Mountain Rifle

[Salmon_Run]

I am looking at a new Remington model 700 Mountain SS, rifle chambered in .280.

It is weather proof, bomb proof and lightweight. I love my Kimber 84 but cry carrying that in the big woods swamps in the rain and snow.

Any thoughts guys ?

I would likely top it with a 3x9 scope and use it in Western New York as well as it is a flat, hard hitting round suited for open fields as well... 

Edited December 28, 2016 by Salmon_Run
correction

[wolc123]

I am also in market for a new rifle, for the primary purpose of Adirondack deer hunting.  My old Ruger M77 30/06 has been getting the job done but something lighter, shorter, and more weather-resistant would be nice.    Currently, I am leaning towards a Ruger American compact version in .243 caliber with a 2-7X scope.   My oldest daughter will be able to hunt next season, and that will be her gun if and when she does.   With a real bright scope, it would also make a good coyote gun.

If she does not express much interest by late summer, I will probably go with plan B, a Marlin lever with a fixed 3X scope. The caliber of that one is a toss up between .44 mag, or 30/30.  One of my primary concerns is ammo availability and price.  How does the .280 compare to 30/06, 308, .270, .243, 30/30, and 44 mag in those areas?            

[Salmon_Run]

The 280 Remington has great ballistics compared to the others with good velocity and reasonable accuracy out to 300-400 yards.  I did some research and this round has been around since the late 1950's and seems to be making a general resurgence of late. It kind of falls between the 30-06 and .270 in performance.

Several major ammo companies are expanding their selections with very reasonable prices (30.00-35.00) and all components are readily available for reloading. Sounds like it packs a pretty good down range punch without much punishment on the other end.

The only negatives I found were complaints that the barrel heated up after 5-6 rounds and grouping was compensated until the barrel cooled down. I didn't see this as much of a concern in the Adirondacks.

I love my Kimber but would like a "bad weather" lightweight rifle for the woods.

Edited December 28, 2016 by Salmon_Run
added text

[gjs4]

280 is a great round and wish I never sold my m77 (in 280) to a friend. Very popular elk round out west. As to ammo cost, availability and barrel heat- it is a hunting rifle and unless you shoot often over the summer; such concern doesn't carry water.


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[Lawdwaz]

11 hours ago, Salmon_Run said:

I am looking at a new Remington model 700 Mountain SS, rifle chambered in .280.

It is weather proof, bomb proof and lightweight. I love my Kimber 84 but cry carrying that in the big woods swamps in the rain and snow.

Any thoughts guys ?

I would likely top it with a 3x9 scope and use it in Western New York as well as it is a flat, hard hitting round suited for open fields as well... 

How about the Kimber Montana in 243, 7mm-08 or 6.5 Creedmoor ??

[Salmon_Run]

I like the Kimber Adirondack or a synthetic stock but out of the family budget...

The .243 is a little on the light side for my liking, the 7mm-08 or Creedmoor would be a better fit for me.

[Lawdwaz]

24 minutes ago, Salmon_Run said:

I like the Kimber Adirondack or a synthetic stock but out of the family budget...

The .243 is a little on the light side for my liking, the 7mm-08 or Creedmoor would be a better fit for me.

A Montana isn't much more than that 700 Mountain..........sell some platelets or sperm to offset the difference. 

[Salmon_Run]

7 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

A Montana isn't much more than that 700 Mountain..........sell some platelets or sperm to offset the difference. 

That was a good one !!!!

If they paid for a stool sample I'd just sent them my old tighty whities and they'd get all three in one sample...

[Salmon_Run]

The Kimber Montana is around $1200.00 locally and I have a local shop sitting on the Mountain 700 for $850.00 they are looking to move.

That 150.00 puts a dent in a nice piece of glass to top it off with...But I love Kimber !!!

Still wheeling and dealing...thanks guys!!

[Pygmy]

Damn, Larry, when you first suggested that I thought I might be able to afford a new rifle...

Then I realized that  my platelets aren't marketable because of all of the pharmecuticals in my blood, and it has been YEARS since anybody expressed an interest in receiving any of my sperm......<<sigh>>.....

[Pygmy]

Salmon....I have both a Mountain Rifle and a .280, but not in the same package...

My Mountain Rifle ( walnut/blued)  is in a 7mm08 and my .280  is in  a  M70 lightweight ( blued/laminate).

They are my 2 main hunting rifles and have efficiently killed everything from woodchucks to Alaskan bull moose.

I cannot think of a negative thing to say about either one of them, and trust me, neither one has been babied...

I use the Mtn rifle the most, because I  mostly hunt whitetails now, but for hunting all game ( except big bears) all over the continent, the .280 has been a killing machine, from point blank to 400 yards... If I had to sell all of my rifles but one, the .280 would be the one I would keep.

[Salmon_Run]

I also have a Browning X-bolt in .338 if I ever encounter a brown bear.......so I don't need another cannon in my safe.

I am looking for a lightweight, weather resistant rifle for mid-size game.

That's why I feel the .280 is a great fit and if I can get a deal locally than the Mountain SS will fill the niche nicely... 

I really appreciate all the input....

 

[Lawdwaz]

45 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

Salmon....I have both a Mountain Rifle and a .280, but not in the same package...

My Mountain Rifle ( walnut/blued)  is in a 7mm08 and my .280  is in  a  M70 lightweight ( blued/laminate).

They are my 2 main hunting rifles and have efficiently killed everything from woodchucks to Alaskan bull moose.

I cannot think of a negative thing to say about either one of them, and trust me, neither one has been babied...

I use the Mtn rifle the most, because I  mostly hunt whitetails now, but for hunting all game ( except big bears) all over the continent, the .280 has been a killing machine, from point blank to 400 yards... If I had to sell all of my rifles but one, the .280 would be the one I would keep.

I always had a chubbie for those older Mountain Rifles.......I bought one for my friend Clark that I found on closeout 20+ years ago in .243 Winchester.  Man O man was that a sweet little gun, too bad he gifted it to a nephew a few years ago.....

[Pygmy]

Yeah, my Mountain Rifle is between  25 and 30 years old... It was one of the early DBM models, although I would have preferred a drop floorplate if It had been available . Fit and finish are good and it is very accurate.

[Jdubs]

I went with a Tikka T3x in .308 when looking for a similar rifle.  It checks all the boxes that the Remy does, other than the .280 caliber, if you're set on that.  

[Salmon_Run]

I also looked at the Nosler in .308; but my local shop has the 700 SS on their shelf and looking to move that.

That may be a determining factor unless I find some objections to the .280. I also own several other Remingtons and the functionality and fit of them have been solid over the years.

 

Edited December 29, 2016 by Salmon_Run
added text

[Buckmaster7600]

The old man bought a rem mtn rifle in 280 when I was a little fella. He thought it would be perfect for what he wanted and exactly what you described. At the time his only other deer rifle was a 760 carbine in 280. Him being a fan of short barrels and it being too pretty to cut the barrel on its sat in the safe for at least 20 years and I don't think it has ever been in the woods. I have shot it a few times and have never warmed up to it. I have nothing against a 280 and being a fan of "odd ball" cartridges I should love it but to me they do nothing a 270 or 06 won't do with way better ammo availability. If it were me I would be buying a tikka in either 270 or 06, definitely not as pretty as the remmy but from a utilitarian stand point I'll pick the tikka every time.


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[Padre86]

On 12/29/2016 at 8:55 AM, Salmon_Run said:

I also looked at the Nosler in .308; but my local shop has the 700 SS on their shelf and looking to move that.

That may be a determining factor unless I find some objections to the .280. I also own several other Remingtons and the functionality and fit of them have been solid over the years.

 

I can't speak to the performance of .280, but I have a lightweight Savage Model 11 (20" barrel .308) which has worked well for me.  With the 3-9 scope, it's probably just a tad heavier than what I would prefer, but I have no issues carrying that thing around all-day through ADK-style terrain.  For mountain hunting (by which I assume you mean ADK hunting), .308 is a fine caliber.  There is more than enough ballistic performance there to take game at realistic distances and there is enough umph to take down large ungulates and black bear.

That and .308 ammo is fairly varied and easy to find.

 

[airedale]

Can not speak for the Mountain Rifle with any personal experience but my Dad had an early one with the wood stock and it was passed down to my brother. They had zero complaints and both took several deer with it. I liked their Mountain rifle a lot and would have purchased one had I not earlier made up a semi custom light sporter from a old Husqvarna in a 280 before the Mountain rifles came out.

Like Pygmy I have taken quite a bit of big game with mine and like Pygmy if I was limited to own only one big game rifle it would be my light sporter Husqvarna 280 Remington with the Leupold 2X7 mounted on her.

Al

Edited December 30, 2016 by airedale

[Lawdwaz]

On 12/28/2016 at 8:37 PM, Salmon_Run said:

The Kimber Montana is around $1200.00 locally and I have a local shop sitting on the Mountain 700 for $850.00 they are looking to move.

That 150.00 puts a dent in a nice piece of glass to top it off with...But I love Kimber !!!

Still wheeling and dealing...thanks guys!!

Here's a Kimber Montana 7mm-08 from the Buffalo Gun Center, brand spanking new for $950

http://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/kimber-rifles/kimber-montana-84m.cfm?gun_id=100793555

A little more attractively priced!  Sucks on the sales tax/shipping but it is what it is.

[Tikka T3]

I went with a Tikka T3 in 7-08 six years ago and never looked back. Had the barrel cut to 18inches and mounted a Lupe 2x7 on it. I like the Tikka because of the detach magazine. I load and shoot 140 gr BT and hunt the Adirondacks were I live. I leave the Remingtons in the safe now but still take the Savage 99 in 250-3000 for a couple of walks each year.  

[Jay13]

I'm with you on the Tikka, great rifle. Mine is chambered in 308, for NY whitetails

[Buckmaster7600]

I went with a Tikka T3 in 7-08 six years ago and never looked back. Had the barrel cut to 18inches and mounted a Lupe 2x7 on it. I like the Tikka because of the detach magazine. I load and shoot 140 gr BT and hunt the Adirondacks were I live. I leave the Remingtons in the safe now but still take the Savage 99 in 250-3000 for a couple of walks each year.  

Great choice in gun and optics! This one was a 30-06 and is now a 35whelen, it also has just under 18" barrel. For a "mountain" gun there isn't a better option for a light and short gun than the tikkas.


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[Trigger518]

My rifle I use in the adks is a remingtom model 700 in 280 I absolutely love it, used to have the 35 marlin pumpkin thrower before that which comes out occasionally the 280 is a great all around caliber for many animals as buckmaster stated the 270 or .06 or 308 and many others work well in the big woods with better ammo availability I shoot 140gr out of the 280 and its a tac driver very consistant but I'm close to 30$ for a box of bullets but I personally wouldn't trade it for the world. But you knock down a few adk bucks with any gun the sentimental value is worth way more than any cash you could throw at me, so I may be a bit bias.

[Padre86]

I haven't shot 280.  How does it compare to .308 or 270?

Edited January 24, 2017 by Padre86