it has the best attributes of the .308 and the .243 mixed together. The .280 is a good round too. I have a very nice A-bolt in .280 but it sits in my vault in favor of the 7mm08. If I think I'm going to be shooting across a beanfeild, then I'll grab the 7mmMag or 7mm08 still.

June 19, 2012, 10:36 AM	#7
BigMikey76 Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2011 Location: Bellevue, NE Posts: 432	I've read many good things about the .280, but I have never shot it. I do own a 7mm08, though, and I absolutely love it. It has been nothing but accurate, so far, and I have high hopes for it come deer season. I can get ammo for it for $16.99 a box locally, which is a pretty decent price for 7mm08, and, even with the cheap ammo, accuracy is not an issue. __________________ “Some people are like Slinkies - not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.” A gun should be a tool in the hands of a deadly weapon, not a deadly weapon in the hands of a tool.

June 19, 2012, 12:02 PM	#8
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 4,574	Normally I'd prefer 7-08, but in that rifle I'd go 280 if you handload. If you're buying factory loads forget 280 in any gun.

June 20, 2012, 10:51 AM	#9
Art Eatman Staff Lead Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX, USA Posts: 21,047	For deer, within the common shooting distances of less than 200 yards (or even 300, for that matter) it's six of one, half-dozen of the other. How to not "forget to take the ammo": Before hunting season, put a box of ammo in the glove compartment of whatever vehicle is to be used to go to the place of hunting. If it's already in there, a mid-season attack of the terminal stupid won't hurt a thing. __________________ You're from BATFE? Come right in! I use all your fine products!

June 20, 2012, 11:00 AM	#10
Brian Pfleuger Staff Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Central, Southern NY, USA Posts: 14,662	The 280 has very little benefit over the 7-08 and has drawbacks regarding ammo availability, load data, resale of the barrel, etc.... To me, it's a no brainer. 7-08 every day and twice on Sunday. Performance is substantially identical, the cartridge is far more common. __________________ Still happily answering to the call-sign Peetza. --- You do not HAVE a soul. You ARE a soul. You HAVE a body. ----- He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he can not lose. -Jim Eliott, paraphrasing Philip Henry.

June 20, 2012, 12:14 PM	#11
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 11,113	The deer won't know the difference. Pick whichever one you like and go for it. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services Taylor Machine

June 20, 2012, 02:24 PM	#12
Panfisher Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 217	I own both and have shot deer with both. No deer on the face of the earth will ever be able to tell if that 140 grain bullet was launched from a 7-08 or a .280. Personally I love the 7-08 but it has more to do with the little Rem Mdl 7 rifle vs. the Rem 700 than anything. And if your biggest worry is for some reason thing that a current Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet is going to explode on contact with a little snow on a deer then you need to find other things to worry about. Ballistic tips were for years my go to bullet, many many things dropped to them, never once had one mis-behave even in a 7 mag. (yeah I like 7mms

June 20, 2012, 07:42 PM	#14
Brian Pfleuger Staff Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Central, Southern NY, USA Posts: 14,662	Yeah? I guess I'm not too surprised. Big game hunting with rifles has not been legal in southern NY until very recently (and still isn't in some counties). Most people who have rifles only have the most common calibers. 22-250, 223, 243, 308, 30-06, etc. I'm not sure I've ever seen 280 ammo in a store. Maybe Bass Pro has it, I'm not sure. Certainly no little guys. Even 7-08 isn't common around here, by any stretch. __________________ Still happily answering to the call-sign Peetza. --- You do not HAVE a soul. You ARE a soul. You HAVE a body. ----- He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain what he can not lose. -Jim Eliott, paraphrasing Philip Henry.

June 20, 2012, 11:20 PM	#15
tahoe2 Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2011 Location: Seattle area Posts: 388	7mm-08 / .280 Rem the short round is a great cartridge, and if I was going for a lightweight mtn rifle, that would be a good choice. I already have a .280 Remington 7400 that's as accurate as most bolt rifles and I'm looking at a Ruger M77 mkII in .280. I know it's a long action, but it is such a great round, of course I handload, 130 grn to 162's and they all shoot really good, but 150grn Remington Core Lokts group exceptional in my gun. Thompson Center and Ruger "Hawkeye" have cataloged a .280 for this year, proving it's worth bringing back!!

June 21, 2012, 07:28 AM	#16
ZeroJunk Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 2006 Location: Browns Summit NC Posts: 2,383	I have hunted with a 280 for years. But, if I was buying a new rifle for deer only I would buy a 7mm-08.

June 21, 2012, 09:31 PM	#17
Mobuck Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2010 Posts: 1,485	Basically the same argument as the 30/06 vs 308. No best answer. Are you willing to compromise power for a POSSIBLE very slight increase in accuracy? Would you accept a little more effort at the reloading bench to have the power of the bigger case AND the accuracy to deliver that extra power a few more yards? I use all 4 cartridges mentioned and each has it's niche but those niches may be so narrow as to be undefineable in most cases. Unrelated to this discussion is the fact that my old 30/06 was nicknamed"The Buck Hammer" by my kids( I don't name my guns) strictly based on it's ongame performance. Longest kills by caliber: 30/06=540 yards deer 308=410 yards coyote 280=315 yards deer (Son's longest deer kill) 7mm08=285 yards deer-very tricky neck shot in heavy brush all are adequate for most hunting conditions

June 21, 2012, 10:43 PM	#18
warbirdlover Senior Member Join Date: December 13, 2009 Location: central Wisconsin Posts: 2,322	Both rounds are equal unless you handload. Then you can get a little more out of the .280. I'd take the 7mm-08 (had one) because they are a short action and a really great deer rifle.

June 21, 2012, 11:59 PM	#19
MOshooter65202 Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2011 Posts: 428	You can't go wrong with either cartridge,Deer being the game probably would sway towards the 7mm-08 because of ammo availability definitely it favors the 7mm-08. I really like both. Dad still has his Rem 721 280 I couldn't even count the number of deer that rifle has taken?Liked the 7mms so much 14 years ago I bought my son a Rem 700 mountain rifle in a 7mm-08 it has been a great deer rifle cartridge.

June 22, 2012, 09:56 PM	#20
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 4,574	The 280 is a handloaders cartridge. With proper loads it is substantually better than the 7-08, especially when heavier bullets are involved and at longer ranges. The 7-08's biggest advantage is that it fits in a short action. In this rifle that is irrelevent. If buying factroy loads, then the 7-08 has a slight advantage.

June 23, 2012, 01:02 PM	#21
uncyboo Senior Member Join Date: November 7, 2008 Location: Shelby, MT Posts: 1,013	I have both, and love both. I handload, so my philosophy has always been 280 for longer (22"+) barrels, 7mm-08 for shorter ones.

June 26, 2012, 02:33 PM	#23
oneoldsap Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2009 Location: I live in the foot of the Green Mountains of Vermont Posts: 1,512	Since action length makes no difference in an Encore . The .280 would be my choice , as I'm a handloader and the 280 can handle heavier bullets . Which is handy if something larger than deer wants to be on the menu !

June 26, 2012, 03:05 PM	#24
gun nut Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2009 Location: midwest Posts: 298	What range do you want too shoot, what other calibers do you have? Either will knock them down without much problem. __________________ The only stupid question is the one not asked! (Unknown)

June 27, 2012, 01:40 AM	#25
irish52084 Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2011 Location: Washington, the state, not that "other" one. Posts: 514	If you reload, then I vote for the .280. It's a bit more versatile. I've used an A-bolt stainless stalker in .280 for 15+ years now and it's handled, deer, bear and elk equally well. That poor rifle has seen it's fair share of abuse and it's going to be retired soon for something else, but I'm finding it tough to let it go.