Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats .250AI build opinions

I have a Win. M70 Ranger PF action .243 that I don't have much in. So, thinking on a .250AI light hunter. I'm thinking factory type featherweight contour at say 21.5". Suggestions on a smith, barrel brand (stainless), stock, etc... Would like to stay reasonable on price and looking at staying around 6# +/- on the bare rifle and 7ish# all up. Also thinking 1X9.5 twist for anthing from 85 to 115 grain bullets.

Any ideas on best options to get there would be appreciated as I know there are plenty of .250AI fans with lots of experience here and it has always been my idea of a fun and well balanced Arkansas deer rifle. And I know any of my current .243, 7mm-08, .308, and other long action '06 case based rifles will handle the job just fine.

Thanks

David

Is that PF action a long or a short. I would not put a .250 AI on a long action.

John

Me either. I did a 280AI with a fw contour and put in a hunters edge. Pretty nice handling rig.

I may be selling my 700. Lone wolf stock, Rifles inc. trued receiver, hollowed bolt handle, fluted bolt. Shilen barrel and trigger, Rem-age barrel nut, Weaver one piece bade, milled for a left hand, top feed magazine, ADL style, in 250AI.
Shoots those sub minute groups every one likes.
I'm hankering for a Cooper.

What's a barrel nut for a Remington?

Originally Posted By: Hondo64d
Is that PF action a long or a short. I would not put a .250 AI on a long action.

Hondo64d, it is a short action currently in .243 and I agree and would not do long action for the .250AI. Thanks.

Mine's a reshaped Ruger with a schnable tip and slimmed stock. It's a hoot.

Still looking for opinions from those that have already went the .250AI route.

I've had a couple of .250 AIs and like the cartridge. Works great in a 2.8" magazine, and performs better than it should. I was launching 100gr Hornadies at 3140 IIRC. Really sexy lookin' round, and no case trimming is nice.

I gotta say though, purely from a practical standpoint, a 6.5 CM is probably a better mousetrap. Will launch 100s faster than the .250 AI. Factory brass available. Has the option of the heavy VLD types. Also well suited to a 2.8" magazine. 30 degree shoulder also means minimal case trimming.

260 Remington fits into this category too, but with the heavy VLDs in a 2.8" box, the CM is probably a better deal.

John

John, thanks for the comments. I think you are likely spot on. I do like the "sexy" look of the .250AI case and am just partial to the .257s versus the 6.5s. It's all about want not need as like most I have plenty of rifles to handle most any job.

My optimum would be an old Weatherby Varmintmaster rebarreled to .250AI, but they have gotten so high it really doesn't make a lot of sense.

I understand the "partial to" deal. I'm a rifle looney too. Go for the .250AI. Can't imagine you not liking it. You might could even neck down 6.5CM to .250AI if you wanted better quality brass than the run of the mill .250 brass. Necking up Lapua 22-250 brass is an option too.

Here is what Al Nyhus had to say about it in another thread, and he knows what's going on:



John

I'm using a stainless Model Seven action for mine. Bolt shroud smalled up, bolt fluted, knob hollowed and handle skeletonized. McMillan old Custom Shop KS M7 stock ordered in Edge fill. Scope will be either a VXII 2x7 or FXII 4x in Talleys. Not decided on bbl yet, but it will be in MR contour at 21". Might even stick with the plain jane 250Savage instead of the AI chamber. Have dies for both.

Cub, looks like good components. I am a big M7 fan and have several and considered that as well, but had a good deal on the M70 Ranger and thought I might just use it. Thanks!

I love my .250AI. 1:9 Pac-nor barrel on a M70 compact classic. Featherweight contour finished at 22". Handles great, and is golf ball accurate.

Everything about the .250AI is a step in the right direction. You get .257 Roberts performance in an OAL that offers lots of room for all bullets and varying throat lengths in a 2.8" magazine. You get the nice features of the AI which don't need repeating. Mine is a Pac-Nor 1-10 twist in a Remington sporter contour on a short action M700. I got it for 87-100 grain bullets and with good loads it's bug hole accurate.

Only drawback I have found in this particular chambering is the quality of the Remington brass I bought - it's soft. I worked up loads carefully and never exceeded Sierra's loads with their components but primer pockets expanded within 3 firings. Primers would just slip in by hand. I reduced my loads one "level", i.e. stayed below the next to last velocity and charge weight column and pockets still expanded in 3-4 firings.

Don't know if it was this one lot of Rem. brass or not but IIRC Mule Deer also commented about the crappy Remington .250 Savage brass for fireforming.

Winchester makes .250 brass but it's seasonal so not always available. I got a bag of Winchester .22-250 brass instead, fireformed those with Unique and COW and have been shooting them with no expanded pockets so far.

The .250 AI is a great little round but based on my experience I can't recommend using Remington .250 Savage brass.

Some good info, but does anyone have suggestions on barrel, stock, smith to get to the weight I posted and stay within reason on price. I know you usually get what you pay for but I don't want to get tooooo wild. Thanks again.

PMs are fine if someone doesn't want to reccomend a smith on the open forum or if you want to suggest staying away from someone based on experience.

David

If you want really good brass, start with 6XC brass from Tubbs
or Norma. I also can't see any need for a faster twist than a
1-10", It will stabilize 110 Accubonds or Berger 115VLD's.Don't
neglect trying RL17.

Pac-nor, Douglas, and Shilen have 1:9 barrels, and also can do the barrel fitting. McMillan and MPI offer their stocks in the featherweight pattern, or you could try to find a take-off Winchester synthetic stock. My rifle, with wood stock and 2.5-8 Leupold weighs about 7.5 lbs.

And I can't see any reason to go 1-10".

Yep. All of my .25s (3x .250 AI and a .25-284) were 1-10" and all shot the 75s and 87s better than 100s and heavier. Can't help but wonder if a 1-9" would have done better with the heavies. If I do another .25, it will have a 1-9".

John