340 Weatherby
- Thread starter darkman
- Start date
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
Federal GM215M primers and IMR 7828 ... follow your Manuals load data working up .... Max loads are not always the best.
I have several rifles that shoot with best accuracy at 1-2 grains less than published "Max" ... and remember Max in one manual may
be more than in another ... and both may be too hot for your particular rifle. Work up from starting loads carefully
I have several rifles that shoot with best accuracy at 1-2 grains less than published "Max" ... and remember Max in one manual may
be more than in another ... and both may be too hot for your particular rifle. Work up from starting loads carefully
Darkman...........You are talking one of my all time favorite cartridges. Not sure where you heard that BS about hangfires specific to Weatherby cartridges, I can assure you it's not true. Use good magnum primers and follow the loading manuals and I'm sure you will find a good load. What rifle is your 340 in, a Mark V or a custom chambering on another action?
The 340 is as easy to load for as any other bottle neck rifle cartridge and requires no special treatment at all. I have had good success with Alliant RL 25, but your manuals will give a listing of suitable range powders. The manuals are very conservative due to custom chamberings not necessarily having the same length of leade as the Mark V, hence my previous question. Check your leade or if it is a Mark V just load to the maximum magazine length allowable. My previous Mark V would consistently cloverleaf 3 - 250 gn Nosler Parts at 100 mtrs if I was doing my part that day. The 338 Howa I chambered out to 340 wouldn't keep 3" at 100 mtrs and rechambering didn't improve it one bit. My current Win Supergrade is showing a lot of promise but I'm not done working with it yet. It is shooting 225s well under an inch but I haven't had a chance to try my 240 gn bonded boattails yet.
If you are desensitized enough, recoil wise, to shoot the 340 well you will learn to love it..........very few cartridges on this planet kill medium to large thin skinned game as well as a 340, right out past 500 mtrs. I have always said the 340 Weatherby is one of the killingest cartridges I have ever unleashed on NA game........of any size. It shoots like a 7 Mag and hits like a freight train.
The 340 is as easy to load for as any other bottle neck rifle cartridge and requires no special treatment at all. I have had good success with Alliant RL 25, but your manuals will give a listing of suitable range powders. The manuals are very conservative due to custom chamberings not necessarily having the same length of leade as the Mark V, hence my previous question. Check your leade or if it is a Mark V just load to the maximum magazine length allowable. My previous Mark V would consistently cloverleaf 3 - 250 gn Nosler Parts at 100 mtrs if I was doing my part that day. The 338 Howa I chambered out to 340 wouldn't keep 3" at 100 mtrs and rechambering didn't improve it one bit. My current Win Supergrade is showing a lot of promise but I'm not done working with it yet. It is shooting 225s well under an inch but I haven't had a chance to try my 240 gn bonded boattails yet.
If you are desensitized enough, recoil wise, to shoot the 340 well you will learn to love it..........very few cartridges on this planet kill medium to large thin skinned game as well as a 340, right out past 500 mtrs. I have always said the 340 Weatherby is one of the killingest cartridges I have ever unleashed on NA game........of any size. It shoots like a 7 Mag and hits like a freight train.
You don't know as much as you think you know.
I can only wonder who told you that nonsense about getting hangfires if you don't load to the max. By the way, the projectiles are called bullets.
I bought my first 340 Wby, a walnut stocked Mark V, in the mid 70s. Got it cheap because the stock was broken. Repaired it using Acraglass and patience, and never had a problem with it. The old surplus H4831, and H450, ahead of 250 gr Nosler Partitions or Speer 275 RNs was all I ever loaded with for that rifle. Cannot remember a single hangfire.
My latest is also a Mark V, a Fibremark, the one with the MCMillan stock. Now using 225 bonded cores ahead of the same powders, again wo any hangfires.
Almost all the brass has been resized 375 H&H. Simple as ABC to do.
Ted
Great cartridge. I shoot it and an 8mm remington and they are both super killers. The 340 is better in that you have way more bullet selection the the 8mm. As the others have said read your reloading manual and follow it.
358Rooster
CGN Regular
- Location
- Central Saskatchewan
I'm going out on a limb here and supposing you read that light charges of slow burning powders may cause hangfires. Most magnums prefer to run balls out. The reason you bought a Weatherby is because of the performance potential of a big magnum, isn't it? It will like to run balls out. Run it balls out!
Did I mention balls out?
Rooster
And please, "heads" are for archers........even then, I don't know if it applies well....
Did I mention balls out?
Rooster
And please, "heads" are for archers........even then, I don't know if it applies well....
Every loading manual that I own, lists starting loads for the 340wby, that are well below the max loads listed. If you start with the starting loads, hangfires won't be an issue. Now if you load well below the starting loads, hangfires are possible, but that is not in any way saying that you have to load to the max to avoid handfires. As well, that is not exclusive to the 340wby or to wby cartridges, it can be an issue with any larger capacity cartridge.
Which reloading manuals state that? Not challenging you, I am seriously wondering the context of their statement to that effect?
Ted
I'm thinking the context you read is part of the problem.
How about a powder that fills the case to max capacity and generates the accuracy and velocity you desire.
Have you researched much about the 340Wby and the choices of bullets and powders available first off?
Rob
