250 Donaldson ace

[gandydancer]

I have a 250 Donaldson ace built on a Remington action with a 30" long x 1.5"OD barrel very ugly stock and a Lyman 15 power tube scope when I found it it had some loaded ammo marked 6/16/1951 loaded with a 87 grain sierra bullet and 34 grains of 4064 sighted it in at 50 yards all shots in same hole. put 10 skeet on bank at 100 yards 10 shots 10 skeet(bench rest) story is that Harvey Donaldson built this rifle for himself I can not prove that. it did come out of the pine tree club in upper state new York. based on the 250/3000 shell its a 25 caliber rifle it gets involved forming the brass. it takes a full load to fire form the brass. it makes a longer neck and moves the shoulder around some.I have tried a 100 grain sierra BTHP and they all key hole. HAS ANY ONE EVER HEARD OF A 250 DONALDSON ACE?? I'm thinking of having it redone in another caliber. GD :drinks: I should have entered it in the ugly gun contest It would have won hands down.

[MT Gianni]

Never heard of it but I would keep it and invest in some 87 gr bullets. It appears that is what the twist is set for. Should be good for woodchuck to whitetail.

[gandydancer]

Every one tells me to leave it as is. this gun weighs a ton I will get some photo's of it on here tomorrow so you all can get a look see at it very ugly rifle but kind of cool. GD

[Four Fingers of Death]

Got any vintage benchrest competitions going on around your way? Might be good for Cast Bullet Association target shoots. Be a nice mild shooting varminter for windy days.

[gnoahhh]

Good Lord, keep it as-is until you can verify one way or the other that Harvey Donaldson did or didn't build it! IIRC Donaldson was a regular at the Pine Tree Club. MTGianni is right. Lay in some 87gr. cup-and-core semi-pointed bullets and make some tiny bug hole groups with it. It probably has a slow twist barrel.

Harvey developed that wildcat as a windy day benchrest/varmint round when it was too windy for the .219 Donaldson Wasp. If you re-chamber it, you'll still have to stick with light bullets probably, and you'll cause old Harvey to do cartwheels in his grave!

Pictures man, pictures!! (Please!)

[gandydancer]

I got tied up today with other things and I never had time to get pictures on here of the 250 Donaldson ace but I will for sure in the next few days. also I am not going to change anything on the rifle it will be left as is. I am going to start shooting it again very soon. GD

[flounderman]

you can always redesign the stock. as long as there is enough wood to start with, you can, make a silk purse from a sows ear.

[HangFireW8]

It probably has a slow twist barrel.

Harvey developed that wildcat as a windy day benchrest/varmint round when it was too windy for the .219 Donaldson Wasp. If you re-chamber it, you'll still have to stick with light bullets probably, and you'll cause old Harvey to do cartwheels in his grave!

Pictures man, pictures!! (Please!)

That's right, Donaldson was a big advocate of using as slow a twist as possible, and sizing the cartridge to the charge, instead of the other way around.

Try to measure the twist of the barrel, then find it in his writings... that might be one step towards establishing its provenance.

HF

[gandydancer]

[QUOTE=HangFireW8;1655276]That's right, Donaldson was a big advocate of using as slow a twist as possible, and sizing the cartridge to the charge, instead of the other way around.

Try to measure the twist of the barrel, then find it in his writings... that might be one step towards establishing its provenance.


Hello HF. will do. I have had this rifle about 17 years I have shot it with some ammo that came with it. the box was marked 1951 87 grain spritzer over 34 grains of 40/64 powder W/Remington primer Learned how to form the brass from 250/3000 the dies that came with it where rusted up. and I don't know what I did with them I had Lee make me a set of collet dies for it. there was no scope on it I put a 15 power Lyman super spot on it. I am not in love with the Lyman on it but it works. Had it at the gunsmith today getting it all checked out it has a Douglas barrel and a mashburn trigger with a nice let off and the receiver is a 1903 Remington not a 1903-A/3 will get some photo's on here sat. will also check on the twist. Tom GD

[leadman]

If you decide you do not want a rifle with this cartridge you should be able to sell it and have more than enough money to buy another good shooter.
If it was me I would keep it and buy another stock for it. This way you will not have to look at the ugly stock but will be able to change it back and maintain the value.

[gnoahhh]

As far as the stock goes, for a bench gun form follows function. At least keep the original stock so it can be put back into original condition (if indeed a new stock will even make it shoot any better).

I can't wait to see the pics!

[Ed in North Texas]

As far as "heard of it", I haven't heard the cartridge mentioned in a long time, but yes - I've heard of it. Like the Mashburn wildcats (Oklahoma City gunsmith and wildcatter), not heard of much today. I used to buy stuff at Mashburn's shop years ago.

Ed

[gandydancer]

OK lets see what we have here on this 250 Donaldson ace. A 1903 Remington receiver 30" Douglas Barrel with a Mashburn trigger and a Lyman 15 power super spot tube scope with an O A made for Bench rest shooting. Is it one made by Harvey Donaldson??????? check photo's.

Have not found out what the twist is as of yet. GD









Good Lord, keep it as-is until you can verify one way or the other that Harvey Donaldson did or didn't build it! IIRC Donaldson was a regular at the Pine Tree Club. MTGianni is right. Lay in some 87gr. cup-and-core semi-pointed bullets and make some tiny bug hole groups with it. It probably has a slow twist barrel.

Harvey developed that wildcat as a windy day benchrest/varmint round when it was too windy for the .219 Donaldson Wasp. If you re-chamber it, you'll still have to stick with light bullets probably, and you'll cause old Harvey to do cartwheels in his grave!

Pictures man, pictures!! (Please!)

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