340 Weatherby Mag.

ncyotecaller

New member
I just got my "new to me" Weatherby Mark V SLS 340 today and was wondering if anybody has any experience with this caliber. I bought it to be different than the "ultra mag" crowd around here and to be a "stop that deer right there so he won't run into the swamp and get away gun". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
The problem will be that the bullets have way to heavy of a jacket and will hardly mushroom in a thin skinned animal..they will act like FMJ's and pass right on through without releasing much energy...I have a .338 wm, about the same thing and the partitions and x-bullets come out about the same size as they went in... The "big" bullets are made for big frames and thick skins not whitetails..I'd suggest getting some SPEER 200 grain soft points, tone em' down a couple of hundred fps and see if they mushroom or not...should've went faster and thinner...like a 7mm mag and 140 grain partitions..they level em'...
 
I already was hunting with an A-Bolt 300WSM but I like the unusual stuff so I had to but it. I shoot shoulder blades anyway! Might shoot the factory load with 200gr Bal. Tip at 3221fps!
 
You can zing 180 gr Nosler Ballistic tips at about 3300+
fps from a .340. Have you shot it yet, they're a bit feisty, and a wise man would take along a bottle of aspirin for your recoil headache. Also, make sure you have adequate clearance between the scope and your melon.
 
Yea that is what i heard. It has factory accuporting though! I don't think it can be as bad as my buddies 300 ultra mag. I made sure there will be alot of clearence between my head and the Kahles!
 
That accubrake will probably hurt your ears, I had a .30-378 Wby Mag. and it killed my ears. Be careful it will make your head ring a lot. Recoil shouldn't be bad with it though.
 
I had one in a mark V delux with a brake. Recoil wasn't bad at all but you better have some ear plugs!!! I didn't load back then so I was shooting factory 200 Gr SP I shot one deer with the gun and wasn't impressed. Like what was said bullet did not expand. Sold it and got a lot more feasible deer gun.
 
That's one cartridge I've always liked. I spent five years in Alaska in the mid to late 70's and when I bought a bear rifle that was high on my list. I've never been a fan of the Weatherby stock so one of the new Remington 8mm mags ended up as my primary bear gun, but I still think the 340 is an exceptional bear and elk rifle.

The porting is going to make shooting it a breeze, but like other's said get a good pair of ear plugs and for range use add muffs over them. Got a friend whom hunts with his ported Ultra-mag and he uses those electronic ear plugs. Works good as you can hear well and it shuts down over a certain sound level.

If you load try Sierra Game kings. I use their 220 game king in my 8mm and have never had one not work correctly even for small deer. I shot three nice Browns in Alaska with them with no problems either. Can't tell you how many deer down here in Idaho. Usually one shot elevator to the grounds kills.
 
I ordered 3 boxes of 200gr Ballistic Tips for it last night. I will be doing some bear hunting with it. Here in NC we have some of the world's largest black bears. I think the world's larget in weight came from around the coast less than 10 years ago and it weighed around 880lbs. Plus remember larger bullets carry more energy at longer distances so I will be able to carry all that power even farther out than a 300wby or 300rum shooting lighter faster bullets. Wish they made Berger VLD's in .338!
 
Don't bother with the reloading manuals, use 7828 and the recipes from IMR specifically for WBY calibers.

Also be sure and watch the length. WBY rifles have a lot of freebore to attain velocity and if you reduce this high pressure will occur.

I have a 340 and love it. Put a bag of shot between your shoulder and the gun if you bring it to the range.

HM
 
Haven't shot it yet. Just mounted the Kahles 3.5x10x50 on it yesterday. Have to hurry, I joined a club in South Carolina and the guns opens in that area early September!
 


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