Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 250 Savage twist rate

Seems the go to is 10”. Any reason not to go with 8 or 9”?

6mm and 6.5mm cases of near volume both routinely get spec’d at 8”. With bullets evolving to be longer, seems to make sense to go 8, or 9” at the most?

Would be shooting mostly 100 grain bullets, but 120+ grain projectiles seem to be becoming more popular. Would not want to leave it short if I wanted to try them as well.

Anybody run a faster than typical 250 Savage? Shoot any 120+ grain bullets?

I'd go with the tighter twist, especially since you may want to try out longer projectiles. I wouldn't be concerned at all with the " 10" twist has been the 25 cal standard for a long time" stuff.

If you want to shoot longer, heavier, bullets in the 250-3000 you would probably be better off with the faster ROT. I can't see any downside in a 1-9" ROT, but the 25 WSSM, 25-284, and 25-06 will all launch 120 grain bullets over 3,000 fps with MOA accuracy from 1-10" ROT barrels, so either are likely to work fine.

You gonna re bore that singe shot mooner? I’d do 10” and run 100’s out of er. 👍

Yeah buddy!

Nothing against a 22-250, but our DFW doesn't think it'll kill deer. Lol.
Figured a 250 Savage will be a fun round and an easy chamber job. Talked to Wayne York in Pendleton yesterday and he said he'd be happy to rebore and chamber. Will probably drive it over this spring.

Why not a tighter twist even if he's predominantly going to use 100 grain bullets? It opens up options but doesn't remove any.

Just my advice, which is what he was asking for. I’d run 100’s with a 10” twist. This is from over 30 years with a 250, countless deer/bear killed. Carry on. 👍

250’s are cool, kill better than one would think. 👍

Nice!

What 100 grain bullets do you shoot?

Just ordered a couple hundred 115 partition blems. The price was right and they were in stock. If they don't shoot I'll have some trade fodder.

I always ran 100 bt’s or core lokt. I had a ruger 77 that I used for quite a while when me and the Ol lady started out, made alotta meat with that little sucker. It’s one of the, “I wish I didn’t sell” rifles!! Vey mild mannered, accurate, easy to load for, and good killin rifle.👍

Still got my grandmas 99 250, need to go smoke something with it.

100 grain Sierra Game Kings kill hogs in the 150 pound range quite nicely. 35 grains of H4895 pushing them.

I need to shop powder too. I have a pound of R17 and enough h4350 left to maybe blow my nose.

Brass as well. Read about folks using Unique to FF 22-250 cases but I'd rather not burn up my Unique doing it.

Fooken Biden and the old scalpers keeping the shelves bare.

I’ve always just loaded em with close to max loads and went to fire forming, but I use Remington, leupold and other wares that don’t work. Grin

I would also do 1-10 and shoot 100gr bullets. I prefer the 100gr ballistic tips of them all. Mine is a 250AI but close enough. Not everything has to be fast twist and high BC bullets. For me the 250 fits that. It’s the last cartridge I own I want to shoot long bullets that require a fast twist. Classic cartridge with standard bullets and twist for me.

Other than tradition, what's the downside to a bit more twist leaving more doors open?

My 25-06 has a 1-9 and it is ideal for 115-120 grain bullets. I am collecting parts for another 257 Weatherby and this one will have a 1-7" twist barrel for 100-130 grain bullets. There is no down side to the faster twist unless you want to shoot really thin jacketed varmint bullets but at 250 velocities even this might not be a problem. In the Savage I have always used 87-100 grain bullets so twist was never an issue. I would go 8 or 9 twist unless you wanted to try the heavies making it into a 25 Creedmoor. Black Jack recommends a 1-7 to 7.25 for this size case and their 131 bullet. Going with a faster twist takes nothing away from the classic nature of this cartridge.

I think that you might want the 1-9" as it would be a better option for shooting 80 grain TTSXs and who doesn't want the option of going faster along with deeper penetration? Its amazing what a 1" of ROT difference makes. Being 1-9" hurt the 260 'cause it wasn't the 1-8" Creedmoor. 1" of ROT, 0.115" of case length, and poor marketing is most of the difference between a flash in the pan and a generational cartridge.

Like jud said run 100’s, all I run out my boys 250 is 100gr Sierra pro hunters with H4895. Boy I haven’t shot that rifle in 8-9yrs, middle step son don’t hunt at all anymore. I loaned it too a buddy in 2012, his daughter drew a caribou permit. He was trying to get her to shoot his 06 one of those weatherby lightweights. It was beating her up, to the point she was not wanting to hunt. I said I have something you can use. Let her shoot it see what happens, I loaned him that little 250 savage. I guess talk about night and day she was a happy camper and shot her first caribou with it. Using 100gr Sierra pro hunters. For a long time their my friend always asked if I sell him that rifle lol.

What ya got for a 250 John?

I always keep my eyes open for a 99 250.. One of those I'd like to have I think.

The 1/10 twist in my 250 Savage shoots the Hornady 100 gr interlock, 117gr. round nose along with the 117 SST all sub 3/4 inch for 3 shots. My favorite being the 117 gr SST on deer.

i would go either 8 or 7 1/2 twist ,Berger bullets is coming out with some 135 gr. bullets soon so the rest of the bullet companies will too. i built a 257 Creedmoor shoots 115 gr and bigger up to 131 gr. bullets great also i have 2 - 257 Roberts i had rebarreled with 7 1/2 twist and both shoot 115 gr. bullets super. since Creedmoor brass is easy to find you might wanna consider a 257 Creedmoor too ? just a thought,take care,Pete53

There we go!! Shoot 130’s @2000 FPS!!! 😂😂

I have a 1-10" custom barreled Ruger #1 but have never shot heavier than 87-90's out of it, the same bullets I have stockpiled for my old slow twist Savages. They've been killing deer with alacrity for 106 years now, are crazy accurate, and entirely adequate for the distances I have available both at the range and in the woods. Stick in the mud? Maybe. But if I had wanted something to sling long/heavy .25's I would've kept the Roberts or bought a .25-06. My #1 6.5x55 stands ready to fill that role anyway. To me the .250 with light-ish bullets neatly fills the niche between my .22CF's and the 6.5.

Seriously 🤷🏼😆

If you want to shoot anything from 87 to 120 grains, then a 9-twist is ideal. I have (2) 250 Sav with 10-twist and a 250 Sav Ackley Imp with a 9-twist. I have another 250 Sav in the works and it will have a 9-twist barrel.

Fuuck skeelz, twist those turrets!!!! Haha 😂

I've shot the 250Savage since 1973. That's right almost 50years. I've owned the RSI...one of the first, Win. 1984 w/1in14 twist, Model '54 250-3000, Savage 1920 and a Mauser 1894 custom. A guy can make it a real killer w/87-110gr bullets which you can push at good velocities. The 115-120gr, the slap jack or black jack or what ever the hell it's called...are to heavy in my opinion and take away from the luster of the case due to low velocities. It's been a 1in 10 rifle for a long time and it'll still shoot most all bullets today. powdr

I think I'll end up at 1-9.

Ain't got fancy turrets, but 115-120 grain bullets don't seem too out of place. I would think the Savage case would launch them around the same speed as a 308 with 180's.

Have a order in for a bunch of 115 Partitions. Will be looking for some 100 grainers as well.

Should be a fun little rifle.

If all you’re going to shoot is 75 gr Vmaxes. Then yea. 1-10”. Otherwise, no reason not to go 1-9” or 1-8”.

98 Mexican Mauser with a pac-nor barrel. Sitting in a crab apple wood stock. I cut the wood off my buds place oh man 25-26yrs ago. Old friend turned the stock and put this rifle together 17-18 yrs ago. It shoots very well, with 100’s and 90’s. I should pull that rifle out of the safe and go shoot it 😁

Quick question...why the rebore/rechamber on an old barrel versus a new barrel? -Al

>> you should just buy a new good barrel, go with a faster twist you will benefit some , go 8 twist ,in my 25 caliber rifles i see a improvement in accuracy with 115 gr. and higher grain bullets .

Tapered octagon barrels seem a bit pricey. The current barrel looks brand new to boot. Inletting and blue obviously already match the fore stock and receiver.

I have a .250AI and a .25/06, both with 1:9 barrels. Both shoot well with 75-120gr bullets, including the 115 Bergers. I retrospect, I probably should have gone 1:8, but they work too well to change now.

Good to see the 250 hasn’t been totally forgotten. Several 250’s here in the safe since 1983. Favorite is my Ruger 77 Mark II with a Shilen 24” barrel In 250 Savage Ackley Improved. Always thought it was a 1:10” twist but now I’m curious and will double check it. If I told you how well it shoots 100 Ballistic Tips you probably wouldn’t believe me. It’s very accurate, in fact I’m not sure how accurate to be truthful. I’m the weak link!
I have another favorite cartridge that the shooting public generally avoids... the 358 Winchester. Some folks just don’t know what they’re missing.

1) I built a 250 Sav on a 2003 Sav 12 fvss action in 2017 with Lilja 257-10 SS 3-groove, #3 contour barrel
2) I built a 250 Sav on a 1917 Sav 99 action in 2019 with a Benchmark 5.5*  SS 25 cal 10" twist Palma 30" cut down to ~2# 22" take down and re tapered
3) I built a 250 Sav on a 1995 Rem700 action in 2020 with Lilja 10" twist 3g

1) shot 1" (3) shot group at 200 yards with 100 gr nos bal tip 3200 fps [long barrel]
3) shot 1" (3) shot group at 200 yards with 115 gr Nos bal tip 2700 fps [short barrel]

I have a 250 AI, with a 1:10 twist that has only ever shot 117 and 20's, the 10 twist does fine with the 120's, which was the heaviest quarter bore bullet I could find when I built mine. Starting to see some heavier bullets now. Sure is a good shooter.

This is good thinking. My 250's are 10'' twist barrels but still hold them to 90 grain bullets and below.

I like mine in 1-9" for TSX or TSSX Barnes in heavier weights. Had the 120 TSX keyhole in 1-10"

I can't see being afraid of a bit more twist. It closes no doors, but opens others even if you don't foresee going through them.