240 Weatherby??

[goose7856]

Well I have just finished purchasing my 17 HMR setup for small game, and I am now looking into a long range deer gun. I was thinking maybe a .243 or 25-06, but then saw this 240 weatherby caliber. VERY INTRIGING!! (Not sure how to spell that :?, it think a "U" goes in their somewhere??!!)

I know I will start to reload very soon, and as of now, i know someone who can reload for me (with my supervision, just to make sure everything is exact :lol:  :eek: ), and all I will have to do is get him the brass, and the dies, and w/e else he tells me I need.

So what do most of you think about this caliber. I read an article by Chuck Hawks, and a article on Weatherby's website, and they both said that the velocity can reach up wards of 3500 fps with an 70-80 grainer, but for deer hunting purposes, that a 100 grain Nosler Partition can reach up to about 3300 fps. Thats def. the type of ballistics I am looking for, and we are really opening up the hunting land on our Louisiana property!!

#1: What do you think about this caliber??
#2: Who manufactures guns for this caliber??
#3: If I can reload the ammo (so I don't pay $50 for 20 shots), should I get this after I can save up the cash??

Thanx in Advance!! Have a Merry Christmas!!

[Vern Humphrey]

You should get what you want, if you can afford it.  :wink:

I don't know of any current maker other than Weatherby who offers a rifle in .240 Weatherby.  On the other hand, everybody and his dog offer rifles in .243 and .25-06.

The same is true for both brass and loaded ammo -- .243 and .25-06 loads and brass can be found in every gun store and Wal Mart.  Weatherby brass and ammo is pricey and hard to find.

[Lawdog]

goose7856,

I own/use a .240 as does my oldest daughter.  Mine is a Weatherby Mark V Deluxe and hers is a left handed Ruger M77(older tang safety model) that I built for her.  You asked;

#1: What do you think about this caliber??
#2: Who manufactures guns for this caliber??
#3: If I can reload the ammo (so I don't pay $50 for 20 shots), should I get this after I can save up the cash??

1.]  Excellent cartridge - King of the 6mm's.  It will drive 100 bullets easily over 3,400 fps. and more than that when reloaded

2.]  Weatherby is the only one unless a custom shop turns out some that I don't know about

3.]  Hard to answer this one.  If you like the Weatherby cartridge design(I do - think the double radius shoulder is sexy) then be all means save up as you will never regret it.  The Weatherby rifles and cartridges are very distinctive and classy.  They get to be habit forming.

Weatherby brass and ammo is pricey and hard to find.

Not really true about being hard to find.  I get any caliber Weatherby brass I want just by ordering online.  Black Hills is just one source for Weatherby brass and ammo.  Lawdog
 

[goose7856]

so either way I look at it, to get a 240 Weatherby, ill have to lay down a grand to get the rifle??

Im thinking a Tikka, or Browning may be a better choice.....probably a browing in 25 WSSM?? IDK a 243 would be very easy to shoot b/c  their is vertually no recoil, and I could probably hold it as steady as I want for those 300 yard shots......i just dont know if a .243 has enough "umpp" behind it at that kind of distance??

TIA, and keep 'em coming!!

[Vern Humphrey]

Most experienced hunters will agree -- what you gain from a magnum isn't enough to matter at any range where you can ethically take a shot.  The drop between a .243 and a .240 Weatherby is only a few inches at 300 yards, and most people can't hit beyond that range, anyway.

[Ramrod]

When this cartridge first came out, alot of folks said the same thing. "Whats it good for?" The .257 Weatherby is a much better long range deer round, and the .240 is a little too much for most varmints. I would stay away from ANY .243 out past 300 yards, when there are so many more capable calibers. If recoil is an issue, stay away from any magnum, stick with 6.5 mm, .270, 7mm-08, ect.

[goose7856]

Now I am starting to re-think this.......i just bought a Bushnell Elite 6-24x40 AO Mildot for my HMR, and since at 6x the exit pupil is at 6.7mm then that will allow the max. amount of light to transmit into the human eye. Therefore, in the offseason I may switch my Nikon Buckmaster 4-12x50 to my new Marlin 917VS, and move the brand new Elite 4200 to my regular deer gun. I think I can just keep the gun set at 6x for almost all my hunting, and zoom it as high as needed for necessary shots.

I think it is Lawdog that enjoys hunting with high powered scopes, but I DEFINITLY KNOW that many people despise hunting big game with anything higher than a 2.5x-10x (GB, and probably Steelhead).

The reason I think I can get away with hunting with a 6x-24x is b/c 99% of my hunting is done on food plots. So if I ever need to hunt the woods, I bring the trusty ole shotgun!!??

Oh, I forgot to mention, the rifle I use right now is a 30-06 Remington 700 ADL Synthetic. So the main reason for the new gun would not be just for the long range capabilities, but mainly so I dont blow the meat up so bad. To track a deer where I hunt is a living HE**.......Its not like the people who hunt in Texas or Canada, or the places with hardwods that have open bottoms. We have all Oaks and Hardwoods on the place I hunt, but I undercover is FULL of Palmetto's. These arent the small ones you see on the sside of the road, these suckers are HUGE, they are mostly at least 8 feet tall, and im tall (6'2) and Im not even close to being able to see over them.Tracking a deer is so difficult, that most people on our property (includong me) shoot the deer directly in the shoulder. We all use a 7-08 or bigger, so most of the deer we shot just drop. I think Ihave had 6 drop in the last two years and 2 run about 50 yards through the thickest stuff you can imagine in your worst nightmare!! The deer my only have run 30 yards, but it seems like at least 100 and its no easy task to get the deer out once you find it.........well sry for my rant, but thats kind of the reason for the small caliber, flat shooting gun = I ruin the front shoulders when I shoot the deer. I would just use the .243, ect on our very open fields, and then shoot behind the shoulder so that I can save as much meat as possible.

Ok now im one, and im very sry this is so long

Everyone have a very safe, marry, and happy holiday!!

[Ramrod]

goose7856, an option worth trying is bust that shoulder with a heavy or stiff bullet in that ole .30-06. If you don't get any expansion, you won't lose alot of meat. I know, the generally accepted opinion is to blow the daylights out of em with as much velocity (and recoil) as posible. But moderate velocity and deep penetration puts them down without alot of meat damage. Try a premium 180-200 grain bullet, they are cheaper than a new gun!

[goose7856]

Right Now I am using Hornady Interbond 165 Grain Light Magnums......really puts a hurtin on them, but blows the shoulder/meat to bits!!

[Lawdog]

but blows the shoulder/meat to bits!!

And that is why you shouldn't aim for the shoulder.  My family accounted for 19 nice Mule Deer & Blacktail Bucks just this last season and all were heart/lung hits.  The furthest any deer went after being hit was about 25 yards.  Bust them where they live and the freezer gets filled.  Lawdog
 

[victorcharlie]

Goose......don't worry about the meat.....just kill a few extra.....to danged many anyway......Hit em hard.....hit em fast......Hit em where it hurts, and just eat the big pieces....

[goose7856]

lol victor, "just eat the big pieces", lol.............thats basically what im doing right now, back legs, tenderloins, and backstrap, and the rest goes in the bayou for the gators......

Lawdog, read my post about how hard it is to track the animals......THATS why I dont shoot tem in the boiler room, ive got to knock them down, or youve got a 50/50 shot of not finding them.....i rather the 100/0 odds when they are laying in the field.

Thanx everyone, have a grrrrr8 Christmas!!