Just picked up a savage 1899 in 250/3000, vintage early 20's, at local gunshow. It looked like a really cool old rifle. And folks that talk about these have that knowing twinkle in their eye. I would like to shoot this thing but not having any luck finding ammo or empty cases. Might make a Coyote rifle out of it. This is my first 99 so, if you want to relay your experiences, I am here to listen.

Anyone have a dozen 250 savage brass, new or fired, they could part with?


Charlie

I have a model 99 in .250-3000, it was my grand dads.. I grew up shooting it and have killed probably 100's of deer with it. I LOVE IT!! Our local mom n pop hardware store still carries the round, but they are about 35.00 a box...I may have some brass, will check when I get home.

The brass counter, rotary magazine..this gun was WAY ahead of its time...just typing about the gun brings a smile to my face

Owned one for around 10 years or so before it was stolen and never recovered. Savage 99-G .250 Savage, probably early 1950's production, with Lyman receiver sight.

Savage marked most of these rifles ".250 Savage", although some will have the ".250-3000" caliber marking. This was a marketing device for a factory rifle and cartridge achieving 3000 FPS, which Savage accomplished by using 87-grain bullets. Those lighter bullets were not highly regarded by many hunters due to a reputation for fragmentation and failure to fully penetrate on game animals, and many articles written throughout the 1950's to 1970's recommended the 100-grain bullets for use on game, with the lighter bullets primarily for varmint use. Heavier bullets, like the 120-grain, are not fully stabilized in the Savage barrels due to slower rifling twist, and velocities are necessarily reduced due to limited powder capacity of the .250 case.

Very nicely balanced rifle, lightweight enough for all day in the Colorado Rockies. Good large trigger guard allowed use with gloves in winter. I installed a QD sling swivel base on the toe of the buttstock and barrel-band base forward of the slender fore-end (must have a sling on a hunting rifle, in my opinion).

Plenty accurate enough for deer out to 200 yards or so, although not nearly as accurate as a good bolt-action rifle with scope.

Powerwise, more than adequate for mule deer, but I would not have taken it after elk or other large game.

Played with several loads including 75-grain HP, 87-grain spitzer, and 100-grain spitzer. Settled on the Speer 100-grain Hot-Cor spitzer at about 2700-2800 FPS, as I recall, which performed very well on deer.

The standard buttstock on the 99's is slim and low. Very nice for carrying, and perfectly suitable for open sights, but not very good for using a scope. May require one of the old lace-on cheekpads to work readily with a scope.

I have also used .25-06 and .257 Roberts in other rifles. In my opinion, the .250 Savage will do about anything these larger, harder kicking, calibers will do out to 200 yards or so with the only exception being the ability to handle heavier bullets like the 120-grains that I prefer in those other calibers (and barrels that will stabilize them).

you should be able to just run 22-250 brass through the 250 sizing die and you would have 250 savage brass. you might want to make sure that the sizing die has a bit of transition on the expander plug. if it doesn't the die manufacturer probably has an expander plug that will work

PM sent.



They work and work well!

Ammo and brass are widely available, but seem to be manufactured in seasonal runs. I guess that right now were aren't in "the season".

nice Greg. Mine has the peep sight and a Marbles rear elevator sight, front is an ivory bead. Your stock is checkered with a pistol grip ... mine is straight and plain.

Will try some 87g first and if they shoot, I'll be set for some local coyote hunting. This is going to be a blast with the old girl.

Lobo, sorry to hear about lost savage. That's tough to take. Mine is marked 1899 250/3000.


Charlie

I gotta warn ya....if you keep one around long, it'll multiply.

Most will neck up 22-250 brass and away you go.....I have also taken .308 brass and necked it down....same with using .300 savage brass and necking it down as well.

Randy

Sinclair International ( which now belongs to Brownell) has a die that holds interchangeable mandrels where you can neck up 22/250 brass to 25 cal. Very easy to do with the die. The 87 grain appears to be the old stand by in the 250 savage and works great on varmints.
I have one of these old guns, actually the first year of chambering for the 250 (1915) and it is great to shoot. Also own another and gave my son my Ruger to deer hunt with 20 years ago. The Ruger has killed about 40-45 deer over the past 35 years. 40 + of these whitetails were one shot kills. We have been using 100 grain Barnes over a load of H 414 for years and some 20-25 deer have died in their tracks with this load. He has killed two large Kansas bucks, both around 200 lbs plus field dressed with this load, both at around 200 yards and both died in their tracks. For deer size game and down, you can not find a better chambering.
I shoot long range prairie dogs with the other one in my safe and use 79 and 87 grains and enjoy shooting this load.

Enjoy this old gun and take it hunting. They are Great.

I have not had a great deal of problem finding brass over the years, but I have purchased at gun shows when I found it and have created quit a stash over the years, problem is, most all of it is loaded for future hunts and trips to the range. .

Midway USA has .250 Savage brass available from time to time.
It was back ordered the last time I tried to buy some, however.
Some dealers in Shotgun News also list it in ads.

Remington and Winchester still make ammo for it. You could buy a few boxes of factory loads to get started.