Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors .250 Sav. loads

You're right LHS, I'm pretty set with powders I've used over the years I don't try or investigate alot of the newer ones on the market. Reading the info on Hodgens/IMR site it sounds like its a twin of Varget. Who knows, could be the same powder in different canisters. Alot of that has happened over the years, esp since Hodgon has taken over many of the different powder companies. Winchester 231 and Hodgen HP38 is one that comes to mind-same powder, different canister, few others I know of also.

Looking back at notes, my previous 250 (Ruger 77) was partial to 748 Win and Varget.

My current 99 shoots Accurate 4064, IMR 3031, and H4895 well. I've got some Accurate 2495 test loads cooked up, but I haven't tried them yet.

I've had several .250s, but all were bolt-actions. I never found a better powder than H4895 with either 87 gr. or 100 gr. bullets.

I've loaded both 4895's (IMR and Hodgdon), really had no problem with them, but found the sweet spot with my three 250's with Varget, RL15, and 3031 and stayed with them.

My current fave is the 87 grain Speer pushed by 35.0 grains CFE-223. Not a hot load, approximately 40K CUP, but it registers 3000fps on the bean out of my 22" barreled Ruger #1, and delivers sub-MOA accuracy. Just what a .250-3000 is supposed to do. It is a load I worked up for my last M1899 (cunningly accurate, it was, with that load) because I have a mountain of those bullets, and a stupid amount of that powder left behind when I rid myself of the AR-15. Fortunately that powder turned out to work a treat in the .250 also. It works great with the Sierra 87 spitzers too, as well as the Nosler 100 Ballistic Tips (its Douglas barrel has a 1-10" twist, and even handles 117's pretty well too, but what's the point with bullets heavier than 87 grains anyway?). The big jug of Reloader-15 that was my previous go-to in years gone by has gotten about a 1/4" of dust on it now since I switched to CFE-223. (And it lives up to it's name: copper fouling is nil when it's used.)

Nothing against the 87, but the 100 grain ones work real nice too. Pigs don't like either one.

The .250 IMO shines as a speedster. When called upon to sling heavies there's better .25's and 6.5's for that. But, I shan't get into a pissing match over 13 grains of bullet weight!😇🤗

Let us know hot the 100gr Hornandy's work when you get a chance to sling a few more!