Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Reduced loads in the .340Wby.

So I may be inheriting a .340 Wby. Mag. and with my bad shoulders there is no way I can shoot it. However looking at an old Speer manual it shows reduced loads using Sr4759 getting in the 1900FPS range. I know Sr4759 tamed the 45-70 down when I had a Contender so I was thinking maybe I could get some use out of this rifle. Whitetail and black bear would be my pursued game. Would I be neutering it to much to be effective? It is more about using a rifle I would have gotten by an old respected hunter than need.
If I don't find a way to shoot it and I really don't want to put a brake on it, I have no use for it other than it being a safe queen.

I’d take a look at the a 200/210 class of plain old jacketed bullets and see where some faster powders would get you into the 2400 range. That’d be light on your shoulder and still pretty effective for hunting.

Might be loads with the Barnes 160- or 185-grain TSX/TTSX bullets could get you there. Maybe aim for at least 90% load density, but with powders that might not give you huge velocities. Then it might be a matter of evaluating resulting accuracy.

I'm eventually going to try something like that with my (inherited) .338 Win Mag... whenever I get sufficiently "done" with the current .348 Winchester project.

-Chris

A great plan except that....a sighting of SR4759 is about as rare as seeing a Unicorn! A high bulk powder, such as Titewad may work in this application......something to consider! memtb

I have two cans!!!

You wouldn’t happen to have a Unicorn also.....my grandkids would love to see one! 🤪 memtb

I would be tempted to turn it into a 33 Winchester 4759 and some others should do it. I would also try the light weight Barnes offerings and as mentioned before run them in the 2-2,400 fps range. Just keep them over 1,900 fps at the terminal end. I would shoot it as is in honor of your friend for a season or two and then consider a re-barrel to a lesser caliber, my choice would be 257 Wby. as the most performance with the least recoil since the Mk V is a little heavy for the .240 Wby.

Thanks for the replies. Putting these all into memory and thought for if the time comes. Not sure I would re-barrel it because in my mind I might as well add a muzzle brake than to do that. My thoughts were to try and keep it as is.

It would be a leap of faith for most guys, but I did figure out and test Blue Dot loads in a 338 Win Mag....

For loads for it that you are describing your search for, I'd suggest just consult a Lyman Cast Bullet manual....

I'm not going to share it, but I'm sitting on 32 pounds of SR 4759.. bought it when it was on sale at $100 or so for 8 pounds...
at the time, I didn't know that was the phasing out of stock price...because the powder was being discontinued...

For your download project for your 340, I'd be looking for some IMR 4198... 2400 fps MV range is a very good hunting load with the 338 bore...

I've used my 338/06, loaded down to match the old 33 Winchester at 2400 fps, with a 200 gr FN bullet...

Found a whole table full of Hornady 200 gr FN when they were being phased out, at a place in Couer D'Alene Idaho...

$5.00 a box for 100 bullets... I blew $20 on them.. life time supply...used it on deer 200 yrds or less... it sure did the job...

recoil was more of a mild push....

Jacobite,

Seafire's advice in these matters (light loads for hunting rifles) is always to be taken seriously. He's good at it.

I took on a similar project this winter for my old 338 Win Mag. I settled on 67 gr of RL19 shoving a Hornady 200 gr SST at 2420 fps. Accuracy is consistently 1 1/4" at 100 yds or slightly better which is typical for this Ruger Tanger.

Good luck in your endeavor!

I was just over on the Dodge Hellcat forum. They were discussing how to get better fuel economy.

ttpoz,
Believe me I know all about Seafire's knowledge. I put a post up shouting out to him to PM me as I can't PM yet. I was a member years ago here and I hope I can jog his memory and rekindle an old friendship. I guess he didn't see it yet.
I loaded a few .260 Remington loads today with info of his I grabbed from an older post. I have grandsons coming up and I know he is the man when it comes to reduced hunting loads.

You might want to think hard on that brake idea. That'll add a LOT of noise. I have a brake on my .338, intended only for when selecting or working up loads. It's LOUD! Once the load is right, I take that rascal off and replace it with the thread protector for normal use.

-Chris

I'm not sure how bad your shoulder is, but Nosler loads a 300gr AB with a B.C. of 0.720 at about 2,500 fps MV. https://www.nosler.com/trophy-grade-ammunition-2

IIRC, its recoil was fairly tame. If you're otherwise in good shape, and/or you're not going to be hiking it up Mt. Everest, you can add weight to the rifle to further reduce the recoil.

Tag for later, if I don't sell a .338 Win Mag.

I've got a pound of that powder, still haven't seen a unicorn.

I have a Mk V in 340 with a muzzle brake. I shot it with just earplugs, as opposed to plugs and muffs, once. Luckily the brake is removable.

My ears were ringing for most of a day. I think it was a 210gr coated X Bullet moving at about 3200fps.

Well then maybe selling it and using the money for something else might be in order.

What is the rifle?

Jacobite,

haven't seen your PM, otherwise I would have responded... I tried PM'ing you .but it said you were over your limit...

I'm not over mine, so If you can PM me then we can line up...