280 Remington

[Ben]

I just traded with one of my best friends for a real nice BSA, 280 Remington. The gun was a 30/06 for the 1st 20 yrs. of its life and was re-barreled in 1990 by a gunsmith in PA with a Douglas XX barrel and chambered in .280 Rem.

I'm a professional stock finisher and immediately upon receipt of the rifle, stripped the stock, put on an ebony fore end tip, a nice grip cap, and a Pach Decel. Pad. The barrel free floats.

Most of my experience with cast bullets ( in the past 30 yrs. ) has been with .30 cal, 8 mm, and 35 cal. rifles.

This is my 2nd .280 Rem, it definitely has a preference for the hvy. weight cast bullets. I shot many groups today similar to the ones you'll see below. I'll move on out to 100 yds. on my next trip out with the rifle.

Some photos below......... :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Range%20Trip%20%20May%2026%20%2009/DSCI0009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Range%20Trip%20%20May%2026%20%2009/DSCI0013.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Range%20Trip%20%20May%2026%20%2009/56.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Range%20Trip%20%20May%2026%20%2009/DSCI0003.jpg

[lead Foot]

Well done Ben. I had a BSA too in .222 CF2 they had a long action for all cal's and the .222 used to get lost in there and it use to shoot 1/2'' moa all day long. I think the 7mm is the way to go.I have a 7-08 in a Stevens 200. Just bought a new RCBS mould in 7mm-145-sil and was very disappointed with it was a lot out of round it measured .282 to 287, the gas check wont fit and one was bigger than the other but it shoots so well. I can't under stand why it works :roll: but it dose.
Lead foot; :drinks:

[Ben]

Some barrels seem to be " forgiving ", looks like you've got an accurate barrel in that 7 mm - 08 with good bedding and a good shooter at the butt end of the rifle also !

I'm like you, you'd think that a bullet that bad out of round wouldn't shoot well. Many people's theories on what will and won't shoot are disproved " on paper " by the rifle.

The reverse of all this has also been true for me in the past.

I've had some beautiful cast bullet that fell from the mold near perfect (.0015 + /- ) in their outside dia. on their driving bands.....They looked great and I had high expectations for them..........But they wouldn't shoot worth a cuss..........go figure........

It is all about the fit of the cast bullet in the throat, proper hardness of the alloy, correct dia.of the bullet , and an appropriate propellant selection, with proper muzzle velocity for the projectile.

I guess all this is what makes cast bullet shooting so interesting ? ?

Good Shooting lead Foot ! !

Ben

[danski26]

Very nice looking stock.

[Wayne Smith]

Isn't it amazing what a boolit sized round in the throat/barrel will do? Really good shooting, both of you.

[EOD3]

All that work and you STILL MISSED him... :mrgreen::kidding:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Range%20Trip%20%20May%2026%20%2009/56.jpg

I have a Winchester Featherweight in .280 that's a shooter too.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Ben, Looks like you are on the right track. I too use a high SD boolit in my 7 X 57 1895 Mauser Chileno, the discontinued Lyman 287308, which casts about 163 gr. in WW +2% tin. I got lucky forty years ago by checking an old Lyman book. Lyman listed a "maximum", but apparently mild in my rifle, load of 18.0 gr. 2400 (1800 fps.) It was so good I never got around to trying anything different. While tuning up for this coming weekend's Nevada Cast Bullet Shoot, I shot a four shot 100 yd. group of 1.33", not too bad for a 111 year old rifle with good iron sights.

[Ben]

NVcurmudgeon :

Now you've gone and done it ! !

After reading about your good results with 2400, I'll have to try some 2400 with this long SAECO 168 in my 7 mm - 06 . Now you've got my curiosity up.........

Best,

Ben
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/PICT0001-29.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/PICT0002-18.jpg

[lead Foot]

I'm getting better results with softer lead. I use 50/50 WW's + 2% tin. I'm a bit time poor and haven't checked the speed yet but anything faster I would water drop them. Sorry 2206H = H4895. The .308 RCBS mould drops the perfect boolit. drops at .310 (both). 7mm + .308 shot at 100mts 110 feet and 2205 = H4227.
lead foot;:drinks:

[Ben]

I must be missing something here, Can you tell me what this means :

2206H = H4895.
2205 = H4227

[runfiverun]

ben those are the adi numbers and th american equivelants.
adi is the australian maker of hodgdons powder.
2400 and the 145 seemed to be the wifes fav,and a 168 and more 2400 in the daughters 7x57.
maybe there is something to that powder and bore size combo.

[Ben]

runfiverun :

OK, I've never been " down under " so that is all new to me ,

Thanks,

Ben