Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Woodleigh 240 grain .30 caliber bullet

I am wondering if anyone has experience loading this unique bullet. It is intended for 30-06 but Woodleigh reloading manual shows loads for 300 Win Mag too. I am thinking this could be an interesting bullet to load and test in my 300 Wby rifle. I made a test round and it chambers well at 3.580" COAL. This is 0.020" longer than standard maximum length for 300 Wby yet in my rifle it is still 0.800" from touching lands!!

I intend to use Norma MRP for this load. I would appreciate your thoughts and comments.

Left: Lapua Naturalis 170 grain, Right: Woodleigh 240 Grain Protected Point

My only experience is having loaded up 50 for a friend's 300 WM and watching him back-up 2 brown bears. Both shots were about 75 yards and both bears were quartering away, the 240 penetrated fully and were under the hide in the far shoulder, perfect mushroom and performance!

They originally introduced those as a 100-year anniversary bullet for the 30-06 to be used on water buffalo.

A 240 in a 300WBY should be good for just about anything on the planet.

Thank you for your comments! I too think this bullet in a 300 Wby should be "enough gun" for almost anything. The Woodleigh manual shows maximum load in 300 Winchester Magnum is 65 grain of N560 or 66 grain of H4831SC. N560 is nearly identical to MRP so I think these would be a good starting point in 300 Wby. So, how about 64-68 grain of MRP?

Contact Woodleigh they may have data already. Here is Normas: https://www.norma.cc/en/Ammunition-Academy/Loading-Data/300-Weatherby-Magnum/
They are showing 77-80 for 220s.

Here is VV you have probably already seen the load for the Naturalis.: http://www.vihtavuori.com/en/reloading-data/rifle-reloading/-300-weatherby-magnum.html

Agree N560 is similar to MRP usually within a grain or grain and a half of each other and very close to R26 too. R26 is just a bit slower could work in the WBY.

Alliant had data for the 240 Sierra and R26 at 2700 fps. On the main page they have some other loads with R33 but stop at 200-220 grain bullets.http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/powderlist.aspx?type=1&powderid=40&cartridge=85

That should get you started.

Update: I made five loads (68 grain to 72 grain Norma MRP) and test fired them at the range. At lower velocities, the bullets made oblique holes indicating insufficient stability. I have not yet measured the twist rate of my rifle but from this evidence, it is probably 1 in 12 inches. At higher velocities, the holes became circular so I guess if I increase the charge the stability problem will be resolved.

The rifle did not make any meaningful groups. First I thought it has to do with bullet instability but later also shot factory loads which hit all over the target. This means something probably has gone wrong with the scope mount (?). I'll investigate.

They shot well from my pre war model 70 in 30 govt 06. Only thing I've killed with it has been a whitetail and it worked.

If you want 35 Whelen performance then get one.

Make my 220s look like a lightweight

-Jake