Anyone have load data for the .280 Ross?

[zuke]

I've a friend who'd like to use cast in his .280 Ross. Does anyone have any load's they'd like to share?

[jpb]

Well, you could use Ed Harris's "The Load" which works in any case bigger than about 7x57 if I recall correctly. See for youself: http://www.icehouse.net/fgrig/gun/REDDOT.TXT

It is simple: 13grains of Red Dot under any cast bullet of normal weight for that cartridge. No filler.

I don't think it was part of Ed's original "The Load", but in any case by experimentation I've found a magnum primer best in all the cartridges I tested (it eliminates any tendency of the powder to be position sensitive in my testing).

I've used this rule of thumb for 308 Win, 30-06, .300 Win mag, .358 Norma Mag, .375 H&H Mag, .45-70, .458 Win Mag.... and more I can't recall.

Most importantly, I've used it in several 7mm Rem magnum rifles (close enough to the 280 to give you an idea). 13 grains of Red Dot with a magnum primer and a Lee 130gr bullet with Lee tumble lube has shot very well in 3 different 7mm Rem Mag rifles (only tested to 100 yards). I can't find my notes regarding velocity or exact accuracy, but I've shot bushels of this load to practice my standing & rapid fire shooting.

I'm sure others can chime in with more specific recommendations, but this one will get you started.

Depending on case volume and bullet mass, velocity will often be 1300 to 1600fps.

Safety: Red Dot is a bulky powder, so this load fills more than half of the case in smaller calibres like the .308 Win. A double charge overflows the case and you can't miss it!

Note however, that you CAN get a double charge of Red Dot in a big magmum case (and the 280 Ross is a magnum in all but name (and belt!). Still, a double charged case is SO full that it is easy to spot if you look down the necks at a full loading block.

"The Load" had provided me the means to perforate many pieces of paper and tin cans at low cost because you get 538 loads out of one pound of powder. Much cheaper than many alternatives.

You may get better accuracy with slower powders, but I don't know where to suggest that you start. Hopefully, others with more experience than I will now chime in.

Finally, make sure that you clean all the copper out of that old barrel. As many others have noted, shooting cast bullets in a copper-fouled barrel often gives poor accuracty and leading.
John

[Buckshot]

............I'll bet that there are a TON of loads that will work. In fact maybe even 7x57 cast loads would be a good place to start. If he used a good heavy 7mm slug like the RCBS 7mm-168 some good places to start (and overlaping data) would be 14-18grs 2400, 16- 20grs 4227, 18-24grs SR4759, 21-25grs 4198.

To get a bit zoomy, if he had some surplus WC860 or 872 a full caseload under that slug delivered a bit over 2400 fps from a Brazilian M98/08 and a M1897 Rem RB (29" bbls). Accuracy for 5 at 50 yards was 1.5" or so and te ES was single digits. Burned clean.

.............Buckshot

[Bass Ackward]

If you have or know of someone that has a copy of Quickload, you can have virtually an unlimited amount of load data. I can help you get started if you want to use the PM feature, we will go over some information.