For a long time now (several years) I've been wanting a new rifle. One that I could use to hunt any game in North America with. For a while now my only hunting rifle has been a Winchester Model 94 in .30-30 (actually I've got 2 of them, they're great rifles). Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the model 94, it's probably my favorite rifle, but .30-30 is just a bit on the weak side if you want to shoot past 150 yards, or if you hunt anything larger than deer...
I put a great deal of thought into what kind of rifle I'd like to have, and I came up with a few good ideas. I decided it should be a bolt-action, fire a bullet of at least .264 diameter, and that I should put the best scope I could afford on it. I knew what I was looking for but I lacked the funding to buy it (being a poor college student), until now.
I started a new job a few weeks ago, a job that pays much better than my last one, and I decided to use my first paycheck to get the gun I've been wanting for years. Friday night, after work, I went down to Bi-Mart (one of the few stores around here that still sells firearms) I came back with a Ruger M77 chambered in .280 Remington. I could have got the stainless version, but I hate the ugly plastic (yeah yeah, I know, it's "synthetic") stocks they come with, so I opted for the blued barrel/walnut stocked version. I also decided to buy a Leupold VX-I scope for it, 3-9X40, glossy finish. I found some Hornady brand reloading dies for it as well (but at another store). All total I spent $720
I nearly got a 6.5x55, but after giving it some thought, I figured that I might want to shoot something bigger than a 140gr round. I decided on the .280 because I thought that the .284 diameter bullets would shoot a little flatter than the .308 diameter ones (was also thinking about a .30-06). They have higher sectional density and ballistic coefficients. The .280 looks nearly identical to the 7mm Remington Magnum as far as ballistics go, but uses less powder and should (in theory) have a little less felt recoil. There is a greater selection of .284 diameter bullets when compared to .277 caliber bullets, so .280 seemed like a smarter choice than the .270 Winchester. Finally, when loaded with a heavy 175gr bullet, .280 should be capable of taking any game in the country, with the possible exception of grizzly, and I don't plan to hunt grizzly anyway.
I went to yet another store (Sportsman's Warehouse) and bought 100 cases (Remington Brand), a box of 100 .284 diameter bullets (162gr boat tails), and a can of IMR4350 powder, for another $70 total
I finally made it out to the Range this morning, went along with my Dad who wanted to try some new hand-loads in his M1 Garand. Things went well right from the start. I never even bore-sighted the rifle when I mounted the scope, but my shots were hitting the 8x11 target at 50 yards. After a firing a few rounds to sight it and to break in the barrel, I moved my target out to 100 yards.
My first impression was very favorable. Right out of the box, it was shooting an average of 1 inch groups (I was shooting in groups of 3 shots). I had one that measured in at 0.62 inches. I'm convinced that this rifle will do even better, as I get more practice in with it, and tweak my reloads a little.
My dad also shot a few rounds with the new Ruger. He's been talking about buying a Savage for a few weeks... but now suddenly he wants a Ruger.
I also brought along one of my old favorites, an NEF "ultra" in .22WMR that my parents gave me as a Christmas gift a few years back. It also wears a 3-9X40 scope, but this one is a Bushnell Banner, not a Leupold. I decided to shoot it in between groups with the Ruger, so that the Ruger's barrel could have a chance to cool down. This NEF is the most accurate rim fire I've ever shot. I used it to shoot the best group I've ever shot, with any rifle (4/10 an inch, 5 shot group). It likes the Winchester brand 40gr JHPs in particular. It felt a little odd though, going back and forth from a rifle with almost no recoil, to one that recoils nearly as much as a 7mm Remington Magnum.
Wow, I didn't mean for this to become such a long post... anyway I'll just get to the good part and then wrap things up. Here are the pics I took today...
The Ruger M77:
The NEF:
Me shooting NEF:
Comparison of .22WMR and .280 Remington rounds:
100 yard group (0.62 inches):
Same group covered by quarter:
I put a great deal of thought into what kind of rifle I'd like to have, and I came up with a few good ideas. I decided it should be a bolt-action, fire a bullet of at least .264 diameter, and that I should put the best scope I could afford on it. I knew what I was looking for but I lacked the funding to buy it (being a poor college student), until now.
I started a new job a few weeks ago, a job that pays much better than my last one, and I decided to use my first paycheck to get the gun I've been wanting for years. Friday night, after work, I went down to Bi-Mart (one of the few stores around here that still sells firearms) I came back with a Ruger M77 chambered in .280 Remington. I could have got the stainless version, but I hate the ugly plastic (yeah yeah, I know, it's "synthetic") stocks they come with, so I opted for the blued barrel/walnut stocked version. I also decided to buy a Leupold VX-I scope for it, 3-9X40, glossy finish. I found some Hornady brand reloading dies for it as well (but at another store). All total I spent $720
I nearly got a 6.5x55, but after giving it some thought, I figured that I might want to shoot something bigger than a 140gr round. I decided on the .280 because I thought that the .284 diameter bullets would shoot a little flatter than the .308 diameter ones (was also thinking about a .30-06). They have higher sectional density and ballistic coefficients. The .280 looks nearly identical to the 7mm Remington Magnum as far as ballistics go, but uses less powder and should (in theory) have a little less felt recoil. There is a greater selection of .284 diameter bullets when compared to .277 caliber bullets, so .280 seemed like a smarter choice than the .270 Winchester. Finally, when loaded with a heavy 175gr bullet, .280 should be capable of taking any game in the country, with the possible exception of grizzly, and I don't plan to hunt grizzly anyway.
I went to yet another store (Sportsman's Warehouse) and bought 100 cases (Remington Brand), a box of 100 .284 diameter bullets (162gr boat tails), and a can of IMR4350 powder, for another $70 total
I finally made it out to the Range this morning, went along with my Dad who wanted to try some new hand-loads in his M1 Garand. Things went well right from the start. I never even bore-sighted the rifle when I mounted the scope, but my shots were hitting the 8x11 target at 50 yards. After a firing a few rounds to sight it and to break in the barrel, I moved my target out to 100 yards.
My first impression was very favorable. Right out of the box, it was shooting an average of 1 inch groups (I was shooting in groups of 3 shots). I had one that measured in at 0.62 inches. I'm convinced that this rifle will do even better, as I get more practice in with it, and tweak my reloads a little.
My dad also shot a few rounds with the new Ruger. He's been talking about buying a Savage for a few weeks... but now suddenly he wants a Ruger.
I also brought along one of my old favorites, an NEF "ultra" in .22WMR that my parents gave me as a Christmas gift a few years back. It also wears a 3-9X40 scope, but this one is a Bushnell Banner, not a Leupold. I decided to shoot it in between groups with the Ruger, so that the Ruger's barrel could have a chance to cool down. This NEF is the most accurate rim fire I've ever shot. I used it to shoot the best group I've ever shot, with any rifle (4/10 an inch, 5 shot group). It likes the Winchester brand 40gr JHPs in particular. It felt a little odd though, going back and forth from a rifle with almost no recoil, to one that recoils nearly as much as a 7mm Remington Magnum.
Wow, I didn't mean for this to become such a long post... anyway I'll just get to the good part and then wrap things up. Here are the pics I took today...
The Ruger M77:
The NEF:
Me shooting NEF:
Comparison of .22WMR and .280 Remington rounds:
100 yard group (0.62 inches):
Same group covered by quarter:
