How to load down a 340 Weatherby Mag?

P

pfranklin

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Hello gents. I'm thinking of buying a 340 Weatherby Mag. It seems like a good middle of the road caliber in the sense that it can be used for a lot of different things. My question is can it safely be loaded down to 338-06 velocities with a case filler. If not no big deal., but it seems like I heard something about that once. I'd like to use it as my primary and have some edible blacktail left.
 
pfranklin said:
Hello gents. I'm thinking of buying a 340 Weatherby Mag. It seems like a good middle of the road caliber in the sense that it can be used for a lot of different things. My question is can it safely be loaded down to 338-06 velocities with a case filler. If not no big deal., but it seems like I heard something about that once. I'd like to use it as my primary and have some edible blacktail left.
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I don't have my loading manuals here but I would think that you could without fillers. Check the manuals and don't load below the minimum load.

Another good place to check is the Sierra loading assisting 800 number. These guys can give you good advice.

Concho Bill
 
I would start with the lower loads listed for the .338/06 using one of the more flexible powders (from a load density standpoint) such as 4895. I would use fillers. Add the weight of the filler to your projectile weight when working up a load, but since you want to underload this isn't going to handicap you much. Without fillers you are risking a detonation. Maybe only once per 1,000 rds but still a nasty suprise. I don't think a detonation with under 50 grs would wreck your rifle, but why risk it. I would use an over powder wad and kapok on top.
 
How would a guy go about constructing the filler part of the charge? I handload a lot, mostly for varmint calibers, but I haven't ever used a wad and never heard of kapok.

Thinking this through, it seems that a fella could decrease the charge all the way down to the smallest 338 cartridge as long as the powder is pushed tight against the case web. Because the net result is simply constriction of powder capacity. Same as if the case was smaller. Theoretically, at least.
 
pfranklin said:
Hello gents. I'm thinking of buying a 340 Weatherby Mag. It seems like a good middle of the road caliber in the sense that it can be used for a lot of different things. My question is can it safely be loaded down to 338-06 velocities with a case filler. If not no big deal., but it seems like I heard something about that once. I'd like to use it as my primary and have some edible blacktail left.
Click to expand...

In my Sierra loading manuel Volume V which is the latest that I have their are loads for the 340 Weatherby Magnum with a 215 grain Sierra Boat Tail showing a velocity range from 2500 fps to 3100 fps.

In the same manual the 338-06 A-Square, which is simply a 338-06, can be loaded with the same 215 grain bullet from 2400 fps to 2700 fps.

Franklin, I would not be loading any bullets with fillers unless I was very sure of the source. You can get safe reduced loads from Sierra off of their Tech line 800-223-8799.

Good shooting,

Concho Bill
 
I think you can safely load 4895 to about 60% load density safely and have reliable function without fillers. You can work out what load that would be. To make a filler I have used Toilet paper over the powder and kapok over the TP to fill the case. Kapok is that fuzzy filler used in cheap pillows and for various sewing applications. You can get it at fabric stores. I use .410 wads for filler in my .458 when using the super reduced loads, just to keep the powder next to the primer.
 
P.S. Using fillers is extra work, and something you don't want unless required. However, it is and interesting aspect of reloading. Maybe there's another thread somewhere on this, but I'm suprised at the lack of response on this. Of course, using fillers isn't done in a BR load, ever, is it?
 
Sierra didn't have any information, Bill. Decent guys, tho.
 
Why buy an expensive, heavy recoiling 340 WM if your only going to down load it.. make no sense. The 340 is best suited for large heavy big game animals. If your only going to be shooting Deer.. it`s over kill. Buy a 270, 308, 30-06, 7mm Rem Mag. Buy a caliber for the game your actually going to hunt, not dream about. Pick a suitable bullet weight and construction. A factory loaded 340 is not going to destroy any more meat than the other calibers.. it only offers deeper penetration on heavier game.. with suitable bullets, of course.

Cream of wheat.. that was old, out dated tech, used for case forming with reduced loads,. You risk blowing up your rifle with a 340 WM. You dont want all that crud in your barrel for a second shot, with out cleaning.
 
Fillers are a gimick used when fooling around with oddball stuff. Anytime I've used them it seems like we were only loading 3 or 4 rounds to do something special, or try something strange. You know, if you put a 30 cal tracer round into a 38 shot capsule without the bottom, and about 4 grains of bullseye you can shoot tracers (lit) out of you 357 mag pistol. Not exactly practical. You can shoot arrows out of a muzzle loader. etc. Before I personally would load down a 340 Weatherby mag to hunt normal stuff, I'd grab a 30-06. But, some people load to save money, some people load to get accuracy, some people load:"Hey! Watch this!". But back on topic: A reduced load for a 340 Weatherby mag is a fundamental and practical use of handloading. The question is, how much of a reduction. If you can get something reasonalbe off the chart, why experiment.
 
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Why? Couple reasons. First off I need another hunting rifle . I have a 280 Rem which I dearly love, but my son comes of age this year and will be using it. Second, I've always wanted 340 because of it's versatility. If I can make it work well, I won't need another big game rifle for anything, unless I hunt elephants someday where they have a minimum caliber law. The recoil doesn't bother me. This particular rifle is a GREAT deal. A bit used, but a lot of life left. Fits the bill perfectly.

So papapaul, reasonable off the chart would be a minimum load on a lighter bullet, like a 185 Barnes or something? My reason for loading it down is just propriety. "No, I didn't bring my Howitzer after deer. Here's what I did." That kind of thing. Make the tool right for the job. If it can be done safely... But maybe it can't. That's why I axed. Are you certain about 4895? H or I flavor?

So if what TomS says about destroying meat is true, maybe the best thing to do is use the lightest bullet that will shoot well and load it down around the minimum and call it good.
 
With 200 grainers, start at 60gr of IMR-4064 and work up till you find a sweet spot providing acceptable accuracy in your rifle.:D
 
P. Franklin,

Don't go with any of these loads. Get you a good manuel and don't go with any loads that are not found in there. These many be very safe loads but you are dealing with a small cannon or a hand-grenade just inches from your head.

Granted, it is your head and those reduced loads might work. I hope you get my drift.

Concho Bill
 
0.60 X H4895 max load = reduced load goodness

pfranklin said:
Are you certain about 4895? H or I flavor?
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I'll take a stab at that one.

Use H. Why? Because the folks who make it are nice enough to give us an authoritative guide to reduced loads.

Here's the document: http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdf

The relevant passage reads: "...we recommend our 60% rule with H4895. By taking the maximum charges listed in our 27th Edition reloading manual with any given cartridge and multiplying it by 60%, the shooter can create a 1500 to 2100 f/s load, depending on the bullet weight shown. This works only where H4895 is listed."

I'd imagine that a .340 Wby would make a fine all-around chambering for someone who's willing, as you are, to put together reduced loads.

By the way, to address your initial question, fillers are unnecessary. I've used the 60% rule for H4895 to put up reduced loads in numerous different cartridges over the years and have never felt the slightest need for filler.

The PDF document I've linked suggests calling Hodgdon if you have any questions and provides a phone number. If you're worried about the need for filler, I'd suggest you just ask them.
 
I'll disagree with the 340WBY being a good all round cartridge and certainly not to load down very far. A smaller case such as the 338 Win Mag is all North American game capable and will allow good accuracy with a reduced load. The Weatherby will perform well with the heavy bullets loaded up toward the rated pressure. The 338WM does well with the old 180gr BallisticTip and 200 BT at 338-06 velocity. Don't think you'll get the consistency with the 340 and lighter bullets and the 250gr aren't a good choice for lighter game IMO.

I have not tried to down load a RUM but I do remember seeing that Remington was selling special ammo (lower velocity) for the 300RUM. I have no idea how accurate it is but I've been impressed with the 300RUM loaded for elk.
 
TomS308 said:
Why buy an expensive, heavy recoiling 340 WM if your only going to down load it.. make no sense. The 340 is best suited for large heavy big game animals. If your only going to be shooting Deer.. it`s over kill. Buy a 270, 308, 30-06, 7mm Rem Mag. Buy a caliber for the game your actually going to hunt, not dream about. Pick a suitable bullet weight and construction. A factory loaded 340 is not going to destroy any more meat than the other calibers.. it only offers deeper penetration on heavier game.. with suitable bullets, of course.

Cream of wheat.. that was old, out dated tech, used for case forming with reduced loads,. You risk blowing up your rifle with a 340 WM. You dont want all that crud in your barrel for a second shot, with out cleaning.
Click to expand...

Seems to be an obvious question to me. Why buy a W. 340 and then load it down. Prestige? Bragging rights? Select a caliber that is right for what you are hunting. Believe it or not the 30-06 covers just about anything you would want to hunt, and it can be loaded down for the wussies.

Donald
 
I would love to have a 340 Weatherby mag. Not only is it an excellent cartridge, but they just about only come in beautiful rifles. If I had one I would load it down, but probably down just to the lowest published starting load with one of the lighter bullets. I use a .458 with a reduced load for deer, sometimes. Opening day I use my little 30-06 with a reduced load.
 
P.S. when i said:"why experiment." I was referring to not using some super reduced load which would require fillers, but rather using a published reduced load. I haven't used fillers in decades (except for the .410 wads in the .458). I was thinking back trying to remember what we were doing to need fillers. 1) case forming. 2) duplex loads (you don't want the portions to shift). 3) ultra reduced loads. 4) cusion a projectile (38 shot capsule out of a 358 win). or combinations thereof. Those long Minnesota winters, before cable, gave you alot of time to play around.
 
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