Lindcott Armory Rifle · SAAMI
.250 Savage
Historic quarter-bore cartridge that achieved the then-remarkable milestone of 3,000 fps muzzle velocity using an 87-grain bullet.
- Caliber
- 0.2571″ · 6.53 mm
- Introduced
- 1915
- Case
- Rimless
- Parent
- .30-06 Springfield
- Primary use
- Hunting, Varmint
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1915
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Charles Newton
- Manufacturer
- Savage Arms
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Limited
- Case capacity
- 45 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:10
- Primer
- Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rimless
- Max pressure
- 45,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 300 yd
- Max range
- 700 yd
- Recoil
- 8–12 ft·lb
Ballistics
- By real loads
- 2,800–3,030 fps · 15 loads
- Parent case
- .30-06 Springfield
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Performance
Buy links open .250 Savage ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
SAAMI · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 6.53 | 0.257 | ~ |
| Neck ⌀ | 7.26 | 0.286 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 10.25 | 0.404 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 26.5° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 11.89 | 0.468 | ~ |
| Rim ⌀ | 11.99 | 0.472 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.24 | 0.049 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 6.96 | 0.274 | ≈ |
| Case length | 48.55 | 1.911 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 63.94 | 2.517 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .250 Savage is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 15 active loads across 13 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 18 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester | Super-X Power-Point SP | 87 | Power-Point SP | 3,030 | 1,773 | — |
| Doubletap | Lead-Free | 100 | Solid Copper HP | 2,850 | 1,803 | — |
| Hornady | Custom Interlock SP | 100 | Interlock SP | 2,820 | 1,765 | — |
| Remington | Core-Lokt PSP | 100 | Core-Lokt PSP | 2,820 | 1,765 | — |
| Federal | Power-Shok SP | 100 | SP | 2,820 | 1,765 | — |
| Hornady | Custom SP | 100 | Interlock SP | 2,820 | 1,765 | — |
| Winchester | Power Point SP | 100 | Power Point SP | 2,820 | 1,765 | — |
| Nosler | Trophy Grade Partition | 100 | Partition | 2,820 | 1,765 | — |
| Graf | Standard | 100 | Soft Point | 2,820 | 1,765 | — |
| Black Hills | Gold | 100 | Hollow Point BT | 2,820 | 1,765 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | SP | 100 | Soft Point | 2,820 | 1,765 | — |
| PPU | SP | 100 | Soft Point | 2,820 | 1,765 | — |
| Wolf | SP | 100 | Soft Point | 2,820 | 1,765 | — |
| HSM Ammunition | Trophy Gold | 100 | Hollow Point BT | 2,800 | 1,741 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Custom SP | 100 | Soft Point | 2,800 | 1,741 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Suitable powders
1 reloading powder listed for .250 Savage, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Firearms chambered in .250 Savage
5 models in the database chamber .250 Savage. Browse all →
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Introduced in 1915, the .250-3000 Savage was the first commercial cartridge to reach 3,000 fps — hence the designation. Designer Charles Newton wanted 100-grain bullets, but Savage marketed the lighter load for the velocity milestone. In 100-grain loading it's a superb deer and medium game cartridge. Factory ammunition remains available but in limited distribution.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .250 Savage use?
- .250 Savage typically uses a 1:10 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .250 Savage?
- .250 Savage uses a 0.2571″ (6.53 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .250 Savage still in production?
- .250 Savage is active; typical availability is limited.
- What is .250 Savage used for?
- .250 Savage is primarily used for hunting, varmint.
- What is .250 Savage based on?
- .250 Savage is derived from the .30-06 Springfield case.
- What are the best powders for .250 Savage?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .250 Savage include IMR 3031.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 15 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →