Hi ya folks!

Please take me to school on the 250-3000 as a hunting round...

Never looked into it before....Thanks!!!

Aloha Ro,
As you can imagine, I have one of those in an old Savage 99 with the rotary magazine. It's a good medium powered cartridge for deer sized game. I've only used the 250-3000 to whack a bunch of pigs a couple of times on Niihau. I like the heavier bullets, but the old Savage has a somewhat slower twist at 1 in 14" so I had to use the 117 gr. round nosed bullets. The gun has only iron sights and with my old eyes all kills were under 100 yds. It performed well and better than what I expected.

Finding factory ammo is a challenge, so reloading is a must. Occasionally, someone will list brass for sale. You can also form brass from 22-250 cases by lubricating the inside of the neck and using a tapered expander ball in the FL dies; but, you must expect some split neck losses.

All in all, it's a very efficient cartridge that has sustained some resurgence in the past 15-20 years.

Geoff

It isn't a 25-06 but then again a 25-06 is not a 300WinMag! The 250-3000 or 250 Savage is a very pleasant to shoot chambering. Effective on deer sized stuff and pleasant to shoot at the smaler vermin. Shooting 80-85,87 grain bullets at 3000fps(hence the name as it was the first commercial chambering to push an 87 grain bullet at 3000fps) it is quite effective. Good choice for a youngster or smaller framed shooter as it doesn't "kill on both ends". Have fun with it!! After all it spawned the best all around varminter of all time, the 22-250! GHD

If you're a reloader, the 250-3000 is a nice little cartridge for bullets in the 75 to 100 grain range if you have a 1 in 10" ROT barrel. The pre-1960 Savages and post-1964 Winchester/USRA 70s have 1 in 14" ROT barrels that generally work better with bullets under 100 grains. If you're not a reloader, the factory loaded 100 grain bullets offered by Remington and Winchester/Olin are OK, but noting special.

I have dozens of 250-3000 rifles and only shoot 1 or 2, and only occasionally at that. For all practical purposes, the 250-3000 does what the 243 does, but it just costs more to do it via the 250-3000.

If you want to try the 250-3000, the least expensive route would be via a short action Stevens 200 and an A&B barrel from MidwayUSA.

Good luck!

Jeff

Uncle Geoff and 260remguy,

Thanks for the details I appreciate it...I think because I have a 243Win I better take a chill pill but it sounds like a very interesting cartridge indeed...Thanks!

Still searching then for something a bit different from what I already have in my battery, not much but definitely cartridges that fascinate me...

The 22-250 has been getting my attention lately as well and the 6.5/284...I have time on my side and my spare long-action Savage is sitting patiently...

quote:

Originally posted by groundhog devastation:
It isn't a 25-06 but then again a 25-06 is not a 300WinMag! The 250-3000 or 250 Savage is a very pleasant to shoot chambering. Effective on deer sized stuff and pleasant to shoot at the smaler vermin. Shooting 80-85,87 grain bullets at 3000fps(hence the name as it was the first commercial chambering to push an 87 grain bullet at 3000fps) it is quite effective. Good choice for a youngster or smaller framed shooter as it doesn't "kill on both ends". Have fun with it!! After all it spawned the best all around varminter of all time, the 22-250! GHD

GHD,

My Rem BDL is getting re-barreled as we speak,,,25-06 will be singing praises soon...

I've explained in another thread to you that I have a Stevens Mod 200 with a 25-3000 light weight Shaw barrel that is deep throated and has a fast enough twist to handle comparatively inexpensive 120 grain cup and core bullets. The Shaw barrel may not be quit as inexpensive as the A&B but you can more readily specify what you want (Throat ,twist, barrel weight, etc.)and in my experience end up with a better quality hunting rifle.
This combination will put that bullet out safely at 2750fps.;perhaps a little faster if you push it as you will pick up some usable case capacity by being able to seat the bullet out a good deal farther than the recommened OAL. At that velocity and mass designer bullets are not needed. If there is any real differece in cost between it and the .243 I've never seen it. Cases can be readily acquired ; Natchez has them for sale as this is written. They also can be formed using other cases like the 22-250 and with a little extra work, while watching TV, the .243
The recoil of this light rifle is not unpleasant. A young person male or female should have no problem. For the game you have on the islands this should handle it out to 300 yds.In my lifetime I,ve taken few animals beyond that, other than perhaps PDs. The Roberts and the 26-06 will outdistance the 250-3000 but do you need it? roger

Thanks Roger for sharing the details...I appreciate it...it sounds like a mellow DEVASTATING round especially for our island game...

quote:

Originally posted by Late-Bloomer:
Thanks Roger for sharing the details...I appreciate it...it sounds like a mellow DEVASTATING round especially for our island game...

Roger is a pretty "hip" guy.

He knows of what he speaks!

quote:

Originally posted by Late-Bloomer:
I have a 243Win

The .250-3000 is in the class with the .243 but the .243 will always stand heads and shoulders over it.

The .250 is rich in nostalgia however....a fine historic working dual purpose round.

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

Originally posted by Late-Bloomer:
I have a 243Win

The .250-3000 is in the class with the .243 but the .243 will always stand heads and shoulders over it.

If the .243 were deep throated and of the proper twist and magazine length to facilitate the proper use of a 120gr. bullet, it might best the 250-3k by 75 fps. ; maybe a little more or less. Now if that is the measure of head and shoulders than VD is right.
Trying to be objective I'd have to say the .243 is a little more versatile, but I enjoy shooting my .250-3k as much or more than any of my .243s. roger

Hey BRA!
Now that you got a 25-06 in the making you better keep an eye open for a short action something or other and make a 250 Savage Ackley Imp. Keeps up with the 257 Rob and is all iuse here anymore unless I go over the hill to Enterprise for the long shots at elk. Mahalo for the hot stuff!
Aloha, Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Bohica:
Hey BRA!
Now that you got a 25-06 in the making you better keep an eye open for a short action something or other and make a 250 Savage Ackley Imp. Keeps up with the 257 Rob and is all iuse here anymore unless I go over the hill to Enterprise for the long shots at elk. Mahalo for the hot stuff!
Aloha, Mark

Aloha Bradda Mark,

I appreciate all the help you're giving me brother and the HOT STUFF is just a small gift of my appreciation...I got a lifetime supply just for you!!!


Aloha!

Ro

The fact is that the .250 will outperform the .243 on larger animals due to its ability to use 115 to 120-grain bullets. And no premium bullets are needed. Loaded to the same pressures as the .243 (safe to do in a modern bolt action) there is little velocity difference with lighter game bullets, not enough to notice in the field.

If you have a .243 and won't shoot anything larger than a whitetail, then the .243 is plenty. If you intend on larger game or just want it, go for the .250.


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quote:

Originally posted by TX Nimrod:
The fact is that the .250 will outperform the .243 on larger animals due to its ability to use 115 to 120-grain bullets. And no premium bullets are needed. Loaded to the same pressures as the .243 (safe to do in a modern bolt action) there is little velocity difference with lighter game bullets, not enough to notice in the field.

If you have a .243 and won't shoot anything larger than a whitetail, then the .243 is plenty. If you intend on larger game or just want it, go for the .250.


.

Agreed.....but the fact is that overwhelmingly the .250-3000 is encapsulated in a Savage lever gun and the twist rate won't stabilize bullets of (sometrimes even) 100 grains.....and one would be amiss to load it to the 65K PSI in that rifle.

A splendid cartridge...I wish I had one...but I'm holding on to my .243,,,,,

I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase one of the new Lipsey Specials in 250 Savage. I think it comes with a 1-10 twist. These rifles came in the Ruger International full stock rifle stainless. I did have some factory Win 100gr to use for the barrel break in and found it was OK in the accuracy department. I have a bunch of the 87gr Speer bullets to load for it and will be trying them out soon. I think R15 is the powder of choice?
Regards Greg

quote:

...but the fact is that overwhelmingly the .250-3000 is encapsulated in a Savage lever gun and the twist rate won't stabilize bullets of (sometrimes even) 100 grains.....and one would be amiss to load it to the 65K PSI in that rifle.

Except that the OP has a Savage bolt action to use rather than an M99 so no low pressure limit.
And I think you meant to say "the twist rate won't stabilize bullets of over....100 grains".



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