Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters . Modern 250 Savage loads

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Not trying to argue with you at all as I know you have lots of experience with these rounds or directing all of that toward you.

I just get tired of people arbitrarily saying some cartridges should remain where they were 100 years ago and others shouldn't. Yeah, I've killed a lot of game with 2850fps and it works great, but really, how many of us have limited ourselves to that?

There is no reason to not load a modern rifle with modern brass and modern powder to modern pressure. Lets compare apples to apples. The .250 will do 3000fps at the same pressure the 25-06 will do 3300fps. I'm perfectly happy with 3000fps and burning 25grs less powder. At 3000fps, I see no need to go faster. Because the diminutive .250 will give such great performance, I have no need for a bigger 25. Well, OK, maybe a Roberts.

I use H4895 and get 3000fps from my Cooper and 2850fps from my RSI. That will do almost all my deer hunting needs. It's just as safe in a modern rifle as any other cartridge, so why not?

It seems every time someone asks a question about a modern load in modern brass in modern rifles, someone always chimes in about a 100yr old rifle. Seems like they could make their own 100yr old rifle thread.

With respect to the M99 and the 250-3000, the mechanism may be the same but the metallurgy, perhaps not so much. The 99 wasn't chambered for the 243, 308, 284, etc. until after the War (obviouusly). Just me, but I'd treat and older M99 in 250 with "respect".

I have a '51 EG in 300 Sav. I still load it relatively light. Brass lasts a long time, recoil is mild, hogs drop dead, and i use it only where long range shots are not likely. Different strokes...

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When someone asks a question on this site, or sites like it, they're likely to get a variety of answers that are both sincere and different because they come from a variety of experiences and degrees of risk tolerance.

I think that the 250-3000 is factory loaded below its potential in deference to old rifles that they might be fired in.

I think that most maximum published loads for the 250-3000 are also below its potential in deference to old rifles that they might be fired in.

I think that you'll find that the four loads that I cited for four different rifles are equal to or greater than the maximum recommended loads published by the bullet makers, Nosler, Sierra, and Speer. I'm not against pushing pressures within reason, but I'm also not going to push them very far if I have a rifle within a niche that will do the same job without pushing pressure above my comfort level. I don't have any way to test pressures and the resident expert has said time and again that pressure signs don't always show up until pressures have risen well above what might be considered prudent.

I've been reloading for over 50 years and have pretty well figured out what works for me. I don't believe that I've ever suggested that my way was the best or the only way, just that it is my way. I try to keep an open mind and learn from the experiences others discuss, but if my interest in piqued, I like to try different rifles and cartridges for myself.

I did not read his post in the same way you did.

Good post.

I bought a 2003 Sav Vbss 22-250 in 2017.
I put a Lilja 250 Sav barrel, Boyds stock, Timney trigger, Glade bolt handle, homemade bolt knob, and homemade 20 degree Vblock on it.

It shot a 1" 3 shot group at 200 yards sighting it in.
100 gr Nos Bal Tip 39 gr CFE223, 2.550" OAL
62.5 kpsi 3154 fps Quickload
3115 fps chrono
3197 fps chrono
3253 fps chrono

Clark, accutrigger?

It came with one, but I took it off.

What is the standard deviation like for that load?

Stock looks very nice.

Did you ever replace it with another trigger?

I know I built it in Sept 2017 and shot it Oct 2017, but it looks like I bought it in March 2017, and was ordering parts in June 2017

I have not shot it, but I got a scoped and camo painted Savage 12VSS from a pawn shop for $475 + $45tax 3-14-2017 .. made between 2003 and 2010.
I have not used it, but in Dec 2013, I paid $45 for a used PTC 250 Savage reamer.. it is supposed to be sharp. looks unused
I got a Lilja .257-10 SS 3-Groove #3 Contour barrel for $355.00 +$20 shipping.
I got a Boyd's Pro Varmint Centerfire Savage 110 1St Generation Short Action Walnut $174.00 +$20 shipping
I ordered a Timney 63816 replacement trigger for $120 +$8 shipping
I got a Sharpshooter recoil lug for $30+ $8 shipping
I got a steel trigger guard for $28
I got a Whidden 20 degree Vblock for it for $90 +$6 shipping. I also made one from 6061 Aluminum.
I ordered a stainless bolt handle from Glade for $56 +$6 shipping
I ordered a 250 Sav go-gauge for $26.

Are any of you guys shooting the Barnes 80 gr. TTSX in the .250Savage?

Bought some to load. It should be a great bullet for it.

Here are some loads from my 2018 book, GUN GACK II, using a Savage Axis, with 22-inch E.R. Shaw barrel, 1-10 twist:

85 Nosler Ballistic Tip/CFE223 36.5 grains/3098 fps/.75 accuracy at 100 yards
100 Barnes TSX/ Reloder 15 35.0 grains/2963 fps/.94
100 Speer Hot-Cor/H4895 35.0 grains/ 3038 fps/1.27
117 Sierra 117 GameKing/IMR4451 37.0 grains/2745 fps/.85

All loads used Hornady brass and CCI 200 primers.

I'm very grateful for your Gun Gack books. You have answers to questions I have yet to realize I have. I'm anxious to get GG III.

My old Nosler #3 manual listed 35 grs of H4895 behind 100 gr bullets, the newer manuals have lowered the charge. Anyway 35 grs behind any 100gr bullet has always produced 3000 fps and MOA accuracy in my NULA.

Nosler #6 shows 35.

Good to know. I’ve never had a problem with it.

Probably of limited use to the OP as my rifle was a 250 Ackley, but since you asked about R17 I thought I would post:

Prvi Brass / CCI 200 / 100g Hot Cor / 44.2g R17 / OAL 2.71”
Chronoed 3040fps from 21” Shilen 10” twist barrel.

I reiterate this was a 250 Ackley Improved.