I'm starting to put togther some loads for my HS Precision rifle in .240.

Bullets on hand are the 95 NBT, 80 VLD. Those ordered and on the way, 85 InterLock, 95 Part., 95 Scirocco II and 80 TTSX. I didn't order the 85 TSX, as the 80 TTSX has nearly the same B.C. and can be loaded 100 fps faster.

I have most powders associated with 80-100 gr bullets in this caliber.

I would appreciate suggestions regarding pet loads. I'm looking for accuracy using a tough bullet that can stand hyper-vleocities and perform on deer and antelope size game, close and at longer ranges.

DF

I've been recently tuning a 240 built on a Yugo action with a Pac Nor barrel. Running 95 grain Nosler Ballistic tips. I tried Reloader 22 and got some OK moa groups. Then I switched to IMR 7828 due to some suggestions here, and it was like a laying on of the hands. Five shots do just slightly more than 1/2 moa. Nice clover leafs. I'm away from my notes at the moment, so I can not spit out the exact load. I do remember thay were running 3,420 fps as I was putting some across the chrony a couple of weeks ago.

Edited: Just went back to an older thread. Running about 53 grains.

Been using a 6/06 for a long time, with the heavies (85's-105's) I've found they like H4831, R22, R25 and 7828.

My present barrel really like H4831 and the 90 Speer, 87 Berger or 85 TSX.

Dober

Starting with the usual suspects like those in Dober's list is always a good idea.

My .240 is a Weatherby Ultra Lightweight. It shoots a lot of stuff well, but the two really outstanding big game loads are the 90-grain Nosler E-Tip and Ramshot Magnum, or the 100-grain Nosler Partiion and Norma MRP.

I tried Magnum because the results have been so good with it in many cartridges that like the usual slow suspects from H4831 to RL-25. It worked.

I tried MRP with the Partition becausse the Weatherby factory load with the 100 Partition grouped into 1/2" to 3/4". The powder in the case pretty much matched Norma's load data for MRP and the 100-grain, and my handloads shot ALMOST as well.

I read your excellent piece in the Am. Rifleman on the "Other 6mm's" That article was cut out, now resides in my .240 Wby. folder. I have Magnum, not MRP powder. I've also got 80 TTSX, 85 TSX, 95 SST, 85 InterBond and 95 NPT, delivered today. I'll see what the gun likes. I'm pulling for the 90gr. Scoricco II's as they look like heavily constructed bullets with good B.C.'s. I'll report my findings.

Thanks,

DF

Anyone heard of any 90 Accu's being out yet?

Dober

Midsouth Shooters has them for $24.58, but they're "on order".

Dober, do you think they'll be better than the 90 gr. Scirocco II's? Seem like pretty similar constructed bullets.

DF

No but 90 gr Etips might be interesting...

The barrel I have now doesn't like the ET that much or the Scirocco. It does like the 87 Berg and the 85 TSX so I don't fight it.

Other really good bullet is the 100 Horn sp or bt.

Dober

I'm trying the 80 gr. TTSX and didn't think I'd ordered the 85 gr. TSX, but evidently I did, as a box of them arrived with the order. In the .240, the 80 gr. TTSX can be driven at 3,600 fps, the 85 gr. TSX, at 3,500. The B.C.'s are amazingly close, considering the wt. gap. I guess the plastic tip on the TTSX makes it sleek enough, to nearly accommodate for 5 gr. less wt.

I'm wondering how Etips are going to measure up to the Barnes X bullets. Barnes has been in the monometal business a lot longer, but that doesn't guarantee anything. Lot more data on the TSX and now the TTSX's. I'm interested on how well the 80 gr. TTSX is going to shoot near the top end. Unfortunately it seems that a lot of the .240 accuracy loads are not at max velocities. I'm looking for the combo of max accuracy with max performance. The winner will become my bullet of choice.

DF

I use the Hornady 95 gr SST with Rel 22 in my 240 Wby and it group right at 1/2 inch at 100 yards. This load kills Whitetail DOA and i haven't recover a bullet so far all where complete penetration .

95 SST's are in my order and I have RL-22. PM me with your best grouping load if you don't want to put it on line.

I've used 140 SST's in my 6.5-284 and have been impressed with the accuracy and performance.

That's the stuff I'm looking for.

DF

Preach on brother!!

Glad you liked the article. The SII's are very good bullets, but sometimes take some tweaking to get to shoot, especially in seating depth, probably due to the secant ogive.

Any advice on a good starting COAL with the 90 SII's? The article isn't in front of me, you may have adressed that already. Guess it's kinda like working with a Berger VLD. I've used Berger's protocol to find COAL accuracy nodes.

This ctg. seems a bit unique regarding primers and powder choices. Barnes accuracy load with the 80 gr. TTSX uses Ramshot Hunter, a mid range powder and Fed 210 primers. Other loads use the slow burners, like your Ramshot Magnum load with Fed 215's. The .240 seems to function with a wide choice of powders, compared to many calibers, preferring narrower burn rates. Like it can't decide if it wants to be an '06 clone or a big magnum ctg...

DF

I've wanted a 240 Roy for the longest time. Thinking one in an Edge stock with a 23" tube, .6" at the muzzle might be skookum.

I tested several bullets in the .240 Wby, HS Precision SPL, this AM. All loads had Fed 210 primers in new Wby. brass.

85 gr. TSX with 54 gr H4831sc grouped 5/8" at a hundred. RL-17 grouped 1", both loads running around 3,500 fps.

85 gr. Interbonds with the same H4831sc powder charge grouped 1".

90 gr. Scirocco II's with same powder grouped 2 1/4". Not that impressive. I may try Ramshot Magnum or Retumbo and work with the COAL.

I was disappointed with the Swift bullet, but at least I have the 85 gr. TSX ready for prime time.

DF

With any bullet, I start with it seated out as far as practical, whether due to the magazine, or just shy of the lands. Once I find the most accurate powder, I try seating the bullet progressively deeper.

Many of today's rifles have much tighter throats, so seating bullets right next to the lands often isn't as critical to accuracy. I've also found that monometal bullets such as the TSX and E-Tip often respond to a little deeper shooting. Bullets with secant ogives (such as the Scirocco II) and many "target" bullets are also more picky about seating depth.

Handloaders often ask me about what seating depth I'm using with a particular round, but my answer is the above, not any specific number. It depends on the rifle, bullet, load, etc.

I've found the E-Tips work on game just about like the Tipped TSX's, which is very well. Both tend to expand wider than standard TSX's. I've also gotten very fine accuracy with E-Tips in most rifles, though as noted above it sometimes takes a little playing with seating depth.

How many grains of R-17 did you use with the 85gr. TSX? I have not been able to find any load data for this combo.

TGR

48 gr.

If you go on line to Barnes loads for the 85 gr. TSX, they list RL-17 as their accuracy load. They give a beginning load of 46 gr. @ 3,354 fps and a max. load of 50 gr. @ 3,556 fps. I started in the middle and will move up.

54 gr. H-4831sc seemed to be a popular load among shooters on line for 85 gr. bullets in the .240, so I also tried that one. So far, it's my tightest shooting load.

I would love to get something going with the 90 gr. Scirocco II, but it's my biggest disappointment so far. I like the way it looks and think 90 gr. may be better long range than 85 gr. And I don't want to use standard cup and core bullets at hyper velocities. I think the .240 needs premeium bullets.

DF

I'm going to get some 90 gr. E-Tips.

The .240, as you know, has a .169" freebore. The HS 2000 LA action is full length with a long clip. The COAL to the leades with the 85 gr. TSX in this gun is 3.296". I loaded my first batch at 3.15" COAL with a .146" jump. With this action and clip, I believe one could jam long bullets into the leades and have enough bullet in the long .240 neck to make it work. I see no advantage in that, but this is not something one hears discussed with Weatherby's...

This combo could almost be treated like a non-freebore chamber with bullet jump handled like any other caliber.

DF

I might of missed it DF but did you run any of these loads over the clock? In particular the R17 load?

Thx
Dober

Not yet, Dober. I've got a chrono, just haven't set it up. I was trying to get an idea on which bullets were going to be performers. Barnes gives their top load of RL-17 at about the same vel. as the 54 gr. H-4831sc load that seems to be so popular, both at around 3,500+ fps. Their data is in a 24" gun, my HS is 26". With a high vel. load, especially with slow powder there could something extra. It will be interesting to see the difference with 2" extra barrel using a mid range powder like '17, although progressive burning, and a classic slow powder like H-4831sc.

I'll post result when I get them.

DF

Thanks!

DF,

Actually, the term "freebore" is quite flexible, since it basically just means a longer-than-average throat. The .240 has a very short throat compared to most other Weatherby rounds (as does the .416 Wby.). The throat of the .243 Winchester is actually a little longer than the .240's.

I'm moving this data from another thread. Should have put it here to begin with.



"I just got back from the range. The factory ammo (100 gr. SP) shoots 1 1/2" at best. So, correcting for runout, evidently, wasn't that critical.


Best loads this AM:

85 gr. TSX, 54 gr. H4831sc, Fed 210, 3.15" COAL, .610" three shot group at a hundred, around 3,500 fps.

85 gr. TSX, 50 gr. H414, Fed 210, 3.05" COAL, .76" at a hundred, approx. 3,500 fps.

90 gr. Scirocco, 52.6 gr. Vv N160, Fed 210, 3.07" COAL, .75" at a hundred, around 3,330 fps.


The 80 gr. TTSX is nearly, but not quite as accurate as the 85 gr. TSX (so far).


I havent' chrono'ed these load, waiting to find the ones the gun likes. These velocities are published data, mostly with 24" bbls. The HS has a 26" barrel.


A poster on the Fire mentioned H414 being his best powder for the .240, and it does seem to work. I had problems getting the Scirocco's to group, but this load did much better than the others. I also shortened the COAL.


Bullets yet to be tested, 100 gr. Grand Slam, 70 gr. and 95 gr. NBT, 90 gr. E-Tip, 85 gr. (old and new), 95 gr., and 100 gr. NPT, and 95 gr. SST."


DF

Bringing this site up to date with data reported elsewhere.

My latest range report has the 85 gr. NPT shooting a half inch, three shot group at 200 yds. I know that's only a three shot group which may not be sustainable with more rounds. This load is with the std. factory COAL of 3.1", Norma once fired brass using Fed 210 GM primers and 50 gr. Ramshot Big Game powder, each charge weighed. Bullets were seated with a Bonanza Benchrest seater and concentricity checked with a Sinclair gauge. Corrections were made with the Tru Tool to runouts of .003" or better. Book velocity is reported at 3,550 fps, not yet chrono'ed by me.

I love the way Ramshot powder burns and meters. It's good stuff, IMHO.

DF

Updating a 2+ yr. old thread.

My go to .240 load at the present time is the 100 gr. NPT at 3,255 fps over 57.5 gr. Ramshot Magnum and Fed 210 primers. It shoots around .5" at a hundred. Next batch of reloads, I'll try Fed 215's to see if those will tighten it up some. I've accumulated a bunch of blem 100 gr. NPT's and an 8# jug of Magnum. So, I should be good to go...

I've tried several combos, 85 gr. NPT's are super accurate at 3,500 fps. the 90 gr. Scenar was super accurate. I killed a WT doe last fall with the Scenar and it was WAY too explosive. I killed another with the 90 gr. SSII and felt it wasn't quite expansive enough, even at 3,400 fps. These were chest shot deer, no bones.

The 100 NPT should work about right. With a 225 yd. zero, it's dead on to over 250 yds, then 4", 9" 15" and 23" elevations at 300, 350, 400 and 450 yds. respectively. I'm not even going to do a turret with this one, just remember the numbers and go hunting.

Here's the HS SPL now wearing a McM Hunters Edge, losing 20 oz. from the HS SPL factory stock. It's really a much better handling rifle like this. Of course it's pillared, glassed, torqued and free floated. The 6500 2.5-16x42 seems to work well on this gun.

I may try this rig on NM Pronghorns in August, rather than my usual 6.5-284/140 gr. VLD combo.

DF