The 240 Weatherby and the 25-06 are two very similar cartridges that very often compete with each other. While these two cartridges are similar performance-wise, there are still many reasons why one is better than the other. So in this article, we will look at all aspects of both cartridges to see which one is better and why.
Here is the short answer:
If you were to choose the better cartridge out of these two, it would be the 25-06. The 25-06 shoots almost identically to the 240 Weatherby, but what it comes down to is availability. The 25-06 is a more available and more common cartridge which is why it is the better choice.
Now that we have looked at the short answer, we can look more in-depth at each cartridge, what makes which cartridge better, the in-depth ballistic of each cartridge, and when you would want one cartridge over the other.
The 25-06
The 25-06 was put into full production by Remington in 1969 after some time as a wildcat cartridge. The idea behind the 25-06 is that it would be a 30-06 case necked down to use a 25 caliber bullet and be used for animals like deer and bear.
The 25-06 is now used mainly by hunters who are hunting animals like deer and antelope, but it is also used by some bench rest shooters. While the 25-06 is mostly used for hunting deer it is also used by elk hunters who are hunting at close range.
At the muzzle, a 25-06 has 2300 foot-pounds and a velocity of around 3100 feet a second. The 25-06 when zeroed at 200 yards, has only 35 inches of drop at 500 yards which is very similar to the ballistics of 270 Winchester only with 200 less foot-pounds of energy.
The 240 Weatherby
The 240 Weatherby was a cartridge invented by Roy Weatherby and was made to compete with the .244 H&H magnum cartridge. Roy Weatherby thought he could make a better cartridge so he made the 240 Weatherby and marketed it toward open-country deer hunters.
The 240 Weatherby is a cartridge that never really gained much commercial success so it is not used by many people. But when it is used, it is primarily used by people hunting in open country where they need a caliber that will not be affected by wind.
The 240 Weatherby is a very fast cartridge that shoots a 100-grain bullet at over 3400 feet per second at the muzzle. The 240 Weatherby has only 37 inches of drop at 500 yards which is almost the same as the 270 Winchester. However, the 240 Weatherby only has 1000 foot-pounds of energy at 500 yards. So while it starts fast and with a lot of energy, it will burn up most of its power by the time the bullet reaches 500 yards.
Which cartridge is better and why
Since we have taken an in-depth look at each cartridge we can look at which cartridge is better in which situations and why.
If you were to look at the ballistics of each cartridge, you would find that the 25-06 is generally a better cartridge. The 25-06, while it does shoot about 400-500 feet a second slower than the 240 Weatherby, it has more energy and less drop therefore it is a better cartridge.
If you were going by which cartridge is more available then you would want the 25-06. The 25-06 is a more popular cartridge and is manufactured by way more ammo companies. Not to mention that the 25-06 is a lot less expensive than the 240 Weatherby.
So if you were to look at each cartridge solely by their ballistics and availability, the 25-06 is a better cartridge. The 25-06 has a wider range of capability and is on par with the 240 Weatherby in most areas.
Conclusion
Overall, if you were to pick the best cartridge out of these two, it would be the 25-06. The 25-06 has more energy, only 2 inches of less drop, only shoots 400 feet slower, and is a more available cartridge. All of these things make it where the 25-06 would be a better choice.
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