Norma TipStrike 280 Remington Ammo 160 Grain Polymer Tip Box of 20

Last reviewed: 2026-04-18 by Jake Terry, FFL07/SOT3, NRA-certified firearms instructor.

For driven hunts and stalking scenarios where first-shot stops matter, Norma TipStrike 280 Remington ammo pairs a 160 grain polymer-tipped bullet with brass that seats and feeds without fuss. The 280 Remington cartridge — dimensionally similar to the 7mm Express Remington and not to be confused with the shorter 7mm-08 — pushes this 160 grain projectile to 2789 feet per second, delivering 2764 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle. That velocity puts it between the .270 Winchester and the .30-06 in ballistic performance, with flatter trajectory than the ’06 and more authority than the .270 at hunting distances.

Load Profile

The TipStrike bullet uses a tapered jacket that opens rapidly at the front while the rear section — reinforced with an internal mechanical lead lock — resists fragmentation. The polymer tip collapses on impact, initiating expansion with a slight delay that drives the bullet through hide and into the vitals before the jacket peels back. Norma builds this load on new brass cases with non-corrosive Boxer primers, suitable for handloaders who want to work up their own 280 Remington recipes after the first firing. The brass is dimensionally consistent, and the crimp holds the bullet securely under recoil in a magazine.

Specs at a Glance

The 160 grain weight strikes a balance between sectional density and retained velocity — heavy enough to buck wind and hold together on quartering shots, light enough to keep trajectory flat inside 300 yards. Pair this load with a 280 Remington rifle zeroed at 200 yards and you’ll hold center-mass on deer-sized game to 250 without holdover.