Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 340 Weatherby recommended powders and loads...

In anticipation of a custom M-70 in 340 Weatherby (sometime early spring) I'm beginning to gather components and powders.

Initial load work will be with these bullets only:

225 Barnes TSX
225 Partition
250 Swift A-Frame
250 Partition

Only if all the above fail to produce satisfactory accuracy/velocity will I consider bullets lighter than 225 grains - specifically the 210 grainers.

Under no circumstances will I shoot the Accubond.

Powder recommendations and loads would be greatly appreciated.

I've done a bit of work with a .340 over the years and so I'll chime in.

I would encourage you to give the 210 TSX a go as it is one heck of a slug and one heck of an accurate one at that.

For the 210's I'd try--Either of the 4350's and H4831sc

225's-I'd give R19, R22 a go and R25 as well

250's- I'd run with 7828, R25

My experience with the 340's has been that they're easy to work with in terms of accuracy. And that they can be quite user friendly if one keeps shooting them frequently.

What are you building for a .340?

Thx

Dober

Dober, thanks for the advice.

Stainless M-70 (used to be a 7STW), 26 inch bbl, Williams bottom metal, Wisner checkered bolt release, Echols legend stock, Talley rings/bases with a 3x9 Zeiss Conquest (for the eye relief).

10 twist?

Rig sounds nice, I imagine it'll come in around 9 lbs so it'll be very user friendly.

How long till it shows up?


Dober

10 twist. I'm hoping sometime in March. The biggest wait is for the Echols.

Also forgot to mention I've decided to Mag-na-port the beast just to keep muzzle jump down a bit.

Magnaporting it will be good, although at that weight for me it wouldn't be a neccessity.

But it sure will help no doubt. I am a big fan of magnaporting as I tend to hold a rifle very freely and tend to get hit between the running lights quite often. And that hurts.

Put up some pics when it gets done, any fun hunts on the horizon for it and you?

Thx

Dober

No hunts this year, although an elk/mulie combo in your state in 2009 maybe an option.

If you happen to communicate with Jorge, do me a favor and bring this thread to his attention. I know hes a 340 fan as well.

I got my .340 Magnaported and was astounded at the difference. I never noticed any increase in blast but did notice the shootability of the round and the fact that you can stay on target most times and see what you shoot depending on the bullet weight.

I liked original 4831 and Rel 22 as the better performers. In my rifle, I have tested a few bullets from 175 X's tp 300 grain Woodleighs. Loads attached.

.340 Weatherby Magnum

Bullet Load Powder O. A. L. Velocity Energy Comments

175 gn Barnes X 93gn H 4831 3.635" 3138 Original Surplus
93gn WMR 3034
93gn H 4831 3241 Mulwex Manufactured (Hogdon)
94gn H 4831 3281 Mulwex Manufactured (Hogdon)
95gn H 4831 3.641" 3307 Mulwex Manufactured (Hogdon)
92gn H 4350 3.603" 3364
85gn 760 3280
87gn 760 3310
85gn IMR 4350 3158
87gn IMR 4350 3290

185 gn Barnes TSX 83gn 760 3.665" 3150 Mild
84gn 760 3162
92gn Rel 22 3252
93gn Rel 22 3268
94gn Rel 22 3310 4501
95gn** Rel 22 3372 4672 .517" Best Accuracy
87gn H 4350 3161 4106 Mild
89gn H 4350 3252 4344

200gn Speer 93gn H 4831 3092
91gn Rel 19 3092
93gn Rel 22 3173 4472 MOA. Best load this bullet
63gn* AR 2206 2656 3134 H 4895 Equivalent - Reduced Load
65gn* AR 2206 2722 H 4895 Equivalent - Reduced Load

200 gn Barnes X 90gn Rel 22 3218

210 gn Partition 90gn Rel 19 3124 4552
91gn H 4831 3010 4256 Original Surplus
93gn H 4831 3.621" 3116 4529 .7 MOA
93gn WMR 3104 4494

225 gn Speer BT 91gn H 4831 2981 4441 Original Surplus

225 gn Hornady 90gn Rel 22 3088 4765 ,7 MOA 3 shots
92gn Rel 22 3101 4806
91gn H 4831 3012 4537 Original Surplus
93gn H 4831 3042 4624
89gn Rel 19 3030 4588 1.5 MOA
90gn Rel 19 3121 4868

225 gn Woodleigh 90gn WMR 3.553" 2925
91gn WMR 2981
92gn WMR 3.585" 3037 Warm Load
93gn Rel 22 3238 5240


Bullet Load Powder O. A. L. Velocity Energy Comments

225 gn Barnes TSX 90gn Rel 22 3.679" 3049 4648
91gn Rel 22 3086 4681
92gn** Rel 22 3100 4809 .908" Best Accuracy

230 gn Fail Safe 91gn WMR 3.674" 2965 4341
89gn Rel 22 2994
90gn Rel 22 3025 1.5 MOA

250 gn Hornady 86gn Rel 19 2861
87gn Rel 19 2903
88gn Rel 22 2917 4726
88gn H 4831 2839 Original Surplus
89gn H 4831 2870 4574 MOA 3 shots
88gn WMR 2910

250 gn Partition 88gn Rel 22 2921 4738
89gn H 4831 2895 4658 MOA Best Accuracy
89gn WMR 2927 4756

250 gn Swift Sirocco 88gn WMR 2908

250 gn Grand Slam 88gn Rel 22 2902 4678
88gn WMR 3.602" 2889 4634

250 gn Woodleigh 88gn WMR 3.553" 2852
89gn WMR 2925 .7 MOA load
90gn WMR 2941 4803
87gn** Rel 22 2907 4692 Best load this bullet
88gn Rel 22 3.659" 3005 5014

275 gn Speer 87gn H 4831 2742 4591 .7 MOA Load
86gn WMR 3.598" 2812 4829

300 gn Woodleigh 83gn** Rel 22 3.541" 2684 4800 Same group as 185 TSX & 250 Wood


* Denotes reduced loads using Mulwex AR 2206 ( H-4895) and Fed 210 Primers
** These 4 bullet/load combo's shoot to the same point of impact. (Interchangeable loads)

Good Luck.

AGW

WOW--that barnes 185 tsx at 3374 (and 1/2" groups) should take anything on the northamerican continent down!!

My 340 loves 250 partitions better than anything....right around 2925 fps with approx 86-88 grains I7828 depending on brand of brass.

A local guy here makes and installs his own muzzle breaks. They are ported straight out the side....not back at the shooter. My 340 is like a 7 mag shooting 160's.....and it doesn't seem any louder than before the brake.

AGW Thanx, exactly what I was looking for. Gives me someplace to start.

Kraky, I hate muzzle brakes and refuse to have them on any of my rifles. To me a muzzle brake says the shooter is unable to handle the cartridge and would be better served with a lighter cartridge and better bullet placement.

Glad a muzzle brake can talk to a tough guy like you!

I used IMR 4831 with the original 225 XFB. It shot well in my Shilen barrel, better than H4831, RL 19, IMR 7828, any 4350, etc

For jacketed stuff (especially the likes of the 250 Hornady), IMR 7828 is top notch giving excellent accuracy and velocity.

I have had very good accuracy results with both 225 and 250 Hornadys using H4831.

IMR 4350 is what I've used with the fine 200 BT when I've gone light.

I honestly haven't played around a lot with this or most rifles. I look for what I want; when I find it, I'm done. It a great cartridge when you put it in a well suited rifle.

Klik.....did you happen to chrono those loads by chance? I'm curious what velocity you were gettin'

kraky....my post came out a bit harsher than intended. I don't care for the way they look, and in my mind using a muzzle brake is an admission that the recoil of that round bothers to the point that something needs to be done.....I think a better solution is to step down a caliber or two

And I find it interesting that magnaporting to reduce recoil and muzzle jump is ok but you look down on a removable muzzle brake and advise others to "step down a caliber or two". Whatever....to each his own.

My Shilen barreled 340 is 26" long. Between 28 and 29 is where most traditional slow powders run with 250s. I have seen 2990s with 7828 with 250s using a Speer recommended charge (which is really tough to get into the case - lots of vibrating and/or a long drop.)

I don't recall the speeds on the 225s offhand but they were proportionally greater generally.

Anyone loading 340 with any of the "new powders"? I have been shooting my new one with R26 but I suspect there are other options. I think R26 might be too slow for the 250s. Seems to tighten up nicely with the 270s and 285s. In my previous barrel I used a lot of R19 and R17.

Wish i could find some 210s...

No problem finding 250s, 265, 270, 285 and 300s.