A good friend of mine had a post here a good while back asking about sudjestions for a long range rig. As usual with this site, he got some good advice. He had sujested that he had wanted a heavy gun, around 15lbs. or so. He did get a little flak on the weight issue. Not a problem, he went with it anyway.
His rifle now completed, he brought it over to my place last night so I could try it out. The rifle has a 30" bull barrel on a Brno action, large thumbhole stock and chambered in a 340 Weatherby. The gun weighs a little over 15lbs.
Personally, I would get a wheel barrel or a golf bag with wheels to carry the thing around. But what a pleasure to shoot. With max. loads shooting 250gr. bullets, the felt recoil, to me anyways, seemed like shooting a 308win. The gun shoots into a 1/2" @ 100yds. It was childs play to hit a 10" steel plate that I have set up a 400 yds.
My friend intends to use this rifle for hunting. (To me it is a fun toy or varmint rifle. I would love to set this up rig up in my living room this winter so I could wack some wolves and coyotes on my back 40.)He has a place that he has hunted moose for years. It is a big willow flat that gets alot of activity. My friend sits in one place until the bull he wants shows up, then it is meat in the freezer. Not my style of hunting, but he gets his moose every year. Ron has a good range finder and plans to keep his shots under 500yds. He had the rifle built for this application and will be transported with his fourwheeler. Most likely he will shoot off the seat of the fourwheeler. (Ron is getting a bit old)
Anyways, I just wanted to say, What a hoot to shoot. I could have a lot a fun using this rig to mark my territory around my place this winter.

Daryl

it really is fun to shoot a rifle that is a little unusual. the rifle you are talking about indeed sounds like a real piece of work. i have a rifle that is not in the 340 Wby class but is also an unusual item especially for Oklahoma rifle ranges. mine is a Remington 700 BDL built to 458 Lott. it weighs 13 pounds and has a 24 inch barrel. i think it is really just a fun diversion to go to the range and shoot at plates or silhouettes out there a couple hundred yards. a guy can shoot it, set the rifle down, have a drink and then listen to the loud thud when a slow moving 500 grain bullet wallops the steel. unlike you, i'll probably never use this rifle to hunt. it's just one really good time to shoot.

Oh-Boy, this sounds like bad news for the moose in Yukon!

When your friend wants an even wilder caliber the next time (as if a .340 Wthby was not enough, sic!) tell him to get a .338 Lapua. I would never want to shoot one of these monsters, but the caliber is apparently made for long range sniping - be it at moose or whatever other critter ...
- mike

mho,
I tried to talk my friend into a 338 Lapua. He suffers from cheapitis now and then. He figured the brass was to exspensive. I thing he got this gun so he could save on gas in his 4wheeler.

Daryl

I shoot a couple of .340's and am sold on their capabilities. I have taken several Elk, a Moose and mule deer with mine. I recently bought a .338 Lapua from a buddy at a real bargain. It came with brass, dies etc. I shot it for him before I bought it, I am about to put my scope on it and really get serious about shooting it. Those fast stepping .338's are awesome. Good shooting.

Any of the fast .33's can do well at long range, because they are pretty much designed around the bullets used with them. There are a great number .33 bullets to choose from, for sniping, target, or hunting applications. Some are designed for the slowest .33's, some are designed for the .338WM, while others are designed for the fast .33's.

All heavier .33 bullets have great BC and SD, are ideal for long range shooting, and are known for their penetrating capabilities. Even with my .338WM and one 230-grain bullet, I have broken both shoulders of moose at 200 yards. Most moose I have shot have dropped to one well placed shot. I can only imagine how much power a 250-grain bullet out of a .340 Wby. or from a .338 RUM has over a .338WM.