Weatherby Vanguard Series 2 in 240 Weatherby Magnum

[dannyfro]

I was looking around this evening and heard that there chambering the 240 Weatherby Magnum in the Vanguard S2 rifle. This intrigues me as it is available for $500. Anyone out there have one or thinking of getting one? Also those with personal experience with the cartridge I would love to hear your accolades and opinions on the cartridge. Thank you for your time.

Dan

[Lloyd Smale]

id consider one just to try the 240wby out. Did you see any for sale?

I was looking around this evening and heard that there chambering the 240 Weatherby Magnum in the Vanguard S2 rifle. This intrigues me as it is available for $500. Anyone out there have one or thinking of getting one? Also those with personal experience with the cartridge I would love to hear your accolades and opinions on the cartridge. Thank you for your time.

Dan

[dannyfro]

I checked out Gunbroker and poked around they have the Series 2 rifles out but I did not see any chambered in it but the weatherby site said it was chambered and so I would assume you could order one. I'm sitting here debating about it myself. The new Series 2 rifles come in right around $475-$500 in blued synthetic. The only set back is how damn expensive ammo and components are for anything with the weatherby name on it. As my dads buddy told me your always one gun away from happiness.

Dan

[Fred243]

I bought one of the new S2's this summer in 25-06 and it will flat out shoot 5 shot sub-moa groups easy. My nephew and i both did it. The trigger is as smooth as any I've ever squeezed and the gun feels really good in my hands. I just read about the new 2012 line-up also including for the first time ever in the Vanguard line the 240 WM. The price of this gun has already gone up $150 since last summer and the 2 original sub-moa's no longer exist. I'll guarantee you this gun will go up another $150-$200 in the 2012 year. The 240 isn't available yet but I will be one of the first in line for it when it is. Best to ya !

[dannyfro]

Well Fred let us have a range report when you get it!

Dan

[Fred243]

I will sir, haven't been this excited about a gun in a long time !!

[dannyfro]

Its most certainly gotten my attention....So many wants so little money.

Dan

[huntswithdogs]

Seems to be the story of my life...Mercedes tastes and a Yugo budget....

HWD

[Bart Solo]

It seems Weatherby is about to unleash a Yugo with a Mercedes engine.  Actually the Vanguard is more like a Ford than a Yugo, and the engine is more like a Shelby GT than a Mercedes. 
 
I don't think I know exactly how I would use a 240 Magnum but an 87 to 100 grain 6MM bullet running along at 3000-3200 fps seems a winner to me.  Especially since its kick is about the same as a 270 Winchester or a 30-06.  It might be the ideal antelope rifle. 
 
The only thing that has held the 240 Weatherby magnum back is the lack of available rifles chambered for it.   By the way, years and years ago I bought a 6MM Remington rifle which has better ballistics than the 243, but Remington didn't know what it had and Winchester won the marketing war before Remington figured out that hunters were going to use 100 grain bullets in it and that therefore it needed a barrel with a different twist than installed on early model rifles. I still love the idea of high velocity 100 grain bullets.   
 
In the long run, the 243 hasn't done as well as it might have.  People on sites like this seem to think of it as a youth caliber, but with the right bullet it can be as lethal as anything on deer sized game.  You can set a 243 up to be light and handy. It is much better all around than the 30-30 since it can do all the 30-30 can do in the woods and can reach out to knock down antelope on the plains.  The 240 Weatherby Magnum does the same except better.  The only problems with the 240 Weatherby Magnum might be barrel wear and factory bullets costing $65 per box of 20.   By the way I still think the 6MM Remington is the better solution to either the 243 or the 240 Weatherby Magnum.  To bad so few rifles are built in 6MM Remington. 

[dannyfro]

A lot of merits to your case. The 240 is just so damn spendy to load for. I have heard it kicks less then an 30-06 and is rather pleasant. I know that hearing from a few that have them love them but other than that I have not had my turn at shooting one.

[Bart Solo]

I have been using a 30-06 for deer the last several years, but on reflection I think I got it right back in 1975.  The 6MM Remington is a fine caliber for deer sized game in the woods and for antelope in Wyoming.  I used mine to take antelope and my son took the largest buck (12 points and over 350 lb) of anybody in our family, both one shot drop in the tracks kills.  In fact for the longest time we had a pact in our family, one bullet, one deer.  While we can't say that anymore that old 6MM Remington's record is still unblemished.
 
As to the 240 Weatherby Magnum, if Weatherby does start selling it in their Vanguard line, I have a hunch it will sell well and the price of ammunition will drop. 

[Drilling Man]

  I had P.O. Ackley bbl. a 700 Rem., and chamber it in 240 Wby. Mag. back in the late 70's, i'm still useing it on and off and in fact shot two whitetails with it a few weeks ago...  Here's one of them,
 

 
  Yes recoil is low, but that's because it uses lightweight bullets compared to a 30-06 and yes it pushes bullets pretty fast.
 
  That's the good points...  The bad points are the EXPENSIVE ammo!  Even the brass is out of sight, and Wby. brass is on the soft side, (made by Norma) i really don't like the stuff!  Problem is, unlike other Wby. cartridges, you don't have any other choises to choose from!  You are STUCK with Wby./Norma...
 
  If i was doing it all over again today, and i thought i HAD to have 6mm bullets, i'd just build a 6mm Remington...  BUT, if i knew in the 70's what i know today, i would have had a 25/06 instead of a .240 Wby...  IMO it's a thousand percent better as it will have similar recoil with light weight bullet, and be much seperior with heavier bullets...
 
  DM

[dannyfro]

Looks like it works rather well though I can see your point on the cost of ammunition and components it seems outrageous.

Dan

[Drilling Man]

Looks like it works rather well though I can see your point on the cost of ammunition and components it seems outrageous.

Dan

  I never said it didn't work, but i am saying the brass sucks and a 25/06 works even better and is cheaper to own with MUCH higher quality brass...
 
  DM

[roper]

I was looking around this evening and heard that there chambering the 240 Weatherby Magnum in the Vanguard S2 rifle. This intrigues me as it is available for $500. Anyone out there have one or thinking of getting one? Also those with personal experience with the cartridge I would love to hear your accolades and opinions on the cartridge. Thank you for your time.

Dan

Think  the 240Wby be 72yrs old next year.  The Vanguard rifle has renewed interest in the Wby's and brass is high but their good calibers.

One of the poster's on the AR site is building a 240Wby going to use 26" long barrel as antelope rifle should be around 3400fps plus with 100gr bullets.

[Lloyd Smale]

I own a 257 and a 300wby and really cant see why someone pass on one  because of the price of brass. You can buy a 100 for less then a 150bucks and it will last the average guy his lifetime and other then brass its only a few pennys more a round to reload for he extra powder. Now if you had to buy factory ammo i could see passing as a guy would go broke fast buying weatherby ammo.

[Drilling Man]

I own a 257 and a 300wby and really cant see why someone pass on one  because of the price of brass. You can buy a 100 for less then a 150bucks and it will last the average guy his lifetime and other then brass its only a few pennys more a round to reload for he extra powder. Now if you had to buy factory ammo i could see passing as a guy would go broke fast buying weatherby ammo.

  It's YOUR  opinion 100 will last a lifetime...  I have more than a hundred, and they just don't last all that long.  Prpbably would last a "deer hunter" a long time, but not a varmit hunter or someone who likes to shoot a lot... 
 
  The brass is just poor quality, and it pizzes me off...  You won't have that problem with a 6mm or a 25/06!
 
  DM

[roper]

I got my first Wby in the 70's and their brass back then was high compared to what Rem/Win was getting.

Back in them days guy who purchased Wby rifles could afford to feed them.  When I got that first Wby it was know that Norma made the brass and it was soft and it sure hasn't changed.  As to the brass for the 240Wby hard for me understand why someone use that rifle for  any type volume shooting but I'm also sure they person who would do that could well afford to play that game.

[dannyfro]

You wanna live the life you gotta pay the price.

Dan

[George Foster]

Jim Carmichael wrote in his book The Modern Rifle years ago that you could run 30-06 brass through a 240WBY sizing die and it would give you 240WBY brass with a swaged belt on it.  He reported he got a lot better accuracy with that brass than with factory.

[Lloyd Smale]

i wouldnt use a 240 for a varrmit gun. I have better rifles set up for that. To me anyway its a deer hunting gun that after load work up wouldnt be shot more then 40 times a year. Now even at that a 100 rounds wouldnt last me my lifetime but it would be a good while before i had to go look for brass. Weatherby brass will only get me 3 or 4 loadings but i atribute alot of that to the level its loaded to. If i back off loads i get pretty good life out of it but then why shoot a rifle like that if your going to back it off. To me the 240 would shine for the same thing my 257 does well. Deer at 400 yards. Ill stick to my 220 swift or one of my 22250s for long range varrmits.

[Brithunter]

Well if Weatherby actually made something I might have more time for them but as they don't and just add a premium onto to some one elses gun why would anyone really want to pay more just for the name?


As for Norma brass    may I suggest you pick up a Norma catalogue and see whom they make brass for. It might just surprise you.


  Now also watch the powder costs as they are rising fast. Here in the UK Varget it seems has reached $70 per 1lb Tub. That is sure going to cramp some shooters shooting. I think it was in December 2010 I posted the rip off pricing from one of our main importers, a box of 20 Remington Core Lockt 150 grain .280 ammo cost $76 US and then it turned out to be 12 years old.


Make the most ot it whilst you can.

[Lloyd Smale]

Actually over here britt hunter a weatherby vanguard is usually priced a bit less then a howa. So your not really paying any premium for the name and i know at least around here its alot easier to peddle a weatherby vanguard then a howa. Most uniformed people think if its a weatherby its something special. Just as they do with browning stuff. Try to sell the same thing in a howa and its jap junk to them. Yes weatheby brass is norma brass and right now there the only options for 240 brass. Maybe weatherby chambering it in an affordable rifle will spark enough interest for someone else to make some. I wish you were in the states. If you could come over to my house i have 5 boxes of 150 corelock and a couple 165 corelock and at least one 140 corelock ammo that was given to me. Ill probably never shoot them. I allready pulled down 3 boxes of 165s for the brass. The ammo is probably from the same era yours came from as the boxes are marked $12.95 a piece.

[Drilling Man]

Jim Carmichael wrote in his book The Modern Rifle years ago that you could run 30-06 brass through a 240WBY sizing die and it would give you 240WBY brass with a swaged belt on it.  He reported he got a lot better accuracy with that brass than with factory.

  That's pretty common knowledge among 240 shooters, at least those that handload much...  So, where are you going to get those belts today?
 
  People think that if you shoot a Wby., then you must have money!  Some of the comments here reflect that...  Did you notice that i'm NOT shooting a Wby. gun??  I started out with a used gun, and Parker Ackley gave me a deal on bbleing it, as we hit it right off when i first contacted him.  And spent a lot of time talking balistics on the phone and when i visited him.
 
  As for Carmichael, i remember an article he wrote really condemming a couple guys who flew around Kodiak in a super cub, spotting bears.  When they found one, they landed/stalked/shot the bear.  Then he went on further in his article to tell how he had hired a guide with a nice big boat.  How they sat in luxery, in a nice heated cabin, had great food and hot coffee as they cruised Kodiak and surrounding islands, spotting big bears!  Finally they spotted a big bear and cruised over, stalked/shot the bear...  And what a GREAT "hunt" it was!!
 
  Well, i for one can't see the difference??  NO it's not legal to use the plane, but it sure as hell wasn't any easier than his "boat hunt", and i told him exactly that!  He just got mad at me, and figured he had hunted, and the other guy didn't!  Both were laszypricks the way i see it!
 
  I hunted Kodiak and the surrounding islands many times, i know what it's like to hunt bear there, and neither were fair chase hunting in my book!
 
  DM

[roper]

Jim Carmichael wrote in his book The Modern Rifle years ago that you could run 30-06 brass through a 240WBY sizing die and it would give you 240WBY brass with a swaged belt on it.  He reported he got a lot better accuracy with that brass than with factory.

  That's pretty common knowledge among 240 shooters, at least those that handload much...  So, where are you going to get those belts today?
 
  People think that if you shoot a Wby., then you must have money!  Some of the comments here reflect that...  Did you notice that i'm NOT shooting a Wby. gun??  I started out with a used gun, and Parker Ackley gave me a deal on bbleing it, as we hit it right off when i first contacted him.  And spent a lot of time talking balistics on the phone and when i visited him.
 
 
  DM

back in the 70's only supplier of Wby brass was Wby and their brass was never cheap and it didn't matter if you purchased a factory or had rifle  build.  When you got that rifle didn't matter what it cost brass price was still the same and going forward the brass is still high today.    You can go any site it's pretty common to hear about the cost of Wby brass and I sure don't understand guy having rifle complaining  about the price of brass and has rifle for over 40yrs.

I had no price shock on the 270Wby brass I had to buy for my new custom 270WBy build a Rem 700 action.  If I couldn't afford the brass I sure wouldn't of build the rifle and I feel the same way if I got a Vanguard in 270Wby.  I guess I could complain that my price on 243 brass is out of sight compare to what I paid for it in 1965 and I  paid $195. for a  new 243  Browning Sako rifle but I did complain about the price so they threw in set of bases but they charged me for the rings.

[Drilling Man]

  You have choises with the 270 Wby. brass...  I've made a lot of std. brass into Wby., you don't have that option with the 240...
 
   Back when i had the 240 built, i had no idea the 240 brass was so poor, i could stomache the price of the brass, "IF" it was better quality, but it isn't and that's the point you keep missing.
 
  DM 
 
 

[dannyfro]

I agree with those who own them can typically afford to shoot them. With the way things are going these days people are just finding it harder to part with there money in my opinion.

Dan

[Lloyd Smale]

I wont turn this into an ethics post but bottom line is the law determines whats ethical in this country and if its legal it is ethical at least to the point that its nobodys business but the man hunting how he does it.

Jim Carmichael wrote in his book The Modern Rifle years ago that you could run 30-06 brass through a 240WBY sizing die and it would give you 240WBY brass with a swaged belt on it.  He reported he got a lot better accuracy with that brass than with factory.

  That's pretty common knowledge among 240 shooters, at least those that handload much...  So, where are you going to get those belts today?
 
  People think that if you shoot a Wby., then you must have money!  Some of the comments here reflect that...  Did you notice that i'm NOT shooting a Wby. gun??  I started out with a used gun, and Parker Ackley gave me a deal on bbleing it, as we hit it right off when i first contacted him.  And spent a lot of time talking balistics on the phone and when i visited him.
 
  As for Carmichael, i remember an article he wrote really condemming a couple guys who flew around Kodiak in a super cub, spotting bears.  When they found one, they landed/stalked/shot the bear.  Then he went on further in his article to tell how he had hired a guide with a nice big boat.  How they sat in luxery, in a nice heated cabin, had great food and hot coffee as they cruised Kodiak and surrounding islands, spotting big bears!  Finally they spotted a big bear and cruised over, stalked/shot the bear...  And what a GREAT "hunt" it was!!
 
  Well, i for one can't see the difference??  NO it's not legal to use the plane, but it sure as hell wasn't any easier than his "boat hunt", and i told him exactly that!  He just got mad at me, and figured he had hunted, and the other guy didn't!  Both were laszypricks the way i see it!
 
  I hunted Kodiak and the surrounding islands many times, i know what it's like to hunt bear there, and neither were fair chase hunting in my book!
 
  DM

[dannyfro]

To each his own.

Dan

[tbird1960]

Well I got one of the new S2 Vanguards in 240 Weatherby and shot it yesterday. I put a 12x Redfield on it and shot it off my back porch at a measured 100 yards. The first group measured 7/16" and the second group was 3/4". I went down and changed the targets and shot a third group and it opened up to 1" and until I got up and went  down to get the target I realized it was misting rain. I was shooting an 85 grain HPBT Sierra bullet with 48.4 grains of 4350 as listed as the accurate load in my reloading book. I have not chronographed it yet because of the weather but will do that later. It is a very accurate rifle and the recoil pad is strange, Soft and almost no noticeable recoil.