Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles .240 bullet choice

I'm working on a final WT deer load for my .240 and want to throw out some variables for consideration.

The gun, an HS Precision SPL is a guaranteed 1/2" rifle and performs at that level with several loads. These include the 80 gr. TTSX, 85 gr. NPT, 90 gr. Scenar, the latter grouping .33". These are traveling at around 3,300-3,600 fps.

I was having trouble getting 95 gr. and 100 gr. NPT's to group. I finally found a 1/2" load for the 100 NPT and it's moving at 3,250 fps. I like the idea of slightly less velocity and more bullet mass for my usage.

I'm sorta torn between the 90 gr. Scenar with it's stellar accuracy and the 100 gr. NPT with it's known performance on game. My shooting is generally under 400 yds., WT deer, Pronghorns and hogs are my targets.

I would appreciate opinions and suggestions.

DF

I also have some 95 gr. NPT's that I can try. They, like the 100's didn't work that well, so far. My gun is a 10 twist and generally likes bullets in the 80-90 gr. range.

DF

Try 95 NBTs

With the 100 gr NP's have you tried IMR 7828? Mine uses 53.5 grs of 7828 with a 95 gr NP and the velocity is 3365,with a 26.75" barrel. It has a 1-10" twist also.

Between the two choices you gave,the 100 gr NP hands down.

H-1000 and IMR-7828 were ho-hum in this gun. The best 100 gr. NPT group so far was with 57.5 gr. Ramshot Magnum. I'm going to try RL-25 and MagPro. RL-25 was the powder generating .33's groups with the 90 gr. Scenar. Very slow powders seem to be working better than the usual recommended ones for this .240.

I've been unable to get NPT 95's to shoot better than NPT 100's, the 10 twist notwithstanding.

Some of the usual 6mm bullet favorites have the potential to do crazy stuff at warp speed. It appears to me that over 3K fps, bullet selection can become a different ball game, at least for close up shots on game. And for >500 yds, I have bigger guns slinging more bullet mass, carrying >1,000 ft. pounds of KE out much farther than the .240.

DF

And I realize H-1000 is on the same burn rate line as Ramshot Magnum and very close to RL-25 and Mag Pro.

I'd roll with the 100gr Partition at 3,250 and not look back.

Ingwe,

I read your post too quickly and now see you were saying NBT, not NPT. I don't know how 95 gr. 6mm Ballistic Tips would act at 3,300 fps. Past experience makes me skeptical that I could count on them not blowing stuff up.

I would be interested in your observations and comments.

DF

I'm leaning that way.

For our kinda hunting, NPT's are hard to beat. Their B.C.'s may not be the best, but I don't do a lot of really long range shooting. 500 yds. would be a very long shot for me, 300-400 yds. more typical of what I do.

DF

What barrel, and what is the twist?

Have you tried the 90 Swift Scirocco? It shoots very well out of a 1-10 twist 6-284 I have.

I've got a 1-10 custom 240 I bought recently on here. I've got a bunch of 85 TSX and 90 NAB that I plan to try.

I always go with the most accurate. An aside: IMR 7828 was like a laying on of the hands for my 240.

26" HS Precision made, cut rifling barrel with 10 twist. Looks great thru Hawkeye borescope, about as nice as a Krieger, Brux, etc. And, shoots about as well.

Good to hear from you, Pat.

DF

PM me your address, and I'll send you down some 105 scenars to try out.

Yeah, shot sub inch with Vv 160, IIRC. I think around .7" or so.

At first, I tried loading them long, as I have plenty of action length in the HS 2000 LA. Went inch and a half or worse. I finally shortened the COAL to 3.07" and the groups tightened up a bunch. It's funny how those bullets, not too unlike the VLD's, love to jump...

The .240 doesn't have much freebore like other Wby rounds. I measured the COAL to the lands and it would be no problem to kiss or engage lands. The gun doesn't seem to tolerate that.

DF

I thought I had it whipped with the 80 gr. TTSX at 3,600 fps, with a half inch load. Shot a doe last year at around 80 yds. She ran 100 yds. We had to find her with flashlights in the woods after dark. HUGE hematoma between shoulder and rib cage. The entrance and exit rib cage holes were about an inch, both ways. Not that much internal chest damage, obviously enough to kill the deer, but not as much as my '06 with 130 gr. Horn SP's at 3,100 fps, or my 6.5-284 with 140 VLD at 3K. Both of those deer shot at similar ranges this year, DRT, with massive internal chest damage, hearts and lungs turned to soup.

I could break shoulders with monometals, but us Cajuns shudder at the thought of wasting good meat. And that would likely take out one or both shoulders, not a viable option, IMO. So, I'm looking for the perfect bullet for chest shooting WT's and Pronghorns, one that will do well long range within the capacity of what a 6mm can do.

This photo, a re-run.

My bet is you will have a longer tracking job with the small diameter partition than you did with the TTSX. I've not been impressed with small partitions in small calibers on thin skinned game but others seem to like 'em.

Stay with the Partitions. For what you want to accomplish, bullet construction trumps B.C.

I can tell you from personal experience that either the 95 gr. or the 100 gr. Nosler Partitions will work fine, all the way to 500 yds. in the 240 Wby. Even further.
However, the big problem with long range shooting is calling the wind. For that, the highest BC bullet you can find is none too good. So whatever you pick, plan on doing alot of shooting at those ranges to learn the wind.
That, to me, would rule out the premiums like the NP and the TTSX/TSX due to their costs. So, if the Bergers or Lapua bullets kill the way you want, you'd probably be better off with something like that. E

It sounds very similar to my .240. I had a heck of a time finding a load for the 95gr Nosler Partitions. Just yesterday I found that it really likes a longer jump behind RL22.

What's your COAL and would you mind sharing that load?

DF

Run with Ingwe's advice.....I've shot deer with about everything in my 257 WBY and have settled on 115gr Btips (@3350fps) if I want to get real serious about killing deer sized game. I have ran the gamut of bullets(including the 95gr .243" btip) from soft to hard in cartridges slow to fast, as always I've found Nosler Btips to be superb slayers of deer........Though sometimes messy, I also feel no need to worry about an errant shoulder shot either.

That said, if forced to, I could happily use Partitions in everything provided they shoot.......................


X-VERMINATOR

Same experience here. TSX and Partition leave some pretty small holes in the lungs.

52gr RL22 upper right, 52.5 on lower right (one flyer)
Federal 210
3.070 COAL

200yd 5 shot groups

I should add that RL22 has been magic in several of my guns

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...0_Weatherby_bullet_success_s#Post7762916

Some info info here.

I use the same procedure with Scorocco's as Berger VLD's to determine where they want to shoot.

I do not have a LOT of kills with the 90 on game ( 5 or 6 )but it is a different ballgame than the TSX, & TTSX, when you look inside on the few antelope and deer I have shot with them.


They seem to open pretty wide and stay that way.

The 240 Weatherby is a great rifle, but most of the 6mm bullets aren't made to expand at the speeds than can be obtained. I definitely won't put the hammer down on a 300 lb mule deer again, but consider this rifle to be "perfect" for long range antelope and varmint hunting.

I think the .257 Weatherby is a much better choice for deer hunting. My .257 Weatherby tends to follow me to the woods more often than most of my other rifles. I've never had an elk or deer to track after putting the hammer down.

I was on the fence between the .240 and .257(the only two from weatherby that I like) for deer and antelope in MT.

.240 won out because my .223 #1 has killed as many deer as my 30-06 and 300 H&H combined and wanted a nice rifle appropriate for the varmints that I see while out.

If the OP has a load for the 100 grain Partition that he likes, he can pack his gear and go fill an ark as Dober used to say.

When he gets back home and feels like shooting again, he can work up something with the 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. They are a bit tougher than they were some years back.

Interesting observations. I understand the monometals poking thru without much expansion, but Partitions? Must be a function of caliber and velocity.

Now, consider 6mm NPT's at these speeds, 85 gr. at 3,500, 95 gr. at 3,350 and 100 gr. at 3,250. I don't think all three will react the same on a chest shot WT. I don't have time to go out and shoot deer with each load and will rely on the collective experience of Fire contributors.

Observations and opinions, appreciated.

DF

105 Scenars/'22.

So since you talk up the 105 HPBT from Hornady...what makes you pick the Scenar over the Hornady?

While I agree with your powder choice, although I'd pick RL 19 first....

I've also had excellent accuracy results with the Hornady out to 600 yds...

but what makes you recommend one bullet over the other...

90 gr ETip?

<= big fan of 80gr TTSX

Ive been watching this thread closely as I have been in search of the bullet that can perform at 3350 plus out of a 6mm ai for next years wt and mulie hunt out west. I have pretty much ruled the 105 amax out because i feel like it will explode and the 105 vld are too long to run as a repeater. Would the 95 or 100 nosler partition hold up over 3400 and effectively produce a drt?

Boxer,

Pat is sending me some 105 Scenars to try. I don't know if my 10 twist will work those. Won't take long to find out. I have RL-22.


efw,

I tried the 90 E-Tips. Accuracy was fair and I was concerned about just another "hard" bullet for chest shooting WT's.


Phoneman,

I was a fan of the 80 gr. TTSX at 3,600 fps, as my gun grouped these very tight, like half inch at a hundred. See photo of WT doe posted earlier. Not enough damage inside the chest.


Varmint Master,

Good question on how 95 gr. and 100 gr. NPT's will perform at higher velocities. The results could be interesting. Those reporting small wound channels may not have been pushing them at warp speed. Just guessing, of course.


DF

according to nosler's site they are the only hunting bullet that they list with an unlimited top end velocity. I guess I could always back it down to 3150 and run a more conventional load but what fun would that be? Im afraid other bullets will explode on impact with skin or bone at those velocities especially the AMAX. Lots of people use them but Im not wanting to be the one chasing a buck through the hills.

I was wondering if those observing small wound channels with NPT's would see that with an 85 gr. 6mm NPT traveling at 3,500 fps? Never tried it, just curious. The soft nose of the NPT could blow a big intake hole and the small rear portion could just blow thru like the 80 gr. TTSX did.

I think Scenars, etc. will at least get inside the chest before making a mess...

DF

I think the faster you drive a partition the worse it performs. The ones I have recovered looked like nothing more than a small pencil eraser - no mushroom effect whatsoever. I believe the front nose portion is just too soft, and therefore, basically useless and you get a pencil eraser size projectile driving deep into the animal. I think they perform much better at moderate speeds where the frontal portion won't be completely destroyed - but who wants to shoot a 240 at moderate speeds?

That's the kinda info I'm looking for.

DF

I've seen exactly the opposite of everything you have posted on this thread. Yes partitions shed the front core, they have been doing that forever. Coupled with the rear core penetration, it's what makes them extremely efficient slayers of critters large and small.

I've always seen larger wound channels with partitions v/s Barnes, always! This is because of the front core separation trait that the Partition exhibits, not despite it. These days, I rarely shoot a Barnes at deer based on several almost surgical (compared to Partitions) wound channels and thin blood trails. Some people love them for deer and I'm ok with that but based on my observations they just don't work as well on deer as Partitions. It's not even close when Ballistic Tips are thrown in the conversation.

Large or small calibers, make no difference (IMO). In fact the .224" 60gr Nosler Partition may be the deadliest "little" deer bullet I've ever worked with in several high stepping .224's. That said, the original suggestion of 95gr B-tips is a good one only because I know they kill even quicker.............!


X-VERMINATOR[i][/i]

Would you push 85 gr. NPT's at 3,500 fps or 95 gr. NBT's at 3,350 fps. in a .240, chest shooting WT's?

Will the fast NPT open up too soon with a big entrance hole and the small rear section just slice on through, or is there a big wound channel all the way thru?

I've heard that the newer NBT's are a lot tougher than the older ones. My experience with those older ones wasn't that good and it would take a real leap of faith for me to use them again.

DF

DF,

Per nosler's website, they don't recommend pushing the NBT's faster than 3200. That is why I was looking at the partition or the 90 grn acubond

I have some 90 gr. NAB's loaded, ready for the range.

My best shooting load, so far, is the 90 gr. Scenar. I think I'm going to hunt with them for the time being. I'd like to see what one will do to a WT.

DF

I dunno xverminator, seems to me that using your reasoning of the front core being so explosive that the partitions would be quicker killer than even the ballistic tips and we both know that is not the case. I haven't seen the large wound channels you talk about in partitions; in fact, that is exactly why I won't use them.

When you step down to .224 a partition might be a better option than a varmit style bullet that is going to explode on the hide of the animal; in this case, a partition might be preferable just because it will reach the other side.

Of course, this is just my opinion based on my observations and several friends. I have other friends that love the partition.

DF,

The 90-grain E-Tip and Ramshot Magnum worked very well in my .240. Muzzle velocity was around 3400 fps.

My wife mostly used the rifle, and before I started loading E-Tips she never had any trouble killing Montana deer with 100-grain Nosler Partitions at 3250 or so, whether in Weatherby factory loads or my handloads. But then she hasn't had any trouble killing Montana deer with 100-grain Partitions from a .243 Winchester either--including her biggest-bodied whitetail buck. In fact, none have ever gone more than 25 yards after being hit with either the .240 or .243.

I have friends who swear by Partitions, too.

I think they are good general purpose bullets that do a lot of things very well. My bud uses 130 gr. NPT's in his .270 and hammers stuff.

High speed 6mm's may be a more specialized utilization and that's why I'm "beating a dead horse" on these details. The Devil IS in the details, IMHO...

I want max performance out of my .240, doing a specific job, chest shooting WT deer for max effect with the least amount of travel after the hit and as many DRT's as possible.

For other applications, I'd probably go with something else. For example, busting hogs, I think monometals and hard premium bullets would do great. I wouldn't pass up a shot with a VLD or Scenar, however...

The handloader has almost too many options at his fingertips... A "high level" problem, for sure.

DF

Yeah, those girls have a way of making us guys look bad...

When they shoot, stuff dies...

What kinda wound channel and internal destruction did you see with the E-Tip? Was it about like a TTSX or TSX?

DF

DF,

This schit really is very easy.

Stuff a 105 Scenar in front of '22 and rock on...as they are far and away the most rugged of the upper echelon BC's.

Most will exit.

Hint.

Abut like a TTSX, or maybe even a little wider. I've tested some E-Tips in dry newspaper next to TSX's and TTSX's, and the E-Tips definitely open wider than standard TSX's.

DF,

I'm just flat gun shy on my 6-06 right now. I know it's due to the shooter and not the gun, but I just have to have complete confidence in a rig and it's just slipped too far for me with the 6-06 for now. Far too many rigs in the safe with much better track records I guess. It all started with the 90NABs at 3500 on my first season with the gun last year. Shot 4 into deer and didn't have one exit. One didn't even make it to the off ribs on a broadside shot behind the shoulder. Another made it to the off side on a small body deer, but it was merely the base of the jacket with no lead attached(I know they're bonded, but it just looked like you colored what was left of the jacket with a pencil). The last was the last straw for the NABs in that rig: Shot a small doe near water and purposely shot her in the shoulder for a short track at a mere 150yds. No blood at impact, and finally found little drops while following tracks. Small drops led to water and I lost all sign. Looked for hours and went back the next day to look again. I think she must have sank in a deep area. Anyway, I wanted TSX or ETIPs to shoot, but I tried to no avail with many powders and the best I could get was around 4" at 250. That in a rifle that bugholes darn near any CNC I've tried. This year I loaded 85NPTs at 3600 in it thinking they'd out do the NABs. I shot a nice buck at a mere 160yds and heard the bullet make a loud crack. No blood at all and no tracks to follow(loose sand with 1000s of tracks everywhere). Back to shooter error as I earlier mentioned. Yes, I probably missed that deer even though I think not, but it has been a while and I'm about due I guess. Sorry for the ramble, my point was to look past the NAB. I will be switching to 100NPTs in the rig, sacrificing flatter trajectory, and mainly trying to build confidence in an awesome rifle that has left a bitter taste in my mouth to date.

Have a good one DF,

loder

DF,

Forgot to mention that I have a couple full boxes of the 90NETs left you can have if you want to give them a try. I really wanted those pills to shoot, they sort of have it all in my eyes for the MVs we're pushing.

I have no experience with the 85 grainer but would have zero problems doing what you want to do with the 95gr B-tip. I used it extensively for years on deer out of a 6mm AI @3300fps with zero issues.....Still use it in 243's standard and AI.

Much like LA we have a very liberal bag limit when it comes to shooting deer. We take full advantage of it and I get the opportunity to see performance results of several different kinds of bullets every year. Ballistic tips flat work on deer, period!

You really don't have to over thinking this.......... I guess my best advice is load something up, go shoot deer with it, then form your own conclusions!

X-VERMINATOR

xverminator,

Do you normally get an exit and a blood trail with the 95 NBT?

Appreciate the info.

I well may be over thinking this, but I'm out there every weekend, killing deer. A good friend has a 1,000 acre high fence on a 2,000 acre river bottom place and needs to kill 20 does. We're up to around 9 or 10, a bunch left to test bullets on. Enclosure doesn't mean it's not hunting, as most of it is woods and they're pretty elusive. He has cameras out and fairly often gets a photo of a buck never before photographed. We also hunt outside the enclosure.

My hunting lease is free range and about 30 miles farther down the Red River, with 5 miles of river frontage, 2,000 acres of crops, 4,000 acres in CRP and woods with shooting lanes, food plots, lodge, shooting ranges, etc.

At the first place, the rut is winding down. At the second place, the rut cranks up after Christmas. So close, but yet so different.

DF

Yep......Same with 115's via the 257 @3350......


X-VERMINATOR

Sounds like the perfect test bed. Now get to work!


X-VERMINATOR

10-4

DF,

Let us know what works and doesn't .

I killed a 7 pt. cull yesterday at around 130 yds, angling slightly away and walking. I was shooting the .240, 90 gr. Scenar at 3,300 fps, which is the tightest grouping bullet in this gun so far, .33" at a hundred.

The bullet hit slightly more than halfway back on his chest, exited right behind and nicking the far shoulder. Deer ran around 20 yds and rolled.

Upon initial inspection, there was no sign of entrance or exit holes, no visible blood. With moving the carcass, bloody air bubbles were seen coming out of a 1" laceration right behind the far shoulder.

Not unlike VLD's, the Scenar made a minute entrance hole in the skin and a finger sized hole through the chest wall. The lungs, and liver were turned to soup with a few kernels of corn floating on the liquid goop.

Evidently the bullet went in, caliber size, and then exploded, blowing up the diaphragm, liver and lungs, messing up the heart and getting into the stomach. The guts were intact. The exit wound in the chest wall was the size of two fist imprints, side by side, with lots of blasted tissue.

I'll not again use a 90 gr. Scenar on a WT. I have some 105 gr. Scenars coming and will give them a whirl. Maybe the slightly heavier bullet at a lower velocity will do better.

I'm set up to test 90 gr. SSII's and 90 gr. NAB's. I may give E-Tips a whirl. I'm not crazy about monometals for lung shooting WT's, but E-Tips reportedly open better than TSX or TTSX.

High velocity is great for very long shots. With the 6mm bore, however, there's not a lot of bullet mass (remaining K.E.) for WT shots over 500 yd. Bullets seem to act differently when moving at 3K vs. 3,300 fps. That extra punch seems to make a big difference in bullet selection options.

Still learning.

DF

I'd like to know how you like the 90 SSII's and the E Tips when you shoot a few animals with them. I have not looked into the E tips, if they open quicker than the TTSX they might be a good option for lung shots.

JB thinks E-Tips open better than Barnes. I haven't gotten 90 gr. E-Tips to shoot sub-inch, although pretty close. A hunting bullet doesn't need to go half inch, but it's hard to be happy with an inch load in a half inch rifle... That's just not Loony... Such matters keep Loonies awake at night, while normal people just go out and kill stuff... I gotta come to grips with my pathology and make some adjustments...

I just reloaded several combos of NPT 100's and E-Tip 90's. My gun seems to like slow powders, so I'm using MagPro, Magnum, RL-25, N-217 (current version of MRP-2), MRP, and RL-22.

I've studied JB's article on "The Other 6mm's", which gives very useful info.

First stop is the range and the weather isn't cooperating. Then to the deer woods, the ultimate laboratory of hunting bullet performance.

DF

I don't think E-Tips open "better" than TSX's, but they do tend to open wider. Or at least the first E-Tips I tested side-by-side with TSX's did. But Tipped TSX's also generally open wider than standard TSX's--or at least the ones I've tested and recovered have.

The two big factors I've seen in how far monolithics open are how deep the hole runs down inside the bullet, and the diameter of the hole--and the diameter of the hole underneath plastic-tipped bullets. (Or at least that's the way it seems to work with monos designed to retain their petals.)

Most expanding big game bullets start to expand as soon as they hit an animal, and expand completely by the time they've penetrated the length of the bullet--the reason most damage occurs around the entrance hole, or right behind it. Some may open slightly quicker but any difference is tiny. The real difference in the amount of damage done is how much of the bullet fragments.

The exception is "target" bullets like Bergers and Scenars that tend to delay expansion until the bullet gets an couple of inches inside the animal. Unlike typical "big game" bullets more damage is done around the exit than the entrance.

They're all a compromise of some sort.

JB,

Didn't mean to misquote you, but to me wider is for sure better, when chest shooting WT's. I'm currently leaning toward the more expansive bullets for that application. The 90 gr. Scenar was just too much of a good thing, although it kills. The clean up was pretty bad. My hunting bud, who helped me clean this deer, suggested I needed to rethink my bullet choice. It was pretty gross and I didn't need much arm twisting to come to that same conclusion.

My 6.5-284 with 140 gr. VLD at around 3,000 fps, performed perfectly with a similar kill. Hard to find the entrance, 2" holes in chest wall, in and out, small exit with the chest messed up pretty bad. DRT, boom/plop. Very little blood seen on the carcass.

With my 30-06 HVA, shooting 130 gr. Horn SP's at around 3,100 fps, I killed a big doe. Nice entrance hole, nice exit hole, blood pouring out of both. Ribs wounds around 2" in and out, plenty of chest destruction, another DRT, boom/plop kill, with a positive "white belly" sign out in the food plot.

High shoulder/spine shots with a monometal should drop them fast, but with the .240 at high speeds, I'm afraid I'd trash the shoulders. Last year, same rifle, chest shooting a large doe, an 80 gr. TTSX at 3,600 fps. blasted a huge chest wall hematoma. Internal chest damage wasn't that impressive and she ran a hundred yards.

If I wasn't such a Loony, I'd load some 130 gr. Horn SP's for my HVA '06 and just kill deer...

DF

DF,

Most of the time I try to avoid "better" when talking about bullets, instead just attempting to describe how they perform, or how I've seen them perform. This is because I've found a lot of different bullets work on big game, but in different ways.

But I don't mind saying I've had very good "luck" with the 6.5 140 VLD!

How 'bouts "mo-better"...

I understand and could have chosen my words "mo-better"...

DF

I found the Barnes bullets to be more accurate than the E-Tips. The 80 gr. TTSX shot a half inch group at 3,600 fps, the 85 gr. TSX shot around .7" at a hundred. I've been struggling to get E-Tip under an inch, the best so far is slightly over an inch. So "mo-better" accuracy goes to the Barnes.

I have a batch of 90 gr. SSII's, loaded and ready for action. They'll be next up for a WT test. Loaded long, they didn't group too well. With plenty of jump, they suddenly shot sub-inch. Factory .240 COAL is 3.1". These are loaded shorter. I loaded some at 3.07", this batch at 3.09", both shooting pretty good.

People complain about SSII accuracy. Like VLD's, you gotta experiment with jump and loads to unlock the riddle. They're really pretty accurate when you find the combo they like.

DF

Below is a link to an old thread showing the forming of 25-06 W/W brass (costing around fifty cents a copy) into .240 Wby brass, (costing a buck fifty). The CH4D forming die costs around $70 or so. So after making 70 .240 cases, the die is paid for and from then on, all .240 cases are at W/W, not Wby. prices.

Also, I've noticed that Norma/Wby cases seem to be softer than W/W cases. Some of the Norma/Wby. cases develop loose primer pockets after a couple of uses, especially with hot loads. I've yet to have a W/W case develop a loose primer pocket, loaded the same as the others and after a number of reloads.

So, besides costing a third as much initially, the die formed W/W cases seem to last longer and I see NO difference in accuracy, no functional disadvantage at all.

Bottom line, 240 Wby. owners don't need to be held hostage to expensive Wby. brass. To me, that makes the .240 even more attractive, as the high cost of proprietary brass is often given as the main reasons for not going with a .240.

DF

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/5820015/11

Dang your going to wear the barrel out before you find the perfect load. Not much experience with the 240 but in other 6mms the partitions are hard to beat, either the 85 or 95.

Kenny Jarretts favorite for the similar 6 Catbird or Jaybird is the 95gr. partition.

The smaller bullets appear to need to fragment some for quick kills but with the partition you have the best of both worlds with adequate penetration insured.

Another in this category is the cutting edge bullet haven't tried them yet though. The reports are good especially for velocities over 3,000 fps.

DF,

I've been itching for a 240 for a long time. I've just always been leary of the 6mms in general. You are quickly talking me into one! I like the looks of that .240 in the Backcountry - that could be sweet.

Which one do you have?

This .240 is an HS Precision SPL that I traded for. I didn't like the 42 oz. HS stock and replaced it with a 24 oz. McM Hunters Edge. It's pillared, glassed and free floated.

HS makes their own barrel, in fact are one of the largest makers of ballistic lab test barrels. They're cut rifling and appear to be comparable in quality to Kriegers, Brux, etc. HS rifles come with a 1/2" guarantee and will perform that well with a number of loads.



Tejano,

I hear what you're saying and I'm trying to limit the number of rounds. I load three of each and don't let the gun get hot. I usually take at least three rifles to the range, letting 2 cool while I'm shooting the third. I'm watching the bore with my Hawkeye borescope. The Dyna Coat precess just about eliminated copper fouling. I clean powder residue with Eliminator every now and then.

Just so many good combos, that my Loony tendencies are coming out in my quest for the Holy Grail of perfect loads. I think there are a number of "perfect loads" for this gun. I'm sorting them out.

DF

I have some of those, too, the 88 gr. So far they haven't shot that tight. I've got a few more loads to try.

This rifle really likes 80 gr. TTSX's at 3,600 fps, 85 gr. NPT's at 3,500 fps. and 90 gr. Scenars at 3,300 fps., all shooting 1/2 MOA or less. I shot one 1/2" group at 200 yds. with the 85 NPT, probably a fluke, but it looked pretty good at the time.

95 NPT's and 100 NPT's, shoot about the same. I did get one 100 NPT load to shoot about 1", the other groups were inch and a half or so.

It's a fun project.

DF

I always thought the 240 was one of the best open country southern white tail and pronghorn cartridges around. Almost bought a Mark V lefty but just seemed too heavy for the cartridge. An ultra light lefty would get me interested though.

Almost hurts to pull the trigger on those cutting edge bullets and I don't know of anything comparable for load work up.

If I do build one I will go the other direction on the twist rate maybe even a 7.5 to be sure the 115s will work.

I would have stopped with the 80 TTSX or 85 PT. Maybe a 87 HPBT for varmints and deer load.

The 17th edition of Handloader's Digest had a pretty good test of 6mm hunting bullets. A little out dated but still a good sampling.

Given the caveat that final diameter and weight from any medium is only a point of comparison rather than an indication of game performance.

If you can't find it I can try to scan it. Your work is saving me $$$ in bullets, so don't mind returning the favor.

Yeah, I've got quite an inventory. I'm always a sucker for another bullet, another powder...

It aggravates me to read about a load I would like to try and not have that powder in inventory. I had read about Norma MRP for a long time, never could find any. Seems that MidwayUSA recently got some in and I picked up an 8# jug. Also got a pound of N-217 (current version of MRP-2) and a pound of URP (current version of N-204).

DF

From about age 14 to age 25 I killed most of my deer with either a bow or my 6mm with 100 g hornady btsp's. My little brother also killed several deer with the same 6mm loads I loaded for him. I can recall at least 9 drt's with that load. They always seemed to drop at the shot and there wasn't usually an exit but you didn't need to track them anyways. It seems that hornady has changed some of there interlocks more recently so I don't know how the new stuff would do. Plus we were only running them about 3000.

My friend used to run a 6-06 and swore by the 100g nosler solid base. He said they worked great at 3200 +. Nosler made another brief run of them a few years back and I picked up some bags of seconds. I still haven't tried them yet. I tried a 105 vld on a buck a fee years ago and it worked.

Bb

I just got back from my deer camp, tried several .240 loads at the range with 105 gr. Scenars. They were scattered all over the target. I used RL-22 and RL-25, still have a few loads with MagPro and Magnum to try, but I'm not optimistic. This 10 twist just doesn't seem fast enough for 105's.

I was going to deer hunt with the .240 this PM, but used my 6.5-284 instead. With that one, I put four bullets on a pie plate at 400 yds, using my Z5 turret. That's a camp requirement, so I posted the target, qualifying that gun for 400 yds. The group was around 3". It has shot 2" with that same load, 140 VLD's with enough RL-17 to crank it up to 3,000 fps.

Back to the drawing board with the .240.

I want to thank Scenarshooter for sending me some 105 gr. Scenars to try. I wish this gun was an 8 twist, but the barrel is just too good to swap out. I'll shoot 85 gr. to 95 gr. bullets. It does pretty good with 95 gr. NBT's, not as good with 95 gr. NPT's. It will shoot a 100 gr. Speer Grand Slam, which is a stubby bullet compared with the high ogive types.

I think I'm going to go back to the 85 gr. NPT at 3,500 fps. That one shot a half inch group at 200 yds. If P. O. Ackley thought the .220 Swift was an awesome deer killer, this 85 gr. bullet at 3,500 fps may prove to be a good WT load.

DF

How does that work? You may only sit a stand where a 400 yard shot may present itself if you're using a gun you've qualified?

Basically.

Camp rules were established to discourage someone from taking a shot at a trophy WT beyond the demonstrated ability of that shooter with that gun. It makes sense.

And, it seems to work pretty well. I was working with a hunter this PM, helping him get his equipment performing right. It also serves to demonstrate to the shooter just how far he should or shouldn't be shooting.

With my 6.5-284, I can take a shot up to 400 yds., as I have demonstrated what I can to with that gun. I have previously demonstrated that gun will shoot 4 1/2" at 600 yds. But at this property, 400 yds. would be a long shot. It's hard to evaluate a rack at extended range. Now, if a hog showed up, that's a different story. I was lining up on an 80 pounder with the 6.5-284 this evening at 300 yds., when the hog stepped out of the shooting lane. Probably never knew how close he or she was to a trip to the skinning shed. I had a solid rest in the box stand and the Jewell is set pretty light...

DF

Sure am happy I hunt my own place.

I wouldn't have been able to shoot the hog I killed at 125 yards last Saturday. It's over 500 yards to the corner of the cutover I was watching.

Yeah, I agree with that.

I hunt another property with a good bud and it's quite different. He and I are the main ones who hunt this tract and we know what needs to be shot, what doesn't, etc.

When you have a group of hunters coming into a property, sometimes rules like that are a necessity. From what I've seen, larger the number of hunters, the more rules that seem to develop.

And, nothing happens in a vacuum, as they say. Rules usually address a past mess up, trying to prevent mess ups in the future.

DF

Why not?

DF

I don't have a spot to qualify the rifle I was using for a potential 500 yard shot.

I wouldn't want to crack down on a nice WT at 500 yds, if I'd never shot the rifle at a 500 yd. target, wasn't sure where it hit at 500 yds.

I may be misunderstanding your point.

DF

I wouldn't shoot at 500 yards either unless I'd practiced it a bunch.

It's just that on the stand I sat, there exists a potential for a 500 yard shot. So the way I understand your club rules, I would have had to prequalify my rifle at 500 before I could sit that stand.

Not to sit on that stand, but to take the 500 yd. shot.

I was sitting on a stand this PM with 1,100 yds. potential. I ranged it with my Zeiss Victory 8x45 T* RF binocs. I'll leave those to John Burns and company.

DF

OK. Earlier I believed you confirmed my thought about being able to even sit such a stand.

I guess what we have here could be summed up by that famous line by Strother Martin in the movie, "Cool Hand Luke".

Strother Martin, playing the the Warden, told Paul Newman (Luke), "What we have here is a failure to communicate".

I plead guilty to failing to communicate...

DF

Simple misunderstanding, no sweat.

I'm trying to get more of my camp members to come out to the shooting club to figure out what they and their gear can do under controlled conditions.

I try to help my club members all I can. I set up a spotting scope, which they seem to appreciate. I get a lot of questions, which is a good thing.

The target posting exercise does help build awareness of shooter/rifle performance and builds confidence. Our guys are mostly professional types, which means they're generally pretty competitive. All that works together for a positive outcome. The most problems we have are with guests.

DF

Did I miss your test of the Scirocco?

Yeah, no SSII test, not yet at least. I got side tracked trying to see what the .240 would do with 105 gr. Scenars.

I got pretty disgusted with the .240 and took the 6.5-284 to the woods, following a sub MOA test target at 400 yds. I almost got a 300 yd. shot at a hog, but fate intervened on behalf of that porker. That lucky hog decided to step out of the shooting lane just as I was lining up the shot.

There's always a next time to test SSII's on WT's and maybe kill a hog...

DF

Here's a photo of the .240, HS Precision SPL (HS 2000 LA) in an unpainted McM Hunters Edge. It's wearing a 3-9x40 Conquest in the photo. The gun now has a Bushnell 6500, 2.5-16x42, which works great. The 6500 may stay on the gun, I haven't decided.

I ordered the stock, unpainted, to fit and glass. It will go back to McM after hunting season for brown paint with black specks.

DF

Another report, looking for an ideal bullet match between .240 velocity and optimal performance on chest shot WT's.

Yesterday PM, I shot a 125# doe at 175 yds. with a 90 gr. SSII at around 3,400 fps. I was in a box stand, right elbow on the side window, forearm holding hand resting on the front window, a very steady set up. The Bushnell 6500, 2.5-16x42 was set at full powder. The shot broke perfectly with the 2.75# trigger. .240's don't recoil that much, but enough to lose my FOV. When I looked up, deer were running everywhere and I saw a flashing white tail in the wood, going directly away from where the doe had been standing. I couldn't see her on the ground and assumed she had run.

As I approached the place where she had been, she was lying in a shallow drain, about 10 yds from where she should have been. Her white belly was facing away from me. Lying in the drain and without a visible white belly, I couldn't see her until I was pretty close.

The SSII made a nice entrance and a nice exit. The lungs weren't messed up that much, but enough to kill the deer quickly. I would like to see a bit more destruction in the chest.

I think the 90 gr. SSII is a good match for .240 velocity. I would not chose it for a .243 at 3K, chest shooting WT's. I don't think there would be enough destruction. This bullet may be too "hard" for that use. On bigger bodied game, it would probably do great.

I have some 90 gr. NAB's that I may try. I'm guessing they'll be somewhere between the overly volatile 90 gr. Scenar and the harder 90 gr. SSII.

I finally found a 100 gr. NPT load that will shoot 1/2" groups. It's with 58 gr. Ramshot Magnum, the first powder to perform that well for me with 95 gr. or 100 gr. NPT's. JB used Magnum with E-tips in his excellent American Rifleman article, "The Other 6mm's". The 85 gr. NPT is a tack driver at 3,500 fps. in my .240 and would probably be more destructive than the heavier Partitions at slower speeds. The 100 NPT may end up on my short list for all around Louisiana WT hunting. I will check it out.

DF

DF,

Glad to hear you found a good load for the 100 gr Partition. It will prove itself to be all you will ever need! Flame something with them and report back...