240 H&H Apex: Calibre Review Requested

[HydNawab]

Hi

Can someone please share their experiences and thoughts about a 240 H&H Apex cartridge.

Cheers

Ashar

[MoA]

Very flat shooting 6 mm cartridge, average speeds i believe is around 3500 fps with the standard 100 grain HH load. Barrel burner and ammo is only made by HH. Avoid it in the Indian context.

[z375]

3500fps?? Nada! Barrel burner?? With the amount of centrefire shooting that is done here? I don't think so. Far more barrels have been worn due to improper cleaning than due to new-fangled super magnum cartridges, rounds such as the .220 Swift, that was once regarded as a "barrel-burner" and one that would cause severe throat erosion in under 1k rounds, no longer seemed to hold that claim, this is thanks to the advent in firearms metallurgy and their cleaning and maintainence products, bear in mind, in the early 1900's there was no Hoppe's No. 9 or Barnes CR-10 for that matter, the standard remedy was boiling hot water run through a barrel followed by a vigorous phosphor-bronze brushing session with either gasoline or kerosene and finally swabbed with a generous application of good ol' Rangoon oil to be kept away till the next shooting session, needless to say the corrosion-prevention capabilities of the afore-mentioned products were unpredictable to a certain extent and at the time, barrel wear in all probability was exacerbated mainly due to negligence and maybe a little too much cordite!

[MoA]

z375:

While a number of barrels have been damaged by improper cleaning I would love to hear how many barrels have you actually gone through? I typically will go through at least one a year.
Hoppes No 9 and CR10: give me a break. These are proven not to really work. Check out KG 12 for copper removal or Robala Solo Mil, and KG 1 for carbon. In any case the only way to really see what is happening in a barrel is with a borescope. Kerosene and even lighter fluid are great for removing carbon. Boiling hot water is still great for removing residue from BP and corrosive primers. And the reason for boiling water is simply that it dries quicker on metal heated by it.
Given that the 240 Apex was actually popular-ish about 60 years or more ago, what metalurgical advances are you talking about? My .22-250 has worn out its barrel in 800 rounds, and will not group sub .5 inches any longer. And I am only pushing about 29xx fps.
.220 swift? How much experience do you have with the caliber?

[z375]

z375:

While a number of barrels have been damaged by improper cleaning I would love to hear how many barrels have you actually gone through? I typically will go through at least one a year.

I care enough for my guns to not have to throw them away, so carving a notch in your stock every year after tossing a barrel doesnt impress me MoA.

Hoppes No 9 and CR10: give me a break. These are proven not to really work. Check out KG 12 for copper removal or Robala Solo Mil, and KG 1 for carbon. In any case the only way to really see what is happening in a barrel is with a borescope. Kerosene and even lighter fluid are great for removing carbon. Boiling hot water is still great for removing residue from BP and corrosive primers. And the reason for boiling water is simply that it dries quicker on metal heated by it.

The reason I cited Hoppe's No. 9 and Barnes Cr-10 as examples, is because they immediately came to mind and would be well-known to enthusiasts on this forum. You tend to get carried away sometimes and keep forgetting that here its (like I've mentioned on a previous thread) not about getting what you like, its liking what you get, so unfortunately most of us here are not spoilt for choice. I am not endorsing any of Hoppe's or Barnes products here and neither am I getting any green to care to mention them. I am fully aware that a borescope is the only way to closely inspect a barrel's condition show you whether the solvent's really working or your cleaning technique needs to be spruced up, but apart from the 1000$ plus price tag I'm sure all of us here would need a real good reason to want to own one, most of us here tend to keep our barrels on for life (I'f we can help it) Also any schoolboy would know that boiling water is depleted of oxygen thus diminishing its capability to cause corrosion, oh and yes, its dries faster too!!

Given that the 240 Apex was actually popular-ish about 60 years or more ago, what metalurgical advances are you talking about?

Well, if you're going through a-barrel-a-year, you are probably doing something wrong here! Metallurgy, and this applies to barrel-making is way more advanced today than it was even a decade ago, let alone a half-century. I could elaborate about this, but we could have a separate thread on the subject.

My .22-250 has worn out its barrel in 800 rounds, and will not group sub .5 inches any longer. And I am only pushing about 29xx fps.

.5" eh?? At a 100 I could consider that bad from the .22-250 but the way you put it sounds like its shooting minute-of-barn-door! What are you waiting for!! Change that barrel before the year ends!!

.220 swift? How much experience do you have with the caliber?

None. I don't intend to gather any. Caliber-wise, I don't personally like pea-shooters..and I don't dig peas either..

[HydNawab]

Just to inform everyone on the forum, I just bought a H&H 240 APEX Magnum bolt action rifle. I got lots of goodies with it including the original box, EAW QD pivot mounts, Leupold VXIII 1.75-6x32mm, Alex Auxiliary adapters for .22LR, H&H leather scope case, Extra Pivot rings, sling with QD swivels and lots of other goodies.

Pictures will be posted on Wednesday!

Cheers

Ashar

[m24]

Congrats Ashar, on the acquisition.

Regards

[TwoRivers]

The .240 H&H Apex is not the same round as the .244 H&H Magnum. The .240 Apex is on a belted case of 12mm head/belt size, with a 100 grain bullet at 2900 0r 3000 fps. That makes it the equivalent of the .243 Winchester or .244/6 mm Remington. It also came in a flanged version. It is no more a barrel burner than the .243 Winchester. The .240 Weatherby Magnum is an "improved" version of the .240 Apex.

The .244 H&H Magnum, on the other hand, is based on a full-length H&H belted magnum case. It was introduced in 1955, or thereabouts. Same 100 grain bullet at 3500 fps. This one I would consider impractical, and a barrel burner. Though what would be a barrel burner for a target shooter, would not be so much for a hunter. In any case, it did not catch on.

And to Ashar, congratulations! You found a gem. Cheers.

[z375]

The .240 H&H Apex is not the same round as the .244 H&H Magnum. The .240 Apex is on a belted case of 12mm head/belt size,

with a 100 grain bullet at 2900 0r 3000 fps. That makes it the equivalent of the .243 Winchester or .244/6 mm Remington. It also came in a flanged version. It is no more a barrel burner than the .243 Winchester.

Thanks Two Rivers, I hope someone here reads this

The .244 H&H Magnum, on the other hand, is based on a full-length H&H belted magnum case. It was introduced in 1955, or thereabouts. Same 100 grain bullet at 3500 fps. This one I would consider impractical, and a barrel burner. Though what would be a barrel burner for a target shooter, would not be so much for a hunter. In any case, it did not catch on.

Ah! The fine art of splitting hairs!!

And to Ashar, congratulations! You found a gem. Cheers.

1+ on that Ashar! We need some pics here soon!!

[icemanV]

Hi Asher,

Congratulations.

Could share with us what is the availability of this ammo. Price of the ammo.

Ice

[HydNawab]

Hi Ice,

The ammo is very difficult to find. I have a few wounds which will last me a 1-2 years!

Cheers

Ashar

[TwoRivers]

Ashar: The simplest solution to the ammo problem would be a rechamber to .240 Weatherby. (Not that that will do you much good in India, I'm afraid.) And the Weatherby case is easily reformed to the .240 Apex. Looking forward to seeing the pix. Cheers.

[MoA]

Ashar,
Congrats on the gun. Would love pics.

Now for Z375:

z375:

I care enough for my guns to not have to throw them away, so carving a notch in your stock every year after tossing a barrel doesnt impress me MoA.


Well, if you're going through a-barrel-a-year, you are probably doing something wrong here! Metallurgy, and this applies to barrel-making is way more advanced today than it was even a decade ago, let alone a half-century. I could elaborate about this, but we could have a separate thread on the subject.

.5" eh?? At a 100 I could consider that bad from the .22-250 but the way you put it sounds like its shooting minute-of-barn-door! What are you waiting for!! Change that barrel before the year ends!!


None. I don't intend to gather any. Caliber-wise, I don't personally like pea-shooters..and I don't dig peas either..

Lets adress your points:

Carving a notch in the stock will ruin it. I am not here to try and impress internet nut swingers.
I go trhough a barrel or more a year. So I am indeed doing something wrong. Its called shooting. Metullargy in the field of weapons hasnt advanced as much as you would believe.

yes a .5 group is not upto scratch and yes the barrel is being replaced. And I do not intend to wait until the year ends either. Will it get rebarreled in .22-250 unlikely, but that in part will be dictated by the amount of .224 bullets I have on hand.
So caliber wise only the super thumpers work for you? Good for you. I prefer accuracy and anytime you want to shoot for money with your 'adequate' for hunting weapons let me know.

[HydNawab]

Bought the 240 H&H rifle home today. Too tired to take pictures now but will put them up tomorrow morning.

[MoA]

Looking forward...