whats the best powder you have used for your 280,
I been using IMR 4350 and H4350,For the 120 gr and 140 gr,
I use between,52-54,
I have a winchester model 70 classic featherweight,It would shoot 1/2 groups,now it shoots pie plate groups,So i have work todo for sure,I need to buy the fat wrench torque screw driver,from Mid Way,Some one said the front screw should be torqued to 35 in lbs and the back to 30in lb.

280shooter, I have a Win 70 Featherweight in .280 Rem too. I'm very interested in what caused your problem. The WORST thing I tried was free-floating the barrel. After adding shims back to the fore-end I got it shooting OK again. I'll be glass bedding the fore-end contact point at some point.

I've been loading various 160 grain bullets over RL-19. No loads to brag on yet but no problems getting "minute of deer".

I've seen some unflattering reviews on those torque screw drivers. Make sure you do some homework before buying.

Welcome to the Forum.

My preference is IMR4350 for 139, 150 and 154 grain bullets in all my .280 Rem rifles. Take care...
Joe

History,I had a rifle at a gun smith being reworked,when i went to pick it up.I jobber had walked in with this brand new,winchester classic fetherweight in 280,Or was it 7 mm express,either way I had to have it,what a great looking rifle.I had read all about the new classics that were coming out,thats why i picked the 280 i could shoot all kinds of bullet weights,
I had to shoot this new rifle..so i bought some 120 gr rem,140s. and headed to the range.I was impressed,that thing shot 1/2 and less at 100 yards,with what ever i shot and reloaded,I took it to canada and killed a caribu at 300 yards,with the Nos,Partions,and that was with only a 4 power scope,Well after that trip to the North,I ddt shoot it that much,I never took it out if they were calling for rain,this was my frist big new gun.and no rain was going to fall on it,so i used my custum 8mm,that i had that gun smith build for me,glass bedded,free floated barrel.all the works,Mcmillion stock,timmney trigger,and all the bells and whistles,So i used that the most,and the 280 would sit in the safe,Plus i use a bow too.so anyhow.I took the 280 rifle out to the range,after i had bought a new redesigned simmons scope,3x9,and took loads that had worked so well before,,I took the action off the stock and adjusted the trigger,when i put it back to gether,,i thought this isnt right< why is this barrel not free floating,But i shot it anyhow,i was all over the paper< now im thinking,(brain fart) this wasnt like this before,what did i do.is it sccpe? is it that this barrel should be free floating? so i take the action off the stock,and i take sandpaper,and sand the channel.Not alot, but some.so i out it all abck together,i check with a piece of paper,its free floating to the tip,Now Im scratching my head,Humm,, maybe its not free floating. So i stop with the sanding,,take more reloads out, to the range, begine to set up.I have a gun rest its solid,no movment,Im set,I shot one,its not near the middle.i shoot again,its some place else,i let the barrle cool..shoot again,no where near the middle,so i shoot at another target,with a dif, load,same results,

what in the world did i do now..I messed this thing all up.So i look into the action screws,,some say do them like this,some say do them this way,I tried,with out any torque driver,I did how ever,get the first 2 shots almost touching,then the 3rd went south,,so i let it cool,and i couldnt get it to shoot for crap after that,
So im thinking its a torque issue,now..or maybe i need to add the wood back to where i took it off,I dont know.I will get it to shoot back to where it was,if i have to bed the tip more,I will..
But thats why i need the torque driver,So while at the range i can add more torque,or take it off,,so thats why my rifle wont shoot for crap

It sounds as though you are on the right track. If nothing else has changed I would suspect the action screws too.

As to powder, the first powder I tried with my .280 was IMR 4064...just because it was sitting on my bench at the time. Accuracy in all the bullet weights I have tried is all I could ask for so I have stuck with it. I am sure that there are other powders that could do as well and certainly many that are less temperature sensitive, but as they say, "If it ain't broke...."

Good luck and keep us posted.

My .02 cents worth:

I use Alliant RL15 powder in my 280 Rem. At 54 gr. I get really good groups and very consistant.
I shoot a 100gr Sierra HP bullet and it goes out at 3400fps.
Extremely accurate and fun to shoot.
I have it zeroed at 300 yds. This gives my a total height of just under 4"
out to zero. I am very happy with this load.

Just read your post.

This may sound elementary, but have you also used a copper solvent to get the copper out of your barrel? I know that people clean rifles religiously but tend to neglect taking copper out of the barrel. There are several different solvents and they all work well. When you do use them, you need to make sure that you FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS to a T.

Also it could be stock screws or your scope mounts or possibly a scope problem.

Hope you get it worked out.

take care
Brad

Funny you should mention the copper,I aways take that with me to the range,with all cleaning stuff,I cleaned it at the range if im doing alot of new loads,
I thought i had it cleaned well..I never ever got a green cleaning patch,ever,and this is a copper solvent,I read the direction,to the T,So i thought they always talk about your cleaning patch coming out green.I neevr had a green patch,So after a day of scaring paper targets, i thought u know,im going to use that copper stuff again,and this time,Im letting it sit for 10 mins,
WELL it took me 2 hours to get all the green out of the barrle,
Gues what it didnt make one bit of diference,Go figure.
I guess i need to buy one of them torque screw drivers,hate to buy it,I know i won't be using it after the first time.
I was also thinking it might be the scope,Its new,
But I had one just like it,And had that on a little T/C in 223,That only took 5 or 6 shots before I had to send that new Re-designed scope back to the company,So maybe its scope,all else is tight as a bull frogs butt hole,

I took my Rifle to basspro,I had the smith torque the screws,He said to give him 15 Mins,
So I needed small rifle primers,baspro has them,5 bucks a pack of 100..whats up with that? and they only had Rem,No CCI or Win,Only Rem.
so anyhow he said he torqued the front screw and back to 40 inch,He said i was real close to 40,but the back was way off,So now i know its 40 in lbs front and back,
Now I need to save my Pennies and buy more bullets,after buying primers at 5 bucks a pack,Now Im broke,,Oh i also need powder,
Thanks guys for the help.

took my 280 to the range,,nothing changed,I have this sinking feeling its the scope.brand new redesigned SIMMONS,,3x9 I bought 2 at the same time,I already sent one back,after 10 round from my T/C in 223,Im thinking it has to be the scope,wondering cross hairs,