Just looking for a clarification...Deer Hunting

[Rock_Steady]

I'm taking a new to me rifle out this year, a ruger chambered in .250-3000 savage. Right now it will be a factory load, pushing a 100 gr psp. I know that .243 is adequate, this is a .257 diameter bullet at 2000+ fps. I am adamant about shot placement....and this sucker is zeroed pretty good (2" at 100 yds, not bad for a hunting barrel) - what are the thoughts? Will this get me a good humane kill?

 

[Subby]

Assuming you can put the bullet where it oughta go, yup. Where ya hunting in WV?

Sub

 

[only1asterisk]

Where are you hunting? If you don't have some property or a lease maybe we could compare notes on where to go this fall.

The 250 Savage is a first class deer cartridge BTW. With your rifle sighted in as described you should be good to about 250 yards. You’ll have to verify that on the range of course.

David

 

[Subby]

I've been hunting in Lewis Co. the past 11 years or so. Lots of deer in NC WV.

Sub

 

[only1asterisk]

I've got permission to hunt some private property in southern Mon. county and I'm working on another couple of deals. I didn't get a PA license this year.

David

 

[Subby]

You should do pretty well. I used to work in Fairmont(Marion Co.), and the people I worked for seemed to do pretty well around there as well. I've been meaning to check out some spots in Preston Co., just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Sub

 

[sumpnz]

I'm taking a new to me rifle out this year, a ruger chambered in .250-3000 savage. Right now it will be a factory load, pushing a 100 gr psp. I know that .243 is adequate, this is a .257 diameter bullet at 2000+ fps. I am adamant about shot placement....and this sucker is zeroed pretty good (2" at 100 yds, not bad for a hunting barrel) - what are the thoughts? Will this get me a good humane kill?

That will work just fine. The .250-3000 was so named becuase it was .25 cal (duh) but would push that (IIRC) 100gr bullet to 3000fps (might have been a lighter bullet but I think it was the 100gr). It was one of the first factory loadings that went that fast. Personally, I'd probably want closer to 120gr bullets, but if you put that bullet in the boiler room of a deer, it won't be long for this world. If someone gave me that rifle and box of that ammo I would feel just fine hunting deer with it, so long as I'd practiced enough with it.

 

[Rock_Steady]

I live in Monongalia county but my parents have 120 acres in Preston County - I have had good luck out there for a while now. Always interested in other places, though. Here in Morgantown it seems that you have to go 30-40 mins in any direction to get far enough away from people to be able to hunt. I'd like to start reloading it with some 120 gr bullets, but I don't think that's in the cards for this year just yet. Seems the only thing made by factory for this rifle is 100gr bullets.
I was gonna get a PA license this year, but $100 for the ability to hunt maybe one or two days seemed a bit much for my wallet.

 

[Subby]

I've been using 117 gr. Sierras out of my .25-06 the past 3 years, they seem to do the job plenty well. I don't think I'd feel any particular disadvantage if I was stuck using a 100 gr. bullet. With the antler restrictions in PA the past few years, $100 might be well worth the money if you can swing the time and have a good location.

Sub

 

[GunGoBoom]

it was an 87 grainer at 3k fps, and yap it'll work great if you hit the vitals or CNS, preferably with a 100+ grainer of good construction. As the man said, classic deer cartridge.

 

[ACP230]

I've been hunting deer with a ultralight Ruger 77 in .250 for many years.
I've always used Remington 100 grain Core-Lokt soft points, either in factory loads, or my reloads.
In factory they are supposed to reach around 2,800. My reloads were slower since I ran into signs of excess pressure before I got to that velocity.

Most deer I shot with the .250 were shot within 200 yards. Quite a few were shot at 50 yards. With either factory or reloads, most fell on the spot. A couple went 100 yards after being hit, but shot placement wasn't optimal on those shots. One went 40 yards but I hit the top of the heart and it was just a blind run.

I try to hit deer just behind the foreleg and below the mid point of the chest. That usually gets either the arteries at the top of the heart, the heart itself, or the lungs. The 100 grain bullet does more damage to lung tissue than the 150 grain bullets I used to use in the .30-06.

Shoot them right and you'll have no trouble killing deer with the .250.

 

[Bricky62]

Yeah, not only is it an 87grns that were the first to hit 3000 fps, but the caliber is .257. I don't know why they didn't call it a 257-3000 Savage, but they didn't. I guess it's like engine blocks in autos? 100--120 grains on most large game. these still around 2800--2900 fps, 87grains are perfect coyote rounds and if you load your own 45-50 grains will obliverate (sic) prairie dogs. A good rule of thumb is if you site with 100grns at 250 yds You'll be 1 1/2" high at125 and 1" low at 300 (same shot at large game just aim were you want to hit) Dont shoot at anything larger than a coyote very far beyond 300-350yds because the light bullets start losing energy fast. (Truth be told with any caliber shots at large game beyond this are pretty irresponsable and the sign of a bad hunting). If you then load it with 87grains just take every thing up 50 yrds. i.e. 300 yds = 0" 175= +1 1/2" 350=-1" and if you load it with 45grns add another 50 yrds or 350=0" these are not exact and should be test in your rifle (Barrel length, twist, etc.) but close enough to be deadly with. If I only had a 250, I wouldn't be affraid to take it elk or moose hunting I would just make sure I got a little clooser and put it where it mattered, But since I have other choices I preffer taking a 30-06 when in this field.