I have a safe literally full of rifles of different calibers. They range from a pump 22 up in size to an old 303 British. All of them have put meat on the table in some form or fashion. My pop purchased quite a few of the surplus rifles back in the early 60's and took the best of what he got and sold the rest. He sporterized a couple of 03A3's and one of them became his hunting rifle. Like you I would never change a thing with it, but I have cleaned out the years of gunk form the old barrel and worked up a nice mild hunting load using a 165gr bullet and some H-4895 which will do an inch or under at 100yds on most days.
As for your 280 decision, well to be honest, my most used rifle is a Ruger Compact chambered in .308 which sports a 16.5" barrel, and with a full magazine, ready to hunt weighs in at 6.5#. It sports a Burris 1.5x6 scope and has accounted for several 400+yd one shot stops on feral hogs. The barrel is pencil thin and while after the third shot it does heat up pretty good it will still hold minute of hog out past 200yds easily.
Like has been mentioned put on your thinking cap and REALLY think about having to make 2, 3 or 4 shots on the same animal if you put your first one where it needs to go. Granted I have shot at hogs that many times, but they were hauling butt out through a pasture full of tall grass and bushes while I was doing so, but when I connected they hit the dirt.
I have several Sendero's and while they are WONDERFUL rifles they are heavy and not something I choose to tote around on a regular basis. I take them for a walk around my farm once in a while only due to the chance I MIGHT catch the hogs out in the open pasture and need the added reach they provide. I have one in 7mm Rem mag and another in 7mm STW, but I also have an old Ruger 77 chambered in 280 which sports a 24" bull barrel straight from the factory. I have no issues with any of them knocking critters on their rear, and the 280 does it cheaper and just as good as the bigger ones do. I also have a couple of 243's and 25-06's, one of which was built with a 28" Broughton barrel on it in the Ackley Improved version. I have my Mod 70 243 that I got in 1969 for Christmas. It will still put 5 shots under a nickel at 100 pretty easily and sometimes put that many under a quarter at 200. I wouldn't change a thing on it either as it was the first hunting rifle my pop gave me.
All this said though, that little Ruger Compact goes with me 95% of the time. Why because it just works.
Take the 280, pick out a good 140'ish grain bullets for it and work you up an accurate load. Then take it out and work some critters over. Take your time and choose a powder like one of the 4350's or one in the Reloader line like 19 or 22. I have had great accuracy from them all in my 280. I really just don't shoot it a lot mainly due to the factory telling me they didn't make many in that configuration. The one your looking at should work out great for the hunting you have in mind. Just remember it is the first shot that counts and if it is where it should be the next shot should be from the camera.
As for your 280 decision, well to be honest, my most used rifle is a Ruger Compact chambered in .308 which sports a 16.5" barrel, and with a full magazine, ready to hunt weighs in at 6.5#. It sports a Burris 1.5x6 scope and has accounted for several 400+yd one shot stops on feral hogs. The barrel is pencil thin and while after the third shot it does heat up pretty good it will still hold minute of hog out past 200yds easily.
Like has been mentioned put on your thinking cap and REALLY think about having to make 2, 3 or 4 shots on the same animal if you put your first one where it needs to go. Granted I have shot at hogs that many times, but they were hauling butt out through a pasture full of tall grass and bushes while I was doing so, but when I connected they hit the dirt.
I have several Sendero's and while they are WONDERFUL rifles they are heavy and not something I choose to tote around on a regular basis. I take them for a walk around my farm once in a while only due to the chance I MIGHT catch the hogs out in the open pasture and need the added reach they provide. I have one in 7mm Rem mag and another in 7mm STW, but I also have an old Ruger 77 chambered in 280 which sports a 24" bull barrel straight from the factory. I have no issues with any of them knocking critters on their rear, and the 280 does it cheaper and just as good as the bigger ones do. I also have a couple of 243's and 25-06's, one of which was built with a 28" Broughton barrel on it in the Ackley Improved version. I have my Mod 70 243 that I got in 1969 for Christmas. It will still put 5 shots under a nickel at 100 pretty easily and sometimes put that many under a quarter at 200. I wouldn't change a thing on it either as it was the first hunting rifle my pop gave me.
All this said though, that little Ruger Compact goes with me 95% of the time. Why because it just works.
Take the 280, pick out a good 140'ish grain bullets for it and work you up an accurate load. Then take it out and work some critters over. Take your time and choose a powder like one of the 4350's or one in the Reloader line like 19 or 22. I have had great accuracy from them all in my 280. I really just don't shoot it a lot mainly due to the factory telling me they didn't make many in that configuration. The one your looking at should work out great for the hunting you have in mind. Just remember it is the first shot that counts and if it is where it should be the next shot should be from the camera.
