Saving my 250-Savage- is it worth it? Talk me out of it.

[Blkram]

CL, being the quarterbore fan you are, you could always go with the 250 AI (40 degree shoulder), otherwise the exact same case as the 25 Creedmoor...or even the 2Fity Hillbilly. But then again, the 250 Savage is a great cartridge...just under-appreciated by the less informed new shooters of today!
If you did go with the 250AI, you can get properly headstamped brass for it from Quality Cartridge. (I did) Not cheap, but a nice option.
They just need a fired case from your chamber to ensure you are getting the proper case for your rifle, as there are a couple of different versions out there.

And I like the 6.5 Cloverleaf!!!...sounds like a great idea! Have to restamp the cartridge designation on the side of my rifle! Matches its performance!
(But maybe after our Africa trip so we don't confuse the firearms officials with non-matching ammo and firearm !)

 

[PJGunner]

"Im guessing the FM Mounts arent going to fit the Interarms action, so that means new bases."

I'm thinking you meant FN mounts and not FM, right? I'm thinking that if your FN action is a commercial then the mounts should work. The Zastava is a direct copy of the FN Mauser. I've had a couple years back. As a matter of fact, all my customs are based on mostly FN Mausers with a few milsurps thrown in. Good luck on the fix. I hope it works out for you.
Paul B.

 

[RL338]

There is nothing wrong with getting a 6.5 Creed. There will be an investment in getting dies and bullets , but I’m sure the outcome will be well worth it.

 

[35 Whelen]

I have a nice old Mauser here in 7x57 has been restocked years ago ( Fajen) all working good. Don't know if this could help in anyway or not.
Short money.......
Can post pics if any interest???
E

 

[cloverleaf]

Updates are forth coming..... "Aggie" (the rifle) is on life support but she aint dead yet.... just not a priority right now. Take care all. CL

 

[cloverleaf]

Spent two hours talking with a smith this week. We discovered we have mutual acquaintances, through my mother-in-laws family and just got to talking....Ive done my Mn hunting just miles from where he grew up. He says he wants to save my Mauser. If nothing else he will buy my "parts" and get the thorn out of my side. He's making some calls on a bolt... Learned more about that rifle from him than I knew over the last 25 years. He had multiple FN Mausers he was working on and bolts to try. He put hope in my heart again. I know its crazy..... but it was fun! We will see. Bets thing to do is move on in the mean time. I found a sporterized 30-40 Krag Jorgensen, really nice Walnut... and a mosberg 151MB that have my interest if not my money... yet. Why do I pick the obscure "problem children"? CL

Well- Sentimentality won out and despite all you guys sound advice to the contrary, AND the fact that somebody should name a cartridge "cloverleaf" I left my 250 Savage with the Smith mentioned in my post above. He reportedly scoped the bore and action. He offered to have the action Magna-fluxed, as he is "knew" an engine machinist. In the end he decided it wasnt necessary. He checked the headspace, and said he "knew a guy" who might have a bolt. Turns out, the new bolt was supposed to be part of a custom action a "friend" was working on and the customer backed out. ( think I paid somebody for a Mauser bolt that some one else already paid him for- but the price wasnt out of line...) So the now custom bolt needed to be fitted and "timed to my action and that also required a little stock work.
When called and said it was ready, I went and picked it up. In light of my budget the new bolt wasnt blued, and the stock work was not up to my standards -but I'm picky. Test fired rounds from the Smith looked good and the rifle was feeding consistiently,.... most of the time. So off the the range I went to re sight it in. After getting it on paper, I shot the following at 100 yards. With Remington factory...

(first shot low- adjusted up, and shot the group, then adjusted right and up)

 

[cloverleaf]

Oops posted to soon- next had to try my old tried and true- 75gr Hornady V-Max's over 40 grains of 4350
nice group like it ought to be....

Then back to 100Gr BT's over 38 gr of 4350. After going back to the smith and discussing all fired brass and targets w/ him I think i might back this load off a little. Primers were just SLIGHTLY cratering but again a good group.

Smith was very pleased with all brass noting that the fired reloads looked better than the cases fired with the old (failing?) bolt. He noted that from appearances the cases were "smoked up less" along the neck in his opinion indicating a better headspace fit. Actual measurements show less than .002 difference in fired case length between old and new bolt.

And he double checked my charge weights with his scale- they were right on. My old Herters scale was probably ok.

"Heavy bolt lift" would be difficult to judge, as this is a replacement bolt with a full claw extractor. Its always a bit stiff even with an empty chamber...but nothing scary or excessive.

This experience has taught me a couple things:
Powders properties must change- the load that was "middle of the road" 30 years ago may be at the outer edge of safe now.


So....for now at least, I 'm going to call this one a success. Fired successfully with a full box of new factory loads and with examples of reloads that were previously were problematic, no big issues. I have cleaned up some of the stock work and its not perfect, but better. The smith offered to Re-Blue the bolt "next time he has the tanks filled up", a project he avoids in his shop in the summer. In the mean time, I have cold blued it....

AND if I am looking at my targets right, I've basically got 3 different loads that all shot less than 1in. three shot groups in one sitting. If you've followed this and me at all, you know those are good groups and better than I typically do. I will adjust my charge weights down a little, find an accurate load, and hunt with the rifle when I can. If I think I need to do some "high volume shooting- I'll find a disposable Axis or somthing. BTW for what this cost me I could not have paid for an Axis even in "6.5 cloverleaf". CL

 

[xphunter]

Excellent

 

[NYDAN]

Troy,
I am so happy that this all worked out for you. I hope you get much enjoyment out of shooting this sentimental rifle.

 

[cloverleaf]

Thanks all- I've already gotten my moneys worth in piece of mind and enjoyment from those groups. Work has been nuts all month and the last couple weeks the wife and I have been sick. So not much opportunity to shoot.... Hopefully that will come. I did set up a ladder test based on this experience, and conversations with this smith. for my friends 99. Hopefully I can post those findings eventually. CL

 

[RL338]

Good to hear the old girl is up and running.

 

[gerry]

Glad you got it up and running again and it sounds like it was reasonably priced too. Those are some fine groups, hopefully you'll be able to try them out this fall on something. Congratulations on finding a solution to get it all fixed up again.

 

[JD338]

Troy,
Looking good buddy. Glad to see that the 250-3000 is still on the game!

JD338

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Good to hear Troy. You know this thread is a perfect example of why only you can decide if a project is "worth it" or not. One man's idea of a waste is another's idea of a good, solid investment. As long as it suits you Troy, that's the only thing that matters.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

Glad it worked out for you. Your satisfied, rifle is back in the game and now you can look forward to using it again in the field or range when wanted. Happy hunting. Dan.