i shoot 140 grain silver ballistic tips because ther really isnt much to choose from any suggestions thanks

Do you handload or shoot factory loads? The 7mm has one of the widest selections of bullet weights and construction types available to the handloader.

If you are pleased with the results of the Silvertip, keep shooting them!!!

Nearly anything else.... in my opinion!

They are pretty explosive, and yes, they will work fine on deer. Too destructive for my tastes...

You should probably ignore this advice entirely if that load has worked for you in a satisfactory manner.

Federal Premium with the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullet shoots well from my .280 and is a great bullet. It might be too heavily constructed for really small deer, but I wouldn't bet on it. Federal also has a 150gr Partition loading that would be excellent for hunting if it shoots well from your rifle.

Looking at Federal's webisite, I notice that the weight of the TBBC is a different in their current loading (160 gr) compared to the stuff I've got in the locker(140 gr).

Winchester also loads the 140gr Failsafe in the .280.

Ironically...Remington doesn't make a premium bullet loading for their own cartridge.

The Coreloct IS a premium bullet. Pepe Ray

The Core-Lokt is a good bullet that has shown great performance over the years, the Core-Lokt Ultra is a premium bullet as a result of the bonded core. Remington hasn't seen fit to offer the Core-Lokt Ultra in the .280 as yet. I don't know that you need a premium bullet in the .280 for deer size game, as the velocities are reasonable, but it never hurts to have a GREAT bullet in the event the game appears at very close range. The Ballistic Tip would be my last choice for hunting and first choice for accuracy.

Having used this caliber since 1976, i've tried several different bullets in locations from North Dakota to Texas to Alabama, and the 154 gr Hornady has been the best so far, ahead of 52.5 gr of IMR 4350, at least in the four rifles we've used it in. Accuracy to less than an inch at 100 yds in all of them, and good stopping power.

One note about the CoreLokt - Remington has recently admitted that current production CoreLokts are simple cup-and-core bullets and are no longer made the way they used to be. They are not premium bullets.

I don't shoot a 280, but I have to second Hatch's suggestion of a Hornady bullet. I've used them since about 1980 and have never had one fail. To me they are the closest thing to a premium bullet at a regular price. (Yes, I do often carry Nosler Partitions or even X-Bullets for elk, but we're talking about deer here!)

I shoot a 7x64 Brenneke - the ballistic twin of the 280 and have used the 140gr Nosler Partitions @ 2950 fps on lots of Blesbuck (about mule deer size) with perfect results. Always had one shot kills, some spectacular drops & always had complete penetration with quite acceptable meat damage. And the Noslers have always produced very good accuracy as a bonus. Will not consider changing.
Good luck.

i shoot 140 grain silver ballistic tips because ther really isnt much to choose from any suggestions thanks
I just read your message.I have shot a 280 for 15 years.I handloaded all my amunition. What a teriffic cartridge. This cartridge will take any north american game.I have taken 16 bucks 14 blackbear and a few elk with this cartridge. If you shoot factory ammunition federal premium 160 gr is the ticket for your big game hunting. Even if it,s for deer. This cartridge when handloaded to it,s potential runs slightly behind the 7 mm mag until you get to the 160 gr and higher bullets.Todays ammunition manufactures have a decent selection of 280 rounds to choose from Silver tips tend to destroy lots of unnesesary meat. Not my first or last pick of factory ammo. Try a box of federal 160gr ammo I think you will like the way they preform from deer to elk


Big Al.

Although Winchester isn't chambering it, Federal is putting the Accubond on top of their Premium Vital-Shoks.

In .270, the accuracy of the Accu's rival what I used to get out of the Winchester BST. And they don't have the same issues with disintegration.

Check'em out.

jonas

I handload for two 7mm/06s and have found the 140gn sierra the most destructive bullet I've field tested. I have since switched to the 160gn sierra sbt. Here is my story, while hunting white tailed deer in Michigan, I had a few friends kidding me about being a benchrest shooter and should not be in the deer woods. I lined up on a big doe on a challenge that I could not hit it, I held 8inches over her head and shot, she dropped so fast not one of them seen her hit the ground just the other ones running. My father in law who was watching her from the woods stepped out and said well you shot her come and get her. Now for the reason I switched to the 160 form the 140, five of us paced off the distance 534 paces average. The entry wound in the neck around 10 inches below her head was normal, the exit wound was around 4 inches, true it hit a neck bone but at over 500 yd that bullet done more than it's job. I've never lost a deer while using this caliber with either 140 or 160s but I will say two years later I duplicated this feat with the 160s and the exit wound was at 2 inches.

Last year's whitetail dropped DRT to a Hornady Light Magnum 139gr SST.
Shot was 230 long paces form the deer to the tree.
Did I mention the deer was DRT (Dead Right There)?
I love my .280 Mountain Rifle with a Leupold VXII 2-7X32.

I've been reading this with much interest. I bought a Rem 700 mountian rifle last year in 280. This was my first trip into the under 30 caliber class rifle for big game hunting. I've been using a Rem 700 in 8mm mag for lots of years now.

It's interesting to hear how well this cartridge does on deer and other game.

Thanks a bunch to all of you.

Last year's whitetail dropped DRT to a Hornady Light Magnum 139gr SST.
Shot was 230 long paces form the deer to the tree.
Did I mention the deer was DRT (Dead Right There)?
I love my .280 Mountain Rifle with a Leupold VXII 2-7X32.


I second that one. last 12 years rem mtn synthetic stainless. vxII 3-9

I shoot two loads 160 gr balistic silvertip and the hornady light mags refences above.

Killed one with each this year.

160 gr 75 yds, heart shot between ribs ran 30 yds dead.
139 gr 180 yds DRT.

last 12 years 90% DRT

I like the light mags better for whitetails

Great gun, great caliber.

I second that one. last 12 years rem mtn synthetic stainless. vxII 3-9

I shoot two loads 160 gr balistic silvertip and the hornady light mags refences above.

Killed one with each this year.

160 gr 75 yds, heart shot between ribs ran 30 yds dead.
139 gr 180 yds DRT.

last 12 years 90% DRT

I like the light mags better for whitetails

Great gun, great caliber.

Light Mags have really good #'s but some worry about the wear they add to the throat/barrel. That's why I've stayed away, but I understand they do have good performance.

jonas

Gents,

Agree with Hornady. The 139 boat tail has long been a favorite, and would be excellent if range was longish. I expect the 154 would be nearly as good, but I haven't fooled much with that bullet.

Anyway, that 139 is a dandy choice, in my humble opinion.

Steve

I killed lots of deer with my 7Mag and handloaded Nosler 140gr. Partition at 3200fps or so. Hammerz em !! -----pruhdlr

i shoot 140 grain silver ballistic tips because ther really isnt much to choose from any suggestions thanks

Nosler had re-introduced the Solid Base (lead tipped predessor of Ballistic Tip). I happen to really like the 140 grain Nosler Solid Base for deer if you reload. There are a lot of good bullets out there, but for deer that is my pick. I was really unhappy when they pulled them from the market some years ago.

http://www.nosler.com/chartsolidbase.html

http://www.nosler.com/cgi-bin/VirtualCatalog/CatalogMgr.pl?cartID=b-7662&template=Htx/sample6.htx&SearchField=category&SearchFor=Solid+Base&hdr=Solid+Base&displayNumber=25

They are not as explosive as the Ballistic Tips, but I find them to be quite accurate and hold together better. Again, that is only my opinion - but I like shooting them and they've worked for me. There is nothing wrong with a Nosler Partition if you think you need that much bullet for a deer. Our deer where I hunt in South West Mississippi are just not that big. Typical mature buck runs ~ 165 lbs, so I just don't see needing a Partition bullet on that size animal. I also do want something that holds together a bit better than the Ballistic Tip.