.240 Weatherby

Varmint Loads for a Magnum

- Stan Trzoniec

There is an old saying that comes to mind... “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks!” The more I say it, the more I feel it relates to me. In all the years I’ve been chasing the elusive woodchuck, .22-caliber rifles have been the mainstay of my hunts. From rimfires to vintage wildcats to modern handloads and commercial entries, I don’t think I missed one. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not feeling like I’ve reached the end of the race, but it’s nice to try something different or to venture into uncharted territory.

Moving up the scale, the 6mms came into focus as of late. The 6mm Remington in a Model 700 got plenty of use with lighter bullets. On a whim, I ordered a Savage Benchrest rifle in 6mm Norma BR. Looking deeper and being a Weatherby fan, its .240 Weatherby Magnum (WM) got more than a casual glance and is the subject of this article.

But why the .240 WM, or any other 6mm for that matter? Most dedicated varmint hunters will say it kicks more and is not a good choice for all-day shooting. Well, yes and no, depending on how you look at it and the location of your hunt. Okay, for all-day shooting where prairie dogs are in abundance, any 6mm is not a good choice for many hunters, as it can get uncomfortable to shoot – no question there. However, in my neck of the woods in the northeast, since the coyotes are taking a toll on the marmots recently, the 6mm is a good choice considering you may only get three or four shots a day and most of them will be along the stonewalls, not in the open fields as in the past.