.250 Savage Ackley Loads

[J.Baker]

Anybody have some pet loads they would recommend for the .250 Savage AI? Got 50 pieces of Hornady brass fire-formed yesterday and hope to start working up a load this weekend. Currently have 85gr Nosler BT's and 110gr AccuBonds left-over from when I was playing around with the .25-06, but most likely won't go with anything heavier than 100gr in this one (Nosler Partitions or BT's) unless I can manage to push the AB's to 3050fps or better. That may be a challenge with a 20" barrel.

Also, anyone forming brass form 6.5 CM brass? Saw mention of it somewhere in my internet travels stating that it lets you load the two-fiddy hotter as that case is rated for 62,000 versus 54,000 for the 250 Sav. case, though I tend to think the lower pressure limit for the Savage is due more to most of the guns chambered for it are from pre-WWII and were made with weaker steel. Of course the idea of possibly being able to grab another gear and put the hammer down further with the 6.5 CM brass has me curious - especially when I have a couple pieces of once fired CM brass sitting here.

[J.Baker]

Hmm....crickets. I guess the .250 AI doesn't get much love these days. LOL

[Robinhood]

Everybody has gone to the 25 Creedmoor. LOL


You are probably correct about the pressure rating on the case. This was one of the reasons I like the 1/4 bore in the creed case and was looking for a few high bc bullets in the caliber.

[J.Baker]

Shot my first batch of rounds today with the 110gr AccuBonds and some H4350. Started at 42.0gr and went up to 43.5gr in 0.5gr increments. Loaded six rounds at each charge weight so I could shoot two 3-shot groups with each just in case I screwed the pooch on one of the shots in one of the groups. All were loaded with the ogive 0.030" off the lands.

First up was to get the rifle sighted in at 100 yards, so I used some factory Remington 100gr Core-Lokt loads for that.

42.0gr Group 1
AVG = 2813 fps
S.D. = 10.0
E.S. = 20.0
Group Size = 1-5/8" (pulled one wide right)

42.0gr Group 2
AVG = 2813.3 fps
S.D. = 11.1
E.S. = 25.0
Group Size = 7/8"

42.5gr Group 1
AVG = 2843.0 fps
S.D. = 19.8
E.S. = 47.0
Group Size = N/A (lost one)

42.5gr Group 2
AVG = 2843.7 fps
S.D. = 7.4
E.S. = 17.0
Group Size = 3" (pulled one high)

43.0gr Group 1
AVG = 2886.3 fps
S.D. = 11.7
E.S. = 28.0
Group Size = 11/16"

43.0gr Group 2
AVG = 2886.0 fps
S.D. = 2.9
E.S. = 7.0
Group Size = 2-7/8" (dropped one low)

43.5gr Group 1
AVG = 2922.7 fps
S.D. = 12.7
E.S. = 30.0
Group Size = 5/8"

43.5gr Group 2
AVG = 2939.7 fps
S.D. = 5.2
E.S. = 12.0
Group Size = 1-1/4" (pulled one right)

These cases had only been fire-formed with Bullseye/COW at this point so that may explain some of the wide variation between the ES and SD for the two groups with a given powder charge. No book data for the 110gr bullets that I could find (Sierra has 100gr and 115/117gr data), so I basically just split the difference for what they had listed for those two to come up with a probable charge range for the powder. No pressure signs at this point so I have loaded some at 44.0, 44.2 and 44.4gr to try out later today if the weather holds. Would really like to get 3050fps out of these, but with a 20" barrel that may be asking a bit much. Not getting a fireball out of the muzzle, so I might try a slightly slower powder to see where that gets me.

[J.Baker]

For comparison, here's three 3-shot groups I shot with Remington factory 100gr SP loads

Group 1
Avg. = 2608 fps
S.D. = 25.5
E.S. = 54.0
Group Size = 1.75"

Group 2
Avg. = 2584 fps
S.D. = 11.0
E.S. = 27.0
Group Size = 1.875"

Group 3
Avg. = 2630 fps
S.D. = 7.8
E.S. = 17.0
Group Size = 1.25"


Getting back to handloads, I loaded up another 12 rounds = six each at 44.0 and 44.2gr of H4350 with the 110gr Accubond and BR2 primer

44.0gr Group 1
Avg. = 2935 fps
S.D. = 15.6
E.S. = 38.0
Group Size = 1.375"

44.0gr Group 2
Avg. = 2935 fps
S.D. = 16.1
E.S. = 39.0
Group Size = 1.25"

44.2gr Group 1
Avg. = 2961 fps
S.D. = 9.3
E.S. = 21.0
Group Size = 1"

44.2gr Group 2
Avg. = 2962 fps
S.D. = 9.0
E.S. = 22.0
Group Size = 0.875"


No pressure signs as of yet in terms of cratering, ejector marks or hard bolt lift, but I'm right at about 0.0005" expansion at the web of the case. Have 14 fire-formed cases yet that still need a full tilt load through them so I've loaded seven of them up with 44.2gr to see if they stay consistent as the last six, and the other seven are loaded with 44.4gr just to see if the ES and SD will drop any or if this as good as it's going to get with this powder.

I also have some 85gr Noslers loaded atop 40.6gr of Varget just to see what kind of speed I can get from them and how they group. I'm going to guess somewhere around 3,200fps since Sierra was getting 3,300 from a 26" pipe.

[243LPR]

With the Accubonds it should be a whitetail hammer!

[J.Baker]

Well......I think my CED M2 chronograph might have bit the dust today. All was going well with the first 17 strings I shot (a couple 250 AI and the rest 17 HMR), but when I started shooting the 18th string none of my shots registered. No errors, nada - like the bullet never even crossed the screens. Shut the unit off, turned it back on and tried another shot - still nada. Shut it down again, put in a brand new battery and tried it again - still nada.

With that I packed up and came home - it was getting hotter than Hade's anyway, only to find that when I got home and tried to download my 17 strings of data all I could get is this...

CED Data Collector - 7/14/18
(f = flyers, (ED) = edited shots)

Total Strings = 3
Feet Per Second

String 1
1) 182.4 37.6 f
2) 146.5 1.7
3) 154.5 9.7
4) 131.6 -13.2
5) 145.4 0.6
6) 133.0 -11.8
7) 132.5 -12.3
8) 129.5 -15.3
9) 137.8 -7.0
10) 155.0 10.2

High: 182.4
Low: 129.5
E.S.: 52.9
Ave.: 144.8
S.D.: 15.4
95%: ±12.2

String 2
1) 95.7 12.4
2) 79.4 -3.9
3) 89.1 5.8
4) 64.2 -19.1
5) 90.4 7.1
6) 95.2 11.9
7) 70.5 -12.8
8) 68.9 -14.4
9) 67.8 -15.5
10) 111.5 28.2

High: 111.5
Low: 64.2
E.S.: 47.3
Ave.: 83.3
S.D.: 14.7
95%: ±11.7

String 3
1) 501.5 0.0

High: 501.5
Low: 501.5
E.S.: 0.0
Ave.: 501.5
S.D.: 0.0
95%: ±11.7

(End Of Data)


Now what's really odd is when I click the download button a progress window opens up and shows all the strings/shots/velocities that I shot today being downloaded, and everything looks right as it flies by, but the above is all it gives me when it's done.

Hoping it's just suffering from heat exhaustion and it will start acting normally again after recuperating in the A/C for a few hours.

[243LPR]

Up to this point how has the M2 worked for you? My Chrony quit after 20+yrs and I'm not sure if I want to trade it in on an upgraded model or go with the M2. M2 looks like it does a lot of stuff I don't need for more money.

[J.Baker]

I've been very happy with it, and until yesterday haven't had a single problem with it and I've been using it for probably 8-10 years now. Doesn't really have a lot of features you don't need or won't use as it's all the same functions most others offer. The biggest difference is that with the main unit having a full keypad you can easily recall and review entire shot strings at the range to see each shot's velocity as well as the highest and lowest velocities in the string, average velocity of all shots in the string, E.S., and S.D. for the string with a single push of the appropriate button. Maybe not as quick/easy as looking at the printout from an old Ohler with a printer, but pretty darn close.

All that said, if I were buying today I would have a real hard time deciding between the M2 and a Magneto Speed V3. I think the M2 is more user friendly in terms of accessing data from the unit in the field, but it requires you have a tripod and aligning the screens with your rifle and all that setup nonsense that accompanies all traditional chronographs. The Magneto Speed bayonet design that attaches to the rifle greatly simplifies setup by eliminating half of the equipment and most of the alignment aspect of the setup process. The only real setup is finding the right spacers (included) to ensure the flat of the sensor is approximately 1/4" below the bore line and is parallel to the bore. The Magneto Speed isn't light seneitive like a traditional chronograph (it works off of a magnetic field) so you can use it on cloudy and overcast days without having to worry about changing light conditions and whether or not it will be able to pick up the shots. It's also much more compact so it's easier to transport and takes up a lot less space.

[J.Baker]

Just wanted up update this regarding my CED M2 Chronograph. Contacted CED and explained the situation to them and was told to try and uninstall/reinstall the software on my PC. Did that - no difference. Next they asked how old my unit was and what O/S I'm running on my PC (Win 7). Turns out the software in my older unit (circa 2008) isn't compatible with Windows 7 and up so I have to send it in and pay to have the software upgraded if I want it to work with this computer.

Seems a little odd considering I've been running Windows 7 and downloading data to this PC since 2010 without issue, but whatever the reason won't download properly now so I have to do something. Given the main unit is already 10 years old I'm waiting to hear back what the cost would be for a new one to replace it rather than sending it in for an update as knowing my luck I'd pay the $60 for the software update and then the unit would die a month after I got it back.