suggestions?
 

I'm starting to look at getting my son a new rifle. I shoot a .280, was thinking of the same calibur for him. Not sure when I'll pull the trigger, figured I'd get some feedback.

My dream gun would be a Rem Mountain Rifle LSS, but man they are about $1k now. I can't lay that much out.

Any suggestions as to some other model in .280? I'm partial to Remington, but open to suggestions. I've been out of the gun market for so long - I just don't even know who makes what these days, and what is good or what to avoid.

FWIW, he shoots a Ruger Mark II compact .243 right now - but its a tiny gun that he's used since he was 8 (now 14) so that is why I'm beginning to look. And BTW - it has been a great gun for him, I highly recommend it for a kid. (Heck, he may be using it for alot longer the way these prices are these days) :)

Nothing wrong with the Ruger compact. Perhaps the new Ruger American would fit the bill? There are certainly many good choices depending on budget, use, ergos, etc.

Could the ruger be restocked for a better fit? Or just add to butt to lengthen trigger pull. It would allow time for you two to shop with leisure for a 280.

Swing over to Cabela's and pick up a composite A-Bolt for $500. Get a .308 Win. Extremely versatile and doesn't kick too much harder than your .243.

The $500 Abolt beats the HELL OUTTA the cheap adl/sps 700s! I have 3 700s, a 70s model 30-06 BDL, a 80s model 30-06 ADL and a 90s model Custom Shop 280 LS/SS. I also have a SS Abolt 7mag and a 270 Medallion. With the exception of my Custom Shop 280, the Abolts have it allover the 700s.

Since you are a 280 fan, consider also the 7-08. I LOVE the 7-08, it's just so SWEET!!! :hail:
HL

I would look at a Savage with the accutrigger, Tikka or the Browning mentioned above. All of these are much better then the cheaper Remingtons.

Thanks for the info guys. I'll do a little research. I'm not really interested in a cheapo per se, but also don't want to spend a grand for just the gun. Never owned an ABolt, but have always thought highly of them.

I have a couple guns I could unload to offset the cost, but honestly its such a hassle I haven't done it. And for what its worth, its not that he's in dire need of anything. Heck, that little ruger is a slayer - he kills everything he aims at with it :) I actually haven't even talked to him about it...he might tell me I'm crazy, he's using that .243 forever!

I have always like the 7mm-08, and in fact almost got one for him about 6-7yrs ago. Ended up with the .243 on a deal I couldn't pass up. Ironically, since I started talking about them and almost pulled the trigger on it - no less than 5 guys at our camp have purchased one. Three of them used to use 7mag's, they've since hung em up. LOL. Took them 20-25yrs to finally realize they didn't need that to kill a deer, and they were tired of the noise and pounding. Thats actually one of the reasons I was leaning towards the .280 - so he could have something different. (plus the fact we could use the same handloads most likely). Heck, I might even entertain a .260 :D

Can't give you much advice since I don't really shoot .280 but A bolts are good guns and 7-08 is a nice round also. If you plan on unloading some of your current guns let me know, I have family in WV close to PA that could be interested.

280/7mm express is a nice round, as you get the bullet selection of the 7mm's. Sadly its never been real popular, and is very underated. I don't think I would want a mtn rifle in that caliber personally, as it will have a bit of a kick with it being that light. I would look at the browning A and X bolts, and winchester featherweights. If they dont have a 280, look at the 270, 7mm-08(it is to the 308 that the '06 is to the 280), or one of the 30 cal's.

Thanks guys. I actually shoot a mountain rifle, and absolutely love it. The size, weight - everything is perfect for me, and the type of hunting I do. It doesn't kick much either, actually. Certainly more than a 7mm-08, but nothing like a magnum of any cal. Its only about 1/2lb lighter than the bdl's (I think).

I stopped in gander today just to peek. They had stainless/synthetic abolts for $699, but don't offer many cal options. The xbolt was $1099 which seemed awful high. ? It did have more cals available. To hold them in my hand, I wasn't overly impressed with either of them. It was nice, but the stock (to me) felt cheap. The wood guns were in the $800 range for blued models. I don't understand their pricing, and only had a few minutes so I didn't have time to try and figure it out.

WV

thompson center guarantees 1" group at 100 yards. i agree with the 7mm-08..my 12 y/o, after she shot it, was like..."didnt even feel the kick." and she was hesitant at 1st...she thought i laid a cannon in front of her. lol good times

Tikka guarantees a 1" group at 100 yards too. I would get the Tikka T3 .270

There are a lot of "good" inexpensive rifles out there right now.

Spend your money on good glass !

The Tikka is a sweet rifle and you won't find a slicker action. But unfortunately they don't make it in a .280 (I just looked at their catalog).
The Browning A bolt would be my second choice.

If you are really set on getting the boy another rifle then I'm sure you'll make a good decision ... but I'd seriously consider just getting another stock for the rifle you have. Maybe you're put off by the short barrell on the compact?

Restocking is a great option on some guns, as Ive done so myself, but I almost get the feeling the OP is looking to move up in power and caliber as well. For giggles, you might also look at the 7mm Rem Mag. Its very popular, wellestablished, still a mild-moderate recoiling rifle. Its a step up from a 280, though not huge. With the great recoil pads that they put on the new rifles now, its very tame.

on the contrary, its a step down with more powder? 280 is a neck down 30-06? something

A 280 Remington, aka 7mm Express, is a necked down 30'06. A 7mm Remington magnum, is a step up in powder capacity, and ballistics. I'm not sure where you would get that its a step down.
Federal Ammunition Load# 7RA 150gr powerpoint, MV 3110 FPS, 3221 Ft-Lbs of energy.
The same bullet, in a 280 Remington, Load#280B is 2890FPS, 2782Ft-Lbs energy.

Ok, lets drop to 140gr, 3150FPS for the 7mm mag, and 2900 for the 280.

In 160gr, the 7mm mag, 2950FPS, the 280, well Federal doesn't offer that weight. I went to Hodgdon Powder's website, and the best data they have for 160gr slugs, is a full 200FPS less, then the 7mm Mag.

So in closing, the numbers speak for themselves. It holds more powder, a little less efficient, pushes bullets out 200fps faster, and, though the 280 is a great round in my opinion, the 7mm rem mag is alot more popular and easier to find ammo for.

I am with you on that I shoot a 280 mountian rifle and would love one of the cdl ss models. have you checked gun broker for any. My wife shoots a 7mm08 in a model 7 lss. I use the same bullets adn its a blast. good luck looking for one as they are hard to find.

well i was just thinkin that 7mm(.275591, had to google for the long number, i aint trying to act like i know or anything..hence all the "?")and a .280, actually a .284? so it would be a smaller bullet? with more powder?

:rolleye0011:
7mm caliber, key word, caliber, is 0.284". The 280 Remington, aka 7mm Express, is.... 0.284". Some things you can not just simply google. A 30/30, 308, 30'06, 300 win mag, and 303 savage all use a 30 caliber bullet, that is.... 0.308". 325WSM, and 8mm Rem mag use a bullet, 0.323". A 270 WSM, 270 win, and a 270 wby, all shoot a bullet 0.277".

Now there was a gun that was 0.275" I believe, 275H&H.

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm 90% sure its either gonna be a .280 or 7mm-08, when the time comes. Def not interested in a 7mag, its overkill for what we do by a long shot. Def good cal though, agree. I'll keep my eyes open and see what pops up.

there ya go adding key words and all.

Hopefully it makes more sense to you now. You cant really assume much on the actual bullet diameter based on caliber. I only really started grasping at all the variations when I started playing with reloading. 38 special, 38 caliber bullet, same size as a 357mag. 45auto, .451, while 45 long colt, .452 in modern guns, .454 when dealing with prewar(preWWII) guns. Well at least thats what my old Lyman manual said.