Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Acquired some old 250 Savage ammo today

Maybe someone can help me date it. It is a box of Remington ammo marked "Remington Kleanbore .250 Savage Hi-Speed 100 Grain Mushroom Core-lokt Bullet". It's an old green and red box. The bullets are semi-round nose style and the point of lead is protected by the heavy-appearing jacket. The friend who gave the ammo to me thought it might even be from the 1940s, but I think it's probably newer. The ".250 Savage" name, rather than ".250-3000" makes it sound more recent than the '40s, but that's just a guess. Clearly, the round nose bullet style indicates the ammo is meant for old rifles with 1 in 14" twist rifling. I pulled a bullet and found 33.7 grains of extruded powder. I'm guessing it's IMR 3031.

Anyone have a clue when this ammo was current manufacture? I have 18 rounds left. The headstamp says "REM-UMC 250 HP".

This bullet was Remington's attempt at a controlled expansion bullet for larger game animals. The Cor-Lokt bullets were first introduced in 1938. The mushroom Cor-Lokt came at the same time. Commercial bullet and ammo production ceased during WW2 and resumed after the big war. Their regular Cor-Lokt bullets had a large exposed lead point with sculpted jacket. These expanded very fast often failing to penetrate to desired depths. These Mushroom Cor-Lokt's covered the exposed lead point with a jacket, thus allowing it to penetrate further before expansion. Remington started phasing out the Mushroom bullet in the 1950's IIRC. These bullets are highly desirable for big game hunters that prefer cup and core bullets. I have used these several times on game from antelope to bison in calibers from 250-3000 to 348 Win, and they work as advertised. I hoard my limited supply and advise anyone to do the same.

Beware old 250 ammo.Blew half my right eyebrow off!

I used these in 87 gr. To take a couple antelope.. Fun gun, nothing I would use on a serious hunt with any ammo...😏

I wouldn't use the 250 with Remington 100 grainers on anything big either. We shoot field mice out the front door of the trailer for target practice. If I have one in hand I might take a small deer with it, Joe.

I had some old Remington 250-3000 ammo split also.

We might be getting bullet types confused. Remington produced Mushroom Cor-Lokt's in 100 grain only in 25 caliber. Used this bullet in both 250 Savage and 257 Roberts from my research. I do not believe, but do not know for sure, that Remington's 87 grain 25 caliber bullets were common cup and core bullets for varmints and not their Cor-Lokt bullets. I will have to go back through old ammo catalogs and do some reading.

stu, when I get back home I will look at the box of.250 ammo I have.. I think it was 87 gr.open pt. but it could have been 100.. There are still a few left..It was my father in laws rifle and ammo..

Joe, nice work, you have more faith in this caliber than I..

Wyo, I'm sure I've shot over 100 deer with my 1950 R in 250. It's wearing a mint Redfield 2-7 that came off my Dad's Remington pump. With the pigs, I shoot them behind the ear or in the eye. Deer, behind the shoulder or neck. The usually drop like Thors hammer hit em, Joe.

You have had better luck than my wife and I...We put that rifle in the safe 30 years ago and it is still there.. The only reason we keep it, it was her dad's until he got his 06.. It will go to some of the kids.

For the sake of keeping this thread going I will make a few observations. Remington produced a bullet called a Mushroom point. These were popular during the 1930's. These were just a hollow point design of a conventional cup and core bullet. When they released their Cor-Lokt bullets in 1938, it had a thicker jacket at the waist thus having a better chance of keeping the core and jacket together after impact. The large exposed lead bullets were outstanding for killing game because the bullet started expanding instantly, whereas spritzer shaped bullets must enter before starting their expansion. Because a cry came out for deeper penetration, Remington made their new Cor-Lokt bullets with no lead exposed and a hollow point design. It is easy to tell the difference between the older Mushroom point bullets and the newer Mushroom Cor-Lokt if you know what to look for. By @ 1970 Remington changed the design of their Cor-Lokt bullets and they are no longer the bullets of old in which they gained their reputation. This is the reason I advise to hoard the old Mushroom Cor-Lokt's. Don't get me started on Winchester's silvertips.

Try www.cartridgecollectors.org/?page=Remington-Cartridge-Box-Dates

Thanks to all. I looked at the link above provided by MikeL2 and the ammo was from the 1946-1960 era. It has the round-nose Mushroom Core-Lokt bullets. I fired one out of my Savage Axis rifle with 24" 250 Savage barrel and it chronographed 2,911 fps. I believe the powder used was a non-canister version of IMR 4895.