Heaviest bullet for a 1 in 12" 25 cal barrel

DGW

DGW

New member
Just got back rifle chambered in 250 Savage from gunsmith. Barrel has a 1 in 12" twist.

Reload for 257R and 25-06. So, have a variety of different 25 cal bullets from 75 to 120 gr.

Curious what you think would be the heaviest grain bullet that should stabilize in a 1 in 12 twist barrel.
 
I played with this in a custom 25/06 with a shilen 26". Only one 100g bullet would stabilize and that was the 100g Sierra Flat base. NONE of any of the brand's 100g Boat Tail bullets would stabilize. Using R#25, my load was with the 100g Sierra flat base at 3600 fps, tiny groups.

Your choices are limited not to "heaviest grain" but length of bullet and bullet design. 87g Sierra and Sierra 90g BTHP would be two of my first choices, and I shot a lot of deer and antelope with the sierra 90g BTHP.

I would do some research on what it takes for an 80g Barnes tipped triple shock to stabilize.

You did not mention if this was going to be a varmint rifle or a deer rifle. I assumed that since you asked about the "heaviest" bullet that you could shoot that it meant that you were looking for a deer bullet. Also, you should call up your gunsmith and ask him.

Call Barnes

Call Sierra
 
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That cartridge was designed to shoot 85 gr to 90 gr bullets. I suspect that 1:12 twist will hold you to that.
 
Hi I don't know much about a 250 Savage. But I talked to a guy that had one he said the best bullet he got to shoot out of his was nosler 100 gr part. bullets. He had almost 500 117 gr SST he said it wouldn't shoot them. He sold them to me for my 25/06 . I got a deal on the bullets. A friend of mine is a gunsmith he built a 257 Roberts AI it shoots Sierra and speer 100 gr good.
 
My .257R was pretty accurate with Winchester Silvertips (115gr?, don't have any anymore so am thinking that was right weight)in factory loads way back when... 1 1/2" groups at 100yrds, fine for Missori and Wisconsin deer out to 150 yards. As I started to reload and developed loads for my rifle 1-12" twist I tried most bullets from 90-120 grs.

I get about the same accuracy (groups) from 100 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips, Sierra Gameking 117 gr Sitzer Boat Tail, and 100 gr spitzer Partitions. The new Accubonds in 110 gr might be promising but I have yet to get real serious about developing a load.
 


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