240 vs 243

If you have a desire for speed, and owning the 'bee, go for it.
It definitely is expensive ammo in factory trim, and the case
cannot easily be formed from any other case, but once you have
brass, and are set up to load, what would be the issue?
I have a 257 'bee, and am impressed with the performance. D.
 
Back in the early 70's I made several 6mm-280 Improved rifles... they used the same loading data as the .240 Wby and got the same velocities... basically it is a spectacular killer. The first rifle was lent to several people over the year and all reported quick one shot kills on everything from goat, antelope, deer and many coyotes.
 
7mag said:
With factory ammo? Or.........
Click to expand...

sure

243 Win Federal Premium 100gr Sierra Boat Tail @ 2960 fps
200y zero, 2560 fps / 1450 ft lbs energy
300y -6.7" drop, 2370 fps / 1245 ft lbs
400y -19.7" drop, 2188 fps / 1063 ft lbs
600y -10.9moa drop, 1850 fps / 761 ft lbs, 2.9" wind deflection per 1mph wind (full crosswind)
800y -19.0moa drop, 1550 fps / 535 ft lbs, 5.5" wind deflection
1000y -29.3moa drop, 1300 fps / 375 ft lbs, 9.4" wind deflection
$1.85 per round

6mm Creed Hornady 108gr ELD @ 2960 fps
200y zero, 2630 fps / 1665 ft lbs energy
300y -6.4" drop, 2480 fps / 1475 ft lbs
400y -18.4" drop, 2330 fps / 1300 ft lbs
600y -10.0moa drop, 2050 fps / 1005 ft lbs, 2.2" wind deflection per 1mph wind (full crosswind)
800y -16.7moa drop, 1785 fps / 765 ft lbs, 4.1" wind deflection
1000y -25.0moa drop, 1550 fps / 575 ft lbs, 6.9" wind deflection
$2.10 per round

240 Wby Mag, Weatherby 100gr Nosler Partition @ 3406 fps
200y zero, 2910 fps / 1880 ft lbs energy
300y -5.0" drop, 2685 fps / 1600 ft lbs
400y -14.8" drop, 2465 fps / 1350 ft lbs
600y -8.4moa drop, 2065 fps / 945 ft lbs, 2.7" wind deflection per 1mph wind (full crosswind)
800y -14.8moa drop, 1705 fps / 645 ft lbs, 5.2" wind deflection
1000y -23.2moa drop, 1395 fps / 435 ft lbs, 9.0" wind deflection
$7.50 per round


240 Wby brass empties, Norma, $2.80ea
6mm Creed brass, Peterson $1.24ea , Starline $1ea. Hornady $1.24ea, Lapua $1.56ea, Alpha $1.50ea, Nosler $1.35ea
 
Last edited:
Roy Weatherby was way ahead of his time. There is no other cartridge in today's market that out performs the 240 Wby., in the .243 class. If you reload, purchase three boxes of 240Wby. ammo of three different bullet weights/lengths, shoot them at the range to find which the rifle likes. You will have fire-formed brass and a ton of load data from reloading manuals and from the internet. The 240 delivers killing power, velocity and accuracy beyond belief!
This 300 plus pound mule deer buck I killed last autumn (2018) DRT with a 90 grain Accubond.
https://imgur.com/a/OZjbe5J
 
It’s been a while but I’m sure the weatherby branded ammo I bought for the 240 was just under $50/box. Comparable to any belted cartridge. My LGS out here in the waisties carries lots of weatherby.
The $150 box of shells you quote in the example is no doubt still on the shelf.
 
starvin said:
It’s been a while but I’m sure the weatherby branded ammo I bought for the 240 was just under $50/box. Comparable to any belted cartridge. My LGS out here in the waisties carries lots of weatherby.
The $150 box of shells you quote in the example is no doubt still on the shelf.
Click to expand...

Nosler Partition vs Soft Point

SP has a BC of .302 and a reduced velocity of 3200 fps -- pathetic downrange, that's why I didn't use them for the above comparison
 
243 Win Federal Premium 100gr Sierra Boat Tail @ 2960 fps
200y zero, 2560 fps / 1450 ft lbs energy
300y -6.7" drop, 2370 fps / 1245 ft lbs
400y -19.7" drop, 2188 fps / 1063 ft lbs
600y -10.9moa drop, 1850 fps / 761 ft lbs, 2.9" wind deflection per 1mph wind (full crosswind)
800y -19.0moa drop, 1550 fps / 535 ft lbs, 5.5" wind deflection
1000y -29.3moa drop, 1300 fps / 375 ft lbs, 9.4" wind deflection
$1.85 per round

6mm Creed Hornady 108gr ELD @ 2960 fps
200y zero, 2630 fps / 1665 ft lbs energy
300y -6.4" drop, 2480 fps / 1475 ft lbs
400y -18.4" drop, 2330 fps / 1300 ft lbs
600y -10.0moa drop, 2050 fps / 1005 ft lbs, 2.2" wind deflection per 1mph wind (full crosswind)
800y -16.7moa drop, 1785 fps / 765 ft lbs, 4.1" wind deflection
1000y -25.0moa drop, 1550 fps / 575 ft lbs, 6.9" wind deflection
$2.10 per round

240 Wby Mag, Weatherby 100gr Norma Spitzer @ 3200 fps
200y zero, 2607 fps / 1510 ft lbs energy
300y -6.3" drop, 2340 fps / 1215 ft lbs
400y -19.1" drop, 2085 fps / 965 ft lbs
600y -11.3moa drop, 1630 fps / 590 ft lbs, 4.0" wind deflection per 1mph wind (full crosswind)
800y -21.0moa drop, 1270 fps / 360 ft lbs, 8.1" wind deflection
1000y -35.1moa drop, 1049 fps / 245 ft lbs, 14.0" wind deflection
$3.50 per round

240 Wby Mag, Weatherby 100gr Nosler Partition @ 3406 fps
200y zero, 2910 fps / 1880 ft lbs energy
300y -5.0" drop, 2685 fps / 1600 ft lbs
400y -14.8" drop, 2465 fps / 1350 ft lbs
600y -8.4moa drop, 2065 fps / 945 ft lbs, 2.7" wind deflection per 1mph wind (full crosswind)
800y -14.8moa drop, 1705 fps / 645 ft lbs, 5.2" wind deflection
1000y -23.2moa drop, 1395 fps / 435 ft lbs, 9.0" wind deflection
$7.50 per round


That 100gr SP load from Weatherby is laughable. 95% of Weatherby shooters don't even shoot long range. Just a bunch of braggers with big belt buckles
 
todbartell said:
243 Win Federal Premium 100gr Sierra Boat Tail @ 2960 fps
200y zero, 2560 fps / 1450 ft lbs energy
300y -6.7" drop, 2370 fps / 1245 ft lbs
400y -19.7" drop, 2188 fps / 1063 ft lbs
600y -10.9moa drop, 1850 fps / 761 ft lbs, 2.9" wind deflection per 1mph wind (full crosswind)
800y -19.0moa drop, 1550 fps / 535 ft lbs, 5.5" wind deflection
1000y -29.3moa drop, 1300 fps / 375 ft lbs, 9.4" wind deflection
$1.85 per round

6mm Creed Hornady 108gr ELD @ 2960 fps
200y zero, 2630 fps / 1665 ft lbs energy
300y -6.4" drop, 2480 fps / 1475 ft lbs
400y -18.4" drop, 2330 fps / 1300 ft lbs
600y -10.0moa drop, 2050 fps / 1005 ft lbs, 2.2" wind deflection per 1mph wind (full crosswind)
800y -16.7moa drop, 1785 fps / 765 ft lbs, 4.1" wind deflection
1000y -25.0moa drop, 1550 fps / 575 ft lbs, 6.9" wind deflection
$2.10 per round

240 Wby Mag, Weatherby 100gr Norma Spitzer @ 3200 fps
200y zero, 2607 fps / 1510 ft lbs energy
300y -6.3" drop, 2340 fps / 1215 ft lbs
400y -19.1" drop, 2085 fps / 965 ft lbs
600y -11.3moa drop, 1630 fps / 590 ft lbs, 4.0" wind deflection per 1mph wind (full crosswind)
800y -21.0moa drop, 1270 fps / 360 ft lbs, 8.1" wind deflection
1000y -35.1moa drop, 1049 fps / 245 ft lbs, 14.0" wind deflection
$3.50 per round

240 Wby Mag, Weatherby 100gr Nosler Partition @ 3406 fps
200y zero, 2910 fps / 1880 ft lbs energy
300y -5.0" drop, 2685 fps / 1600 ft lbs
400y -14.8" drop, 2465 fps / 1350 ft lbs
600y -8.4moa drop, 2065 fps / 945 ft lbs, 2.7" wind deflection per 1mph wind (full crosswind)
800y -14.8moa drop, 1705 fps / 645 ft lbs, 5.2" wind deflection
1000y -23.2moa drop, 1395 fps / 435 ft lbs, 9.0" wind deflection
$7.50 per round


That 100gr SP load from Weatherby is laughable. 95% of Weatherby shooters don't even shoot long range. Just a bunch of braggers with big belt buckles
Click to expand...

Regarding your last statement. I'm sure that most of Weatherby gun owners didn't have thoughts of long range shooting. The Mark V rifle and cartridge was their primary pursuit. Extreme long range shooting/killing (actually not hunting) did not arrive until recent years among hunters. Weatherby's flagship action, and the only true Weatherby rifle, the Mark V, has been around since the late 1950's, and their cartridges before hand. The thought of magnum cartridges from yesteryears are the same thought of today: increased long range energy and flatter trajectory.
 
todbartell said:
Lots of people hunt with the ELD-M, in fact Gunwerks recommends it over the ELD-X
Click to expand...

Fair enough. Allow me to rephrase, you're comparing a bullet with a BC of .384 with a bullet that's 8% heavier with a BC of .536. I don't think it's a mystery why one would perform better than the other when they're stretched out.

I have a sneaking suspicion if you were to load up a 240 WBY with 108 grain ELD-M's it wouldn't be the one on the receiving end of the spanking.
 
rkm456 said:
I have a sneaking suspicion if you were to load up a 240 WBY with 108 grain ELD-M's it wouldn't be the one on the receiving end of the spanking.
Click to expand...

Rebarrel with a 1:8 or faster barrel twist 240Wby, try it and let us know. You would be one of the first to do so I am sure. I was comparing the best of available factory ammunition that will shoot in off the shelf rifles. 6mm Creed is the best option in 2019
 
The Creedmore is only 120 years behind the 6mm Lee Navy, similar twist, similar capacity. Sound new and improved at the same time.

Can a 240 be reamed to 6-06? That would simplify brass.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom