Undersized brass in 22-250 and 250 Savage

R

RJM

New member
The 22-250 and 250 savage are supposed to have the same rim & base dimensions as the 30-06/308. Why then do 22/250 & 250 (recent WW manufacture) have base diameters of .462" compared to .468-470" of the other cases?

I discovered this by putting a 250 savage barrel on an action for a friend (using his reamer). It's a beautiful little 1937 Mex Mauser mannlicher that I don't want to re-do, it turned out so nice.

Now he doesn't like the bulge on the fired undersized brass! I told him I'd form some cases with larger bases, but he insists on the "correct" headstamp. So I'm stuck unless I can find some larger 250 brass!

Regards, Ron
 
RJM,

Lapua is making 250 brass now and and Norma has for quite a while. Both are bigger on the back end than domestic brass for almost any chambering. But alinwa will tell your friend that the bulge is a good thing and that he specs his reamers specifically for clearence (and bulge) the same as your friend is complaining of. Try to get him to appreciate Al's trend setting perspective on this base bulge issue.

Greg
 
Thanks, Greg. I know the Lapua has been announced, but I didn't know it was already "in the wild". In addition to Norma, there's also brass that's stamped Nosler. The other problem is my friend also insists in the correct headstamp! I may have to use 22-250 & xx out the 22 on each case!

If anyone has the Lapua, Norma, Rem, Nosler, etc 22-250 brass, please measure the bases & post the diameters here. All the 250 brass I have is Win.

Thanks, Ron
 
Yes lapua is making 22-250 brass i believe it is on a ship that the pirates of the high seas have captured . I'll chip in a couple bucs for ransom .I would also be interested in what ever win . brass your friend does'nt want . If that would offset your cost .
The Rifler
 
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RJM said:
The 22-250 and 250 savage are supposed to have the same rim & base dimensions as the 30-06/308. Why then do 22/250 & 250 (recent WW manufacture) have base diameters of .462" compared to .468-470" of the other cases?

I discovered this by putting a 250 savage barrel on an action for a friend (using his reamer). It's a beautiful little 1937 Mex Mauser mannlicher that I don't want to re-do, it turned out so nice.

Now he doesn't like the bulge on the fired undersized brass! I told him I'd form some cases with larger bases, but he insists on the "correct" headstamp. So I'm stuck unless I can find some larger 250 brass!

Regards, Ron
Click to expand...

Wow, this is a bugger and absolutely no easy way to fix it! Except to find some fat-butted brass.


Have you tried The Old Western Scrounger? http://www.ows-ammo.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/21

I guess I'm with him....... I'd like my headstamps to match too :)

regarding my predilection toward fat butts, this is a Match Grade Accuracy issue not a fancy-schmancy Mannlicher Schoenauer issue...... I do it because in my case form follows function......... you're in the opposite situation.


buggah

al
 
I was able to talk some sense...

I was able to talk some sense into my friend about the undersized brass. Maybe my most convincing argument was that I just wouldn't give the rifle back to him! My second grandson will need a rifle in a few years (he's only 2) and this would be a classy one for him (see the pics). Grandpa can play with it until he's old enough.

Al, how much clearance do you like on your cases? This one has about 8 thousandths with the Win brass - half that & my friend wouldn't have problem.

Regards, Ron
 

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I forgot

I forgot to comment on the pics. The plain walnut, but he's checkered it with a pattern that has a border all around it - flawless, no run overs. Metal grip cap & butt plate - nice bead around the cheek piece. That's about as classic as it gets.

Regards, Ron
 
Ron, WW has been reducing the base diameter of these 250 Savage based cases (22-250, 250 Savage, 300 Savage) over the years...no doubt to save a bit of material costs and to make sure the cases fit any 'factory' chamber out there.

Gunsmiths have had to stay on top of this, having their reamers dimensioned to fit available brass to eliminate 'the bulge' and keep customers happy. With Lapua's introduction of 22-250 cases, things are going to get a bit stirred up again, since the Lapua 22-250 case shares the same 'back end' dimensions as their other 308W based cases (around .470). This is similar to what happened when Lapua introduced the 6BR case..lots of reamers were dimensioned on the Rem. 6BR case and it took a while for things to get sorted out.

More to your point, I have some recent production Remington 250 Savage cases here that measure .464 at the same point the WW 250 Savage cases measure .462. Not sure if the .002 difference would get your customer over his issues with the bulge or not..or if that's still what Remington is dimensioning them at. But it may be an option...should reduce the bulge by 25-30%.

Good shootin'. -Al
 
RJM said:
I was able to talk some sense into my friend about the undersized brass. Maybe my most convincing argument was that I just wouldn't give the rifle back to him! My second grandson will need a rifle in a few years (he's only 2) and this would be a classy one for him (see the pics). Grandpa can play with it until he's old enough.

Al, how much clearance do you like on your cases? This one has about 8 thousandths with the Win brass - half that & my friend wouldn't have problem.

Regards, Ron
Click to expand...

I like .007. I use the bulge for culling my cases, those which bulge or blow out concentric form the basis for my "Match" cull.

I found .009 to be more than I needed, that all the cases showed an all-round bulge.

al
 
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