250 Nosl Part. /88 gr-IMR7828/215Fed.

Regards Martin

Been doing some multiple gun trades and came up with a Model 70 338 Win that has been rechambered to 340 Wby and has had NECG front and rear sights added. It shoots 3/4" groups at 100 yards with factory 250 grain ammo---problem is that it only weighs 8.5 lbs scoped and it knocks the starch outta me off the bench. Oh well, I bet I don't even feel it fire when there's elk hair in the crosshairs! Any favorite 225 or 250 grain loads y'all would care to share? Thanks!

OK--lets see if we got the problem right. It's kinda like you got a super model wife but at the end of love making you are really tired. Now you want us to "help" you. (just my humor). My first inclination is to ask around and find someone in your area that does a good job of installing muzzle brakes. Yr's ago I bought one of the last Jap made 340 mark V's in synthetic with a blued barrel off a bargain list for about $375. (and my local dealer made a little money at this price.) Our local "Smith" made muzzle brakes out of barrel material. He installed one and it is a great shooter. My advice is to make sure the porting is straight out the side and doesn't angle back at you the shooter. I'd say the felt recoil with the "homemade" muzzle brake with 250 pars running at full tilt is about like a 7 mag running 160-175 grainers. (Real acceptable.) Not exactly sure what you are looking for but hope you and your "supermodel" have a great and long lasting relationship and that "bang/spank" keeps you very very happy!!!!

I owned a 340 Weatherby once and understand completely your problem. They are a wicked, recoiling rifle.



My solution is simple. Sell it and by a 338 Winchester Magnum. When you wonder why you sold it, go buy a box of Federal 338 High Energy loads in 250 grain Noslers, and then go light a few off. It will all come back to you .

I've been using one for about nine years now. It definitely is one of my favorite cartridges. But catridges in this performance realm are not a free ride as you discovered. I find my .416 Rigby more enjoyable off of a bench. The .340 has a whiplash quality(for lack of a better term) to it. So I usually limit myself to 20-25 shots in any one shooting session with it. Do you have a PAST recoil pad? If not give one a try when shooting from the bench. Answer also makes a shoulder pad made out of squishy sorbothane that takes the sting out of a cartridge with bite. Or another option is to remove the recoil pad from the rifle and add some lead shot mixed into epoxy to the buttstock. You'll have to drill a cavity to do this of course. Anything to prevent a muzzel break

As far as loads go nothing has beat Reloader 22 in my rifle. 86 grains of RL22 and a Winchester large magnum primer behind a 250 gr. Partition in a Weatherby case gives 2930 fps in my rifle. This is out of a 26" barrel and is a match made in heaven for my rifle. It can shoot 3/4" groups @ 100 yards day in and day out with this recipe, provided I do my part. In fact I've shot enough 1" groups at 200 yards with this rifle/load combo to know it isn't a fluke. It happens to be the most consistently accurate rifle in my safe. 250 gr. Hornady Interlocks substituted in the above load have worked well for me as well. Though I have only used them as a practice load.

This worked well for my Mk V: 225gr Hornady Spitzer SP, 85.0gr IMR 7828, CCI 250 primer. The battery in my chrono was dead that day, but the rifle was turning in 1" groups.

Thanks for the replies and the loads!

Bill I had a 340 Weatherby "Alaskan" for a while[ no muzzle break]. I killed Elk with it. It is a great caliber. Just do not shoot it off the bench much. You are correct you will not notice the recoil when there is "hair" in the scope. Get both of Bob Hagels books. He was a great fan of the 340.
It just might be the ultimate North American BIG game caliber.
Where I was hunting elk long range shots were a distinct posibility, I used the 210 Nosler loads, and they worked great, but for BIG game at bad angles I much prefer the 250 Nosler Partitions.
8.5 lbs scoped.... sounds like a great powerful mountain BIG game rifle to me.

If its bothering you then don't keep shooting it until you get a bad case of flinchitas...Load it down to 338 Win. balistics..

I tried it and went back to the 338 Winchester for several reasons..but the 340 is a great gun with a lot of range and killing power...

Just as I learned when I shot my 458 Lott off the bench, don't shoot it off the bench

I'd also recomend the past pad, but if the stock is slapping your cheek, you're going to have to limit shooting sessions. I'd pick up some barnes 225 gr triple shocks, and work up a nice load. You'll get something that shoots as flat as a 270, yet hits with a bit more authority

Another trick when shooting this off the bench is to construct a shooting bench where you can stand straight up. (A lot of guys use old adjustable ironing boards or ladders with board planks.) When you are sitting down at the bench it doesn't allow your body to roll with the recoil thus much more of the energy is transfered into your shoulder instead of just pushing your body back. By standing up while bench shooting hard kickers you allow the movement of your whole body to dissapate much of the recoil. Combining this with a sissy bag I have found there isn't much I can't shoot from the bench.