Which powder for 280 Rem and 150 gr GC?

[Bulseyetom]

I have a Custom Ruger #1 in 7mm Krag Improved which is basically a 280 Remington. I have several hundred cast bullets sized .285 that won't shoot better than 2 moa in my 1893 Mauser 7x57 as they are undersize and evidently too hard to expand to fit the bore properly. What powders would you suggest that I try? Thanks. Tom

[Hardcast416taylor]

My load using 150 gr. Nosler BT bullets would be a near max load of Accurate 4350 powder with Win. primers and Rem. yellow brass. I have never gotten around to using cast in this .280.Robert

[ohland]

I have a Custom Ruger #1 in 7mm Krag Improved which is basically a 280 Remington. Tom

Uh... Already cast bullets. Undersized. Did you slug or cast the bore? SAAMI has .2835 as the groove diameter for both the 280 and 7x57.

What are the bullets? Make / model? PB or GC?

You could bump them, but success depends on hardness and size to increase to.

The 280 is in most recent manuals... What are you trying to do? Sub-1200 fps? Over 1600 fps? What powders do you have on-hand?

[Larry Gibson]

Assuming GC'd? I had good success in a 280 Rem some years back using 28 - 32 gr 4895 with a Dacron filler under the Lyman 287641 cast of COWWs + 2% tin and WQ'd. I was sizing them at .285 also and was using Hornady Cs and Javelina lube.

Larry Gibson

[Bulseyetom]

My 7x57 was built in 1893 and has a bore of .287. I have not slugged the Krag barrel but assume since it is modern it will be close to .284. The bullets are manufactured 150 gr gc sized .285 so I expect good accuracy in the Krag if the bullets were cast properly, at least better than the 3" to 4" groups in the old 7x57. I want something on the order of 1600 fps and plan on just punching holes with them. I have every powder known to man it seems including H4895, Imr 4227, H 4198, H322, V133, H4350, H450, IMR 3031, Re 17, Re 19, Re 22, Re 25 and a tad bit of 4759 that I am hoarding for my 38-55. Tom

[ohland]

My 7x57 was built in 1893 and has a bore of .287.Tom

I'd buy that for a dollar...

Looking for .280 Remington loads -
Lyman 4th Ed.

145gr bullet
I3031 31.5 / 2112 - 36.0 / 2364
I4895 34.5 / 2120 - 38.5 / 2340

Hodgdon® H4895® REDUCED RIFLE LOADS for
Youth Hunting, Informal Target and Plinking
http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/H4895%20R...le%20Loads.pdf

Below loads should be viewed with care, since they are 30-50 years old.
Some dated loads from the past:

RCBS (CBM #1) loads for the 280 Rem with a 145 grain boolit shows I 4895 and 4759 from your list.

I4895 28.0/1716 - 30.0/1866

Assume you want to hold on to 4759...

Lyman #44 shows 154gr cast
I4227 19.0/1683 - 22.0/1792 (also accuracy load)

[Bulseyetom]

Thanks for the loads. I will give them a try. Tom

[Motor]

Tom. I get 1850f/s with a 160gr using 16gr Unique in 7.62x54R.

I have used 15gr Unique with a 100gr J-word hollow point in .280 Rem. This was one of the best shooting reduced J-word loads I've ever loaded.

I would say you should be able to accomplish your goal very easily with Unique and not need any fillers.

Other similar powders will work too like 2400 or Trail Boss.

Motor

[ohland]

Tom. I get 1850f/s with a 160gr using 16gr Unique in 7.62x54R Motor

RCBS and Lyman both used Unique, but it wasn't in his powder list.

I've got some Steel I want to try with CB.

[Motor]

RCBS and Lyman both used Unique, but it wasn't in his powder list.

I've got some Steel I want to try with CB.

Do you mean steel casings? If you do I know of a few fellows who use them and they work fine.

I have used both steel and brass surplus primed cases for my sub-sonic 54R loads. Both worked well for me. Of course I still had to deal with corrosive priming.

I haven't reloaded any steel cases but those fellows that I mentioned do.

Motor

[MT Gianni]

Steel is also a powder for shotguns. Check a burn rate chart.

[John Boy]

1600 fps? Take a look here but they are in the 2xxx range
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/de...Powder&Source=