250 Savage

[pigeonpie]

Hi everyone

I have an option on a custom-built .250 Savage rifle going for an absolute steal. I know it's an unusual caliber, so I thought I would find out if anyone here has any experience with it before just jumping in and buying.

Intended uses are target shooting out to 500m and hunting Springbok to Blesbok in the Freestate. I would also use it as a first step into centrefire cartridges for My wife and daughter.

My google-fu seems to indicate that factory ammunition is not easy to find in SA, however I already reload for my 30-06 so I'm not too worried about adding another caliber as long as bullets and brass can be had. It seems that brass can be formed from 22-250 relatively easily?

As for bullets, I'm interested in experimenting with some monolithics. I've heard too many stories of small-caliber bullets blowing up without penetrating to the vitals, so I'm hoping the monolithics will help prevent that. I was thinking Frontier Spartan 100grain bullets for hunting, and the 100grain Frontier Rangemaster for target shooting. Does anyone have any experience with these bullets? Anything I should look out for?

A rough conversion from loads I could find online seems to indicate S365 is the powder to use, around the 32-34 grain range. Does anyone have loads they are willing to share? Ideally I would like ~2900fps out of the 24 inch barrel.

Looking forward to any advice/comments you guys have.

[driepootx]

An important element would be twist rate of the barrel. The 250 was known for a 87gr bullet at just over 3000fps. What action now utilised will also determine pressure levels as a lot of the Savage rifles were lever action. Photos and info of the components the rifle has been assembled with, will make for better advice.

[WaldoH]

I for one would love to have this as an alternative to a 243. A friend has a rifle in this caliber and I helped him get started with hand loading for it (as you rightfully said, finding ammo in this caliber is not easy,) IIRC he managed to get some 100gr Remington ammo from ARMS in Waterkloof. The rifle is amazingly accurate with very little recoil, 400 to 500m shots can be made without breaking a sweat.

[pigeonpie]

Unfortunately I haven't seen the rifle personally, however I'll give all of the information I can. I'm still waiting for some more info and pictures - it is being sold out of an estate so getting details takes a while.

It has a 24 inch heavy barrel (I assume it has the modern 1:10 twist) mated to a Ruger bolt action bedded in a laminate target-style stock. I think it should be strong enough to handle modern pressures - I met the gunsmith who built it a while ago and he likes pushing the performance limits of cartridges.

[pigeonpie]

I for one would love to have this as an alternative to a 243. A friend has a rifle in this caliber and I helped him get started with hand loading for it (as you rightfully said, finding ammo in this caliber is not easy,) IIRC he managed to get some 100gr Remington ammo from ARMS in Waterkloof. The rifle is amazingly accurate with very little recoil, 400 to 500m shots can be made without breaking a sweat.

That's great news, thanks Waldo. Do you perhaps remember what kind of load you guys settled on in the end?

[Dale SH]

The frontier Rangemaster bullets are exceptionally long for their weight so I doubt your standard barrel (1:10 twist) will accommodate these bullets.
The 100 grain Spartan mono will also be only just stable at top end velocities.
Frontier recommend a 1:8 twist for these bullets.
An 87 grain mono will be the longest bullet capable of being stabilized with a 1:10 twist.
The Frontier bullets I think where designed for the 25-06
S365 will be too slow burning for a 87 and 100 grain bullet.
If I have a quick look on QL then S335 is your go to powder for the 87 grain bullet.

[pre 64]

The only reservations i have on the 250 Savage is the rifle itself [Savage lever action,rotary magazine] and case availability.

It seems you are good with the rifle and you would proberbly come right with cases so i would go for it.

I have shot a lot of springbuck with 87gr [i think] Peters factory ammo when i was a lightie.We used a battered Savage rifle that was good for springbuck MOA at 100m.

This is the type of unusual caliber that tickles my fancy.Watching this space with interest .......

[Dale SH]

Brass is available from Hornady.

[pigeonpie]

The frontier Rangemaster bullets are exceptionally long for their weight so I doubt your standard barrel (1:10 twist) will accommodate these bullets.
The 100 grain Spartan mono will also be only just stable at top end velocities.
Frontier recommend a 1:8 twist for these bullets.
An 87 grain mono will be the longest bullet capable of being stabilized with a 1:10 twist.
The Frontier bullets I think where designed for the 25-06
S365 will be too slow burning for a 87 and 100 grain bullet.
If I have a quick look on QL then S335 is your go to powder for the 87 grain bullet.

Thanks Dale. I see that Kriek bullets make monolithic bullets in the 70-90 grain range. Does anyone have experience with these? Any other brands I should check out? I'd prefer hunting bullets with comparable 'plinkers' like what Frontier and Peregrine offer if possible.

I'm also not dead set on monolithics if there are better options for this caliber out there.

[WaldoH]

He has a 1:14 or 1:12 twist IIRC and can only stabilize 75g bullets mono's and 87 or 90gr bonded / jacketed bullets. A 1:10 would be a completely different animal to reload for. I see Dale has offered some advice, I am certain he would be better equipped to give you advice on a 1:10 twist.