Reloading The 250 With Homemade Bullets
By Byron E. Cottrell
Hunter-Trader-Trapper, vol 52, No. 2, May 1921 pages 52-53.
I believe there are a large number of shooters who are not acquainted with this fine cartridge and rifle. If they were, I think but few would be content to use a rifle of lower velocity.
The accuracy of the 250/3000 is truly wonderful for such a light-weight sporting arm. There are very few more accurate rifles made. It will easily place its shots in a 3-inch bull at 100 yards and you may be sure of landing on Mr. Woodchuck every time at that distance if you do your part. The strongest points of this rifle is its accuracy, the ease with which you can hit your game at long unknown ranges, due to the very flat trajectory, and its killing power.
There is no need to change the elevation up to 200 yards, even when shooting at small game, and it shoots 300 yards with less elevation than a 25/35 requires for 200 yards. With reduced loads it is as accurate as a fine 22 rifle, and this is not the case with very many high power arms.
Now as to the make-up of the cartridge. It is primed with a non-mercuric primer which has no bad effects on the shell or barrel. It is loaded with a pure nitro-cellulose powder. A barrel will shoot accurate alter using 15,000 to 20,000 full loads of this powder. It is way ahead of "Lightning" and other nitro-glycerine powders.
The only drawback to this rifle is the high cost of the ammunition. The cartridges cost at present, 8 cents each. This is what I was up against and how I found a way out of it. None of the Cartridge Companies would sell the 87 gr. Spitzer bullets for reloading — or anything like them. A cast gas-check bullet won't stand anything over 2000 feet per second and I wanted full charges with 3000 feet per second.
The 250/3000 bullets are the same diameter as the 25/20 and the 25/35. I tried both these bullets but without good results, in fact I tried everything available but results were not satisfactory so I had a fine mechanic make me a swedge so I could make my own metal patched soft point Spitzer bullets. I tried using empty fired 22 R. F. shells for patches. They work fine for light loads, and I have had fair success with them at full loads. They are not very accurate beyond 100 yards and they would be no good for big game. They fly to pieces on hitting and make an awful hole in a "chuck," but don't seem to go in very deep. I have had several fail to go thru a 'Chuck when shot endways. It's an awful job to make them, too. The empty 22's must have the rim swedged out and then sized to 54 inch. In doing this about half of them will split. It took too much time, so I now use the regular patch like the cartridge Company's. In order to get these I have to buy the complete 25/35 S. P. bullet and cut it off the right length and then swedge it to the right shape. It is some work and bother but I am able to get what I want. They cost me $9.00 per 1000 and I make them the regular weight of 87 grains.
I tried this bullet at 3000 feet per sec. with just as good results as the factory load. 1 have also tried it at 3250 feet per sec, using 39 gr. of Dupont No. 10 with fine results. I have shot hundreds of them and never had a split jacket or had one go wild.
The Dupont Company recommend reloading it and say it is perfectly safe. It is not difficult to do, and do right.
It is necessary to have a good set of apothecary's scales, accurate to at least ¼ of a grain and still better to 1/10. The best and safest powders for the 250/3100 cartridge are Dupont No. 16 and Dupont No. 18, also Hercules No. 300. The proper charge of No. 16 is 35.7 gr. which gives 3000 ft. sec. velocity, but it is perfectly safe to use 39 gr. of No. 16, as recommended by the Dupont Company, and it gives 3250 feet sec. velocity. So you see if you should get in a grain or two more of this powder when using the regular load of 35.7 gr. no harm would be done. But never use more than the maximum charge recommended. Reloading is not dangerous if done right.
Be sure your scales are right and weigh the charges accurately. For any one who is naturally careful and accurate, reloading is safe enough but one who is not careful has no business with a rifle anyway. Use the right powder and the right charge of it behind the right bullet, put them together right and you are sure of safe and accurate results.
Just ask anyone who has used the 250/3000 Savage about its killing power. Notice the number of kills you read of this gun making. Just the other day I read of a moose that was hit low down on the hip and went down to stay within a few rods.
I think you will all agree with me that there are few animals harder to kill "dead" than a woodchuck. The 250/3000 will stop them so dead they won't kick or even wiggle a tail and the big bore black powder rifle won't do it.
Another strong point in favor of this rifle is the fact that the soft point bullets will not glance. It can be shot in a thickly settled country without danger if you shoot so your bullet hits the ground.
Counting my time and paying retail prices for all parts reloads cost as follows :
Full charge 87 gr. bullet, 35.7 gr. No. 16 powder, $4.00 per 100.
Reduced load 86 gr. Metal Patch or Soft Point 25/20 bullet loaded with 24 gr. Dupont No. 18 to give about 2000 ft. velocity, $2.75 per 100.
Reduced load Ideal Cast bullet 85 to 87 gr., according to temper, loaded with 10 gr. Dupont Schuetzen Rifle, smokeless, $2.00 per 100.
Does it pay to reload? It does with me.
This last load is very accurate and I have shot groups as small as a dime at 33 yards with rest. It is fine up to 100 yards and has a little more punch than the regular 25/20.