My old Model 99 has the 1:14 twist barrel, and accuracy becomes iffy even with some 100-grain bullets. Anyone out there find a lighter-weight bullet whose construction they trust for deer and antelope? Wish Barnes made an 80-grain TSX ...

Bill/Oregon,

GS Custom manufactures a 80gr and 85gr HV bullet in 257 suitable for your rifle.

Contact Custom Brass and Bullets or also NLT

Jagter: I was admiring Gerard's excellent bullets, but note that the Arizona dealer says there can be a 3- to 6-month delays in getting them. I will check NLT.
Thanks!
Bill

Hey Bill,
I have same prob up here in Seattle. Nice old 250-3000 takedown. I'm using 87 gr Speer. Getting decent accuracy, around 1.5". Haven't killed anything with it yet. I finally developed a couple of good loads, but am at the office, load data at home. Let me know if you want it.
Brice

The 87 grain Hornady will do fine for deer. I've taken several with it at a MV of around 2900 fps.

Test it with any 85 to 90 gr. bullet and see which one shoots the best...I like the 87 gr. Hornady bullets in my 250-3000 M-99, but it shoots 100 grainers into 2 inch groups so thats close enough for me...

Also try some 100gr. Round nose bullets, it will probably shoot them well....

I've used the 87 Speer Hot Core(not the TNT) on a # of whitetails with very good results out of my old M99R. This year I went with the 100 Speer, because of it's shorter overall length( more of a semi pointed bullet) it groups better in my rifle than the other 100s. I get 1.5" with the Speer 100. You might try that one, but I've had nothing but pass throughs on all lung shot deer with the 87's. A good load for the M99 is 36-RL-15 with the 87. Lots of guys around the web use that one. I had good luck with Big Game and the 100s but won't give the recipe, my chamber is a bit large and it takes more powder to get to a given pressure.

There is a 90 grain sierra Hollow point that I have heard good things about.
Bill If you are going to be around portland any time soon PM me.
I have a few on hand, I was planning to use in my springfield Roberts , but believe it or not I can,t get the darn things to feed.
Its a 1903 springfield it feeds anything else like butter But to get these to feed I have to seat absurdly deep, so I would be happy to give you what I have left...tj3006

Thomas: Thanks for your kind offer. I was just rifling through my bullet stash and found a half a box of the very same bullet. I need get back out to the loading bench and do some serious workups.

Bill,
Your gun has a 1x14 twist, the 99R, later EGs,I belive came out with the 1x10 twist to stabilize the 100 gr. bullets.

However, my old 1x14 twist will shoot the RN 100 gr. bullets into an inch and a half..can't beat that..The RN are probably shorter than the Spitzers being the reason, maybe.

I use Hornady 87gr SP. They will take a deer just fine.

Kelly