Deer Hunting With a .280 Caliber Rifle

The .280 Remington is an outstanding choice for deer hunters.

Performance and versatility make the .280 Remington one of the leading deer-hunting rifles on the market. The .280 boasts excellent bullet velocity and a flat trajectory, making it especially useful as an open-country or long-range deer rifle. Equip the rifle with a scope to take full advantage of the .280's long-range capabilities.

Things You'll Need

• Sandbags or shooting rest
• Targets
• 130- to 160-grain cartridges

Instructions

Getting Your .280 Ready

1. Decide what type of ammunition to use. Hunters who use the .280 for big game often utilize cartridges between 130 and 160 grains. If you don't reload your own cartridges, the 140-grain cartridge is a good alternative.

2. Practice sighting and firing your .280 with ammunition. Set up a target approximately 100 yards away. Then, using sandbags or a shooting rest, fire three shots at the target.

3. Examine where the shots strick the target and make the corresponding adjustments to your scope. For example, if the rifle is shooting too high and to the right, adjust the sights lower and to the left. Make only small adjustments at a time and then fire another group of three shots. Continue adjusting and firing until you're consistently hitting the target about 1 to 2 inches above the bullseye.

4. Decide where you'd like to hunt, and scout for deer in that area. Look for signs of deer---where they're moving, feeding and bedding down. Use your scouting knowledge to choose exactly where you're going to stand when deer season begins. Remember that the .280 is effective at 100 yards and beyond. If you plan to hunt on private property, be sure to obtain the owner's permission.

Using Your .280

1. Arrive at your stand. Try to set up and situate yourself before the crack of dawn. The first few hours of daylight may offer some of the best chances to take a deer.

2. Wait at your stand. Trust your scouting, even if you're not seeing deer. If you become impatient and attempt to stalk the deer, you're negating one of the advantages of the .280. Stalking often results in close-range shots. Your rifle is outstanding at longer distances.

3. Take a deep breath and relax if you spot a deer. Calmly click off the safety and bring the .280 to your shoulder. Place the crosshairs on the spot behind the front shoulder of the deer. Aim high if you're shooting at long distance. At 300 yards, for instance, a 140-grain may drop more than 6 inches.

4. Squeeze the trigger. Do not pull or yank the trigger, which will cause your shot to go awry. If you've practiced and correctly sighted your .280, the deer should drop soon after the shot.

References

• Chuck Hawks: The Deer Rifle
• Chuck Hawks: The .280 Remington
• Shooting Times: .280 Remington