Over the years I have owned and used a fair number of firearms, many of which I claimed at one time or another, that I would never part with them. For some reason, I get bored, even with the finest piece. I had a Browning B78 in 7mmRemMag. I pulled my longest, one shot kills on mule deer and pronghorn, using that falling block, single shot rifle and I really did like it. I hand loaded and found my best work was using 140gr. Nosler Accubonds. For some time, I had been reading of the 280Rem. and last year I acquired a Browning Stainless Stalker with BOSS in 280Rem. This by way of a trade for a new Weatherby 243Win chambered rifle. I began hand loading for the 280Rem and pretty soon, I quit picking up the B78! Then, someone offered me more than I had in the B78, so it went down the road. I don't know what else I could ask for in a rifle to hunt mule deer and pronghorn and next week I will be in Wyoming, doing just that. Right this moment I'd say that the 280Rem is the perfect cartridge for me and I will never get rid of it! However, I am only 69 years old, so probably in five or ten years......or maybe even sooner, I will see another rifle that I have to have and will send the 280 down the road. So many rifle/cartridge combinations and so little time!!
Years ago I read Jack O'Connor every month and old Jack sold me on the 270Win.,which I carried for some time. Then I went backwards to the 30-06, as the "one rifle for everything", and took my bull elk with a Tikka in 30-06. After that was an old Mauser in 7x57mm Mauser and I fell in love with the 7mm bullet as the all time best flyer. Maybe when I get old and recoil sensitive, I will get a rifle in 7mm-08! But that is a long way off!
Steven in DeLand, FL
