A .250 Savage Howa 1500?
- Thread starter 2644ever
- Start date
I have a Savage Axis II that is chambered in 250 Savage.
But to be honest, the barrel is from E.R. Shaw.
I love the cartridge!
Have taken 2 deer with it using the 100gr NBT.
Coyotes out to 400 yards is where it really shines!
The 250 Savage is a classic cartridge, and once in a great while the rifle manufacturers will release a rifle in it.
If you keep your eyes out, you can pick up Ruger #1s in the classic cartridges.
But to be honest, the barrel is from E.R. Shaw.
I love the cartridge!
Have taken 2 deer with it using the 100gr NBT.
Coyotes out to 400 yards is where it really shines!
The 250 Savage is a classic cartridge, and once in a great while the rifle manufacturers will release a rifle in it.
If you keep your eyes out, you can pick up Ruger #1s in the classic cartridges.
nakneker
Gold $$ Contributor
250 Savage is gone but not forgotten, it’s a great chambering. You can still find the brass and dies, just have to look a little harder. I didn’t know Howa ever offered it but I don’t doubt it, it’s been offered in other brands here and there. Ruger and a Remington come to mind.
Bill gave you some good advice, I’d check and see if it’s a custom barrel or factory offering. Either way it sounds like a neat little rifle.
Bill gave you some good advice, I’d check and see if it’s a custom barrel or factory offering. Either way it sounds like a neat little rifle.
I really thank you, guys!
Just received the rifle this morning and Bill was right: it appears to be a rebarrel job, not only because there are no company markings on the barrel and no proof marks, but also because the gunsmith made an obvious mistake when he stamped the caliber, forgetting an "A" and correcting it afterwards.
The gun appears to never have been fired and I had some concern when I thought to notice a very fine hairline crack near the breach (gasp!) that turned out to be a long shallow scratch probably caused by some rough handling in the gunstore warehouse. Otherwise, the barrel bore is perfect, so is the crown.
I do not have cartridges yet, but I checked the headspace with a brand new Norma .22-250 case and a piece of masking tape between the bolt face and the case head.
The bolt close with difficulty on a .0075" thick "gauge". So, resized and "false shouldered" .22-250 cases could be used as an expedient.
In my neck of the woods (Brittany or "Bretagne" in Frog, a region that was stolen five centuries ago by the King of France) the .257 caliber is almost unknown, as I discovered when I tried to find ammo for the Ruger #1 Varmint in .25-06 that I brought with me when I came back home after a very long stint in Greenville, SC.
Only Speer flat base hunting bullets were available and I’m afraid the situation didn't improve. My plan B would be to resize .264 bullets with a Lee die and check the accuracy I can obtain.
Thanks for your attention.
Just received the rifle this morning and Bill was right: it appears to be a rebarrel job, not only because there are no company markings on the barrel and no proof marks, but also because the gunsmith made an obvious mistake when he stamped the caliber, forgetting an "A" and correcting it afterwards.
The gun appears to never have been fired and I had some concern when I thought to notice a very fine hairline crack near the breach (gasp!) that turned out to be a long shallow scratch probably caused by some rough handling in the gunstore warehouse. Otherwise, the barrel bore is perfect, so is the crown.
I do not have cartridges yet, but I checked the headspace with a brand new Norma .22-250 case and a piece of masking tape between the bolt face and the case head.
The bolt close with difficulty on a .0075" thick "gauge". So, resized and "false shouldered" .22-250 cases could be used as an expedient.
In my neck of the woods (Brittany or "Bretagne" in Frog, a region that was stolen five centuries ago by the King of France) the .257 caliber is almost unknown, as I discovered when I tried to find ammo for the Ruger #1 Varmint in .25-06 that I brought with me when I came back home after a very long stint in Greenville, SC.
Only Speer flat base hunting bullets were available and I’m afraid the situation didn't improve. My plan B would be to resize .264 bullets with a Lee die and check the accuracy I can obtain.
Thanks for your attention.
There's a slight difference in the shoulder angle between the 250(26.5º) and the 22-250(28º). So your headspace is probably a little tighter than you measured.
Graffs has Hornady 250 brass, but I don't know if they would ship it to you.
Thanks, I had forgotten about the difference in shoulder angle.
I don't think any US dealer will send me components; besides the Frog customs may very well decide to seize them. Why? Because they can.
Anyway, I'll resize the necks to 7mm and run the cases through a .250 sizer adjusted to have a snug fit before fireforming.
I don't think any US dealer will send me components; besides the Frog customs may very well decide to seize them. Why? Because they can.
Anyway, I'll resize the necks to 7mm and run the cases through a .250 sizer adjusted to have a snug fit before fireforming.
Have you considered necking down 6.5 Creedmoor brass?
Good idea only if you don't already have a 6.5 Creedmoor. Hate to see someone get their reloads mixed up.
It's pretty easy not to mix stuff up if the containers are properly marked.
Look how many people use 221 FB brass for Vartarg.
Even if they are mixed up, the 250 and the vartarg use smaller diameter projectiles. It'll just fireform
There's only .007" difference between the bullets for the 250 and 6.5, .257 vs .264.
My concern is if someone is able to close the bolt on a Creedmoor round in the 250 Savage chamber. It probably wouldn't be easy, but the results would be bad.
They'd have to work very hard at it, but I understand what you're saying
Update: I resized the necks of .22-250 cases with a Lee 6.5x55 sizer, then I ran the cases in a full length. 250 Savage die, adjusting the die in order to obtain a snug fit in the rifle chamber. It worked perfectly.
Incidentally, the best brand was PPU Partizan from Serbia. Their cases are not only inexpensive, they are well annealed, well finished, very consistent and the brass is on par with Lapua's and the best Federal.
Next is Hornady that required a bit more torque and was giving doughnuts for free.
The worst were W-W and Rem: very brittle and lacking in consistency.
I tried resizing once fired 6.5 Creedmoor cases from Hornady and Norma, and gave up:
Enormous torque required to hit the shell holder, even with Imperial Wax.
Had to trim .06" from the necks.
Tried to close the bolt but brass had considerable springback and the Lee die is too "shy" when it comes to reforming cases instead of just resizing them.
With a lot of research and phone calls I managed to gather 1,200 bullets from Hornady and Speer in various weights and shapes, Sierra's prices here are absolutely insane and most of their bullets are on back order. I just need to find a Lee cast bullet sizer to resize cheap Sellier & Bellot and PPU .264 bullets into .257 case forming fodder.
Stay tuned.
I also think that a 130 grain bullet and a standardized .25 Souper ( .25-308) would have filled the void before the appearance of the .260 Remington and would have made both Creedmoor cartridges unnecessary.
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