85 Grain CT and antelope

[cloverleaf]

OK assuming for a second that I might be going antelope hunting this fall and given that I have to reload soon (I'm OUT....zip, zilch nada...no rounds for my 250 Savage :shock: :roll: ). Am I being reckless to load some 85gr. CT's to try and get a litttle more velocity from my 250? Are the tough enough to do the job? Accuracy is OK. Load so far has been 41 grains of 4350. Dont have a chrono but that should get me a little more speed than my go to load of 38 Grains of 4350 under a 100 gr BT. Obviously that one works.
Im worried about the 85 Gr being to frangible on and antelope shoulder. I would guess we a re talking @2900fps MV but not sure. Any thoughts? Thanks CL

 

[JD338]

CL,

The 257 85 gr BT is a varmint bullet that is designed to come apart quickly.
I would stay with the 100 gr BT or if you need a shorter bullet, go with the 100 gr PT.

JD338

 

[cloverleaf]

yah-
I figure that will be the collective opinion. My 75gr V-max load would get me to 3000fps which would be good but again to frangible. My old 90 Gr. Barnes X is an option but as Ive notied in other posts those old X bullets have bad rep for not expanding at all and in the 250 we arent talking a lot of velocity at range. Nothin wrong with the 100 gr BT but second guessing hold over. CL

 

[Greg Nolan]

The 110 gr AccuBond works very well and is pretty slick too.
Greg

 

[cloverleaf]

I dont have any load data for the 110. Guess I will need to look. It will be slow though....dont think the better BC can make up for 400 fps loss in velocity. It is the trouble with the 250. Not a lot of room. I have been experimenting with IMR 4064 and the 100 Gr. Bt I get a little more velocity...CL

 

[JD338]

CL,

If I recall, you tried the 115 gr BT but it did not stabilize. The 110 gr AB is about the same length as the 115 gr BT so you would has stabilization problems in your rifle. I think the 100 gr BT is your best bet. Get your load chronographed and then you can determine drop at 400 yds.

JD338

 

[Guy Miner]

I'd go right back to that 100 gr BT. It worked fine before, I suspect it will work just fine again.

I know - kind of boring sticking with the ol' tried 'n true - but there's a lot to be said for that approach.

Regards, Guy

 

[R Flowers]

I have to agree with the concensus here. The 85 grain CT Ballistic Tip is, indeed, a varmint bullet. I have seen them fail to penetrate a coyote's shoulder when shot pretty hot in my 25-06. All they did was make a huge gaping hole on the shoulder, never got inside, yotes had to be shot again.

I agree that the 100 grain Ballistic Tip would be a good choice in your 250 Savage, should work fine.

I also agree that the old Barnes X bullets would sometime fail to expand, but I do not think you will find that with the new TSX versions. Being right in the middle of the "no lead" area in California I had to switch to a monometal bullet. My buddies and I have had very good success with the Barnes bullets in any number of calibers.

Specifically, we have shot a number of antelope now with the 80 grain Tipped TSX in both 25-06 and .257 Weatherby rifles. That 80 grain will allow you to get a little more velocity in the Savage and it WILL expand. My dad and I both shot antelope last year right at 300 yards and neither one took a step, just down on the ground, mine never even kicked. Two years ago I saw my dad shoot an antelope at a lazered 586 yards with his .257 Wetherby using that same bullet and that antelope never even kicked either.

I know, we do not have to shoot the monmetal bullets in New Mexico but they have worked so well here in CA on deer, black bear, wild hogs, and coyotes that we decided we might just as well shoot them in New Mexico as well. In fact, a month from now I will be on my was to New Mexico for another antelope hunt. Can't wait!

 

[efw]

I wouldn't go w/ the 85 gr for PHs at all for the same reasons others have cited.

I can tell you that this PH sure hated 100 gr Interlocks through my 257 AI:

...and my rifle really likes 'em too, as evidenced by this 3-shot group at 200 yds:

They hold together nicely, and aren't difficult to get shooting...

 

[JD338]

efw,

That is a pretty nice group at 200 yds. :wink:

JD338

 

[efw]

Yeah thanks... somewhere on this board is a witness to the fact :wink: ...

 

[Gm weatherby man]

Try the 80 ttsx, is this gun a 99 or something else, a friend of mine could not get the ttsx shoot in it, on the other hand it shot great in his new 250 savage rifle. :grin:

 

[FOTIS]

The 110 gr AccuBond works very well and is pretty slick too.
Greg

My fave for the 25's! I have taken many goats with the 110 Ab. Works very well

 

[cloverleaf]

Thanks Guys, thats why I hang out here, real experieces and options, not just "belly button" opinions. CL

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

My Dad shoots the 87 grain Sierra Pro-Hunter in his Savage 99 250-3000 for deer and varmints. Granted he doesn't try any stunts or Texas heart shots with this load but he has yet to lose an animal with this load. His muzzle velocity is right at 3000 according to my chrony. Shoots fast and flat for a levergun!

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

And it works great on Crows too!

Here is the aforementioned rifle before Dad had it drilled and tapped. Also took a coyote and a jack rabbit with this gun personally! Great gun, great cartridge!

 

[FOTIS]

I did dispatch a jack or too with these and the 75 gr v max with a 2506 rem. What a mess!