I'm finding joy with CFE-223 and Varget in a couple .250-3000's (1918-vintage Savage lever gun and a Ruger No.1 re-barreled with a fast twist Douglas barrel). I think the .250 is one of those cartridges wherein given a bullet of a length suitable to its twist, one can close one's eyes and pretty much pick a powder and it'll work well.
Very interesting. Please tell us more.
I bought the rifle from the estate of an old rifle loony who wanted a #1 .250-3000 so he built one. Price was a virtual steal. It'll group 87 Speers and 100 Sierra BT's into way less than MOA, with both Varget and CFE-223- all I've tried so far. Only dislike I have is it's a 1A-length/weight barrel with a 1B forend. Call it a #1A-B. The wood is off at the moment- I'm shortening/slimming/re-checkering it and fitting an ebony tip to make it more balanced and pleasing to (my) eye. Iron sights and a barrel band sling swivel will complete the "faux 1A" look I'm striving for. Pics to follow later in the winter when she's done with her transformation. Initial trials done with a Leupold 3-9, which may or may not continue in place. I'm liking the Leupold 1.5-5 that lives on my 1A 6.5x55 so I may go that route on the .250- the little scope just looks right on that small rifle, and is certainly up to coping with the cartridge/conditions I use it in.
CFE-223 is hands-down my go-to powder with 87 Speers for the Savage Model 250-3000, 2nd Variant, 1918. 35 grains chrono's at exactly 3000 fps and slops them into a heavy MOA- MOA-and-a-half, with Lyman tang sights. Would be pure death on one of our whitetails, if I could coax one to wander in front of me while I'm carrying it!!
