Know that the 250 Savage is well regarded (as is the 30/06) by those in the know on the Campfire. Can't quite understand why it is regarded as such. A 100 gr at 2800 is little more than a 243 win and not a 6mm rem. Even the lighter pills don't compare to the 257 Roberts. Clearly doesn't come close to my 257 Weatherby or my 6.5x55 or my 7x57 or my 270 Win or my 308 Win or my 9.3x62. Even the rifles its been chambered in have been hohum (the current Ruger #1 might be the sole exception). Someone might be able to enlighten me (and others)?

Mostly its was before the rest 7x57 30-06 then the 250-3000

Try finding one of these is 6.5x55, 257 Roberts etc







In bolts I run the 250AI, but shoot lots of 250 standard loads in it. Far more skookum fit in a shot action, and enough is often enough.

I've even heard tell that one can actually kill critters with rifles that spew empties stamped 250 Sav, thankfully critters don't read headstamps.

That sums it up right there.

As Mattie Ross said in TRUE GRIT, "Enough is as good as a feast."

I've seen quite a few animals taken with the .250 Savage, some by my own trigger finger. They all died pronto, despite the oh-so-modest ballistics.

When a rifle like the Savage Model 1920 or 1899 is ignorantly dismissed as a "ho-hum" my ire is raised.

How can a Mauser/Springfield bolt action with controlled round feed, a thumb safety, weighing under 6 lb., wearing a bolt mounted peep sight and manufactured years ahead of its time, ever be considered ho-hum? Think at back to 1920 standards.

Or how about the classic Savage lever action able to shoot pointed bullets because of an internal rotary magazine manufactured in a very accurate take down rifle like the Savage Model 1899? This version was first produced in 1915 hailing the advent of the 250-3000 cartridge.

Perhaps it would be better for you to go back and reread Jack O'Connor's 1952 book "Sportsman's Arms and Ammunition Manual" or Larry Koller's 1948 classic "Shots at Whitetails" and then rephrase the question you really want to pose.

BTW, One the articles you might want to read is Jack's "The 250-3000 can Shoot!"



All the best.

The famed Yellow shirt never fails!

For 50% of the powder it gives about 80% of the velocity of the 257 Wby., and at the ranges I hunt deer that's plenty.

PS: I easily get more than 2800 from my 700 Classic.

I cut my teeth on a British 303 but the moment I laid eyes on a used Model '54 in 250-3000 my woes came to a screeching halt. The little cartridge kills all out of proportion to it's size.I can't imagine a more perfect gun for a beginning shooter.powdr

Think about the .250 Sav vs. the .257 Wby for a moment, since the OP mentioned that the Wby round was so much "better".

Everyone knows that the screamin' .257 Wby will slam any big deer to the ground at 400 yards.

Well, then the 250 Sav will do the exact same thing at 100 yards, because the exact same bullet is going about 2500 fps with about 1400 ft. lbs. of energy at the point of impact.

In fact, the .250 Sav will do better at 100 yards because I can shoot a smaller group and place my shot better at 100 yards with my old M-1920 or my 99 than I can with my Wby at 400, not even factoring in wind or animal movement.

As others have said, sometimes just enough can be just right. The .250 Sav is also a very good varmint gun and much more pleasant to use for that than the Wby or the other quarter-bores. Use what you like, want, or think you need, but have fun.

The fad gods have strange fixations.

Not so very long ago, the .25-284 was all the craze here. Same thing -- dead bears, hammer of Thor, etc.

Barely gets a mention now.

The newer 6.8 SPC also kills effectively with even less powder. Never gets mentioned here, except derisevely.

Go figure.

1B

Olgrouser,

Beautiful picture of your M-1920! The original "ultra-light" hunting rifle. Mine has a much darker stock than yours. Mine is a first year gun and the metalwork is absolutely superb. Somewhat better than some I have seen from the late twenties. They cost too much to make for Savage to be competitive. Most folks have never seen one. I call mine the mini-Springfield.

Best Wishes

"The 250-3000 can Shoot!"



Ken

Not sure about the hoohum comment about the rifles. This little Ruger M77 Ultralight in .250 Savage is one of the nicest little rifles around.

Not only is the 250-3000 all that and a bag of chips, but the 99Savages are the best lookin shootin irons on the planet

Jerry

Hey Elvis,

I got one of them and a stainless RSI to go along with him.



Ken

Ken,
Nice looking hardware, it's got me missing a 250 Savage.... and I just sold you my dies and brass...damn!
Maybe I'll take the plunge again with one of the new Savage's blued, oil finished walnut with a floorplate?
Steve

All I can say is I bought a brand new Savage 99A 250-3000 around 1971 and still have it. It's kill a bunch of blacktail and varmints. It just plain works.
Doc

The 250 Savage cartridge may be the favorite of some. I am all for yours and my favorites.

I can be nostalgic and admire some old 99 so chambered. The little 250 S is loaded to lower pressures than average and came with a slow 1-14" twist. Its body taper is three times what it needs to be to be best. Overall its just a bygone product. Not enough to make it.

More a pest cartridge than one for bigger game. Even the diminutive 243 Winchester has more velocity with 100 gr bullets, is far more popular and available and can be loaded to normal pressures.

Not enough.

Don is a venerable cornucopia of stupidity

For Decades I lusted for a Savage M-1920, Never found one. Saw just one chambered for 30-06 here in CT and it was gone before I could go get my checkbook. So If the chance ever comes, I am going to have Mel Forbes build me a NULA Model 20 so chambered. A modern version of the 1920. For a number of years I had a 99 and killed every deer I ever shot with it. Think about it a 100 hornaday SP is just about perfect, at the 2800 fps you get from the 250. And just about no recoil or muzzle blast. You could do a whole lot worst than going with a 250-3000 most deer hunting applications.

I lusted and looked for a 250 bolt gun I could afford for years. They're so scarce because people who have them never give them up. (There's a non-subtle hint in that, you know.) Finally gave up and had a 25-308 built. The 25-308 almost exactly duplicates the 250 AI in every way - but with easy-to find brass.

It is simply a delight to shoot, whether at original 250 speeds or juiced a bit to AI numbers. Accurate with almost any powder and bullet combination, low recoil, mild blast, and it just flat kills things.

Are there bigger, meaner, louder .25-cal rounds? Of course. Does bigger always mean better? Of course not.

Rocky,

The .250 AI and .25/.308 just about match the case capacity of the .257 Roberts--which also fits in a short action. It's pretty easy to find brass for the .257, or at least that's what I've heard....

I always thought that just the name of the cartidge sounded
cool. I dont one now, but have owned a two Savage 110s,
an FN Mauser Supreme, and a Remington 700 Classic.

Have a Ruger ultra light in .250, looking for another for the other grandaughter. Sure are hard to find.

There's ALWAYS bigger and badder of anything....but there's a saying "it's not how big it is, but how you use it"

All this ..."ONLY 2800 fps....blah blah blah" meanwhile my former miniscule 6BR using a mere 28.5gr of powder under a 105gr dropped my furthest deer....right at 400 yds.

How much is ....ENOUGH? It's not how fast or KO, or Ft. lbs. - it's Shot placement with a good bullet thru vitals.

Like Scott says headstamps don't matter and I can't recall any animal I ever killed having a Chrony clocking incoming rounds to decide if they drop after impact.

LOTS of nice rounds, all have a niche, a 250 is like a 6BR but there is nothing to worry about feeding. Is it 'better' than a 243 or another round?

Does it NEED to be any 'better?' should be the question.

I'd bet 80-90% of deer are killed under 200 yds a Deuce or 223 w/right bullet in the right spot will handle those chores.

Nope, a 250 won't impress w/ballistics nor Chrony worshippers, but game won't argue when properly hit

250s should be more abundantly used IMHO as they do a great job at a minimum of blast and recoil - both which are counterproductive to the most important part of the killing equation - shot placement.

If one's 'ego' requires magnum on your bbl and headstamp, feel free - as they all work....when the pilot does his/her job.

JB is correct, as Rocky, a Bob as the 25 Souper offer the same and then some, but the 250 is not 'impotent' - lest anyone think so stand behind said target

The difference isn't great, for sure, JB. I can't load to pressures that would allow my 25-308 to match the Bob because my Rem 788's rear lugs allow for too much action stretch if I lean on the powder measure. I can get 3400 fps from a 75-gr -- 3450 if I don't care about case life. That's a good 100-150 fps behind even standard-pressure Roberts loads. I load heavier bullets to regular 250 Savage speeds, because that's plenty and the lower pressure babies my rifle.

I had the chamber neck cut so I can form 25-308 directly from Winchester 308 or Rem 7-08 cases just by sizing. And now there are 260s (which came about after I'd built my 25-308). So brass is abundant no matter how we look at it.

'Sides, anybody can have a Roberts. I'm the only kid on my block to have a 25-308!

I have a 250 Savage in a left hand NULA.

Easy to load and shoot, and very accurate and effective.

It's a sweetie.

Steve

A little trip down memory lane, Bob Milek used the tidy little 250 Savage, out of the Remington XP100 pistol, with great effectiveness on lots of mule deer, etc.
Seems to be another of the modest rounds that time and time again proves itself to be a great hunting round.

The 250-3000 is a nice cartridge, but pretty limited if you don't load your own, since the only U.S. factory ammo options are the 100 grain loads from Remington and Winchester/Olin. For the average guy, the 243 is clearly more practical, but for the "Rifle Looney", the 250-3000 has a nostalgic feel to it that makes it different/special.

Other than in the Savage 99, the 250-3000 has never been widely chambered, either in action types or manufacturers. Nobody ever cataloged semi-auto or pump guns in 250-3000. Lots of different manufacturers cataloged the 250-3000 in bolt guns, but other than the Ruger 77, they generally disappeared before too long. Pre-'64 Winchester 70s in 250-3000 are rare. Remington only chambered the 700 in 250-3000 as a 1-year Classic. Only Ruger has embraced the 250-3000 over an extended period, but not continuously. Savage has also been in and out of the 250-3000 business with the 110 series.

The 250-3000 was designed almost 100 years ago, introduced in 1915, and was a great match for the 99 and 1920. The 1920 failed to capture the public's interest, so it was superseded by the 40/45 Super Sporters that were chambered for the 2 most popular cartridges of their day, the 30-30 and 30-06, in addition to the 250-3000 and 300 Savage. Even with the advantage of being chambered for the 30-30 and 30-06, the 40/45 Super Sporters were never very popular and many people, even "Rifle Looneys", have never seen or owned 1. Only the Savage 99 was continuously chambered for the 250-3000 from 1915 thru 1961/62, with time out for WW1 and WW2, and again from 1970/71 thru 1981/82.

Regarding the Ruger #1, from a practical POV, I can't think of a rifle less optimally suited for the 250-3000. Why chamber a single shot falling block rifle without COAL limitations for a short cartridge?

JEff

PS - I think that in bolt guns, the nicest 250-3000s have been the Savage 1920, not the 20/26, the Ruger 77RL & 77RSI, and the 1986 Winchester/USRA 70 Lightweight Carbine. The Winchester/USRA 70 even looks like a current version of the Savage 1920 if you swap the barreled action into a 70 FWT stock. A sweet little rifle that is light to carry, a dream to shoot, and has all the right curves in all the right places.

FWIW, the 257 Roberts will fit and feed through the staggered box magazines of the 99C and 99CD, although not as a factory specs option.

JEff

Regarding the 25-284, it is and remains a great .257" bore cartridge, even if nobody is banging the drum for it. No more a "fad" than it ever was, just not a cartridge that will ever be commercialized, like a lot of other wildcats and cartridges that have been superseded by newer cartridges that fill the same niche and have elbowed out the older cartridges that are their performance equals.

JEff

I have a .250-3000 in a Sav Mod 99 that was made in 1919 and has very nice wood. In my opinion it is a much better deer/black bear cartridge than the .24 cals and it was proven in Canada and the north country years before the .257 Roberts or WBY. Mahap the best ladies/child big game cartridge.

I think you need a Barrett 50 BMG, myself. That is way mo' betta than your ho-hum 9.3x62... or anything else in your gun cabinet, for that matter.

I'd love a nice lightweight bolt gun chambered for the little 250 Sav. I have a 6mm-250 that does very nicely even though it isn't a .243 Win. After having chrono'd loads through it next to my buddy's .243 Win, I can't imagine an animal that'd know the difference between the two.

Of course I don't come from the "more is always better" school of thought, and as others have stated the 250-3000 is "just enough" not only for killin' but also to make the practice a whole lotta fun!

Every year, I bend the ears of the reps at Brownchester, Ruger and Savage to come out with a downsized youth/lady/small people rifle in 250 Savage. To date, only Ruger and Savage have shown any interest whatever, and that only verbal -- probably to get rid of me. They all repeat that "no interest and no ammo" line but it's a chicken/egg deal: if there were rifles, both ammo and interest would blossom.

I still firmly believe that a Browning MicroHunter 250 would be an ideal rifle, as would any similar rifle from another maker. The few rifles that have been chambered in it sold out immediately, and very few of them show up in used racks. That's the best evidence that strong interest does exist.

I got into reloading when I was 12, 'cause I couldn't buy factory ammo that suited my needs for the 219 Zipper, 250-3000, 7x57, and 30-40 Krag rifles that I wanted to shoot. My friends with 222s, 22-250s, 243s, 30-30s, and 30-06s didn't share that problem and, probably because of the easy availability of factory ammo, never became reloaders or "Rifle Looneys".

The "Chicken/egg" or "Egg/chicken" thing has killed many a good cartridge. If you can't buy either, or both, in a high volume retail outlet, the chances of reaching a self-sustaining critical mass of enough rifles in circulation to sell enough factory ammo is slim. See the 260 as a prime example.

JEff

A #1A is a handy, compact rifle, yet still offers a 22" tube. It's not on my "buy" list yet, but lots of folks seem excited to get one. You can of course do anything you want with bullet weight or seating, as long as the round will chamber. Last, if one is inclined to load warmer than factory, it's better in a #1 than a fine old Savage.

When I worked for a hardware store/gun shop, I heard many customers say about how accurate their .250 Savages were. I thought how accurate would a 40XB Rangemaster be in that caliber. I wasn't disappointed!

I have one too...

R R - Yes, there's a statement made when people don't turn loose of a gun/caliber. Also seen in the Rem M 6 270 w. When I was hitting every gun show from Memphis - Ft Worth - Tulsa, the only ones I saw were 1.FEW 2. Poor Condition.

Back to this thread (250 Savage); in 39 yrs. of deer hunting from Ark,La, Miss, & Alabama, I've ONLY SEEN 2 used by deer hunters. One was Savage 99 the other Savage M20. That says volumes to me.

I like, appreciate, & love some of the RIFLES mentioned in this thread. The best that I can say for the cartridge is; I never had a desire to own one. HO HUM ! !

243 fills the same niche now, with even more versatility on the low end.

D D - I would think the 243 has more versatility from the low end--in the middle-- & the hi end.

Nothing is wrong with any of the calibers listed. All do a fine job and if that makes one happy so be it.............
but the cool factor definitely goes to the 250-3000.

Don't dismiss the 250 in a Savage Model 14 American Classic. These rifles are some of the most accurate, out of the box, I've ever owned. Make dandy varmint guns too.

How can you call that accurate? You missed something as big as a dime? LOL

y'll got me sweaty like,I'm going to shoot my Ruger 77RL .250 in the morning....JB may wish he never sold that one!>

What the hey is that critter, olgrouser? We ain't in KS, Toto. It looks like a Texas prarie dog.

I'll bet it's a yellow-bellied Marmont...

The Ruger #1s in 250-3000 are a Lipsey's special non-cataloged limited run of 250(?), so not many people are going to have the opportunity to buy 1. Since Lipsey's won't do business with small, non-stocking, dealers, I won't do business with Lipsey's, regardless of what special runs they get Ruger to build for them.

The only Ruger #1 that I've owned with a 22" tube was a 7x57 and I recall that it didn't balance particularly will with that short, light, barrel. I must admit that I have been thinking about building a new 256 Newton on a stainless/laminated Ruger #1, but not with a 22" barrel.

I currently have around 80 rifles chambered in 250-3000, mostly pre-WW1 1899s and pre-WW2 99s, 1920s, and 20/26s, but only shoot 3 of them; a Remington 7 with a 24" 700 Classic barrel, a Ruger 77 RSI, and a Winchester/USRA 70 Lightweight Carbine with a 70 Fwt stock. For some reason, Winchester/USRA made this 1986/87 run of rifles with 1-14" ROT barrels, even though no U.S. ammunition manufacturer had cataloged an 87 grain 250-3000 factory load for at least a decade.

JEff

Since the 1940s, several members of my family have carried the 250 Savage in the northwoods of MI, MN and WI. They were outnumbered by the 30, 32, 35 and 38 cartridges, but they never felt undergunned, taking Black bear and Whitetails. Couple of great Uncles shot several wolves.

I carry on the old family tradition and I am an equal opportunity hunter with the 250....I shoot dinks.



I shoot larger deer.



And some larger yet with the 250



A plus with the 250 is it can be found in a neat little saddlegun.

That Savage is a sweet shooter, and the operator did a nice job in both pics.

I bought a M70 in 7/08 when they did a ltd. run in a PF action, 20" bbl/syn stock/matte. Those were also made in 257 Roberts and 250 Savage, not sure but believe they twisted 1 in 10."

Cajun Blake is a real Looney, has a 25BR, gives similar ballistics, won't see one of those in the woods.

I think Steve Timm had an AI built and his wife flattened some deer w/it using 100 blue tips.

260 R G - No wonder I have only seen 2 hunters w/250s in 39 yrs.

You own the majority of the rest made. <G> = grin.

I'm glad there are those who buy,own,shoot, & hunt 250s; that makes for less competition on the calibers I like.

I have several 250s and find them to be a well balanced, pleasant round to use. My first CF rifle was a 257 Robts and I've found the 7m-08 to be an excellent round. However, my last hog was taken was with a 300 Sav, and it's shotgun only for deer in the area where I live --- so a 20 ga gets the nod most of the time.

I got to shoot an ancient Savage 20 not long ago. Had a horrible trigger. But the rifle was one those that made me feel that the guy who designed it knew something about making light, handy rifles. That's from a guy that has turned to custom rifles to get just the right combination of features in his light rifles.
The .243 is "better ?" I've watched the .243 in action quite a bit. I talked my ex-wife into one. What impressed me right from the start about the 250 was it kicks even less and has not as much muzzle blast. That's from less powder and less pressure. Nice to have, even for those of that can shoot a .257 Roy.
One of things that came to me very slowly over the years is that more is not always better when it comes to rifles. Particularly if you appreciate a light, handy rifles. That's why so many still use and appreciate old rounds like the .250 Savage, the .35 Remington, and the 7X57. E

History, nostalgia, or genuine usefulness are the only reasons one needs to want or love a given rifle/round. The little 250 Savage fills all three of those checkboxes in spades.

May it live forever.

In the last six years I picked up a Ruger M77 in a .25-06, a Ruger No. 1-A in a .257 Roberts, and Ruger Ultra-Lite in a .250 Savage. I have grown to love my .25's. My grandson may get the .250 Savage this year.

Just noticed a NIB model 7 Rem MS 250 from their custom shop on Gunbroker. I'd like to own that one. Some of you guys need it I know.

Amen, Rocky. From my grandfather's 99 through a 700 Classic and a Dakota Alpine, with a side trip to a .250AI in a Model 70 compact classic, the little round is just right. And from the 700, 75gr V-max run at 3415fps and 100gr Hornadys do 3003, with sub-minute of groundhog accuracy to well past 300yds in both loads. As my Dad said about the 99, "This gun doesn't go 'bang!' It goes 'meat!'" and so do it's stable mates.

works for me.

Sycamore

Great summation Rocky.

And if you were of a generation now just about gone, it wasn't the .250 Savage , but the .250-3000 Savage. It made history, albeit with an 87 grain bullet.

I had my NULA in 250 Savage built in 2003, it sure is a fine rifle. Flat out deadly too...

Better?...no, some guys just need a whore to get it done.

Is tha NULA left handed? looks sweet! bet its a shooter too!

Just to enlighten readers of this thread. I have harvested nine deer with the 250 Sav. I currently own two rifles so chambered including a very accurate Ruger ultra light. Yes it is very accurate with right load combination, has very mild recoil and truly in the category of "enough". It is enough for deer and below, but not varmints and above. I have experienced issues with bullet expansion at the low impact velocities at longer ranges. Balistic tips have mostly solved the issues.

In my older age, experience (55 Years of hunting) tells me that I prefer to hunt with cartridges that are more than "enough".

So true AlabamaEd!!

I'm thinking seriously about selling my Darling.

AlabamaEd,

You know much more about the 250 Sav than most. Did you get your original question answered? Why so many like the cartridge? You apparently like it well enough to own two rifles so chambered.

In summary, it's a nostalgia thing. The "cool" factor. If somebody isn't into tradition, history and nostalgia, then they aren't going to get that part of it.

If someone wants "the latest thing", or the biggest and baddest cartridge, then they obviously should look elsewhere.

If one wants just one gun for everything, "varmints and above", they should look elsewhere.

If one doesn't handload, they should look elsewhere.

There isn't any special magic hidden in the 250 Sav. Facts are facts and physics is physics. But they are fun and sweet and honest and easy to load and shoot well with. The history is unique and very interesting. Whenever I take one of my 250 Savages out to the range or the field I know I am going to have a fun and rewarding day. That is what it's all about for me.

Best Wishes,

The best thing about a 250 savage are its step children the 22-250 ,6MM- 250 and 6.5 Creedmoor.

I like analogies.

Why would anyone want to own a late 1950's Ford Thunderbird? Very impractical. A dozen other vehicle choices would make so much more sense.

But "We'll have fun, fun, fun, 'til her daddy takes the T-bird away !"

Yes Sir shes a lefty, and a shooter...

saddlering - no it's not left handed; it is right handed except the bolt handle is on the LEFT side of the receiver. LOL

edited for spelling JW

Alabama Ed - "cartridges that are more than enough", them's my sentiments too.

Another 250-3000 fan here. My first introduction to the cartridge was my X's dads custom comercial mauser, Buhmiller barrel, set trigger and realy nice wood. Watched the man work magic in the MN woods with that rifle, and I got to spend alot of time with it working up loads for hime for predator hunting.

Found a rough old 1920 but since my cataract surgery I can't shoot open sights very well so it's sitting in the safe waiting for a decision.

Just sold my 99 TD , getting too heavy.

Built a Stevens 200 250-3000, 20" barrel, SSS trigger, Elite 4200 1.25x4x24mm just perfect for calling preds out here on the penninsula. 75gr X-bullets for the small stuff and 117gr RN for the bigger stuff.



I have a lot of faith in the ballistics of the 250 and when i was looking to build a little rifle for whitetails I built a 25-204 Ruger(257 Kimber clone) with 100gr bullets at 2800fps I wasn't disapointed it works just as well as the oldtimer.

Is that special for wolf hunting?

My 257 Roy certainly has the "cool Factor" and it is always "more than enough".

As I posted earlier,I shot my .250 Ruger RL this morning before the heat set in. I tried 4350 and 117 grs,under an inch and I would have a couple nice targets to show off,however as we were packing to leave,my bud walked down range and stopped at 10 feet and unloaded his new .45 all over,including my paper target!! Damn him,plus my 6.5 Creedmore targets !! We fussed all the way home!
but,I'm happy with the results I saw!

Alabama Ed - Yeah, that Roy is more than 'adequate'.

So is 25-06, 270, etc. Why "settle"?

Well.....

"Adequate" is adequate.. isn't it..?

When one has to gloat in numbers of rifle/cartridge combinations beyond "adequate" as some sort attempt to demean a different cartridge that IS adequate, then I have to wonder if it is because of their inability in the field that is lacking or if its driven by their attempt to stroke their own ego for reasons of other insecurities.

Sooooooooooooo..???

Once one gets beyond "adequate" does he have something that is "better" than adequate..?

If so, than "better" at what..?

-Better at raising the sound decibels and promoting hearing damage..? Yup.
-Better at causing more damage to the animal than necessary and wasting otherwise edible meat.? Yup.
-Better at...."(Go ahead, fill in the blank)"

The 250-300 is adequate and always will be, that makes it "Darling."

OK, I'll play. For deer hunting inside 250 yards, which for me covers most of it, the 250 is more than enough. Not that it wouldn't handle farther shots, because it will, I just like to use it for medium range deer hunting. Low recoil, low noise, dead animals. Whats not to like?

250 ain't even close to not being adequate. No settling with it, hell the 250AI is my BIG gun for the times I think a 223AI won't do it.

What bullet do you run most out of that rifle SH? And have you used the 75gr. stuff? What speeds did you get?


Thanks,
Travis

I run 85gr X bullets in one and 100gr TSX and 110gr Accubonds in the other.

Oops I meant to load the pic of the 250AI.....my bad.

I'm good with the other pic

Lol......thought u might be....grin.

Slung these from 250AI..?

You better have a smooth barrel for those.

They stabilize.......:)

Kaleb- Nice, tried snagging #250 Alpine but was up to 257....passed.

Did you get that no. by chance - 250?

No I'm not sure what number it is?.......never thought about it till now. That would be cool though

When I was a teenager I started looking for a shotgun and studied all the gun catalogs I could find or send off for. I would not hunt with a rifle for a number of years, yet as soon as I saw the Savage 99A in their catalog I was smitten and wanted to own one. Since I got mine I have found the 250 Savage to be an accurate, easy-to-shoot, and effective cartridge. I guess it's no elephant gun, but it works very well for most of our game and it's a cool chambering for the Model 99 (which is in turn a real cool rifle). Yes, I really like this rifle and cartridge!

358wsm - just because I/we prefer more/bigger/better isn't any

indication of insufficiency.

1. Why drive a 70's vintage beetle when there are newer, bigger, better autos or trucks? Nostalgia - go ahead.

2. I'd offer to compare my Rack - Stack in no.'s & size to most hunters. I don't have the MOST or BIGGEST racks but respectable.

3. I'd offer to do a 400 yd shoot off vs 250/3000.

I'm secure enough in my manhood to wear PINK.

HO HUM has never interested me in anything.

Gotcha...

Well stated.

I feel the same way with my 7x57 and moreso with my 300 H&H. they are both historic, unique and very interesting.

There ya go Ed..!

You just answered your original question..

See, it's not that hard to understand, emotion often trumps fact among cartridges and rifles.

Edited to add the "smile"

Haven't seen this reason posted yet (new to the forum), but for me, the .250-3000 is my favorite because it was the very first cartridge (and gun: 99EG) that at a young age very nearly convinced me I could hit and kill anything at any range. Deer first, then Pronghorns, then Elk. Later, I found it was also "adequate" for rockchucks, coyotes and crows. I ran with a crowd of other teens that had more money, and so they had fat-barreled .243's, 22-250's and such. The .250 held its own against those guns, and turned my buddies' derisive smirks at my "antique" into sometimes not so silent admiration.

As for tiny guns that equal the '3000's velocity, I had Dennis Olson put a Lilja barrel on a Mini-Mauser (originally 7.62x39) in .25 PPC: (6PPC necked up)

I call it the .25 "Pronghorn Pursuit Cartridge".

Yes, it launches a 85g Ballistic Tip at 3000fps: the intended goal. Slightly lighter overall package than my scoped 99F.

Firearms44.

Nice little rifles aren't they? I don't see too many of them around. Yours has much nicer wood than mine.

Never really liked the 99 or cared much for the .250. It's ok I suppose. I'd rather have a .243 because I can find ammo at the Mom & Pop.

I love my 250. It does everything I need it to do for deer and black bear with a flea bite of recoil.

But I like M99s, wear pink shirts, and can find factory ammo in nearly every Mom and Pop between Presque Isle and Allagash that carries ammo.

YMMV.

JUST what I want to see!!!!!!!!!!!!! A herring choker in a pink shirt carrying a 250-3000 Savage 99...............That would totally be a man of the 21st century!!!

I've a Rem 700 at 5.5lbs, 3 position safety, ADL magazine and custom switch barrel, but best of all, it's a 250AI. Someday it'll also be a 300Sav. I'll post pics when I figure out my "new" 1950's southbend lathe and make a barrel nut.

This may seem like a self-serving question, but I REALLY would like to know............
If the .250 Savage is the darling of the Campfire, how come no one is interesting in buying the Rem Classic .250 I've had listed in the classifieds for a month?

Just asking (as humbly as possible).

elkjaeger

I have one already.

The bolt handle is on the wrong side, or else it would be at my place already...

250-3000's suck.. ain't no reason to own one.

Which means, nobody should be looking in used gun racks for them. And sell off all that you own. They're obsolete.







Introduced 40 years before the 243, and capable of doing just as much. Take a 243 to the range and everybody goes, "Ho hum". Take a Savage 1920 or 1899 in 250 to the range and you'll have all the old timers coming over to drool and reminisce. The only downsides to this cartridge is the rate of twist in older rifles is 1 in 14" which makes for lightweight bullet selection (thank you Speer for 87gr Hot Cores!), and the lack of choice in factory cartridges. It's extremely easy to reload for though with common H4895 being perfect for this round.

It isn't just the "Campfire's Darling", check out the premium given to anything in 250-3000 when you find them on a gun rack. A whole lotta folks love them.

99EG, 99F, 99A (the 70's "repro" carbine), M700 Classic. So, I guess my reasons are the same as Mathman and Calhoun for not jumping on the Classic for sale.

"I will hug her and love her and pet her and squeeze her, and keep her for my very very own."

elkjaeger,

it's because you aren't in Canada...

The last Rem 250 Classic I missed is shooting sub .250" for it's new owner

CALHOUN - I really like the sound of your handle.

Great pics of some CLASSY rifles.

1. Question - Can any of your 250/3000s reach 3100 fps w/100 gr. bullets.

I've had several 243 Wins that DID. Don't know about pressures,

BUT no expanded primer pockets, no stiff bolt lift, no blown primers, no recalcitrant (not a gun writer - learned g w lingo)
extraction,

and NEVER blew any gun up!

If your 250s can do that, I'd agree the 250s can do as much as a 243 W.

jwall-

Not to start a fight (well, maybe just a little ), but has any deer you've killed with your 100 at 3100 fps, would they have been less dead if shot by a .250 running not quite as fast? Is it the final destination or the journey to get there?


All in good fun of course.

Cause I've got a Classic .250 barrel thats been mounted to a Mauser action. But I've still looked and thought and tried to decide if I could swing two rifle purchases in a month without a divorce.

Another thing to add some perspective.

Here in the North East I take a lot of deer inside of 100 yards, and some close to 4x that distance, but most of them are well within 100 yards.

The 250-3000 Savage hits with the about same velocity and energy at 100 yards as does my 25-06 AI at 350 yards.

When my 25-06 AI connects with a Whitetail at 350 yards the results are hardly "HOO-HUM."

Just some perspective.

jwall: my question would be why push a 243 that hard? Does the extra 100fps kill any better, is 1" less drop at 300 yards significant? gack, gack

The 250-3000 was my first deer rifle,still have a couple of them. Have shot several mule deer and blacktails with them,and all but one were one shot kills.I think its a great cartridge used within its range.

In my opinion:

Some things in life are just plain cool.

Some do things far better than they should or would be expected.

Some things don't need justification.

To me that is the 250 Savage.

Its like the old saying, plain and simple,
For those who understand, no words are necessary.
For those who don't, no words are enough.

Well put.

For various reasons I currently own 6 road vehicles. Three of them say "Jeep" on the vehicle somewhere. Of course I know there are better vehicles available, at least for certain purposes, but it is a "Jeep" thing, and a family tradition.

Same with Harleys. I once owned two at the same time, for no good reason.

I have read something to the effect that one should not try to own too many things as the possessions will wind up owning you. Don't try to impress others. Rather , please yourself. Decide what things really give you pleasure, then try to surround yourself with those (fewer) things, and enjoy them to the fullest.

I have learned in recent years that having more guns gives me less pleasure than having fewer guns (within reason) that give me more pleasure. The 250 Savage falls right into that category for me, and explains my screen name. I am glad that others can enjoy other chamberings as much as I enjoy the 250 Sav, even if it is a .243. I have some other gun/cartridge combinations that I take great pleasure in also, but in those cases it is more the rifle itself that I am focused on then the particular cartridge it is chambered in.

So, maybe it's just a Jeep thing?

southtexas & Cheesy - I've been gone all morning on my cycle.

No desire or intent to quarrel.

TO ME - 100 gr .243 vs 87 gr .257 @ 3100 fps = higher bc & sd, flatter trajectory - higher retained vel. = MORE impact energy = greater terminal performance (given = bullet construction).

IMO, it's NOT JUST THE SAME. No one has to agree.


HAPPY 4th of JULY, we have the freedom to DISAGREE ! !

I'm building a 250-3000 on a small ring Peruvian. Was a large ring, small thread. Waiting on Duane Wiebe to finish building bottom metal for me. Why? Because I just want one.
Butch

butch - 10/4 That's all it takes.

I've HAD rifles, handguns, & motorcycles just because I wanted.

The only person UNHAPPY was my WIFE.

HAPPY 4th of July

If you can't kill a deer with a 250/3000, it ain't the cartridge but it's the user. Very much akin to making the wife happy, apparently ....

jwall, I never felt the need to load my 243's to max or uber-max loads when I hunted with it and 95gr Partitions. Deer died even with lower loads. I never load my 250's to max either, and on the antelope hunt the critters died with that.

If you REALLY want to compare, it looks like the 243 will push a 100gr about 100fps faster than a 250-3000 will. If you're the type who is convinced that 100fps is the difference between a dead critter and wounded critter, then stick with the 243.

Older 99's won't shoot the 100gr bullets well, so then you're at the 87gr bullet. And you know what, deer will die just fine with those. The bolt actions will shoot 100gr or heavier just fine, and the deer die fine with them.

I wonder why you use the 243 since you're hung up on power and sd and velocity? Seems you'd go at least with a 7mm08, or maybe even a 35 Whelen?

I got to quit reading this or I'm going end up wanting to keep
The .250 Classic. Tough to find ammo or even brass around here though. It's definitely a cartridge with character!

I'd keep it, its a great rifle and cartridge...

Calhoun - I would be glad to DISCUSS the 243 hand loads and pressures as well as NOT so much as power AS trajectory,& terminal performance.

I am NOT interested in arguing, fussing, name calling etc.

If you'd like to discuss these things I would start another thread on that subject.

This one is about the 250/3000. Let me know.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

So now I got an itch to get a Model 7 SS in .250S to match the wife's 99.....


.... but since that will be out for a while, the 99 will go on my sheep hunt this fall.

I have a Remington 7 parts gun in 250-3000, using a 700 Classic barrel. I also have the twin to it in 300 Savage, also using a 700 Classic barrel.

JEff

Another vote for keeping it. Mine is a shooter for sure, effective on groundhogs to whitetails with a nice pronghorn thrown in. I've loaded for the .243 in a couple friends' rifles, and it's just another .308 case. The Savage has style all its own.

I took mine out on the weekend looking for a deer but scored a red fox instead.

The 250 Savage is powerful enough for deer and other game (within range limitations) and is less noisy than the belted magnums. Recoil is very manageable for kids and small folks. It deserves to be a darling.

I have two small ring 98 Mexican Mausers with very nice wood. One will be built for my grandson, the other for me. I was perfectly content with sticking to the 7X57, but now you all have me thinking of a re-barrel to 250-3000 or possibly 257 Roberts. Which do you think would be best for my grandson, or even for my wife until the grandson comes of age? I will leave mine original.

7x57!!

Deer rifles start and stop with 25 calibers

I will probably turn one of them into a featherweight, so I was thinking the recoil would be less with the 250. He will start hunting with me when he is 6, and my wife is not crazy about too much recoil. The 250 will likely have a bit less recoil than the Bob, I assume, though a bit less range as well. Ranges for them will be within 299 yards or so.

You will love a lightweight 250 Savage. If you go that route you will have an excellent varmint walk-about rifle, also. I bet you will find that the 250 Sav. gets shot about four times as much as the bigger rifle. Have fun.

What twist? 1 in 10"? Would that not work for the 100-1120 gr range of bullets as well as the 87's?

Definitely do 1 in 10" twist.

I would go 1-9 if available from your favorite barrel maker. Not all of them make 1-9s.

Thanks. I know the lighter bullets will probably work for the grandson when he first starts out...recoil wise...and for practice, but the heavier bullets would be for the actual hunt. Recoil does not exist when a big buck comes ambling through.

Thanks.

1-9" twist all the way, forget the 1-10" twist, that's for old men.

Yes, I am an old man, but...
1:10" was standard for the past 50 years. Before that it was 1:14" which frequently wouldn't stabilize 100 gr bullets or heavier. However, bullets today keep getting longer, with less or no lead, and plastic tips. I believe today I would go with 1:9" twist. Todays plastic-tipped bullets are so well made that there is no worry about over-stabilizing them in faster twist barrels, especially in a 250 Savage.

On the other hand, I have never encountered a problem with 1:10" twist in 250 Sav, but I really don't go any heavier than 100 gr in the 250. I have a friend that uses 115 gr for deer in his Ruger UL 250 Sav with no problem, and very accurate with conventional cup and core soft-points. The 1:10 twist is standard, so to speak. If 1:9 was a much more expensive option I would be happy with a 1:10 twist. A happy old man.

Hope that helps a little. Have fun.

The 250 may be a sweet cartridge, the savage 99 has a horrible trigger(IMO), making it difficult to shoot accurate.

Yeah, but my tuned up 700 Classic has a sweet trigger and accuracy wise I could use it to take money off guys who aren't familiar with what a "little" 6x scope can do at 300 yards.

243 is a much better hunt round

I may or may not agree depending on the particulars of the situation. What do you have in mind?

I've hunted quite a bit with both the .243 and .250, and so far haven't seen any difference in the way they kill deer and pronghorn.

shrike,

A lot of 99's do have mediocre triggers, but in the older rifles (pre-million serial numbers) they're REALLY easy to fix. I've probably done a dozen myself. I found out how from a fine book on home gunsmithing by Roy Dunlap. You don't even have to take the trigger apart, just remove the buttstock.

The post-mil triggers aren't as easy to work on, but they can be helped considerably as well.

14 thousandths of an inch difference in diameter really smacks [bleep] harder. Of course a 243 with a longer barrel might hit harder, as longer barrels always hit harder.

But the 243 has access to so much higher BC bullets, which everyone knows are a requirement to kill game in this day and age .

As for the 250, I like it quite a bit, though mine is in Ackley Improved form.

Once upon a time, I engaged in a bit of an informal shooting match with my 250. I was fireforming rounds in the AI chamber, using 87 grain HP TNTs chugging along at 2800 fps or so. Long story short, a fellow with a new custom 7mm Mag long range special weighing about 13 lbs. was humbled when I hit targets as far away as he could (800 yards or so).

I was thinking the other poster may have had a long range situation in mind where a fast twist 6mm and a long sleek bullet could have some advantage in the wind.

For my purposes, when I've been out with my 250 shooting 100 grain Ballistic Tips or Interlocks at 2950 fps I don't recall thinking "I wish I had my 243 right now". Of course, when I was out with my 243 I didn't pine for my 250 either.

Though I quickly became a big proponent of the high BC 6mm bullets after shooting enough of them, I still can't think of a hunt that I wouldn't take a good 25cal rifle on. Whether it be a 25-284, 25/06, 25/06 AI, 257 AI, 257 Weatherby, etc, they certainly hold a place in my heart for killing stuff.

A lightweight 25 is a great thing to have.

No way is the .243 better - for me......by default, as I own not one .243 but several .250-3000s. in fact building a custom M700 in one right now. I have nothing against the .243 just doesn't trip my trigger (so to speak)......probably much like some men prefer blonds over brunettes or redheads or??

PennDog

I have three 25's at the preset. 257 AI , 25-06 , 257 STW, may build me a 250 Sav. haven't owned one since the early 70's wish i had keep it. It was a Clerke Single Shot in 250 Sav, copy of the Win Hi-Wall. The last kill i made with that rifle that i can remember was a Big Redtail Hawk at around 250 yards sit on a old dead snag . He went down in a puff of Feather

one of the advantages that the .250 sav has over the .243 is that the cartridge looks better ...

What looks really badass is a 300 Savage with a long seated Berger VLD hanging out of it. I have a 700 Classic that loves them.

Mathman, that reminds me, I still need to try out the 168 A-Max in the .300 Sav.

Chalk me up as another fan of the .250 Savage. A 100gr Partition at +2800 fps is a fine game load.

At least he isn't shy about sharing it............................................... You can surely count on him for that.

I have an ULA 250 Savage and it is way under-powered for even the small deer in West Virginia.

Fortunately for me, the WV deer,or the much larger Wyoming deer, don't know that, and they tend to drop dead on the shot.

I think I'm very fortunate that they can't read and get on the internet. Otherwise, they would probably still be alive.

Steve

Yes, yes and YES!

I ran across a nice 110J last fall chambered in 250. It had a nicely figured walnut stock and was a bargain at $350. I ended up pimping a friend that is recovering from rotator cuff repair and was looking for a light kicker into buying it . I told him to shoot a couple of deer with it and if he wasn't satisfied I'd buy it from him.

This is my old Peruvian Mauser in 250.

Stock by Jim Kobe, most metal work by me, and some by Darwin Hensley.
I will not claim a 300yd shot. Probably 125yds.

Love that rifle Butch.....

What gorgeous animal, and gorgeous gun.

My 250 works great with 75g NBT

I remember a quote from ED Matunas, In his book cartridges of the world " one of the all time greats, when it comes to accuraccy!"

I always thought the 257Roberts was the "Darling of the Campfire".


.

Thinking about getting a Savage 12 BTCSS in 250 Savage chambering from their custom shop & I believe the ROT would be 1-10 through a 26" barrel.

Would it be a pain in the butt due to having to start hand loading the cartridges? Yup.

Would it be a 'Walking gun"? Absolutely NOT! Way to much barrel weight for that but I'm getting to old to do anything but hunt from a stand anyway so that's not an issue.

Would it be accurate? Remains to be seen but my feeling is it will probably drive tacks out to 400Yds maybe even further with the right weight/load and scope.

Would it be about the coolest thing on the firing line? Absolutely!

Its that or the Savage 12 VLP DBM in 30-06. Ain't made up my mind yet, either way it will come from the custom shop and like a post I read on the forums here & elsewhere the lady that answered the call is about the most helpful and professional lady I have ever dealt with & I told her so & it MADE HER DAY to inform her about the nice things I have read about her on the net.

Have owned a Model '54W, a Ruger RSI, a Model 20, and now a 250AI built on a Brazilion '94 action. Unbelievable ballistics from the Model '54 w/24in barrel and 4831sc. My now rifle has accumulated many Texas whitetails w/the old 90gr Barnes X. Only have 9 left so would give anything to find another box. Has an old Signature Safari Burris 6x scope and cannot imagine a better tool for any Texas hunting. 3250fps w/ a Barnes any grain bullet is very lethal. powdr

250-3000 Savage - quiet, light recoil and effective on deer sized game. That's why it's considered highly.

My 250-3000. This is cut and pasted from the "ugly/beat-up working rifles" thread.

My entry�..das frankenmauser. An interesting rifle built by my shade tree gunsmith buddy. The barrel was found in a pile of barrels somewhere in TN. According to the markings, including strike throughs, it started life as a 22 Hornet on a M54 Winchester�.was then rechambered to 22 Wasp�.then rebored and rechambered to 25-35. The barrel threads were so buggered when Andrew found it that it was unusable as a large shank. Andrew turned the entire bbl down to a feather weight contour and rethreaded it for a small shank mauser action. Since he just happened to have a large ring, small shank Turkish mauser action, he rechambered it to 250-3000 and screwed it on. The military stock was then cut down for sporter use, a Timney trigger added along with a Ruger No. 1 recoil pad and barrel band sling mount. The bottom metal is from an FN.

Andrew added a side swing safety and used it a couple of years killing several deer with it. Then he decided I needed it. He knows I like totin� stuff in the woods that nobody else has and, believe me, there ain�t another one like this anywhere around. It shoots under 1.5MOA. I only got it at the end of last season and I was not lucky enough to see a deer the couple of times I took it. Just wait til next year.

It is great to see old guns, and even parts, getting put back into service.

I have a retired gunsmith friend that is famous for helping young people in his church get started in hunting guns this way.

Others donate broken guns and parts knowing that someday they will come back to life and be appreciated again.

I plead guilty to being an occasional donor in this conspiracy.

The .250 is cool. I have a .300 Savage model 99 featherweight, and always watched for a nicer .250 to acquire. While shooting the .300 one day, I decided it was perfectly nice to shoot just as it is with a medium charge of H4895 and a 150 gr bullet. So I will be happy to save a few $$ and just stick with the also-cool .300 Savage chambering. Until my next weak moment, I suppose, when there is a neat .250 in front of me and I am unable to remember that I don't need one.

you right, the .300 is good. the .250 is my favorite, though.

I have a 99F in 250-3000 I bought from a guy in Maine about 10 years ago. It is a cool little round. No deer I've shot with it has gone more than 40 yards. I shoot the Rem 100 gr PTSP and it's been very accurate.

It does put a little bigger hole in animals than a 243 or 6mm and can shoot a heavier bullet to mention a couple of pluses. Always wanted to try some 117 gr RN Hornadys in it but haven't felt the need.

My Dakota in .250-3000:



And the 700 Classic:

Just had one built. It doesn't really fit conventional styles but hey, it blows my hair back.

I recently had Tony Small, my gunsmith rebuild my 250 Savage varmint rifle into a stalking rifle.

All three of my custom rifles by Tony have the same stock dimensions and shape. Only the forends and weight for each rifle differs. I contributed many parts and ideas and Tony turned it into a rifle I have wanted for many years. This should have been my first custom rifle, however dreams and trips to Africa and NZ put those plans and finances on hold.

Pictures and captions tell a story quicker than typing it out.

Barrel was a special order .25 cal �Lothar Walther 1 in 10" profiled blank. They don't make a .257" so it cost a bit more than their pre-chambered barrels. A 250-3000 reamer proved to have a short throat (for 87 grainers) so delivery was delayed while Tony ordered a throat reamer. It now has a +0.035" longer throat for 100 and 120 grain projectiles. Tony suggested a lighter profile and I should have listened to him. This is quite heavy and with mild loads won't warm up till 9-12 rounds have gone down the barrel.



Tonys stock cradle. Wood came from a random block of Queensland Maple. I wanted a little bit of Australia in this rifle and Qld Maple appears in a lot of WWII SMLE .303's. Not a wood like walnut, but with a battle proven pedigree.


Raw stock with pre-fit grip cap. Packmayr recoil pad.


First coat of oil. Not much detail


Trigger guard recontoured with older floorplate (replaced with a new one)


Butter knife bolt handle in the white.


Ten coats of hand rubbed oil and one of stock wax.
[img]http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r568/Campcamel/P5260007_zpsee81b6d7.jpg[/img]

Recknagel front sling wivel, custom contoured
[img]http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r568/Campcamel/IMG_4734_zps3671b9b3.jpg[/img]

Dakota Arms sling swivel, inletted. No engraving on this rifle. Kept in plain, black and Maple.
[img]http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r568/Campcamel/IMG_4730_zps21771ea6.jpg[/img]

The Underbelly. Trigger is a Sako. Balance is just behind the front action screw.
[img]http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r568/Campcamel/IMG_4732_zps89c57de0.jpg[/img]

Not shown are the action screws which were made from scratch, indexed and the rear screw head contoured to fit the curve in the metalwork. The rifle is finished in Tony's magnificent rust blue.
First group post sight in, a load of 33 grains of 2208 under 100 grain Sierra SptBt's went 0.90". It's a shooter.

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

Thats a good looking rifle! Old people like me really like blueing and wood.

Now that is a working rifle. Proves that well-crafted simplicity is beautiful as well as functional.

Two beautiful rifles!


The .250-3000 has always been my favorite cartridge.

I've owned and killed deer with -

Back in the 80's I had a new Savage 99A that I traded in for a Rem 700 Classic when they were first introduced (terrible mistake).

A Ruger 77 Ultralight,
T/C Encore Custom Shop rifle,
OTT custom Encore,
Savage 14 American Classic
Savage 99 R

Thinking about selling the 99 R, really wonting a 7 shot S&W 686 in .357


The .250 is perfect for southeastern whitetails, would love to build a 19" lightweight on a 700 or Model 7 action.

This Lipsey's special is my 250-3000. 35grs of Varget sends a 100gr Nosler BT along at an average of 2880 fps.

What's not to like?

Here is my Lipsey's special M77 RSI in 250-3000

It quickly turned into my favorite deer rifle. I have taken several mule deer with it out to the far side of 250 yards and have never felt "under-gunned"..

Both those Rugers are sweet. I passed on a #1 at the Pennsdale gun show in March.

I've often thought to propose a wildcat based on the 22-250 necked up to 25 caliber. Low recoil, better case efficiency, better combination cartridge, better bore to case capacity. Should prove to be a nice light whitetail and antelope cartridge and yet still be effective for varmints. You should be able to build it in a light handy rifle and still get good ballistics. What they used to call a Tabbycat wildcat. Not so much throat erosion. Wish somebody had thought of it a eighty or ninety years ago. I've always been surprised that MuleDeer didn't come up with the idea and write an article in Handloader. I think it might have caught on.
Here's a photo on mine RLS tang safety in 250. This one was taken when it first came home with me, still has its tag on. Don't see many of these, but I sure like it. The only thing that could make it better would be if the barrel were stamped 250 3000, instead of 250 Savage. I like the balance of the RLS's better than the RSI's, just me. But your mannlichers are prettier.


Bfly

Now there's a thinking rifle loony for you.

Let's jumpstart this thread. I've had a 99 eg since 1976. My step granddad left it to me. It has taken 'a few' mulies and whitetails. It wears a k4 wea er with non- centering x-hairs. (Shouldn't that be + -hairs?) Anyway I semi-retired that workhorse when I bought my .270 Ruger 77R. Over the years i became enamored wifh the sixes. Still am, but I'm rekindling the spark for the .250. I found a cherry 77R that I put a 3x9 leupold on. It is boringly accurate at about 1 1/4" groups. I haven't dove into it enough to wring it out. More recently, I bought my first hand rifle. A Rem XP-100 HB custom shop gun. It was wearing a broken Burris 3x9x hg scope, which is currently in their hands getting fixed. I am aching to get it back together and to the range. So that spark is smoldering!

Gary

The 250-3000 is one of my two favorite cartridges, the 257 Roberts being the other. Have two rifles in the 250, a 1953 M99R, and a Ruger M77 Tang Safety. Both have killed a number of deer and coyotes, the Ruger has an antelope to it's credit as well.

Last years buck, 150 yards with a 100 Interlock out of the Ruger. The bullet center punched the near shoulder, took the vessels off the top of heart, mashed the lungs and was found between the far ribs and the hide weighing in the low 60s. The buck went only 20-30 yards.
It was indeed enough!

I had two 250 savages. I sold the Ruger 77 last year. My remaining 250 is a Stevens 200 with a Midway barrel. It switches between 223 and 250 as the seasons change. Mule deer and antelope don't stand a chance against the 100gr interlock at 3000fps.

My wife is a fan of the 250 as well.


Prairie dogs don't like it much.


If I'm not mistaken, this is a 100gr interlock after going lengthwise about 6 inches down the spine of a small muley buck at about 75yds. I don't remember how much it weighed afterwords, may fifty something grains. I thought it did well all things considered.

My grandfather's 99 was the first .250 I was exposed to growing up, with Dad saying, "This gun doesn't go 'bang'. It goes 'meat'!" A 700 Classic, a Dakota 76 Alpine, and a M70 compact classic in .250AI all agree. I was told that the 700 wasn't enough gun for pronghorn on my first trip in 2001. 100gr Hornady at 3003fps disproved that thought. The 99 has 86 deer, three bear, and a horse to its credit, with all but three animals taken with 87gr bullets. (The horse was in '44, when Dad was home on leave from Italy. His stepfather couldn't stand to put it down, so Dad did the job. One shot.)

Of all the calibers I've never had, the .250-3000 is probably my favorite. If the right 99 were to come along at the right time....but it hasn't yet.

Same here. It did but we weren't fast enough. My son called me a couple months ago and said the local gun shop in Hickory NC had a 99 EG in .250 Sav for $500 complete with Leupold scope. I told him go back tomorrow and get it for me. He did and it was gone. They said it sold an hour after he looked at it the day before.

The 250 is a excellent deer round. Compared to some of the stunt shooting on this site it's literally a cannon. Seriously the sd and bc of the 100 gr. 257 hornady mirror the 150 gr 308 bullet and at 2800 fps it duplicates the trajectory of most factory 150 gr 30-06 loads for practical purposes and carries the 1000 ft lb threshold to around 300 yds. Same can be said for the roberts 120 gr compared to 150 gr. 270 at 350-400 yds.

My lone 250

Any thoughts about which scopes look best with bolt action mannlicher-stocked .250s done up as woods/stalker rifles? And that would look good with rust bluing (the rifle; I'm not going to try to rust blue a scope tube)? Ranges under 200 yards?

I have a Weaver K3 that looks "vintage classic" or something like that, but I wouldn't mind something lighter.

The only mannlicher-stocked rifles I've been around much were Ruger #1 and M77 international models. Those look balanced with a 1.5-5x or 1-4x Leupold with the straight tube. I suppose their 2.5x would be good, too. With a longer barrel .. those are 18.5" for the bolt action and 20" for the single shot .. perhaps the choice would change. I also shot with a guy who had a fixed 4x which was a good choice but I think overall I like the straight tubes best.

Tom

I had both a k3 and a k 4 ElPaso weaver on my Ruger 250 rsi and they looked good. They are the only solution I know if you want to blue a scope as they have steel or Uber. Most others have alloy tubes and blue is not much of an option . On my other rsi i used used a gloss leupold. You may prefer a matte which would look fine. A modern blued scope is going to be tuff to find though weaver did do a limited annaversary of the k4 several years ago with a steel tube.

I LOVE THE 25'S HAD 3 250-3000 BUT LIKE A DUMB ASS SOLD THEM OFF .NOW I HAVE A 25-06 BUT JUST IS NOT A 99 SAVAGE 250 . THEIR THE BEST I BELIEVE

Mine is a Remington model 7 with a 21" Hart barrel. Its a working rifle wearing the factory plastic and a VXII 3-9. Its normally a 1 - 1.5" shooter, going below an inch with its favorites, but thinks its a bench gun when fed 117gr Hornady RN.

I've sold a hell of a lot of guns. But thank goodness I never let a .250 or .300 Savage get away! I wouldn't even be on speaking terms with myself!

I can't keep a Savage 99 in 250, I always sell them, that damned slow twist is useless for me. I guess I need to buy a post-mil 250

I've had three of the post-mil 99 .250's. The first one shot pretty well, to the point where somebody else wanted it more than I did. I bought a couple more over the years, hoping they would shoot as well, but neither one was very accurate. Also owned several pre-mil 99 .250's, which all shot well, but of course only with short, light spitzers. The 100 Speer usually did OK, but one only shot decently with the 87 Speer--apparently because the twist was actually about 1-15.

I know it's probably bad juju but I've always thought of getting one and having an awesome tube screwed on one to copy the factory barrel. I like the 99 a bunch but get exactly what you're saying about not being able to shoot the heavier stuff.

MD, why did the twist rates vary so much on them? I'm assuming machines wore out but I don't really know.

my savage 99 barrelband in 250/3000 still on the job!

The 87gr Hot-core is the ticket in the old 99s. Mine shoots 1 3/4" consistently, and it hammers deer.

I've only ever owned 1 savage 99, and it's a 99R in 250 savage. It's got the slow twist, and will shoot factory 100gr corelockts about 1"-1.5". My handloads with 87gr Speer hot-cores run right around 1", usually closer to .75". It's only ever been to the range, but hopefully it gets a kill or 2 under its belt this year.

It is difficult for me to resist a good looking 250 pre-mil 99 to play with and they come and go, The post mil 99-A remains year after year and the best utility rifle I have ever owned.

I have a custom mannlicher-stocked Remington 600 in 250-3000. It shoots good, carries great and looks even better. The other 250-3000 I have is a Savage 99 TD Perch Belly stock, that I bought for my brother. It was built in 1917 and has a 1-14 twist barrel. It looks too good for a 100 year old gun. My gunsmith thinks it has been refinished. My brother was going to shoot it and make sure it functions ok, then have it tapped for scope mounts. But my brother passed away before we got to shoot it. So, it has been here in my office for the last few weeks since his funeral. Still have not decided what to do about it. Sell it and not risk shooting it. Might have to keep it if it shoots great! Shoot it and keep it as is. Shoot it and put a tang sight on it. Shoot it and have it tapped for a scope base.

Steelhead, is your 250 a SS Ruger? Looks real nice.

The Remington model 7 action seems to be a perfect platform for a light weight 250-3000. A very nice rig.

Doc

Even the slow twist should be able to handle the 80 gr. TTSX, and that bullet will handle elk and everything smaller.

Well boys, I just got today a Rem 722 in 222 Rem and this is my first 722 rifle. I think its the cat's meow. I am gonna get one in 250 Savage(if Rem ever made one) or have one rebarreled. Cool action in a cool chambering. I am also hunting down a 257 Roberts and 300 Savage. I have all my life had Weatherby and Win 70 big bores. Now time to get in with the old school lil' guys that just get er dun. I got a 6.5 Swede and my 7x57 is on lay-a-way. My summer of buying iconic nice old rifles. I think a 250 Savage would be perfect for leopard. I took mine with my 257 Weatherby at 50 or so yards. Why not the Savage. And if I cant wrangle up a 722 I can use my Dumolin Mauser Sarco action. Who does a good not over the top rebarrel and feed rails etc.. Job? Wanting a truck rifle not a $4K safe queen.

What was I thinking? a 10" twist will work, maybe even a 12" twist but prolly not a 14 or 15" twist. My .25 Souper has a 10" twist and will stabilize the 100 gr. TTSX but that is about the longest bullet it will handle. The 117 Hornady was wobbly.

Affirmative.

Negative, it will not. Not in a boat and not with a goat. The 80gr TTSX is WAY to long to work

I tried to delete this post but was denied, hence the correction.

The only regular production rifle that Remington ever cataloged in 250-3000 was the 1984 700 Classic.

I shoot the 75 grain Barnes Original X in 1-14" ROT 250-3000 and 25 WSSM barrels, but the 80 grain TTSX is just a little too long for a 1-14" ROT barrel, even when pushed at 25 WSSM speeds.

Like this?

Except that the fore-end tip on the stock doesn't look like a 700 Classic stock.

How many of you 250 savage shooters are loading the Hornady 117 gr round nose? Have found the bullet to tough for the lower velocity of the 250/3000 case?

Doc

i killed a mule deer doe with a 25/35 using the round nose 117gr bullet, at 250 yards, threw the shoulders i got good expansion the deer took a few steps and dropped, bullet left a good sized exit hole.
i think that they are excellent killer's with deep penetration. the old 257 weatherby magnum used that same bullet in there factory ammo.

Astute observation, Remguy. My old smith did the fore-end tip and grip cap with rosewood for me. I think it not only looks good, but it may have tightened up the groups, too.

I've got several .250s and a .257 Roberts. I enjoy the .250s more. Can't say why. Maybe it's the rifles. A ruger tang safety RSI and a Cooper M54 versus a Remington M7 in the Roberts. It's no problem whatsoever getting 3000fps from the 22in cooper with 100gr NBTs. To say it doesn't come close to a .308 or a 9.3X62 likes to compare apples to pigs.

Strange how one changes with experience. The older I get, the more I realize enough is enough.

Truth.

I have had problems with the 117 grain Sierra Pro Hunter coming apart on bone. 180 yards hit the neck vertabrae and completly came apart. 250 Savage hand load. Deer dropped in its tracks
however I thought the bullet was tougher.

How's the throat length on the Ruger RSI? Can you reach the lands with most bullets?

Yes, lots of room in a 250 magazine.

My RSI has a short throat, you can easily reach the lands with every bullet I've tried. I have some concern about how deep I have to seat the Hornady 117 RN. But it shoots very well.

Old70

Is there a widely accepted powder preference for the .250 with bullets 100 gr and over?

100 grains is as heavy as I go. Many powders have worked extremely well for my 700 Classic. H4895; IMR 3031, 4895, 4064, 4320; RL15; N140

H4895 hasn't been too hard to find. It meters well and produces great groups and velocity.

I second H4895 for 100gr. Bullets. Good velocity and accuracy, and very consistent. If your gun won't shoot the 100gr. Speer with 33-33.5gr. Of H 4895, I'd look for issues with the gun.

Old70

mm you guys need to look at newer powders. varget was made for the 250 savage.i am shooting 90 and 100gr bullets with 22" barrel at 3050 FPS with super accuracy.
now with reloader 17 110 gr bullets to well past 3000 FPS, want to shoot some long range varmint??? varget gets hornady 75 gr VMAX to 3470 fps at ,65"accuracy.!!
love my 2 250 savage rifles, my savage 1920 and my savage 10 i built up. im waiting on my 1:8 twist barrel to get here to replace its 1:10 barrel'
SB

I use H4350 in my 250 Savage bolt gun with 100 grain bullets for an easy 3,000 fps. I want to try StaBALL 6.5 with heavier bullets next.

I have two a Rem 700 Classic and a Ruger #1. The Rem like H380 with 100gr NBT the #1 4350 with the same bullet. If I want to jump to 110 grain bullets I grab the Roberts and 115 to 120 the nod goes to the Weatherby.

H4895, Varget, RL15, Big Game are all about perfect for 87 to 100 grain bullets with H4350 near ideal for heavier bullets.

Marketing execs like to sprinkle pixie dust on a product and call it "magical."

Who knows? Maybe they will re-invent the 250-AI Savage with a slightly bigger bore-maybe just 0.007" bigger-and call it something like, "6.5 Creedmore", and claim it is a magical 400 yard elk killer.