I'm thinking I need to shoot a heavier bullet for the elk(160-165 gr.). As cartridges for this caliber run in the $25-$30/box range, I do not want to have to buy 10 boxes of shells to determine what shoots good in my gun. Has anyone had any experiences with this gun/load combination and what brand seems to work?
I agree with your thinking that you should use a 160 or 175-grain bullet in the .280 to shoot elk. I do, however, challenge the idea that someone else can tell you what is going to shoot best in YOUR gun, because all guns are individuals. It is possible that a person could suggest a factory load that turned out to be outstanding in your rifle too, but it is a crapshoot!! Start off with something with a bullet that's up to the challenge, like a Win. Failsafe, a Nosler Partition, or the new Remington
BONDED Corelokts. At least this way you'll know for sure that the BULLETS are up to the job.