I just picked up a savage 99 with a 1 in 14 twist. Fearing it may not shoot the 100gr or heavier bullets well, and I'll need to go lighter. What would you guys recommend for PA whitetails?

Speer 87 grain SP

The hotcor?

Yes

I have used Sierra 87 grainers, with good results.

Most 1-14" ROT 99s I have owned stabilized the 100 grain Speer Hot-Cor and 100 grain Hornady Interlock Spire Point bullets. Only testing will tell.

However, the 87 grain Speer Hot-Cor is my favorite on Whitetails, infact the pre-Hot-Cor 87 grain Spitzers worked just as well.

The Speer 87 grain HotCore seems to be the consensus favorite deer bullet for the 1-14" ROT 250-3000s. While some 1-14" ROT 250-3000s will shoot some heavier bullets, all seem to shoot almost any 75 and 87 grain component bullet into good groups. If your rifle will shoot them, not all will, the 75 grain Barnes original X might be the best bullet ever made for the 1-14" .257" bore in terms of getting both maximum penetration and speed.

260Remguy:

What kind of velocities can be achieved with the 75gr Barnes in the 250 Sav?

I got 3,200+/- from a 22" barrel with H4895 in Norma cases, but I am a conservative loader. A person who is a more aggressive loader could probably get another 100 fps.

EDIT: I get 3,100+/- from a 20" barrel Winchester/USRA 70 Carbine with H4895 in Norma cases. With the same components, the 75 grain VMax runs about 50 fps slower than the Barnes.

I'll add a vote for the 100 gr Speer hot-cor with 33-33.5 gr H4895. It gets about 2800 fps and works very well on deer. Two 1-14 twist savages I've had responded to that load with 1.25" or better groups

The guys above have the advice on the bullets down.

Now... details on the gun are necessary. With a pic or three. What year, what model, etc.

Anybody ever used the Sierra 90gr BTHP on deer? I've got a pile of them that were given to me that I might try in a Ruger RL .250.

My model 1920 250 with a 1 in 14" twist will shoot the 100gr Speer Hot Cor to 1-1.5 MOA which is about the best I can to with iron sights. IMR 4350 is my powder of choice but was also the first one I tried.

Thanks for the help guys. Calhoun, I snuck some pics in down in the savage forun!

Remember, even though it might shoot OK in June in PA don't mean it will in December while deer hunting.

The wheels can really fall off a marginally stabilized bullet when the temps drop.

I have shot a number of whitetails with the Sierra 90 grain BTHP with great success, but I had two bullet failures, the bullets both came apart on contact and didn't even penetrate through the rib cage. That bad experience soured me on them, so I switched back to the 87 grain Speer HotCore in most of my 1-14" .257" bore rifles, and I no longer use them for shooting anything larger than coyotes. They are very accurate and coyote dynamite!

Ah yes, the 1950's 99R. I'm betting you're gonna love the way that shoots.

Well, I snagged some Remington factory loads, some brass, and have some 87gr hotcores on the way. Just need to laod some test rounds and make it to the range now!