Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Range Results 250-300 99

I had good results today with my 99 with Speer 87 grain spitzer and 35 grains of IMR 4166.

Good results? I'd say that is outstanding!!

Now to see if I can repeat it.

That definitely puts 4166 onto my "must try list" for my .250's.

Just loaded some Reloder15 test loads, have some 4166 here also,
think i'll give the 4166 next time i get some trigger time.

Give that Re15 a good test drive before you jump ship. That's all I load for the .250 and .300 nowadays.

I reckon you did!

What rifle?

I hope some bolt action guys were around to see that.

I bet there'll be a run on 4166 powder now. Nice shooting.

I don't have any equipment that shoots that good or any that measures that close. Nice shootin'.
yooper

For perspective here are the results for 4 shots with 36 grains of 4166. Hopefully the earlier results with 35 were not a one off.

I don't know what the max load with 4166 might be but a whole grain of powder can make a big difference in accuracy. If you are getting 2945 fps with the 35.0 grains that's real close to where the .250 was built to run. Not a bad sweet spot if it is consistent.

A: That's 50 yards.

B: I've shot a three shot group that size at 300 yards, but I understand happy accidents happen.

If it will group that way all the time, you're set.. good luck..

My 99 is scoped with a Weaver K2.5 in a Stith mount. That's why I chose to use 50 yards for a good sight picture. Sighted 1 inch high at 50 yards MPR is 235 although anything over 150 would be questionable. Our ranges in the woods around here run from 25-75 yards.

A technique I use is to make targets to suit the magnification/reticle/distance combination I want to shoot.

Did you finish your comment? I couldn't follow it.


CHarlie

For example, the thin part of a regular duplex reticle in a 6x Leupold scope is right at 1/2 moa wide. So I print out a target that is basically an overgrown + sign with bars 1/2" thick for use at 100 yards. When I'm shooting at such a fitted target from the bench, any elevation, windage, or canting error shows up and is easily corrected.

It makes shooting tight groups with low magnification scopes a straightforward matter.

Using a similar fitted target I've shot 1/2 moa groups at 300 yards while aiming through a 4x scope.

Hope that one repeats for you! My best-ever group with the 70gr Blitzking turned out to be a fluke, but I do have a load for the 87gr TNT that repeats great groups. Just picked up some 4166 to try as I work with light bullets in a .270, but will also try it in the .250 and .300 Savages as well as .204 and 6mm Rem. Interesting development of a "copper eraser" with resistance to changes due to temperature.

most think these levers are not accurate at all.


good shooting hope load continues for you

GT,

A number of powders like H4895, Varget, IMR4895 have a sweet spot around 34-35 grains producing accurate loads for 87, 90 and 100 grain projectiles.

If I come across a pound of 4166 I'll try it as well.

Took a look at the IMR web site and got acquainted with the 4166. According to the load data they furnish for the .250, 35.7 grains is max with the 87 grain bullet so 35.0 sounds like a good place to be.

I have Rem 700 Classic in 250, and a few days ago I shot Hodgdon's max load of 4166 under a 90 grain Sierra. Other than lot numbers I matched all the components Hodgdon listed. My Oehler 35P showed an average of 2982 fps. Pressure signs were almost nonexistent, opening the bolt and extraction were as easy as with an empty chamber.

I doubt the published data will give a '99 any trouble.

I had no pressure signs at 36 grains but will stick with 35.

I'm not suggesting pushing things at all. Just noting I found a nice safety cushion.

Went back to range today. Three shot groups with same load as other day came in about 3/4 inch at 50 until about 10 shots then group tightened to one hole. I clean barrel until copper is gone so not sure if that's the reason or not. Going back with fouled barrel later.

Better to start with a squeaky clean barrel IMO, to eliminate one variable if doubts arise as to a loads usefulness. If accuracy improves as shooting progresses, then leave it fouled until accuracy goes south again.

Of course, if one stuck with cast bullets then one wouldn't have copper fouling issues!

I do see better results after shooting a bit. I have seen that a completely clean barrel may be the way to go with a new barrel but I have also under the impression some copper is needed in the barrel to clean up machine work providing a better more accurate barrel. I have one old rifle almost takes a box of ammo to start shooting well.

Then again I maybe full of it also.

Stick with what works for you!

How often to clean the bore on a sporting rifle quickly turns into a raging debate...

I find no I4166 data for the .250 Improved, but with published data of 39.4-43.8gr for 75gr bullets in the .257 Roberts I shot 38-40gr with the 70gr Blitz-king. Most accurate was at 38gr for 3160fps (19fps ES for 5 shots) while 40gr gave 3328fps (40fps ES for 5 shots).

40gr of CFE223 was accurate in my rifle (700Rem) at 3225fps so I've now got a couple copper cleaner rounds in that velocity range. I've already got accurate loads at 3480-3510fps using R15 and H4895 with the 70BK, so won't be pushing the new powders any higher.

Hodgdon's booklet shows 28.1gr of 4166 as a max in the .204 Ruger with Berger's 35gr HP, and in my Ruger's 24" bbl 28gr was good enough at 3744fps and 4 shots in 1.4" at 200 yards. I've gotten similar speed and better accuracy with CFE223, but 4166 could work.

In the .270Win the search is for light recoil with light bullets and enough accuracy to hit silhouettes at the shorter ranges of 200 and 300 yards. I found something good for Hornady V-Max 110gr at 2960fps and Sierra 90gr HP at 3140fps. The lighter end for 140gr bullets was too light at 2660fps, so next up will be increases to get them over 2800 and see where accuracy is best. Not that it will be critical, my misses at high power silhouette are more indian than arrow.

First shot out of my 250 is always a flyer. When I clean it I run a brush through it a couple times, then patches till they come out clean. Probably not squeaky clean. For the past ten years or so all I've shot has been Remington 100 grainers. Gonna try some 87's soon and see what happens, Joe.

Is that first shot always out of a cleaned bore? If so, put one or two into the backstop before firing for record.