Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 340 and 257 Weatherby: What rifle would you buy?

Mark V? Vanguard? Other? Which model(s)?

Each of these calibers have peaked my interest as of late and I am debating picking both calibers up in the future if funds become available. I figured I’d seek advice and feedback here.

They would be used for hunting mostly, the occasional varmint / target (not saying they would be used often for this, but being honest they would make an appearance in the groundhog fields and steel target fields at some point), and as a group of us continue to discuss future hunts - will likely be used in the mountains out west and up north (some day, Alaska, some day).

I’ll be completely honest and say I do not “need” either; however, I enjoy handloading, experimenting with new cartridges, and enjoy variety. While I’m not actively looking for a new hunting rifle, I can say the local LGSs seem to have a fair amount of WBYs in stock. If a deal presents itself, I’d gladly jump if life allowed it.

Reasons behind these two specific cartridges:
- A recent conversation with some folks got me discussing the 8mm Rem Mag likely being my favorite cartridge - they countered with, “have you tried a 340WBY?”
- For some reason, I have 257WBY brass. I also don’t own a quarter bore.

So what say y’all? Which rifle and models would ya suggest? (Not looking for a compare between the two, but rather, what platform The Fire suggests for each caliber.)

I like both .338 bores and .25 bores so I say get them both.
No flies on either one. I have a MarkV in 300 wby and had a 338 Vanguard deluxe in 338 win mag. That 338 was the softest shooting 338 I have ever fired. I have a model 70 338 now and my brother just got rid of his 340 for a 338 lapua, he already said he was going to regret getting rid of his 340
When I was looking at buying a 300 I had called the WBY custom shop and the guy on the phone said to buy a Vanguard. I wanted a 26” barrel so went the other way. Now I believe 26” is avail on Vanguard models also.
I have never owned a 257 Weatherby but keep thinking about one,
I have (3) 257 Rbts , (1) 257 imp and a 25/06 and on the light side a 25/35. So a 257Wby would round out the .25 bores nicely.

Cartridges are extreme ends of the spectrum. Split it down the middle and get a 300 wby.

I think the OP is asking what rifles to buy, not what chambering. He wants the 340 and 257

Got both chamberings in the safe, 257 is a mk 5 ulw, 340 is the fibermark. Not much a guy couldn’t do with those 2.

buy a Mark 5 , my decision on cartridge would be 257 Weatherby mag. that is the cartridge i use now , i would not buy a 340 Weatherby mag. instead Weatherby makes a 338 Lapua in a mark 5 would be the better choice.

I have a .257 WBY and have shot a .340. You will notice a large increase in recoil (but I am sure you know that.) If recoil is not a bother (When I was younger, I didn't feel the .340 was that bad, but shoulder surgeries and age now limit how much I am willing to take) the .340 seems well liked by those who use it for elk and other large critters. It is unnecessary for smaller critters, but I have used my .338 Win Mag on antelope when I was elk hunting and an antelope showed up.

The .257 WBY was a long waited for acquisition. 100g bullets at 3600 fps are pretty flat shooting and light recoiling. At least I think so. I can't say how well it works on animals since the only deer I shot with it was hit where the neck meets the skull and lights out, but it was a ranged 300 yards. It was actually a miss since I wasn't aiming there, but got away with it luckily. I have used a .257 Roberts off and on over the years and some of the quickest kills I have seen were with it.

As for shooting varmints both are more than I would use, but I would not talk you out of it. After all it is yours and the more we shoot the better we get with it. Can only pay dividend when hunting deer/elk/whatever is you quarry.

Assuming no brake, you'll shoot and enjoy shooting the 257 a lot more than the 340.

W/100gn bullets my 257Wby recoils very similar to my 270Win shooting 140's.

I've never owned the .257 Wby but have a .340, but not in a MK V. It was a re-chambered .338 Win Mag in a Browning A-Bolt SS (LH) with a 26" barrel. I made handloads for it using .375 H&H fireformed Rem brass (better than Weatherby's .340 brass). I've handloaded dozens of rifles from the .22 Hornet to the mighty .458 WinMag, and have to say the 340 was one of the best for creating v. good handloads, and easy to shoot. My bull moose load was the 250gr Nosler Partition at 3000 fps. That worked very well from a maximum (compressed) load of RL-22, WLRM primers and those Remington fireformed .375 H&H brass. I never threw out one of those cases after ten years of use! And the only .340 factory load of a 250gr (Hornady) was donated by my son who collected it from a friend with a .340. It made ~ 2850 fps from the 26" barrel. Apart from the gunsmithing ($75), I bought a .375 H&H clip for the A-Bolt that worked perfectly for the .340. So any .338 WM can be re-chambered to a .340 if the action is long enough, and most are.

My cost for the Browning A-Bolt re-chambered, + the new clip, was about $1200. Of course, that was many moons ago! But to buy a MK V, plus factory ammo will cost a small fortune today!

PS: When I shot the bull moose, recoil wasn't even an afterthought! I shot it as well as a .223 Rem.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

Nothing against the Vanguard except it has a shorter magazine box. Some of my hand loads would not fit in my buddy’s VG. You won’t get a .300 or .340 Wby that is even a smidge over SAAMI length to fit the magazine. Not an issue with the Mark V. Similar issue with 6.5-300 Wby Vanguard.

Buy once, cry once. Get the Mark V.

Mark V in 257 Wby. You will use it more and see some of the most impressive kills you have ever seen.

GreggH

Exactly.

I own a 340 in a MkV Fibermark and love the rifle but I’d personally not consider it a varmint or target rifle as your criteria suggested.

I’d say the 257 would be my choice of the two given the details of your post but outside of your post - I’d choose my MkV in 300 Wby also in a Fibermark. Imo, the 300 Wby is arguably one of the worlds most legendary all around versatile rifles - I own one and seldom reach for the 340 anymore. It’s just too much of a good thing.

My .02

I get your desire/interest in a Wby rifle and cartridge. Of the two you mention, the 257 Wby is by far used much more in the field than the 340 Wby. If it were me I’d pass on both and get a finely made 338 Win Mag and a 6.5 PRC and never look back as these two chambers lack at nothing when used in similar situations on game.

The 340 is a very good cartridge; not one you need, or use to just fool around with normally. With this level of cartridge, the stock is very important to mitigate recoil and opinions will vary on that. I have no experience in Wby rifles. It is every bit the equal of the Lapua, and (factory 340’s may be loaded a little hotter) and I think so close to the 338 RUM that they are indistinguishable in the field

Used one for twenty years for elk and other game. Most won’t shoot it enough to master it. And if they do, they get over it. 😊

.257...in a Vanguard of your choice. I wouldn't cross the street for a free Mark V

I got this exact sickness a couple years ago and just had to have a 340. I found a Wyoming Accumark and struggle to reach for any other gun when it comes time to head into the mountains.

Hot all the bees and all in mkv... different formats for each caliber

I’m a Weatherby fanboy. I still have a 300 and 340. I’ve used the 340 on Antelope and deer, dozens of elk, and moose. I personally find it more pleasant to shoot than an identically stocked 300 (recoil is more of a push than a crack). Both are superbly accurate with certain factory ammo. Both rifles were Mark 5 weathermarks.

The 257 never tempted me….while flat shooting, it was never going to replace a 300 or 7mmSTW as my western deer/speed goat rifle of choice. I’m fond of bigger diameter bullets. Clearly not needed, but unequivocally my choice.

I nearly purchased a 270wby. However, my experience with a Tikka in 270wsm makes that unlikely. The 270wsm is a deer killing machine with 140 accubonds.

I’ve played around with a couple Vanguards and was impressed. However, if I were to take the Weatherby plunge, I’d pursue the Mark 5.

I must confess I’ve had mixed results reloading. Using the same bullets, I’ve been able to match velocity or accuracy but not both at the same time. For perspective, my loads would shoot 1” to 11/2” groups,, but not 1/2” like the high quality factory ammo. It may be nothing more than my inability to match the factory crimps. I’m certain a more accomplished handloader could do better.

i have a MK V accumark in 257 weatherby that i love, mostly for eastern whitetails, i also hunt elk with a MK V UL in 300 weatherby, she kicks like a government mule but very light and more than enough gun for elk. Both my MKV are very nice and accurate rilfes

I've got Left Hand Mark V Deluxe models in 240, 257, 300, 378, and 460, with a 338-378 on order. At one time, I also had a 7mm and 340 as well. There is some really nice wood on many of the Jap Weatherbys, not so much on the German ones.
Personally, I'm not a fan of plastic stocked rifles or plastic framed pistols, but clearly I'm not with the majority on this one.

Tony

The Mark V action is needlessly large for the .257 and because it is a far more versatile cartridge than most people know, especially of they haven't ventured there previously, such a rifle will be carried and used more than planned for initially. I have loaded for 3 Mark V's and 1 Vanguard in .257 and the Vanguard was the tidier package.

For the .340, Definitely go for the Mark V and take advantage of that long magnum length action. I've owned 2 in .340 and a 3rd in .338 and the Mark V is a good platform for that cartridge which is terrific for medium to larger animals. The biggest decision you will have with a .340 is the huge volume of bullet types and weights out there during a normal market. A Barnes 185gn TTSX bullet will kill anything that eats grass and a 250gn Partition if 265gn Barnes LRX will take anything that wants to eat you.

The .257 Weatherby is easy to load for and the 2 Partitions in 100gn and 120gn, the 110gn Accubond or the 100gn Barnes TTSX will take anything that eats grass. The accuracy will also be very pleasing as they cartridge is one of the best and most practical in the Weatherby line.
.

I appreciate all of your feedback! It sounds like just about everyone believes the 257WBY is a great, versatile cartridge to own. I believe I will pursue this sooner-than-later! Keeping both the MKV and Vanguard in mind.

As for the .340 - I suppose that one the jury is still out. While certainly excessive to my needs at this point, it sounds like an excellent cartridge. With that said, the 416WBY MKV ClassicMark I own is likely excessive as well, but I do enjoy it for the occasional use!

If you don’t mind me asking - why the Vanguard over the MKV?

To clear out your sinuses?

Yeah, those two cover a whole lotta Earth in my opinion. If you like MK5's, they are a classic pair in my book.




I've always been of the thought if a fella can handle one and shoots good bullets out of it, the 340 Wby is the king of the elk mountain. Same for the 338 RUM as well, but I wimped out and got a P64 338 Win Mag a long time back and have never gotten a big 338 since the 338 Win works great for me. I know 338's aren't needed but I gave up on caring what was needed awhile back and decided I'd use what I liked

Dober burned through a bunch of barrels on a 340 shooting rock chucks and such with his 340 as well. Said it was a heckuva lot of fun from what I remember.

Scotty, the creed and 7/08 have made the 338’s obsolete in the elk “woods”… 😂😂

Jeeze, maybe so JMan, but not for me yet

Man, I think you said it, if whoever wants to run a 6.5 or 7-08 is welcome to em. Honestly if you took all my stuff away from me and said make meat with them (6.5 and 7-08), I think I'd still be fine, but I just ain't there yet.

Sorry, didn't mean to get off topic, getcha the 340.. I love hearing about bulls getting the business with the big guns

I’ve shot several and seen several shot with with 243, 6ai, 250/06. For me when I draw a LE bull tag it’s a big 30 or 338. 👍

We're in the same camp. My Mashburn or 338 get the nod.

I think it was ‘91 and I had just picked up a Guns ‘n Ammo at a mall in Des Moines. The cover exhibited a winding, domino-type line-up of 340 cartridges. Pure loony stuff. The 338 Rem 700 I had in 338 was going to be rechambered to a 340 after I read Ross Seyfried’s piece on his Champlain 340 inside. (I think that was the year).

The action was fitted with a 3-pos safety, the bolt with a Sako-type extractor (I had a Rem extractor break on an elk hunt). This was all in a Brown Classic Precision stock with a Pachmayr pad. The barrel was a 24”. The barreled-action was glass bedded into the stock. Mounts and scope, sling and 4 rounds came to 8 1/2 lbs which I decide for me was never to be exceeded for mountain hunting.

There were other details but I worked on many loads for that rifle, eventually settling on the 210 TSX at ~ 3200 fps which was the most accurate. Ten bulls fell to that rifle, my furtherest at a step under 500 yards, but most between 400 and 500. It slammed them.

I sold it awhile back but it was my all-time favorite.

I wanted a 340 after reading Hagels account with the 340 and 210 PT's in some of the older books, then I bet I read the same Seyfried article on the 340.

I would imagine your 340 with 210's at 3200 was a bull STOPPER! Awesome.

Right, Hagel But he moved on to the 378! I wonder which fire-breathing muscle car of the 60’s he drove. He seemed to be enamored of big engines pushed hard.😉

When I first bought mine (blame Hagel 100%) I thought I’d found the magic wand of emphatic hog killing machines - and I had. In the open country we ranched, shots way beyond 4-500 were possible but limited by my optics of the day. I can still visualize the 1/2” entry & 4” exit from a mature hog that must have gone over 250lbs (it was a booger to load on the wheeler alone) that I shot with a 3-9 Leupold reticles’ intersection between the thick & thin crosshairs. I think the range was over 400 but didn’t have a rangefinder yet. I was astounded that I’d made such a lucky shot - I still feel that way not knowing the range or exactly what the subtension was on that scope. Still have a bunch of those 210’s but now load them in my more sedate 338-06.

Traded that hog to the Chinese restaurant for an open tab of $100. Different era.

You probably improved the contents of their meat cooler.

It was a beautiful rifle at a price I thought very reasonable! I’m glad I actually picked it up and wish I had picked up the others that were available at the time!

Oddly enough.. I also have 170 count of new 375WBY brass. I don’t recall how I ended up with them, but I’d love to find a MKV to go with that brass!

Yeah he did. Seyfried seemed about the same. Peas in a pod.



Awesome story. That’s good stuff!

Wanna part with em let me know. That’s my next build. 👍

Mentioning some of these names, most I grew up reading, I always laugh when I think about Craig boddington talkin about 1200 plus pound Roosevelt’s elk of the pnw… 😂😂😂

Some of you guys are masochistic.🤣

I would get a Vanguard in 257. Vanguards are good rifles. You would have to go Mark5 or cut a chamber in an existing rifle to do 340.

I have a 375 Improved which is basically just a more expensive way to get a 375 Wby. Man, it is a helluva round.

My Dad, who shot a 1969 or something Rem 700 300 Win Mag as his ranch gun, at mostly 120lb Blacktails, gave me an endless ribbing for buying such a ‘useless’ gun as that 340. In those days magnums were absolutely required for serious ‘hunters’. Lol

Someday I’d like to send a few rounds down range with a rifle like that - what a stick that must be.

POC, mine started out as a rechambered P64. I got it dirt cheap as it was a H&H that was turned into a 300 WBY. I had a Legend put on it. Well, I couldn't get the darned thing to do anything with any load and got mad, sent it to JES and asked him to make it a 375 Wby. I am not sure what exactly was wrong, but he couldn't do the Wby and it came back as a 375 Improved 1-10 twist. Man, I'll tell you what, it just shoots! With a plain old 6x36 with dots on it, there isn't anything I can feed it that it shoots poorly. Case is pretty cool looking as well.

Heck, even the FF loads with 300 Sierras will cloverleaf at an easy 2400 FPS. It weighs 9lbs on the nose, scoped and loaded. Way bigger than I need for about anything I hunt, but it is a nice rifle. One day I might do it justice with a bear or something. So far all it has claimed was a little forky a few years back... worked okay

I had a 375 Mashburn, which is just another improved version of the H&H. I put it in a Ruger Tropical #1. Another fine cartridge, and fun to shoot, but I finally decided I would need a gun bearer for that Ruger Tropical.

I found some old WW 375 brass. FF’ed made beautiful 375 Improved cases. Accurate as well.