Is anyone using the 240 Weatherby on whitetail size game. I have always wanted a .240 and finally made the purchase. I would like to hear some feedback from some 240 users. I was looking to use the 100 grain ammo. Thanks for your time & I look for to hearing responces. Good or bad!!!!

Tim50: I had a custom 240 Weatherby built for me backin 1990. I had it built on a pre-64 Winchester Model 70 action. It has a 27" Hart barrel and I had it purposely built heavy for my uses. It weighs 12 pounds 5 ounces with a Leupold 6.5X20 scope. It is VERY accurate! I have killed at least 13 Antelope with it and numerous real long range Coyote kills have been recorded. I have also used it on high plains Mule Deer. This cartridge is extremely lethal on medium sized Big Game. I originally had it built for the long range Antelope, Deer, Coyote and Rock Chuck Hunting but I have since retired it to just Antelope Hunting. This Rifle is perfect ofr that in my mind. The cartridge is a good choice for Deer in my opinion. I would try and avoid shoulder shots on the Deer due to bloodshot but any heart/lung area shot will be lethal!
Good luck with your 240!
I sure like mine!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Tim50
I have used a 243WCF and a 257WBY on quite a few deer. In the 243 my wife and I always used either a 100gr. Sierra or a 95gr. Nosler Partition. In the 257 WBY I used the factory loads with 120gr and 100gr Nosler Partitions and the 100gr PT Ex [which is the Hornady bullet I think]. I could not tell any difference in "killing power" between any of the loads. Some times the deer would run a little ways and sometimes they would go right down. The only bullet I ever recoverec was a 95gr. Nosler Partition fired out of my No1 243. I shot a whitetail doe facing me at about 150 to 175 yards. The bullet was recovered in the rear ham, a perfect mushroom with just a little of the lead from the front core still on the bullet. Deer ran about 25 yards. I waited until the doe was "head on" on purpose to see if I could recover the bullet, and it worked.
The 240 WBY is an excellent deer and antelope cartridge. If I had one I would use either the 95 or 100gr Nosler Partition. Which ever shot best in my rifle.

I'm with Varmintguy--I've used a 6/06 for a few years and have converted a couple of buds over ot it as well. I am on my second tube and I just love the round.
I think it and the 240 are very very close-you will love this round.
My rifle a M70 with a McMillan and a 25" 4 weight Schneider in a 10 twist. It wears a 6-20 Leopold with Premier reticle dotz to 700 yards. It runs the 95 Noz Bt at 3500 and is a fantastic killer of long range critters.

I and my buds have also used the 70 Noz Bt at 4000 for quite a bit of killing-it is very effective!

Using this round we've taken deer/antelope/bear/elk--and tons of chucks and yotes.

You are gonna fall in love with this one....

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dog

Anybody want to share therir best 240 weatherby load?? Mine is .
53 gr. RL-22
95 gr. nosler Bt
federal 210-m primer
It will shoot .500 all day and better if I do my part...
I love it, but the rockchucks in northern Nev. don't think much of it... Maddog

what is the speed of that load-around 33 I suspect?

Thanks

Dog

Tim:

I really don't think the 240 will give you much over what I hand load a 6mm Remington on a long action and the bullet seated out to touch the rifling, will do.

However, regardless of which round either one of us use, both are really quite effective on anything under 500 pounds, especially with either a 95or 100 grain partition. Check out the Barnes 85 gr XLC also if you are a max velocity nut. I get as high as 3700 fps with that bullet and the max factory recommended load. In fact about 200fps faster than the factory says I should get.

In a pinch, I would have a lot of confidence in that package if I had to go elk hunting with it or else I had to stay in camp.

Good luck with it.

If you are having one built, for the availability of brass, I would recommend either the 6mm Remington on a long action or the 6mm/06.
Would make that part of life a lot easier.

Mark; That load is pushing an average of 3325 from my 26" barrel...
And it is the talk of camp on our yearly rockchuck adventure. This year one of my cop buddies said he was getting rid of his 243 and would be getting the 240.
Maddog
PS I have a Nightforce 5.5 X 22 NXS on it and I am sure it helps a lot......

[ 07-23-2003, 21:41: Message edited by: MADDOG ]

Both my daughter and I shoot .240's. Mine is a Weatherby Mark V Deluxe and hers is a Rugert M77 I built for her.

My favorite deer load is,

53.6 IMR-4831, 3,319 fps., Nosler 100 Partition
Norma brass and CCI 250 primers

This will group all day at the 1/2” mark. Lawdog

MADDOG: Sorry for the slow reply! Over the years I have used several different bullets for Game in my 240 Weatherby. Currently I am using the Sierra 85 gr. Hollowpoint/Boattail. Like I explained in my original post I now use this Rifle/caliber exclusively for Antelope. This bullet is fantastic on the Speed Goats!
I am now using Norma 240 Weatherby brass. It is headstamped Norma and I have heard in the past that Norma also makes the Weatherby headstamped brass. I am not sure. I have never had a brass failure with the Weatherby stuff I originally began with. But I found a good deal on the Norma brass and bought some!
My load now is:
240 Weatherby - 85 gr. Sierra HP/BT, Federal 210M primers, Norma brass and 52.0 grs. IMR 4831
Use caution as you approach this load it is a moderate load in my Rifle.
I do not know if I said enough before about the excellent and consistent accuracy the 240 Weatherby has given me! My last five shot group with this load at 100 yards measured .440"! I am thrilled with that.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

You are going to love the 240 wby. It is a real screamer. I have one with a 26 inch Douglas barrel on a Ruger M77 with the tang safety. I am shooting Lawdog's load in 100 grain Nosler Partition. I have also worked up a load with the Barnes XFB 90 grain bullet. I havent finalized the load so no point in posting it yet. I used my 240 to kill a 175 LB wild boar earlier this spring with the 100 grain Nosler Partition. I intend to use it for blacktail and mule deer. Reloading the Weatherby brass is not a problem, however, be advised the brass is expensive. But, you can work yourself up an adequate supply if you just make a point to either buy 100 rounds of brass, or buy a few boxes of factory ammo loaded in Hornady 87 grain interlock softpoints,etc. Mine also shoots .5 at 100 yds. Make sure you go with a 26 inch barrel so you can fully take advantage of the velocity potential of the 240. The 6mm-06 would be another good way to go, and I wonder to this day, why Remington didnt introduce this round.
I like to think of the 240 wby as a 243 win on steroids.

The other thing I really like about shooting the 240 Wby mag is most people dont shoot one. It is fun to shoot a round that is very fast, flat shooting, smaller caliber, and most others dont shoot. Makes for good conversation, and being different in the world of everyone has a 30-06, etc. is, well, just fun. But it is a very capable and underutilized round in my view.

Angie--to make a long story short I spent a bit of time a while back trying to talk Rem into bringing out the 6/06.

I gave them lot of load data and told them if they put it in the Sendero and the Classic with 26" tubes that they would have run away! I also advised them to go with a 10 twist instead of the 12.

Well they sent me a nice letter back basically brushing me off. Too bad soo sad for them and the rest of the world this combo would of been a winner! At least in my mind--eh!!

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dog

PS on a different note did someone say 3700 from a 6 rem with a 85--yeah right-stand back baby!!!

My gunsmith was the one who talked me into giving the 240 wby a try. All four of them in his shop shoot the 240 wby on mulies on down. The thing about the 240 that I really noticed immediately is it is "fast". Myself, a few law enforcement guys, and others have migrated to the 240 wby. I dont see the brass as an issue really as it can be bought, is made my Norma, and reloading for it brings that cost right back down. I am really eager to get my hands on Barnes Triple Shock 95 grain X bullet when it comes out. I talked with the people at Barnes and it is in production as we speak. I am thinking that 95 grain Triple Shock X bullet in a 240 wby, or a 6mm-06 should be a very formidable load for medium game on down.
On the bizzare side, have any of you played around with RL-25 in a 240 wby, or the 6mm-06?
Or is RL-22, H4831, IMR4831 about as slow as you should be with heavy bullets (ie 100 grain partitions)?

I have a fair amount of experience with IMR 4831, but not H 4831. What is it about H 4831 that you like. I may have to give it a try.

What barrel length do most of you use? Can the 6/06 be made in a 26" #4 weight carry gun, OR DOES THIS PUPPY NEED 28"TO 30" BARREL TO PERFORM?

The 240 wby mag and the 6mm-06 are essentually the same ballistically, and from a powder capacity perspective. With 240's, wby now only offers them in 24 inch barrels, but alot of people prefer the 26 inch barrel length to take full advantage of the cartridge. I would assume the same would be true of a 6mm-06, with 24-26 inches being the preferred length. I dont think a 28 inch barrel would really gain you anything.

I do use a 95 with R25 in my 6/06 quite a bit-it carries a 10 twist 4 weight Schneider on it. It is my second tube like this and I just love the set up! 4 other buddies have went about the same way-two of tehm went 12 twist though.

With R25 it'll move the 95 out at 3500-3600. I use 25" tubes-one buddy had a 4 weight 24" and the others have been either 25" or 26".

This combo is soo easy to shoot and to handle, I am really amazed that someone doesn't bring it out of being a wilcat.

I got 1700 rounds out of my first tube b4 accuracy started to go in the toilet. That was almost all shot on the hill and at game and hardly any at the range.

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dog

At the Allentown PA gun show last year I picked up what was stated to be a Douglas premium XX barrel threaded for 1903 Springfield, stamped .244 Rem, and, get this, 30" long with a contour about the same as a military 1903 barrel - for the first 24" anyway. Still in the white.
Have been looking for a good double heat treated Springfield sporter, already set up for a scope, with a worn barrel, and thinking whether this could all be redone as a .240 Weatherby. I suppose the twist on this barrel is 1-12 and I wonder if it will handle the 100 grain bullets. I like the idea of the long barrel, a little extra speed and less noise.

Vigillinus,
This may PO some of the people in previous posts, but why not leave the chamber alone. A .244 Remington with a 50gr. of Norma MRP behind an 85gr. Sierra HPBT will kill any thing you're likely to encounter, and according to Norma(they used a 90gr.) goes 3,421 fps.@ 49,450 psi.This is Norma data.
And it probably wont handle bullets over 90gr. but trust me, the above mentioned bullet gets the job done.
The brass is considerably cheaper, the barrel will last longer and you wont be disappointed.
This was not posted to piss-off the Weatherby people, but there are other options.
I hope you find a nice Springfield action to put your barrel on.
Stepchild

OOPS,
My post was intended for Tim,sorry.
Stepchild

After reviewing the posts,I guess I had it right the first time.
Stepchild

I think I remember reading that you could make a .240 Weatherby case, belt and all, by running a 30/06 case into a .240 FL die. Anybody ever try this? I think it was Jim Carmichael that wrote it in one of books.

John