I'm trying to get a feel for how the 340 handles bullets from 200 - 225gr. The rifle is a MK V with 26" barrel, twist rate 1-10".

My guess is pretty damn good. I shot mostly 250s in my 340s but did take one Elk with the 225 Nosler. Used IMR4831 to launch them at 3100 fps. Flat shooting and very deadly. Also extremely accurate. I guess now with the new bullets you could get some good performance but you've got the capacity why not shoot big ones?

Back when I had a 340 I used the factory load with a 210 Nosler Partition to take elk.

I used the 210gr bullet because I was hunting in fairly open country...

Then I shot my elk at 90 yards.

210 and 225 gr bullets didn't group as well as heavier bullets in my 340, so I mostly used 250 and 275 gr bullets. FWIW - dan

My .340 Wby likes North Forks in 225 and 240 grains. It also shoots the Combined Tech Nosler Partition Gold well. Good shooting.

The best groups I get out of my stainless 340 is with 210 gr TSXs and a near max charge of RL22. 225 and 250 Aframes and 225 TSXs all group around an inch at 200 yds. You can't ask for anything better than that.

215 Sierras are cheap and should be hard enough. I could not get them to expand in water jugs at an impact velocity of 2400 using my 338 Fed. Another guy shot them through 4 phone books with no expansion from a 338-06. The tip has a very thick jacket, the thickest I've seen on a soft point bullet.

Those may be fine for paper or backed way way down but at full power the 340 needs premium bullets.

I've learned my lesson with rotten penetration of less-than-premium-bullets in the .340. Mine likes 250gr. Barnes FAAAARRRRRR better than any other bullet I've tried.