250- 3000 and other quarter bores

Could never find a used 250. Such 99s are heirlooms in this neck of the woods. Although I do have 25-06 and a 25-35. In my experiments although the 1/4 bore 06 is far and away faster in velocity than a 270 win it isn't quite as accurate. Just a smidgen less off the mark between the two benched rest at 100 yards. (distance I typically shoot in the field) One other draw back with the 1/4 bore 06. When hand loaded to MAX and than some velocity's. Its bullets are overwhelmingly tissue destroyers. Just my thoughts on the subject.
 
This thread has appeared at a very opportune time. I was just discussing calibers with the guy that use to run the rifle league I plan to shoot in during the winter and the conversation started with me stating that as far as I know I will be the only one shooting a 223.

So he proceeded to tell me that when the league started nearly everyone was shooting 300Win Mags., then the second year most had switched to a 308 and that lasted a few years and then everyone moved to the 6.5 and now most are shooting some form of 6mm

So I started to wonder why none was shooting a 25 so I got home and looked thru Hodgdon and came upon this 250 Savage and really wondered why it wasn't being used as they are only shooting out to 300 yards.

Now I currently have a Savage Model 11 looking for a build and thought I too would go the 6mm route until last night when I stumbled upon the 250 Savage. My question is Why Not? Wouldn't it fit in between the 6mm and the 6.5?

I'm new to this so politely explain why this doesn't play.
 
The 257 weatherby is my all time favorite caliber. Handloads with reloader 26 push it into another realm. I'm launching the 117gr sst @3440fps and the 100gr ttsx @ 3625. Both are absolutely deadly but the sst buck the wind better.
 
@ KMW1954,

When i mentioned building a match rifle to several i was shooting with, i was told repeatedly by several people to "buy a known winning rifle in 6BR"!

Anyone that knows me, knows i'm not that guy! :D

Finally settled on a 250 Savage build. Shooting is mostly 400 yards & under.
IBS, UBR, Groundhog, Deer shoots.

Found Savage donor action.
26" Shilen barrel from Northland Shooters Supply along with ground barrel nut.
Was told 12 weeks. At 17 weeks & counting.
PTG ground 2 pin recoil lug.
Rifle Basix trigger.
EABCO trigger guard.
EABCO single feed loading ramp.
EGW one piece zero MOA base.
EGW Keystone high 30mm rings
Flatline Ops scope level.
Sightron SIII 10-50X60 LRTD, bought used.

After mocking together, it's off to get a BR stock built.
There is a local shop that is known for good work that offered to do one for me for $200. :cool:

Looking for good brass now. Will probably end up necking up 22-250 brass.

Short range (to 200 yards) i'm planning on the Sierra 75gr HP Varminter.
For the 300 & 400 yard matches i' m planning on the 110gr ELDX, or Tipped GameKing.

I also have some 100gr MatchKings on the way.
 
std7mag,

That sounds very close to what I was thinking to do with the Savage Model 11 barreled action I just bought. At first I was thinking of barreling it in the new 6 ARC as one of our range customers has been giving me all his brass. Then I thought maybe a 6BR as it uses the same bolt head as the 243 this is already chambered in.

But yes indeed the 250 Savage looks very intriguing for a 300yd paper shooter. Besides like you say. it will be away from the crowd!
 
The 257 weatherby is my all time favorite caliber. Handloads with reloader 26 push it into another realm. I'm launching the 117gr sst @3440fps and the 100gr ttsx @ 3625. Both are absolutely deadly but the sst buck the wind better.
Click to expand...
Supposedly it was Roy Weatherby's personal favorite, and long-time Weatherby pros also claim it's the most accurate of all the WBY cartridges.
 
@std7mag,

Go to Black Jack bullets and take a look at what they're doing with the .25 caliber. Some impressive stuff for sure, that only rifle loonies would understand.
 
Taylorce1,

I have a few. Problem is all my barrels have a 1:10 twist.
So they won't stabilize.

Others are finding out that they don't group that great at 400 yards & under.
Once you get past 500 yards is where they really shine!
 
std7mag,

I didn't think the 131BJ bullet would work for you, just implying there are people just as odd as you. ;) I love the .250 Savage and have a nice 6 lb rifle buit on a Charles Daly mini action. I have to watch COAL because the magazine is a little short, but it's a cool little rifle.
 
Mine is a rebarreled Stevens 200. So i have all kinds of magazine room!

I'm one of the very few people i know running the 115gr Berger VLD in a 250 Savage. :cool:
 
I should provide a "final" update, although there is more work to do.

I didn't get a picture of my Marlin 27S, but my 75 Speer FP ran 1,700 fps over IMR-4198. Fun gun, and likely deadly on varmints at <100 yards. This is my only slide action rifle, and a joy to shoot, but in truth the old cartridge for coyotes and smaller is the 22 Hornet. That's why I sold my Savage 23 B and C and kept the D's. But a classic handy little popper it is.

The Savage 20 250-3000 is pictured. I had it out again today with below max loads of 100 gr. Remington CoreLokt, but it seems inconsistent. I will keep trying, but this girl is nearly 100, and I'm not going to fool with such a classic. Oh yes, there are other interesting guns on GB. But...

"Bob", the old Nazi (receiver has the eagle and swastika), now reformed to a 257 Roberts deerslayer, remains my favorite quarter bore, and maybe my favorite rifle. A little heavy, as I put a Richards Microfit claro walnut stock on her. But as a result, recoil is negligible. Timney trigger is really nice. And IMR-4955 works very well under Sierra Pro Hunter 117s. So I'd be a fool to get caught up in the 250-3000. Yeah, I'll do it anyway.

Oh, the 257 "Roy". She's on her way to Sheridan, Wyoming for a new barrel. A 40+ year old barrel burner deserves a new one, and my first outing indicated the need. No worries, the price I paid pretty much accounted for this eventuality. But I can see why Roy Weatherby and others love this round. Although it has outrageous powder capacity and velocity (OK, Lazzeroni has a faster one), it doesn't really kick much. And as someone said, that 9 lug bolt is a work of art.

So there you are. I'm enjoying my quarter bores, but Bob is going hunting this Fall.
 

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I can probably tell you why your 100yr old rifle wasn't accurate with the 100 gr bullets.

The 250 Savage was originally rifled for 87gr bullets.
It probably came with a 1:12 twist barrel.

If you handload, i'd suggest some 85gr Nosler Ballistic Tips.

And unless your name is Bob, then the cartridge you plan to hunt with is the Roberts.
Roberts being the designers last name, not the first name.
Although Paul Mauser chambered the 25X57 Mauser almost 30 years earlier.

Sorry, pet peeve.
 
"Bob" is my rifle. I'll give Ned Roberts his due. And I think the twist is 1:14. It stayed at 1:14 after the 100 gr loads were introduced in the 30's. I do have a load for Sierra 75 grain "Varminter" that I have yet to group.
 
The quarter bore is making a little comeback. Berger now makes a 133gr hybrid with a .613 bc that requires an 8 twist. Barnes just came out with a 101gr lrx but haven't released ballistics on it. There are also some smaller makers like Patriot valley arms,cutting edge and hammer producing longer .257 pills requiring an 8 twist. Sure it won't take long now and Hornady will release a 25 creedmoor lol. Im really considering getting a 7 or 8 twist bbl chambered in 257 wby or 25x284 to try those new Berger's.
 
The quarter bore is making a little comeback. Berger now makes a 133gr hybrid with a .613 bc that requires an 8 twist. Barnes just came out with a 101gr lrx but haven't released ballistics on it. There are also some smaller makers like Patriot valley arms,cutting edge and hammer producing longer .257 pills requiring an 8 twist. Sure it won't take long now and Hornady will release a 25 creedmoor lol. I'm really considering getting a 7 or 8 twist bbl chambered in 257 wby or 25x284 to try those new Berger's.
Click to expand...

The real question is, which is making more of a comeback in the wonderful Quarterbore World: the 25-06 or the 257 WBY? :confused:
 
I don't know that either is making a comeback--they never left. I think the 250-3000 and 257 Roberts are making a modest return to the mainstream. Folks are rediscovering what my grandparents' generation knew: They kill deer and they don't kick. The hot 25s have always had a limited, but enthusiastic, following, and they still do. They kill...well, some folks shoot elk with them, and Roy Weatherby killed a rhino (?)...and they don't kick a whole lot. But I don't think they will challenge the current 6.5mm craze. Still, it's a lot of fun to get the old rounds back in the game, and new things are always interesting.
 
The more I look into this topic and consider my needs and also my personality of "a different drum" I'm thinking this 250 savage may just work very well to the 300yd distance our league shoots. May even prove to be more fun than the 223 I'm shooting now.
 
Most of the members heard i was going to build a benchrest rifle.
So of course after a match we are all sitting around conversing, and my friend brings the subject up.
It was an imediate, overwhelming " buy a known winning rifle in 6BR"!

Wherein i looked around and brought up, of the 20 some people there, only 2 were shooting 6BR.
Rifles ranged from 223 through 30BR caliber wise. One person shooting a shortened 284 Win case with 190gr Bergers. :eek:

I'm not going to be burning much, if any more powder than the 6.5X47s.
Recoil should be light. (Planned weight of 14 lbs)
And for some unknown reason to me, the 6mm (and 6.5 mm) shooters are shooting heavy high BC bullets even at 100 yards.

With a good, consistent bullet out of my 24" barrel clocking in the 3,150s, i'm already through the target while the wind is still blowing on theirs. :D

That's my theory anyways, and i'm sticking to it! ;)
 
Sounds like testing your theory will be a lot of fun at worst, and you may just dominate your league for awhile. I have not been able to find any 87 grain bullets for the Savage 20, but I will give the 75 Sierras a run next week. Although I have not given up on 100s, I've caved to the faster twist and ordered a Remington 700 barreled action on GB. As usual probably paid too much, but I have a new project with a 1:10 twist. Mine are always intended as hunting rifles.
 
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