Been an on and off again project, my brother inherited a Savage 99 in .250-3000. Been trying to develop a load for it, but we kept getting keyholes. Had worked up loads using 85 gr Nosler Ballistic tips and H4895,H335, and Varget powders loading at 2.500" C.O.L. Beginning loads all key holed and showed sign of primers backing out. So I pulled all loads and did some researching and reading. Started over today with some different bullets and stayed with H4895.
We had Nosler Ballistic tips in 85 and 100gr, Sierra 87gr spritzer, and 90gr HP, and 70 gr Hornady BT.
What we discovered was that the Ballistic tips would not shoot round holes for anything, but the others seated at 2.465" resulted in round holes. The C.O.L. was just determined when we switched to a different bullet and we went with it. Only my Hornady gave a Max. C.O.L. , so i went with it. Could not get the ballistic tips to shoot with the new C.O.L.
Going to try Win. 748 tomorrow and see what happens. Any thoughts on why the ballistic tips wouldn't shoot? And what to try?
Thanks
DWD