December 4, 2008, 11:07 PM | #1 |
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240 Weatherby Magnum
Back in the early 80s I spent a couple of years stationed at McGregor Range in the New Mexico desert between El Paso and White Sands. While there I took a few pronghorn with old 30-30. It was the only rifle I had and I missed out on more than a few antelope because they were way out past the 100 or so yards I was comfortable shooting at.
From McGregor Uncle Sam sent me to Germany where I spent more time than I should have drinking beer at the Karlsruhe Rod and Gun Club. I was there one day when the guy that ran the gun shop, as opposed to the guy that ran the bar, was unpacking a shipment of new rifles. One of them was a beautiful new Mark V Deluxe in 240 Weatherby Magnum. On the receiver just in front of the port it had a large spot of rust. It looked someone had put their sweaty thumb on it before they put it in the box. After discussing the ballistics of the 240 and what a fine long range prong horn rifle it would make he told me he would let me have it for $150. That was probably less than he had in it even back then and needless to say I jumped on it. Even though that $150 would have bought a lot of beers. Well I never made it back to Bliss again to hunt pronghorn and much to my regret I eventually sold the little used Mark V to my Dad’s boss. I now find myself thinking about that flat shooting 240 again as a long range paper puncher. The Weatherby 240 Magnum fires a factory loaded 100 grain bullet at greater than 3400 fps. That’s better than a 6mmBR and almost up there with a 6x284 so I was just wondering if any of you are using the 240 Weatherby for varmints, deer, or even just long rang paper punching. I was also wondering about the Mark V synthetic as that seems to be the cheapest thing chambered for the 240. How is the quality and accuracy on those now days? |
December 5, 2008, 01:46 PM | #2 |
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I believe the Weatherby Lightweight Synthetic is the least expensive in that caliber and yes, it's a fine rifle IMO.
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December 5, 2008, 02:06 PM | #3 |
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I love the 240 WBY. The only thing about all of the current offerings in the 240 is that they all feature a #1 contour barrel accept the Accumark which is a #3 contour.
These rifles heat up super fast due to the light weight barrel. Would it be a super long range varminter, sure as long as you did not have constant fire. For groundhogs and coyotes it would be fine but for extened shooting like dogs or ground squirrels you would experience POI changes and possibly shoot out your barrel in one dog hunt. J. |
December 5, 2008, 07:25 PM | #4 |
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I've always been interested in this cartridge. Just not all that enthused about the bolt actions rifles that house it.
IMO, it would be perfect for a single shot. Like the Ruger No 1 or maybe even an Encore barrel. Then you could go with a super long barrel without OAL being ridiculous. But I guess you can't chamber an Encore barrel for it and then put it up for sale? Proprietary, etc, etc? (Another idea. Wouldn't it be sweet in that long barreled Savage that is designed for F Class shooting? Single shot, long barrel, target grade Acu-Trigger.) Gregg |
December 5, 2008, 07:35 PM | #5 | |
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Quote:
J. |
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December 5, 2008, 09:24 PM | #6 |
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What I was thinking was find someone to put together a Savage 12 chambered for 240 Weatherby. However, after talking to some others it looks like it would probably shoot out barrels as fast as a 6x284 with the added bonus of using brass that cost twice as much.
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December 5, 2008, 11:23 PM | #7 | |
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Or just go with the good old .243 Winchester. Overbore cartridges like the .240 Weatherby and .257 Weatherby just don't make much sense to me. . |
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December 5, 2008, 11:41 PM | #8 | |
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December 5, 2008, 11:43 PM | #9 | |
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I have had my 257 for a number of years and it is more accurate now than ever. My 240 is a West German gun that had many years on it before I bought it and it too is still a top notch shooter. J. |
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December 6, 2008, 12:18 AM | #10 | |
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Quote:
Gregg |
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December 6, 2008, 12:27 AM | #11 |
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http://www.bullberry.com
This is where I get all of my TC barrels. Their barrels are accuracy guaranteed to shoot SUB-MOA. I have never been let down. J. |
December 6, 2008, 12:36 AM | #12 | |
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I always thought .240 WBY would make a great long range deer and antelope rifle. And if you got a chance at a coyote at extreme range, he would be in trouble! Gregg |
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December 6, 2008, 12:38 AM | #13 | |
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Gregg |
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December 6, 2008, 12:38 PM | #14 |
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With all the new powders available today, none of the Weatherby calibers are overbore. I've been a diehard .340 fan for twenty years and if I had to give up all my rifles but one, that's the one I'd keep. I don't have a .240 or .257 at the moment but I've been looking at a .257, even though deep down I'm a 25-06 fan. I love Weatherby's stock design for taming recoil.
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December 6, 2008, 03:02 PM | #15 |
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The 240 Weatherby is a good cartridge, but it is basically a 6mm-06 with a belt on it. This makes resizing harder, and shortens brass life. But the 240 Weatherby is a flat-shooting round, no doubt about that. Rather than deal with the brass issues, just have a 6mm-06 built.
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December 6, 2008, 10:09 PM | #16 |
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i have used several 6mm's, the .240, .243, .244(6mm remington), 6mm improved, .243 improved, the 6mm-06 and the improved version, and several other wildcats, i would say a 6-06 or 6-06 imp would be your best bet, same ballistics, but 30-06 is a LOT cheaper than .240 Wby Mag, but if your heart is wet on the .240, buy all means
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December 7, 2008, 08:44 AM | #17 |
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The .240 and .257 Wby Mags are terrific guns. They are exceptionally long range guns and are extremely accurate. If you reload, you can negate some of the cost of high ammo. I would not trade anything for my .257 Wby. Mag. It is an exceptional medium sized game rifle.
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February 26, 2013, 12:02 AM | #18 |
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Why ?
I shoot a 6x284 and brass is so much cheaper and I can push 87v-maxes to 3600 + Its 2/26/2013 and 240 brass isn't any where to be found.
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February 26, 2013, 12:34 AM | #19 |
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The .240 and .257 are indeed fine rounds...
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February 26, 2013, 01:26 AM | #20 |
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I got to shoot a .240 Weatherby Mk V and I have to say, I never thought I'd want one...but I want one. That thing was like a laser compared to my '06.
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February 26, 2013, 02:22 AM | #21 |
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It's certainly flat shooting, but when I look at the limitations of the 243 Win as a big game cartridge, my response isn't "needs more velocity".
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February 26, 2013, 07:51 PM | #22 | |
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I have no experience with the .240 but know a few people that love them for Pronghorn. I own an HS Precision Pro2000 in .257 Wby that has accounted for a dozen antelope, 3 trophy mule deer and a fat cow elk. I also scored my longest kill on a trophy whitetail...387 yards Dead right there. Paying $150 for a Mark V, even 30 years ago is a great story. |
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