Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 340 Weatherby and 250 Sierra Game King

I'm looking for load data from the Sierra Manual for it. I'm planning on using RL 22 and Rem 9.5 M primers and was wondering what the Sierra manual had in it.

Nobody around me has a Sierra manual in stock, so I'm hoping the Campfire can help me out.

The Lee manual i have lists starting and max loads both as 84.7 grains of RL 22, so I'm wondering if this is common.

Thanks

Those recommended loads will go bang safely in a Mark V. The top velocity will need to be established by shooting groups. When the powder charges approach 90 grains, you often see little velocity growth per grain but pressures will still be rising so let your rifle tell you where you need to stop.

I would expect you could head towards 87/88 grains and I would aim for 2900fps and you should find a point of accuracy.

JW

Thanks. I assumed that those data were for a Mark V.

However, I have a custom Rem 721 in 340 that doesn't have as much freebore as the stock Wby, so I'm trying to find a good starting point without going too low and blowing my arm/face off. My general feeling is that 84.7 is a middle of the road load, but I wanted to get the Sierra data to confirm. Not sure how far I could reduce the Lee load since 84.7 is the min AND max load reccomended.

I'm not super concerned with end velocity as these bullets typically perform well out of the Win mag. I hope to get 2750 to 2800 fps out of a final load, but am still looking for a reliable starting point.

Then start with 84 grains. Your MAX will be lower without the freebore but the velocity will still be up there.

JW

Thinking I would start at around 80 or so. My 340 hit low 29s with 84.5 grains of 22. You may want to run RL25 around 88 max as I was hitting 2940 or so with it and great accuracy.

Why in the SAM HILL are you using Sierra's with a 340 unless you plan on just shooting paper...

..................From my Edition V Sierra Manual;

Firearm; Savage 116
Bbl length; 26"
Primer; Fed 215
Twist; 1 x 10"
Bullet; 250 gr Gameking SBT

74.3 gr RL22 = 2500 fps
76.7 gr RL22 = 2600 fps
79.1 gr RL22 = 2700 fps
81.5 gr RL22 = 2800 fps
82.7 gr RL22 = 2850 fps
83.9 gr RL22 = 2900 fps (max)

How can Lee list a starting,,,AND,,,a max loading using only a single charge of 84.7 gr? Somebody messed up at Lee not to include other reduced loadings, or there may have been an accidental omission at the printers.

In any event, there ya go!

Exact same bullet I use in my 340 Wby. However I use 4831 with good results. I have never tried RL22 so let us know how it works. But I am sure 4831 will work for ya. Tom.

I may want to try that RL25 if you are getting that kind of velocity. Is that a compressed load?? I know I have had good luck with the RL25 we use in our 300 Ultra's. I have got about 5# sitting on the bench. It takes alot of powder for those dang Ultra's. Thanks, Tom.

I can't and won't answer for the original poster as to why he'd want to use it but I can answer for me. I've used it on lopes/deer/elk/bruins/chucks/yotes etc. In all honesty I've found it to incredibly accurate, and has killed everything I ever pointed it at from far to near.

One of my friends left a 340 in Africa with his PH. Said PH has been killing everything that moves with it with ease. Said he uses the 250 Sierra a lot as they're inexpensive and kill everybit as good as the others. He says he does find the bullet from time to time but he doesn't worry about it.

To date, I've never found one in big game that I've disected and I'd have no issues using them on most all that moved. Now on a cape buff I'd go with the 275 SAF but other than that I'd never worry about it. Bottom line 4 me I've always felt just fine using them.

Dober

I stand corrected in the face of experience. I have to admit I'm surprised at the efficacy of the Sierra in the 340 given my dismal experience (1) with the Sierra at high impact velocities. Live and learn! jorge

Thanks for the data and the help. I was out scrounging around today and found a sierra manual gathering dust at a gun/pawn shop.

The Lee manual lists several loads with RL 22 that only have one value for starting and max. I thought that that was quite strange.

I've decided on the Sierra thusfar because
1)my rifle is about equal to a glorified 338 Win as it has a 24" barrel and sub-Weatherby freebore
2)they have pretty solid BC and I've had good accuracy with .284 Sierra bullets
3) I'm not hunting Panzers, just elk and black bear

Jorge, Mark has far more experience with me on that bullet and my results mirrored his. If you ever give them a run I would suspect you might like them. In the end, the 340 was too much for me to handle unbraked and I moved it on.

The RL25 load was very close to 100% capacity.

The sierra 250 has a tougher jacket than smaller caliber sierra's. I would not hesitate to use it on anything besides maybe a big bear. I have a 340 wby and for some reason it doesn't like the si as much as a 250 nos part. I wish it would as it's one aerodynamic bullet.
Re the starting load. I would go lower than 84 as a start. I loaded for a friends custom built 300 wby that didn't have freebore. I blew primers at 2 grains above starting loads. I checked my quick load program for 340 forecasts. It doesn't factor in freebore and it thinks that 84 grains of re22 would give you 63k pressure and 2904 fps...so just for safety maybe start at 81/82...or at least load a couple that way and chrono.

Here are my loads all tested in Mark V's.

.340 Weatherby Magnum

Bullet Load Powder O. A. L. Velocity Energy Comments

175 gn Barnes X 93gn H 4831 3.635" 3138 Original Surplus
93gn WMR 3034
93gn H 4831 3241 Mulwex Manufactured (Hogdon)
94gn H 4831 3281 Mulwex Manufactured (Hogdon)
95gn H 4831 3.641" 3307 Mulwex Manufactured (Hogdon)
92gn H 4350 3.603" 3364
85gn 760 3280
87gn 760 3310
85gn IMR 4350 3158
87gn IMR 4350 3290

185 gn Barnes TSX 83gn 760 3.665" 3150 Mild
84gn 760 3162
92gn Rel 22 3252
93gn Rel 22 3268
94gn Rel 22 3310 4501
95gn** Rel 22 3372 4672 .517" Best Accuracy (2 touching-seat deeper)
87gn H 4350 3161 4106 Mild
89gn H 4350 3252 4344

200gn Speer 93gn H 4831 3092
91gn Rel 19 3092
93gn Rel 22 3173 4472 MOA. Best load this bullet
63gn* AR 2206 2656 3134 H 4895 Equivalent - Reduced Load
65gn* AR 2206 2722 H 4895 Equivalent - Reduced Load

200 gn Barnes X 90gn Rel 22 3218 26" Tobler barrel/Rem 700 action

210 gn Partition 90gn Rel 19 3124 4552
91gn H 4831 3010 4256 Original Surplus
93gn H 4831 3.621" 3116 4529 .7 MOA
93gn WMR 3104 4494

225 gn Speer BT 91gn H 4831 2981 4441 Original Surplus

225 gn Hornady 90gn Rel 22 3088 4765 ,7 MOA 3 shots
92gn Rel 22 3101 4806
91gn H 4831 3012 4537 Original Surplus
93gn H 4831 3042 4624
89gn Rel 19 3030 4588 1.5 MOA
90gn Rel 19 3121 4868

225 gn Woodleigh 90gn WMR 3.553" 2925
91gn WMR 2981
92gn WMR 3.585" 3037 Warm Load
90gn Rel 22 3042 Good Load - Seat out 1/2 turn
93gn Rel 22 3238 5240

.340 Weatherby Magnum Page 2.

Bullet Load Powder O. A. L. Velocity Energy Comments

225 gn Barnes TSX 90gn Rel 22 3.679" 3049 4648
91gn Rel 22 3086 4681
92gn** Rel 22 3100 4809 .908" Best Accuracy
92gn Rel 25 2865 Mild
94gn Rel 25

225gn Barnes TTSX 91gn Rel 22 2924 Mild
94gn Rel 25 2904 Mild
95gn Rel 25
89gn H 4831sc 2720 Very Mild


230 gn Fail Safe 91gn WMR 3.674" 2965 4341
89gn Rel 22 2994
90gn Rel 22 3025 1.5 MOA

250 gn Hornady 86gn Rel 19 2861
87gn Rel 19 2903
88gn Rel 22 2917 4726
88gn H 4831 2839 Original Surplus
89gn H 4831 2870 4574 MOA 3 shots
88gn WMR 2910

250 gn Partition 88gn Rel 22 2921 4738
89gn H 4831 2895 4658 MOA Best Accuracy
89gn WMR 2927 4756

250 gn Swift Sirocco 88gn WMR 2908

250 gn Grand Slam 88gn Rel 22 2902 4678
88gn WMR 3.602" 2889 4634

250 gn Woodleigh 88gn WMR 3.553" 2852
89gn WMR 2925 .7 MOA load
90gn WMR 2941 4803
87gn** Rel 22 2907 4692 Best load this bullet
88gn Rel 22 3.659" 3005 5014

275 gn Speer 87gn H 4831 2742 4591 .7 MOA Load
86gn WMR 3.598" 2812 4829

300 gn Woodleigh 83gn** Rel 22 3.541" 2684 4800 Same POI as 185/225 TSX & 250 Wood

* Denotes reduced loads using Mulwex AR 2206 ( H-4895) and Fed 210 Primers
** These 4 bullet/load combo's shoot to the same point of impact. (Interchangeable loads)




JW