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308 or 280?

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breeze900rr

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Joined
Oct 28, 2006
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spring hill
Time to add another rifle to the collection. I'm trying to decide between the 280 or the 308. I've owned a 280 before but never killed a deer with it before I sold it.
Anybody got one of these? If so whadda ya think about it?
I'm kinda lean'n toward the 308.
#1 cuz almost unlimited ammo choices.
#2 never had one.
I don't know whadda y'all think
 
I have a Remmington 700 in 308. It really has stopping power. I have never used a 270 or 280. I know they will get the job done for deer. However, I have had to help track a few that were shot by someone else using a 270. With my 308 the deer usually drop like a ton of bricks. I had one run a little way once, which was really incredable seeing that my sholder shot had blown off his leg on the other side. He only went about 20 yards though.
 
I really like my abolt microhunter in 308! Unless you are into handloading, your bullet choices in 280 are nowhere close to what you can get for a 308. Personally, I would go with a 308.
 
.280 is superior in every way but one: ammo availability. 308 is much more widely available. If you buy in bulk online you won't have any issues, though.

Either one will kill deer-sized game fine. If you commonly shoot 300yds or more the .280 has a decided advantage.
 
Thanx for all the input guys! That being said i got the 308! Ammo for now is Federal Premium 165gr gameking. Very accuarate in this rifle, we'll see what it does on deer!
 
Well, you already have the .308, so I guess I'm a little late. I would have said that I would have boght the .308, simply because I already have a .270, which is pretty close to the .280, andd if I bought another rifle it would be a short action.

As for the poster that complained of trailing poorly hit deer with a .270, don't blame the caliber. I shoot a .270, my son Joe shoots a sweet little BSA .308, and I've noticed no real difference in killing ability. The .270 has a definite edge in longer range/flat shooting, but we almost never hunt in a place where that edge would apply. (Maybe next year if we go on that Montana antelop hunt.)
 
jakeway said:
Well, you already have the .308, so I guess I'm a little late. I would have said that I would have boght the .308, simply because I already have a .270, which is pretty close to the .280, andd if I bought another rifle it would be a short action.

As for the poster that complained of trailing poorly hit deer with a .270, don't blame the caliber. I shoot a .270, my son Joe shoots a sweet little BSA .308, and I've noticed no real difference in killing ability. The .270 has a definite edge in longer range/flat shooting, but we almost never hunt in a place where that edge would apply. (Maybe next year if we go on that Montana antelop hunt.)
Click to expand...
"BSA" never heard of that?
 
This is a blonde or brunette question. However, if you compare the ballistics of the 7mm(.284 bullet) to the .308, the 7 mm is better overall in downrange energy retention.

I shoot a .284 Winchester in an A bolt that was rechambered (bought it in 7-08) and restocked with a Mc Millan synthetic, pillar bedded and floated. It shoots a Barnes 150 X bullet at 2850 fps into less than half inch groups. I'd put it up against any 280 any day, plus it fits in a short action. Downside to this cartridge is you pretty much have to reload your own, but it's well worth it. If anyone is interested in building an all around deer/ elk / antelope gun, try making one of these. I have a custom mauser 7 mag and never shoot it- like the .284 better.
Too bad this cartridge never really took off- it's great.

Bottom line, in the same bullet weight and velocity, you'll get better performance off the 7 mm than the .308.
 
breeze900rr said:
Does BSA stand for Browning Short Action?
Click to expand...

BSA stands for Birmingham Small Arms...they were making firearms since the 1800.s, but went out of business years ago. A company started selling scopes called BSA, and even has the old logo (BSA with a wing on the B).

BSA also made motorcycles, but quit that business in the mid 70s.

Here is a pic of my son's BSA .308. Very sweet little lightweight sporter made in 1958.

IMG_3429.JPG
 

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