.250-3000 Savage

.250-3000 Savage
Type Rifle
Place of origin United States
Production history
Designer Charles Newton
Designed 1915
Manufacturer Savage Arms Company
Variants .250 Ackley
Specifications
Case type Rimless, bottleneck
Bullet diameter .257 in (6.5 mm)
Neck diameter .286 in (7.3 mm)
Shoulder diameter .414 in (10.5 mm)
Base diameter .469 in (11.9 mm)
Rim diameter .473 in (12.0 mm)
Case length 1.912 in (48.6 mm)
Overall length 2.515 in (63.9 mm)
Rifling twist 10"
Primer type Large rifle
Maximum CUP 45000 CUP
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy
75 gr (5 g) HP 3,170 ft/s (970 m/s) 1,674 ft·lbf (2,270 J)
90 gr (6 g) HPBT 2,997 ft/s (913 m/s) 1,795 ft·lbf (2,434 J)
100 gr (6 g) SP 2,864 ft/s (873 m/s) 1,822 ft·lbf (2,470 J)
117 gr (8 g) SBT 2,652 ft/s (808 m/s) 1,828 ft·lbf (2,478 J)
Test barrel length: 24"
Source(s): Accurate Powder [1]

The .250-3000 Savage is a rifle cartridge created by Charles Newton in 1915 and is also known as the .250 Savage. The name comes from its original manufacturer, Savage Arms and the fact that the original load achieved a 3000 ft/s (910 m/s) velocity with an 87 grain (5.6 g) bullet.[2]

Background

Charles Newton designed the 250-3000 Savage case to fit the popular Savage Model 99 lever-action rifle. Newton recommended loading 100 grain (6.5 g) bullets at 2800 ft/s (850 m/s); but Savage Arms reduced bullet weight to obtain velocity of 3000 ft/s. The .250 Savage was the first American cartridge capable of achieving 3000 ft/s (910 m/s) velocity. Achieving that velocity may have been the reason for the choice of the light-for-caliber 87 grain (5.6 g) bullet.[3] Newton questioned if the publicity advantages of velocity compensated for reduced penetration of the lighter bullet in larger game animals.[4]

The cartridge has a pressure limit of 45,000 CUP set by SAAMI. It lacks the power of the bigger .25-06 Remington but provides less noise and less recoil. Performance is very close to the .257 Roberts. Arguably it is a better overall cartridge for hunting than the more popular .30-30, but in recent years has lost ground to the .257 Roberts and flatter-shooting 6mm cartridges such as the .243 Winchester.[3]

Currently there are very few new firearms being made in .250 Savage. It is an excellent cartridge with moderate recoil for hunting small game on up to deer-sized game.[1]

Variants

Some varmint hunters use the improved version of this cartridge, known as the .250 Ackley or .250 Improved or .250 Ackley Improved as a dual-purpose intermediate-range cartridge. The .250 Ackley is the same basic cartridge with a steeper shoulder and with the sides blown-out or straightened to increase powder space.[5] This provides a velocity improvement of more than 250 ft/s (76.2 m/s) over standard factory loads.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 ".250-3000 Savage" data from Accurate Powder
  2. ↑ "The .250-3000 Savage" by Chuck Hawks
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Barnes, Frank C. (1997) [1965]. McPherson, M.L., ed. Cartridges of the World (8th Edition ed.). DBI Books. pp. 34, 91. ISBN 0-87349-178-5.
  4. ↑ Towsley, Bruce M. American Rifleman (July 2011) pp.54-57
  5. ↑ "The .250-3000 Ackley Improved" by Chuck Hawks