I haven't reloaded for the 250-3000 for awhile, but the maximum recommended loads seem conservative in respect to the 100 year old rifle that they might be fired in. Rather than push maximum loads, I prefer to use a cartridge with more case capacity, hence the 25 Souper, 257 Roberts', 257AIs, 25-284s, 25 WSSMs, and 25-06s in the rack.
I really doubt his rebarreled Sako is 100yrs old. Neither is my Cooper. 3000fps is really not hard in a modern rifle with modern powders. In fact, many of the newer powders are more consistent at normal pressure instead of being downloaded.
Sure, if you've got a questionable rifle, keep it downloaded, but there's no reason a modern rifle with modern powder shouldn't be doing 3000fps with a 100gr bullet.
And 3100fps in the Roberts is not a problem in a modern rifle. So, if you need more speed than that, sure, step up to a bigger cartridge. It's not really a fair comparison though if your going to load one modern rifle down and the other up.
Do you regularly download any other modern rifle? I don't download my 45 colt because of what a 100 year old revolver might need. Why would I do the same with any rifle? You can easily get 3000fps in a modern .250-3000, so why wouldn't you? If I need more than what the cartridge will give me, I will go to a bigger one. I just see no reason to purposefully handicap one cartridge because of what some 100 yr old rifle might need. In a modern rifle, the .250 can be loaded to the same safe pressures as all those other cartridges you mentioned.
The .250-3000 is an extremely efficient round with almost no recoil and little muzzle blast. It is a perfect match for lightweight, short action rifles for deer size game. There's just no reason to not load it to the same standard pressure in a new rifle as any other cartridge. If we were talking about a grand old 99, I'd agree to load it light. We are talking about modern rifles though. I love my cooper M54 and use it as my main deer rifle. I rarely hunt deer with anything else. I load it to a safe pressure that takes advantage of what it has to offer and enjoy the heck out of it. Same with my Roberts. At modern pressures, I've just never seen the reason to go to a bigger cartridge in the 25s.
I didn't intend to suggest that the 250-3000 should be down-loaded, I thought that I had communicated that I think that many published maximum loads for the 250-3000 are on the conservative side due to the old, mostly Savage 99s, rifles that they might be fired in. The inference being that the maximum published loads could probably be safely exceeded in a strong action in good condition. That said, it would be irresponsible for me to suggest that anyone should exceed published data. Not all people who reload ammo are competent or careful.
I have been loading for the 250-3000 for over 50 years and have around 80 rifles chambered for it, so I do have a bit of experience with it. My comments are based on my experience and my experience will be different from everybody else's. I load for accuracy, not necessarily for speed, and I have found that the best accuracy in my rifles has usually been found, with a few exception like the 25 WSSM, at less than maximum operating pressures. Also, since I have a plethora of 0.257" bore rifles chambered for ten different cartridges, I don't need to load any of them outside of their most accurate performance envelopes.
Different people with different hardware and levels of experience often leads to forming different perspectives on the same issue.
EDIT: I looked at the log books for the four rifles in 250-3000 that I remember shooting within the past five years. These are accuracy loads, not maximum velocity loads, that show no signs of pressure in these specific rifles. I am not recommending these loads to anyone.
Remington 7, 100 grains Nosler Partition, Winchester brass, CCI primer, 37.3 grains of Varget. NOTE; this is a parts gun with a 21" 700 Classic barrel.
Ruger 77 RSI, 100 grains Nosler Partition, Winchester brass, CCI primer, 35.5 grains of H4895.
Savage 1920, 87 grain Speer HotCore, Winchester brass, CCI primer, 35 grains of Varget. NOTE; this was one of Larry Koller's rifles.
Winchester 70, 90 grain Sierra BTHP, Winchester brass, CCI primer, 38 grains of Varget. NOTE; this was one of John Barsness' rifles.
