Savage .250-3000 mod to .250 ackley question

[b_rad]

I have a Savage 250/3000 that was modified years ago to a 350 Ackley. My question is can I shoot a regular .250 from the gun? I want my wife to use it for deer hunting and not quite ready to get rid of her. I think that I remember my father saying that he shot regular .250 cartridges and then reloaded for the Ackley modification.


Should I have any concerns?

Thanks

[PawPaw]

From my understanding of the Ackley Improved system, to make brass fit the chamber, you fire the parent brass cartridge and the brass fire-forms to fit the chamber for reloading as the Improved cartridge.

From Gunsmiths.com (http://www.gunsmiths.com/articledetail.php?id=95): The Ackley Improved conversion is essentially an enlarged chamber that by clever design will still allow the parent cartridge to headspace and be held tight against the bolt face. Upon firing the brass will be blown out and forward to conforming the brass to the Ackley Improved dimensions.

I'm told that some rifles with Improved chambers shoot quite nicely with the parent ammunition. I wouldn't be concerned about it at all. That's the way it was designed to be used.

[Brian Pfleuger]

I have a Savage 250/3000 that was modified years ago to a 350 Ackley.

I assume that you meant "250 Ackley", not 350.

Yes, Ackley cases (all of them as far as I know except the few that are commercially available) are formed by firing stout loads using the original parent case. Accuracy is typically reported as good, or at least acceptable. There is no problem with simply using the gun with the parent cartridge all the time, if you'd like.

[the jigger]

I have two 250AI rifles. Both shoot 250/3000 ammo very well. Your wife should suffer no disadvantage shooting standard 250/3000 ammo in your AI rifle.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

[taylorce1]

Good reason to start reloading if you own a .250 AI. However it should shoot factory ammunition well. .250 Savage is hard to find so save your brass and get into reloading.

[b_rad]

I actually got everything I need to reload the .250 and about 20 other types, I just don't know how to use it. None of the loading stuff has been used for 15 years (primers&powder) how long is it good for?

[Brian Pfleuger]

Primers and powder, properly stored, are good for decades. If you want to learn to reload, buy a good manual like the Lyman 49th and The ABCs of Reloading. Read them.

[b_rad]

And yet another question. I found a box of Rimington 70gr sivertip. I would say they are 20 years old. would they still be good?
Thanks for all the good advice!

[PawPaw]

And yet another question. I found a box of Rimington 70gr sivertip. I would say they are 20 years old. would they still be good?
Thanks for all the good advice!

Yeah, they're fine. I've got some .25 caliber bullets that were made prior to 1960 (http://pawpawshouse.blogspot.com/2011/09/old-sierra-bullets.html). The bullets I've got are perfectly fine, and yours are virtually brand new.

[Jim Watson]

Rimington 70gr sivertip.

Really?
That is strange because Silvertip has been a Winchester trademark for many, many years.

AND a 70 grain .250 bullet would be a varmint bullet, not much suitable for game as large as deer.

[HiBC]

Something to be aware of:
When they came out with the .250 Savage,they wanted to market the velocity.It is also known as the .250-3000,for 3000 fps.

To do that,they focused on lighter bullets,and accordingly gave the barrel a relatively slow twist.

I don't load this cartridge,I don't have experience.I suggest you not invest heavily in heavy(115/120 gr) bullets,as they may not stabilize for you.If I recall right,it will shoot 100 gr bullets.Length of the bullet comes into play,so you may have better luck with a flat base bullet.

The .250 will work just fine for a deer rifle...as has been suggested,you also do not want the light varmint type bullets for deer.IIRC,there was an 87 gr factory load that made the 3000 fps,if you can I would choose the heavier factory load than 87 gr.I think it is 100 gr.

[Art Eatman]

The way to check old powder is by both color and smell. If there is orange dust, don't use it. If it doesn't have the sorta-sweet smell of new powder, don't use it. For disposal, just pour it out in your yard, for fertilizer. Or pour it on an ant bed and burn it, just for entertainment.

Best way to check primers is to prime a case and shoot it without powder or bullet.