250- 3000

[SCRUBS]

Looking for some advice on bullet weight and twist. The gun in question a Mauser action that has a 24", 1 in 12 twist barrel on it. What is the heaviest bullet I should be able run in this combo? I would like to load it with 100 NBT but if that is not feasible, any recommendations on lighter hunting bullets. Doesn`t seem to be many lighter hunting bullets to choose from.

Thanks in advance.

 

[truck driver]

Scrubs my 257 Roberts has a 1-12 twist and you should have know problem with the 100gr NBT. The 120s are out as well as 115 AB since they are so long they key hole. You should be able to use a 115gr round nose as well.

 

[PJGunner]

TD. We're talking the 250-3000 not the .257 Bob. IIRC, the first savages came with a 1 in 12" twist and would not stabilize 100 gr. bullets. My hunting partner in Nevada has one of those Savage 99s with the 1 in 12" twist and the heaviest bullet that would work was a 85 gr. Sierra. Anything heavier would tumble. But you're looking at a bolt action so might be able to load a bit hotter. You might get away with a 95 gr. Nosler at the heaviest but only loading and shooting with tell the tale on that one. Anyway, that's my best guess.
Paul B.

 

[truck driver]

Paul the original loading for the 250-3000 was a 100gr bullet loaded to 3000fps that's what made it famous.
The lighter bullets do work well with the slow 1-12 twist.

 

[SCRUBS]

Thank you for the input TD and PJ. So if I`m getting this right, if they are not key-holing they are stabilizing?

 

[truck driver]

You got it right SCRUBS.

 

[SCRUBS]

Thank you sir. I will have to give the 100gr BT`s a try if I can find them...

Again, thanks for the help.

 

[cloverleaf]

Actually the 87 Gr. was the original loading when the cartrige was introduced. Charles Newton is given credit for the development of the round, but even tha is debated. Newton reportedly designed and recommended the cartrige be used with a 100 grain bullet. However, the marketing guru's at Savage way back in 1915 or so, decided that the then sizzling 3000 fps hype of the 87 grainer would sell rifles, and it did.
For a time the model 99 Savage so loaded was taken after all manner of big game and praised for lightening like kills on animals up to elk. Of course eventually reality sets in and shoooters discovered that the 87 grainer was a bit light and not quite as well constructed in the early 1900's as your BT is today. For a time the 250 rportedly had a rep as a "wounder" of game. Once the marketing guys were locked in a closet and the ammo companies started loading 100 grainers as Newton recomended things improved dramatically.
As you have noted some of the early rifles had a slower twsit rates than 1:10 and they did fine with the shorter lighter bullets. I met a gentleman who owned an older model 99 wich he claimed would not shoot 100grnrs period. However his 100 year old rifle with a reported1:14 twist would throw 75 grain V-max's in half inch groups all day long. My 250 has a 1:10 twist (lucky me) and I never could get 87's to shoot worth a darn. They used to be available in an 87 Grn CT and BT I think. You might also ant to try 85 Grn CT's and the 90 Grn "X" bullets from Barnes. They should do all you want. I havent tried any Sierra's- they are longer I think

Incdentally, powders are also better than they were in the early 1900's and with a Mauser action you cna likely beat the factory 2820 fps figures. Heres a link as well-

http://www.reloadersnest.com/frontpage. ... iberID=230 CL

 

[Oldtrader3]

I had a .250-3000 Model 70 with 1 in 10 twist. It shot 100 grain Partitions just great with high accuracy.

 

[HTDUCK]

My ace compadre has a 99 in 250 that I load for.
Sierra's 90 gr HPBT gameking is bad medicine on deer.
Fun cartridge to shoot, very little recoil.

 

[SCRUBS]

Cloverleaf, thanks for the background on the 250, very interesting stuff. I never thought of Barnes, I looked at their site and I see they have a .257, 80gr TTSX.

HTDUCK, nothing like real world experience when it comes to bullet performance on animals. Thanks for the information and recommendation. I will see if i can find some of these, Sierra`s site says they are "out, on back order"?

 

[Oldtrader3]

CL, one thing is as true now as it was in 1910! Lock the Marketing idiots in the closet!!!

 

[Idriflenut]

I have loaded for an older sav-99 in .250-3000. My gun has the 1 in 14 twist rate. It doesn't like boat-tailed bullets of any kind even the 85gr nosler BT. I have had good luck with flat base 100 gr bullets like the sierra sp or the speer sp. My load is 34gr of H-4895 and I get around 2870 fps from my 24in barrel with no keyholing. groups are around 2in to 2.5in at 100yards (5-shot groups). The Nosler 100gr Partition shoots a little slower and with groups closer to 3in. That is still Minute-of-deer. What is great however is what 87 & 75 gr bullets do! My favorite load with the lighter bullets is the 75 gr sierra hp over h-380 (38.5gr) with that load I get .75 to .89 in groups all day. 87 gr flat base bullets from speer, sierra and hornady with that same powder charge all average right around 1in groups. The slow twist 250-3000's just prefer the lighter bullets. My gun also hates boat-tailed bullets no matter what weight. Every gun is different. The 250-3000 is too much fun to shoot to leave it laying around. Load up some flat base 100gr bullets and go get a deer!

 

[Oldtrader3]

IDrn, it sounds as though the 87's do what you need for accuracy. My .257 Roberts really like the 85 gr BT Nosler's and shoot close to 1/2 inch groups with 44.0 of IMR 4064 at 100 yards with Nosler cases. My gun will also shot 3/4 groups with the 100 grain Partition and this is my basic deer load. The 110 AccuBond's also shoot well (under an inch) and at 3140 fps Chrono'ed and are an all around load for larger and longer range deer.

 

[JD338]

If the 100 gr BT doesn't shoot, try the 100 gr PT.

JD338

 

[SCRUBS]

Thanks for the great information guys.

 

[BK]

I never thought of Barnes, I looked at their site and I see they have a .257, 80gr TTSX

This means absolutely nothing in comparison to a .250-3000, but my .257 Weatherby loves them.

 

[YoteSmoker]

My dad used a 250-3000 to neck shoot many a PA deer in the 70s once he made the switch to handloaded 100 Partition. That's what got him started loading. Prior to that, he lost one too many due to lack of bullet selection in those days. His rifle was a m77 that he got in a trade for a blue tick that liked treeing possums as much as coons.