Looking at a started rifle for my 13 year old daugter. Anyone using a 250 Ackley Improved for mule deer/pronghorn hunting?

Not quite but will Texas whitetails and hogs do? My 12 year olds rifle, a rebarreled Ruger M77 in 250 AI has proven to be very effective on 150# deer and hogs using the 100 gr Hornady spitzer at 3000 fps from its 21" barrel. Recoil is about nil and it always puts those slugs inside an inch a half at 200 yards. Also launches those 85 gr Sierra's pretty fast (haven't clocked them though) and they just flatten coyotes quite a long ways out there. I am very impressed with this little round. Only wish there was an appropriately dimensioned (and relatively inexpensive) action to build one on...

.250 AI-- the BEST of the .25's, and TOTALLY ADEQUATE for the game you mentioned!!

I have a 250SAV, a 250AI, and a 257DGR all are excellent deer, antelope, and whatever else you want to hunt in that size range and smaller.
The 257DGR was designed to perform like the 250AI without having to fireform cases for maximum performance. The results were even better, no fireforming and a 100fps+ increase in velocity at similar working pressures. Check out the 257DGR at www.duanesguns.com

I've owned dozens and dozens of rifles. I have reamers for 140 different chamberings. Without a doubt, the .250 Ackley is one of the most effective cartridges(for deer-sized game) that I've ever dealt with. I've killed probably thirty deer and several feral pigs with .250 Ackleys and just love the chambering. I don't own one right now, but I'm planning on starting another affter this season.

Is this the same as the 250-3000 AI?

Yes, Mickey, it is. Great round. - Dan

Duane,
What are the advantages of the 257DGR when compared to the 25 Souper? They sound pretty much the same.
Rick

Since Duane hasn't been back and I know a little about the 257DGR I will put my .02 in on the 257DGR vs 25 Souper.
I consulted with Duane on getting the original reamer made (That means he showed me the design, I liked it, and bugged him until he ordered the reamer, it's his design, I didn't want to pay for the reamer :-) )
Also I have the first 257DGR Duane made for a customer.

In real life:
The 257 DGR has a 30 Degree shoulder and less body taper which helps reduce case growth and thus the amount of case trimming. It is a toned down Ackley type design.

The 257 DGR has a longer neck. This allow the seating of heavy bullets without ending up with the base of the bullet down in the powder space.
The longer neck also allow you to use the light bullets (I like Starke 70 and 80gr RPVB's) and seat then just off (or into) the lans and still have sufficent bullet in the neck of the case so you don't have seat depth (really lack of) problems.

In Theory:
The shoulder angle and neck length are similar in design to that of the 6PPC so all the "theory" of why the PPC is so accurate could be sighted as an advantage.

The one thing I do believe is that when you seat a bullet so the base is below the neck shoulder junction you reduce the accuracy potential. The neck on the 257DGR is long enough that this does not occur with bullets up to and including the Nosler 100gr BT (Maybe larger but I have had no call for a bullet over 100gr, yet)

In conclusion, I believe the 257DGR is a better theoritical design then the 25 Souper.

All that said, for a hunting rifle, in the field, you will never tell the difference between the two.

Besides, I like the looks of the 257DGR better then the 25 Souper due to the short neck on the 25 Souper.

Get one I think you will like it, I sure love mine.

Good Hunting
Jeff in ND

Jeff has done a pretty good job of explaining the difference.

www.duanesguns.com