.340 Weatherby

[Mike Van Horn]

I own a .340 and a .375 . I can shoot 20 rounds through the .340 in a accumark with 225 gr Barnes from the bench no problem.
I shoot about 6 rounds through the .375 Zastava with 350 Northfork and l have had enough.
That is a big difference in stock design and how it transfers recoil
Both guns weigh about 10lbs
Also these larger caliber's l shoot them from a bench to get it sighted in and that's it.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I own a .340 and a .375 . I can shoot 20 rounds through the .340 in a accumark with 225 gr Barnes from the bench no problem.
I shoot about 6 rounds through the .375 Zastava with 350 Northfork and l have had enough.
That is a big difference in stock design and how it transfers recoil
Both guns weigh about 10lbs
Also these larger caliber's l shoot them from a bench to get it sighted in and that's it.

Put a good leather military style sling on them and you can shoot them standing with a very stable triangular position using the sling. Almost as stable as from the bench, but less felt recoil as your body moves with the recoil and really practical to 50-75 meters with open sights. Scope after that.

 

[CoElkHunter]

.340 Weatherby...

Arguably one of the very few calibers that can truly do anything on earth, from sheep with TTSX 185 gr - when its trajectory is within 1" as flat as that of a .257 Wby, to any plains game anywhere in the world with 225 gr TTSX, to Eland, Moose, Grizzly, Lion, Buffalo, etc. with 250 gr TSX. Load it with solids and Hippo and Elephant are just fine. It is the originator and ballistic twin of the vaunted .338 Lapua; it delivers the power of a .375 with a 350 yards MPBR; and it meets the dangerous game legal energy requirements.

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My current .340 Wby... Weatherby Mark V true stainless earlier model (not the current silver coated carbon steel Weathermark); 26" #2 contour barrel; earlier stainless steel bottom (not the current pot-metal cast bottom); Bell & Carlson Medalist kevlar & aramid stock with full length aluminum bedding block and pillars (not the original 'Tupperware' injection molded stocks); drilled & tapped for 8x40 base screws; with Zeiss Diavari Z 2.5-10x48 30 mm tube scopes in Talley bases and Screw Lock Detachable rings. Accurate, deadly, indestructible. Anything, anywhere, anytime.

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Sable Hunting. .340 Wby 225 gr TTSX

• One Day...
• Aug 13, 2019

For your reading pleasure...
Guns & Ammo - September 1989

How I fell in love with the .340 Wby

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Great article! Some useless trivia: $1,200 for a Weatherby in 1989 according to this article. According to the U.S. Inflation Calculator (on line), that would be $2,474 in today’s dollars. Cabela’s Gun Library has two used synthetic stocked .340 Weatherby Mark Vs for $800 and a couple more for less than $1100. Yeah I know, maybe not made as well as before, but still a good value?

 

[One Day...]

The bullets discussion is a bit dated too. Heck, the article is 31 years old !!!

I used to shoot nothing but 250 gr Nosler Partition in my two successive .340 Wby, but a 250 gr NP that looses 40% of its weight (front core) after the first few inches of penetration is penetrating deep with only 150 gr (rear core)... Seyfried correctly predicted the incredible results that the Barnes X delivers in the .340. Most would likely select the 225 gr TTSX, and I tried it with outstanding results (see the Sable shot), but I am convinced that the 185 gr TTSX will provide outstanding performance too on the large stuff. After all, retaining 95% of its weight, it penetrates deep with 175 gr, which is more than what the legendary 250 gr NP had left after shedding its front core in violent expansion. The incredibly sweet thing about the 185 gr TTSX is that it brings the recoil of the big .340 down to .300 level. A definite bonus for long range accuracy...

I am not aware of ANY Mark V that was not a well made rifle, whether it was made in Germany, in Japan, or in the US. They dropped true stainless due to low demand, and sacrificed true steel bottom metal on the altar of costs savings, but any Mark V is rock solid. At $800 or $1,100 these rifles represent incredible value.

As to barrel life, the classic misconception is that because the .340 Wby is fast it will burn its barrel. Not in the least! The .340 is fast indeed, but it is not overbore.... A 6.5-300 Wby will indeed likely burn a barrel in 1,000 rounds or so, but it will take 3,000 rounds to wear a .340 Wby barrel (unless someone unwisely shoots constant rapid-fire 10 rounds strings), and since one is unlikely to go plinking with it every weekend, it will outlive you, and likely your son too...

Moose Hunting

• One Day...
• Oct 8, 2018

A much younger One Day... in Newfoundland, circa early 1990's, with his first .340 Wby. A beautiful bespoke full custom rifle built for him by Griffin & Howe on a ZKK 602 action, sadly later destroyed by airline luggage handlers when they speared its guncase with a forklift fork...

 

[JimP]

I managed to get one of the first stainless Mk V .340 that was made back here in the US. It aslo came with their screw on muzzle brake which works great for bench work when building up a load.

 

[Mike Van Horn]

Put a good leather military style sling on them and you can shoot them standing with a very stable triangular position using the sling. Almost as stable as from the bench, but less felt recoil as your body moves with the recoil and really practical to 50-75 meters with open sights. Scope after that.

I agree, l shoot both of these rifles often. But shooting from field shooting positions.
What l meant was, if l am shooting from a bench, practicing trigger pull and form. I am using a 22lr, or a .204. Not a big caliber. Actually l shoot these two practicing from field positions also

 

[grand veneur]

I agree, l shoot both of these rifles often. But shooting from field shooting positions.
What l meant was, if l am shooting from a bench, practicing trigger pull and form. I am using a 22lr, or a .204. Not a big caliber. Actually l shoot these two practicing from field positions also

How do you want to zero a scope without a good bench ?

The 340WM cartridge is a good long-range cartridge but that requires precision over 300 yards. For long-range shooting you have no choice , but to use a bench , be it during training or sometimes by hunting.

By the way , no matter which cartridge , IMHO if you want to zero a scope you have to use an bench. I admit that for some cartridges it is a difficult work , but I don't include the cartridge 340WM to that. Their recoil is relatively moderate compared to some big game cartridges.

 

[Mike Van Horn]

How do you want to zero a scope without a good bench ?

The 340WM cartridge is a good long-range cartridge but that requires precision over 300 yards. For long-range shooting you have no choice , but to use a bench , be it during training or sometimes by hunting.

By the way , no matter which cartridge , IMHO if you want to zero a scope you have to use an bench. I admit that for some cartridges it is a difficult work , but I don't include the cartridge 340WM to that. Their recoil is relatively moderate compared to some big game cartridges.

If you read back, l said after it is sighted in at the bench, l don't shoot it there anymore. Why would l

 

[CoElkHunter]

.340 Weatherby...

Arguably one of the very few calibers that can truly do anything on earth, from sheep with TTSX 185 gr - when its trajectory is within 1" as flat as that of a .257 Wby, to any plains game anywhere in the world with 225 gr TTSX, to Eland, Moose, Grizzly, Lion, Buffalo, etc. with 250 gr TSX. Load it with solids and Hippo and Elephant are just fine. It is the originator and ballistic twin of the vaunted .338 Lapua; it delivers the power of a .375 with a 350 yards MPBR; and it meets the dangerous game legal energy requirements.

View attachment 324474
My current .340 Wby... Weatherby Mark V true stainless earlier model (not the current silver coated carbon steel Weathermark); 26" #2 contour barrel; earlier stainless steel bottom (not the current pot-metal cast bottom); Bell & Carlson Medalist kevlar & aramid stock with full length aluminum bedding block and pillars (not the original 'Tupperware' injection molded stocks); drilled & tapped for 8x40 base screws; with Zeiss Diavari Z 2.5-10x48 30 mm tube scopes in Talley bases and Screw Lock Detachable rings. Accurate, deadly, indestructible. Anything, anywhere, anytime.

View attachment 324478

View attachment 324477

Sable Hunting. .340 Wby 225 gr TTSX

• One Day...
• Aug 13, 2019

For your reading pleasure...
Guns & Ammo - September 1989

How I fell in love with the .340 Wby

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“300 gr. Winchester Power Point”. That’s what I want to use in my .338WM! Ha! Ha! Ha! Bet no one has seen this bullet in years?

 

[krish]

You can also get 300gr woodleigh soft ppint and fmj for it. About 2600 feet per second. Also you can get 275 gr swift a frame for it. At one time Speer made 275gr African grand slam tungsten solid for it.
Yes 340 is a great rifle i have one. It is my favorite rifle. I shoot it with no muzzle break . Not as bad as people say. I also have the 338-378.
That is a hard kicker.

 

[Luvthunt]

Yes, very few animals in, the world a 340 can’t handle. A lovely cartridge.

 

[falco]

Hello.
I bought my MarkV 340 Wby Mag in Germany. The price I paid $ 1,400. Almost like new. I think it's the MarkV Luxus. I hunt stags with him during the rut. The terrain specification requires the animal to die where it was shot. In Belgium, the price of the Mark V Sporter is $ 4,250. I consider my purchase very successful.

 

[RayAtkinson]

I hunted Africa one year with the .340 Wby and I liked it well enough and it shoots far and kills well, but in truth it was no better than the .338 Win. and it recoiled a bunch more...Im not fond of recoil although I shoot some big doubles and bolt guns, but less and less as I age...Two guns high on my favorite list is the .338 win. and 7x57 Mauser, but choice is a personal thing with all of us..just keep it factual, cut the BS...

 

[comen]

I was able to purchase the rifle today so I will soon be forming my own recoil opinion.

I have a 9lb 8oz 338-8mm rem mag, (including scope). I get 2943 with a 225 gr TTSX at 15 feet from the muzzle with a 24" barrel. This has noticeable recoil, but not as bad as a custom 9 lb .404 I used to have. That rifle shot 400 gr bullets at 2344, and definitely smacked you off the bench. My 6&1/2 lb 9.3x62 is quite lively off the bench as well. None of them are/were objectionable shooting in the field

 

[rdog]

I had a mark 5 in 340 in the 1970s was down prone shooting goats across a valley they, were on the ridge over at about 250 meters, got a Weatherby eye brow still got the scar to day great rifle & cartridge it knocks down goats & pigs like the are hit by lighting, but has sharp recoil .