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what are your favorite loads in the savage calibers for your 99.
22 hp 250-3000 300 303

303 Savage
150 gr Barnes XFN
33 gr H4895
Winchester LRP

Les,

those Barnes bullets, the XFN, are they still available?

any idea what speed they are leaving the muzzle at?

might be at good load for my late 303...

Thanks!

one of my most accurate pet loads for the 250-3000 is 34.5 gr IMR4895 crowned with 87gr Hornady's. the other is 33.5 gr 4895 and 100 gr Rem Corelokts. both produce sub MOA groups for me!

I chrony'd them at 2350, very satisfied with them, Lock Stock and Barrle still has some on hand, but friday i plan on getting about 10 boxes of them. Probably gonna try and buy them out. I'll let you know. If I do, I'll hold 2 boxes for ya. Les

Thanks Les.

If you make it to the SavageFest, we'll do it then...

Thanks Les, get back to me on that.

130gr TTSX and 42grs of H4895 in the 300 Savage.

My "pet" load for the .300 Savage WAS 41.5 grains of IMR4895 behind a Nosler 150 grain Ballistic Tip bullet sparked by a standard Winchester large rifle primer in Winchester cartridge cases with the bullet seated out to the maximum overall cartridge length (including the bullet) which yielded 3-shot groups of 3/4 inch or less at 100 yards and a chronographed 2680 fps outta my "EG's" 24 inch barrel.

I say "WAS" because after Hodgdon bought IMR, something happened to the IMR4895 powder. All IMR powders always came in a rectangled-shaped metal CAN, but after Hodgdon bought our IMR, they put the IMR powder in their familiar "round, plastic bottle".

After I purchased a new "container" (a Hodgdon "bottle") of IMR4895 in 2006, I decided to check the velocity of my "pet" load and found that rather than chronographing "2680 fps", I was getting only 2547 fps with EXACTLY the same load as above.

Admittedly, the temperature on that "test" was 50� colder than when I originally got the 2680 fps (85� vs. 35�), but... realizing the lower temperature would effect the velocity, I took along some of my "pet" loads that I loaded in 2002 with the "original" IMR4895 (before Hodgdon bought 'em out)... and I compared the two loads.

The 2002 loaded hunting load chronographed at 2630 fps (a loss of 50 fps due to the colder temperatures). However, the "new" IMR4895 chronographed at only 2547 fps... a loss of over 80 fps compared to the older, original IMR4895.

Fortunately, I brought a couple of the older hunting loads with me to my club's rifle range... and I chronographed them as well. They consistently gave me an average of 2630 fps whereas the new IMR4895 gave me a consistent 2547 fps.

As a result, I'm now working up a "new" hunting load, trying several different powders including IMR3031 and H4895. I also intend to try other powders when the weather gets warmer... and may give Reloder 19 a "try" as well. I'm also considering giving VihtaVoure N140 a "try".

I will report on my results once I find a new "pet" load... but I wanted to give you this explanation since I've been suggesting my original "pet" load for the past several years and wanted those who may have adopted my "pet" load about the drop in muzzle velocity.

Hodgdon-made IMR4895 is still being made in the same Canadian plant where the original IMR4895 was made. Then, too... it is possible I just got a container of "inferior" IMR4895 and, frankly, I really hate to stop using IMR4895 after getting excellent muzzle velocity as well as excellent accuracy with the older IMR4895, BUTTTTTTTTTTTTT... the considerably lower muzzle velocity (2547 fps average) is NOT acceptable as a "hunting load" as far as I'm concerned.

Last deer season, I loaded up a new "hunting load" consisting of 40.0 grains of the older IMR4895 (from the rectangle IMR can of powder) which gave pretty good accuracy and a chronographed an honest 2665 fps at 60�... but the accuracy wasn't as good as with the original IMR4895.

Stay tuned for further details........


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

Things is easy, people make them tough.....

303,Sav. 150 Speer flat nose, 34gr.H335, CCI200, Norma Case for 2363 fps.
303,Sav. 160gr cast round nose gas check, 20gr AA5744, CCI200,reformed W-W 220 swift cases, 1833 fps. Fun plinker.
250,Sav. 87gr Speer, 41gr H4350(book max), CCI200, Rem. case,2944fps. Favorite.
250,Sav. 87gr Sierra, 40gr H380,CCi200, Win case, 2884fps.
250,Sav. 85gr Nos., 35gr Re15, CCI BR, Win. case, 2866fps.
300,Sav. 150 Nos. Part. 43gr Re15, CCI200, Win case, 2606fps.
300,Sav. 125 Sierra Pro Hunter, 40gr AA2015, CCI200, Win case, 2825fps. Favorite.
22HP, 70 Horn. 26gr. Re15, CCI200, reformed Rem. 30-30 case. 2722fps. Favorite.
22HP, 70 Horn. 24gr. 3031, CCI200, reformed Win.30-30 case, 2704fps.
22HP, 70 Speer(.224dia.) 26gr. Re15, Norma 5.6x52 case, CCI200, not chronoed. 2nd favorite.
22HP, 50gr Nos.BT.(.224dia) 29gr 3031, reformed Win. 30-30 case, CCI BR, not chronoed.
All loads give very good accuracy giving about 1" 3 shot groups, except the 22HP which seems to be a 1.5 in. shooter on its best days. 303 cast load 1" at 50 yds.

250-3000: 100 grain Speer HC + 35.2 gr RL15 + Fed 210M + WW Brass = 2860 fps in 99EG

300 Sav.: 150 grain Nosler Part. + 42 gr Varget + Fed 210M + WW Brass = 2615 fps in 99R

300 Sav.: 180 grain Win Power Point + 43 gr W760 + Fed 210M + WW Brass = 2260 fps in 99R........as Ken Water's said "extremely accurate".

As always, work up cautiously as these are at or near max. in my rifle. Your rifle's will be different.

I'm new to the re-loading scene buy my mentor is an old hand at it. Here's what he told me to do for my .300 Savage:
38 grains of IMR3031, 150 grain Hornady SST bullet.

wayne.

There are lots of loads that work well and as handloaders know - each gun may like a totally different recipe than the previous one.

Lately, I like the Reloder 15 in both the .300 and .250. Highest velocity without pressure signs. My old .303 loves I 4895 and I'm not changin' that one.

So many powders...so little time...

Dave:

Is the 250 savage with 85 grain nosler bt out of a 24" barrel with 14" twist? Have you tried it on whitetails? how did it do?

I've done extensive loading/experimenting with IMR3031 and a 150 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet... that load (38.0 grains) of IMR3031 is a mild one... one I've used as a "fun load" for shooting the Model 99 due to it's light recoil.

It will probably chronograph at about 2530-2560 fps depending on your rifle's barrel length and the other components you use with the 150 grain bullet.

I've used up to 40.0 grains (not quite a maximum load) of IMR3031 for a muzzle velocity of about 2660 fps... � 10 fps. Accuracy was good... velocity acceptable... a decent "hunting load" for a Model 99 in good condition.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.