I got to thinking back about all the rifles I have had over the years, and one chambering in particular holds a special place in my heart: Charles Newton's historic and innovative .250-3000, released to the world in 1915.
I have had this chambering in two Savage models, the 99 -- Ray, didn't I end up selling one of these to you? -- and the ground-breaking Model 1920 bolt action.
The early 99s were troubled by the slow 1:14 twist; oh they were stellar with the original 87-grain bullet that Newton specified to reach a blistering 3,000 fps - but it would not stabilize bullets starting about 95 grains, especially in a boat-tail. Just too slow. If you wanted to shoot heavier bullets, you needed to go to a Roberts or a .25-06 -- or a .25-35 if you were fine with that 117-grain RN at 2200.
I wish I had worked with the svelte little Model 1920, the very first bolt gun sporter that could be called ultralight, but the one I had came essentially as an abused barrelled action and I never saw it all the way through to be restocked and put to work.
I had an uncle who killed a lot of Oregon elk and deer over a lifetime in the woods. He was a horseman's horseman and would have no other than a Model 99 in his saddle scabbard. While he insisted on the .300 Savage for elk, he was simply religious about the .250-3000 for everything else.
Good little cartridge. Maybe someday.

Most people don't realize that the "fabulous" Creedmoor cartridges, which "kill like greased lightening" and "shoot flatter than a stretched string" are nothing more than a .250 Savage case chambered with a reamer that is slightly oversized at the shoulder.

Yes, the little Savage round is a fine one. I've come across a few Sako L579's rebarreled in .250 Savage and have coveted such, but so far someone else has wanted them more than me and they've been just a tad out of the range I was willing to spend.

The .250 is best compared to the .243. As a game round it is probably a bit superior, and as a varmint round there is now a great selection of .257" bullets in varminting weights, so I think of it as at least as good as the .243 in that respect.

In short, a great, classic round that fails to get it due respect from today's shooters.

The .25-35 had an 8" twist. Light years ahead of its time in that regard.

I have a '36 Mexican in 250 Savage, one of my favorite rifles.

The .250 Savage certainly isn't forgotten around here!

My push-feed Model 70 so chambered drops deer, hogs, coyotes every time I ask. Mild mannered and deadly...what's not to love?

250-3000 - Savage - M14. They saved the nicest wood for the Savage calibers??

quote:

Originally posted by 218 Bee:
The .250 Savage certainly isn't forgotten around here!

My push-feed Model 70 so chambered drops deer, hogs, coyotes every time I ask. Mild mannered and deadly...what's not to love?

Is that one factory or did you have the guy up in Breckenridge barrel it for you? Nah, it has to be factory -- knowing you if you were going to do a custom you would start with a Sako action .

Man, am I that easy to predict?

Yeah, probably...

That one's Winchester through-and-through!

Bill,
I don't recall buying that SAvage 20 from you, wish I did, I love little bolt guns, lean and mean.

As you know, I cut my teeth on a Savage 99 fwt carbiine TD in 250-3000 and a win 94carbine, in a 25-35 I still have both guns an on ocassion I do my deer loafing with them..I shot my first couple of elk with my 25-35 win and a number of more elk with a 250-3000..All the family shot 30-30, 25-35, and one uncle shot a 300 Savage, took a lot of teasing about ruined meat, I always wanted a 300 just like his, but by the time I could afford to buy a rifle I went with the 308 and still have that one also..I never have felt under gun as I was taught to get close and shoot well by some of worst shots and best cowboys in the world, who knew how to hunt horseback, You can usually get pretty close to a herd of elk or big deer on a horse if you know how .

The Savage 99 is the perfect saddle gun, no other can compete against it, all things considered..

Ray, it was a 99 in .250-3000 and not the Savage 20 that you bought from me, pretty sure. As I recall, you didn't keep it long.

Bill, I have always wanted a Savage 99 in .250-3000. Those I have seen in decent shape have been as few in number as hen's teeth.

I palliated my pain by buying a Mannlicher-Schoenauer Model 1903 converted to .257 Roberts by Engel & Troesch in Boston. I do like that rifle.

We have many game animals for which the 250 is suited.

I am waiting for mine! I'm not even sure what the twist rate is, but if can handle a 117-120gr it will be a great bushveld cartridge. If not a 100gr should work just fine.

Mike, are there photos on here somewhere?

I don't think I have ever posted any, but I think I have some. I will do some digging.

My Ruger 77 International in .250 Savage is my current go-to pronghorn rifle. A joy to carry, a joy to shoot, and it just plain works. I favor the 90-grain Hornady CX or any of a the 100-grain conventional bullets. It is a lot stronger action than the Savage 99 and maximum book loads are no worries.

My neighbor/ friend across the valley has an early model 99 in 250 that he could not find ammo for, +what he could find was too heavy in grains + did not perform, + was considering having it re-barreled. I told him not only no , but Hell No! Those early ones had a long twist so I loaded him up a few boxes of lighter bullets + now he is happy as a clam, + I am as well, since he did not destroy an historic piece.

Dave, a 77 International in .250-3000! Didn't know they existed and I can imagine that it is a favorite at your house.
Randy, good save.

I've owned two .250-3000s: a Remington Model 7 with a laminated Mannlicher stock from the custom shop and a German guild double rifle built on a clamshell action. I've foolishly sold both by now, but the Model 7 might have been the perfect deer rifle. It was light and very accurate with factory 100 grain bullets.

The DR took a while to regulate and, oddly enough, although the proof marks indicated an 87 grain bullet, it regulated best with 117 grain round nose handloads.

My deer hunting these days is done with a Savage 99 in .300 Savage. If I could have located a 99 in .250-3000, I'd have bought it instead, but I didn't and at this point in life I'm selling rather than buying.

i too like the .250,,,lucky enough to have an oberndorf type a...single squarebridge[[ with original zeiss scope. and another oberndorf .250 roundtop..built as a prewar hoffman style by steve nelson... and a very early merkel .250.. as i said.. a real weakness for them... i grew up with an old family friend who shot a ..250 for everything and it just grew on me....

I started hunting with my step-granddads 99 EG in .250 Savage. It started with a Saturn V Receiver sight that I swear actually shrank the target image. Horrible optic. We put an old K4 weaver on it. Non-centering crosshairs. I’ve taken several mule deer and a couple whitetail with it. One memorable shot on a buck running below me thru the elephant grass, I may remember that until I die. I also have a custom shop XP-100 that has two antelope notches and a Ruger 77R. It is a great little cartridge. I left it for the 6mm-.243’s but have circled back a bit.

A neat International Ruger with a wood stock and all metal stainless steel in 250-3000 was available at one time, they made about 500 of them I was told and bought one on the spot..six months later I sold it for twice what I paid for it and today they fetch 3 times what I sold it for..Those Intl. are sweet rifles, Ive had few in blue and wood in various calibers..till have a few,,

Here are some photos of my Model 1903 Mannlicher-Schoenauer, re-barreled to .257 Roberts by gunsmiths Engel & Troesch in Boston, Massachusetts many decades ago.



She shows her age, but is still good-looking.



Never drilled, thank God!







Still slim and trim, and a good shooter with the Lyman swinging rear aperture sight.

Several years ago when you was figuring out a deer rifle for my left eye dominant daughter, I used an older pre-81 Browning BLR 308 and turned an identical contour 25 cal barrel for it. Chambered it in 250 Savage as an account deal lighter recoiling hunting rifle for her. Turned out rather well and is extremely accurate.

Ive had great luck on elk with the 117 gr. Hornady at 2300 fps with my 25-35 and 250-3000..200 yards max..usually on elk I try for 100 yards. Its hard to pass on an elk at 150 with the 25-35 but its a must IMO..but I only hunt cows in a field for meat. If I draw a bull permit I opt for my 06 or 300 H&H and in the black timber the 9.3x62 is about perfect...Half the fun is figuring which gun and what load to take..

In addition to my 99 Savage ,250-3000, I also have an original Kurz Mauser in the same caliber. Both are hammers on the local white tail population.

Bill,
I gave that gun to my grandson Im pretty sure..I have my 1920 fwt take down 99 taht shoots like a bench rifle, have had it for 60 plus yearsand a george Bietzinger custom 99a saddle ring carbine FWT with custom stock and total redone metal thats like a swiss watch, an awesome gun in 30-30 caliber..a 99F in 308 k(cerca 1950)

One of my all time favorite calibers.

I’ve never used mine on anything but Whitetails and IHMSA steel.

I have a 99 that’s a dream to shoot along with a 77 International that has been my whitetail rifle last 3 years.

I also have a customs XP-100 that won’t me a lot of trophies in IHMSA. 33.0 gr of IMR 4064 and a 120 Nosler Solid Base gave me a .339 group during load development (I used a 36x scope for development not the irons) and was 4 clicks from chickens to rams.

I have no use for a 250 savage; once the 257 Roberts was invented, it was and is superior in every way, especially when given a long acton and the bullets seated out. I have a Ruger 77 so made. Whomever decided to put a 257 on a short action was an idiot.
And I did have a Ruger 77 Mannlicher in 250 once. Never fired it.

DPCD,
I have no use for a 257 Robts since the 25-06 and 270 was invented is your logic? really you jest!!

I like the 250 because it is light of recoil, light of carry, Ive never seen a inaccurate one, noise level is low, its just a fun gun and Ive used it on deer and elk and Pg. not because one caliber is bigger than the other at 50 to a 100 FPS

I shot my first few deer with a 99 take down in 250 sav.

Developed head space problems and was sent back to Savage. At the time they would but a fixed barrel on it to correct the head space problem.

Unfortunately it was stolen in route by a wonderful postal employee.

Big fan of the Roberts if for no other reason than my deep and abiding respect for old Ned. I think the Roberts was handicapped by the round-nose factory load that wasted its potential for flat trajectory.

Bill, and the factory built short magazines for the robts and some 250s..but one could trade out 06 bottom metal and followers on the pre 64 win and 700 Remingtons as I recall..

Also on the 250-3000 one can use 22-250 brass with one pass through the 250 die. and 22-250 brass is available..30-06, 270, 270, 7x57 and a host of other brass to form 250-3000 ..It will always be avilable..same for the 25-06 and 257 Robts.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
I have no use for a 250 savage; once the 257 Roberts was invented, it was and is superior in every way, especially when given a long acton and the bullets seated out. I have a Ruger 77 so made. Whomever decided to put a 257 on a short action was an idiot.
And I did have a Ruger 77 Mannlicher in 250 once. Never fired it.

Same thoughts on this....

Back in the pre-243 days, well heeled sportsmen could buy factory FN Mauser action rifles in 250-3000. They’re not common anymore but you still see the odd one up for sale every now and again.

Aussies had an affinity for the 25 cal and there were numerous 25/303’s and 25/20 rifles in use. Post WWII imported factory rifles were very expensive and in short supply, which prompted the development and widespread adoption of various 303 based wildcats in 22, 25 and 27 calibres. There was even ammo produced by several local firms in these calibres as handloading was not common back then.

The first custom rifle i ever built, and that was in 1970 was a 250/3000 on a Mex action. I wish I still had it but I traded it off at a gunshow.

I have owned a Savage 99 and a Sav model 20 both in 250 Sav with the 1-14" twist barrels and they would shoot nothing heavier than the 87 gr bullets. By chance I found a new Model 10? in 250 and picked it up.Modern strong action it shoots 100 gr bullets into tiny little clusters and kills all out of proportion to its small size. A couple grandkids started on that little rifle and it worked great for them. I have since built a 250 AI on a Rem 700 action. Just more of a good thing

Love my 257 Bob, both of them. Both on Mauser actions.
Ive never had a 250 Savage, but I would like to. Seems like a well balanced round to me and the 99 is just an great American classic.

250 comes in a 99 savage for horseback hunting and much much better than any bolt gun or 257, Its handier for left handers, flater for a saddle scabbards,and several other reason, One is better than the other is nothing more than a worthless over reaction. I very fond of both the 250-3000 and the 257 robts, just depends on what Im up to on given day as to which one I prefer..

I have no criticism of either the .250 Savage or the .257 Roberts. Each has its advantages:

The .250 fits much better in a "short" (Rem 7 & 700, Sako L579, etc.) action and is not handicapped by the shorter magazine.

The .257 offers a bit more velocity, but has to be seated very deep in "short" actions, making heavier bullets less useful.

If you want a short, light (bolt action) rifle then think in terms of the .250.

If you want a little more power and don't mind using a long action then the .257 is your ticket. However, if using a long action for more power the why not chamber it for the .25-06 instead? Kinda shows why the excellent .257 is sorta boxed in on both sides and thus is limited in popularity.

What Stonecreek sez! Hard to beat a 25-06 for about anything in the longer action..

I recall Jack O,s guide shot and killed 12 Grizzlies' with factory loaded ammo in a 99SAvage 250-3000 and saw no need for any other caliber.. Once again it shows its good bullet placement and hunting skills that count the most..