New 240 Weatherby - Favorite Loads/help

F

frankm

Handloader
May 10, 2009
484
97
Guys, just picked up a Vanguard S2 in 240 Weatherby today and looking for any help/experience you may have to get me onto some good loads quickly.

I've got IMR 4831 and R22 which the Nosler manual shows as good powders with the 85 and 95/100 grain range of bullets. Velocity potential with both powders appears to be on the top side of the range; ie: 95/100 grain bullets up to 53 grains of R22 and 85 grain with 53 of IMR 4831. Gun has a 24" barrel instead of 26" but hope to be within 100 fps of factory loads for these bullet weights.(I'm mostly interested in 85/87 grain bullets to keep recoil down and a flat trajectory. If I want more bullet weight will just grab the 257.)

Let me know what powders you've had luck with, magnum vs standard primers and so forth. Would also be interested in COAL; especially if you are also working with a recent Vanguard S2.

Fotis, As one of the forums 'main Beekeepers' I'm betting you've got some experience that would be valuable. Thanks in advance everyone!
 
Been reading a little about the 240 in the latest addition of "rifle shooter". Impressive round, maybe what the 243 could have been. Sometimes "Roy" got it right. CL
 
First thing to do is to check your credit ratting to see if you can take out a bank loan so you can purchase some cases to load. Those things are EXPENSIVE. My buddy had a 240 Bee custom rifle made on a 98 Mauser action with a Douglas barrel. It was a shooter but he did discover a few things. H4831 works really well with 100 gr bullets which was what he worked with because his use was for deer hunting. He discovered that inside 150 yards or so that the basic cup and core bullets like Sierra are really accurate but they are too soft. They really come apart on impact at those high velocities. He settled on the 100 gr Nosler Partition. He was going to try some 85 gr TSX Barnes bullets but he sold the rifle before trying them. He never keeps a rifle very long. Sometimes he will go through two or three rifles during one single deer season. He is retired and has money and likes to play with rifles working up loads and making them shoot great then sells them off.
 
If you're after deer & pronghorn, I'd urge you to take a hard look at the 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. Works superbly from our 6mm Remington.

Congrats on the new rifle! Neat cartridge!

Guy
 
The 240 Wby. loads that worked out for my Vanguard S2 was the (always my favorite) 90 gr. AccuBond. I used 56 gr. of H4831sc . I checked the free bore and found it to be 3.365 to the lands so to get the "awesome" accuracy it delivered I went to a cartridge over all length of 3.306 which fits the magazine and gave me .55" groups. The velocity was 3490 fps.
Good luck on your loads
 
Pretty cool round. Greg, you have a smokin' load there.

JD338
 
Just throwing this out there....I've heard that you can use 25-06 cases to form .240 weatherbies. Sure...you don't get the belt. Maybe that info is wrong? Use at you're own risk. I don't use Weatherby stuff so I never confirmed it.
 
I think I'd just get .240 Wby cases, even if they are expensive... It's a pretty unique case.
 
That little caliber has really has become my pet. For a month ago I checked GunInternational and out of 512 Weatherbys for sale...only ONE was a .240weatherby with 24" barrel. Those things are rare. I am happy for other fellow hunters/shooters sees the light.

Congratulations frankm. You have bought membership to an exlcusive club (y)
 
Thanks for the input fella's...keep it coming for those of you who haven't gotten a chance yet to share your experiences.

Greg, I'm drooling at not only your accuracy but your velocity too.... I hope I can be so fortunate !
 
58 gr Magpro 90 gr AB 3450 fps or so and under 3/4" MOA
 
Took my first buck antelope with the 240 at 302 yards. Bang flop
 
Think you're going to like that round. Pretty easy to load for once you get your seating depth figured out. I had good luck with supreme 780 which I believe has been discontinued, and 95-100 grain partitions, my mark v does not care for boat tail bullets or magpro. Currently using power pro 4000 MR and cci mag primer with 85 and 100 grain partitions and will probably never change, spooky fast, half expect my magnetospeed to catch fire one of these days:)
 
You should see what she does with an 80 gr TTSX!!!
 
Cabelas has 240 Wbys in their add this week. Not sure which model, but run out and get you one! CL
 
Can't access my notes right now, but will never forget my "favorite"...54 gr R19 and the 90X. This was back in the '90s and I gave that rifle to my Pastor down in Texas. I have a church member who has had a .240W for decades, uses it on everything, even elk with H4831 and the Nosler 95 Partition. He shot a muley buck last season at 470 lasered yards! His 15yr old son killed his first bull elk with it, a big 5x6, last year. Nice little round! have a ball dude!
 
I chronographed a load here today.

55 Grain Norma MRP
100grain Speer GrandSlam
Norma brass
Fed 215
Velocity 990 m/sec.(3248ft/sec)
Barrel: 26"
COL: 78mm

No signes of too much pressure. I felt I could add a grain or two more powder and still be within sensible pressure.

My load lack 100ft in comparison to this load here:
http://www.reloadersnest.com/detail.asp ... oadID=3484
 
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