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Common uses: Hunting, Varmint
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 100gr reference load |
| Muzzle velocity | 2900 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 1865 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.351 |
| Case length | 63.25 mm |
| Overall length | 81.53 mm |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2900 | 1867 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 2633 | 1539 | 0 |
| 200 | 2382 | 1260 | -3.5 |
| 300 | 2145 | 1021 | -13.2 |
| 400 | 1922 | 820 | -30.5 |
| 500 | 1714 | 652 | -57.3 |
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
This reference load is not verified factory-load data; confirm the displayed inputs against a reliable published source where available, and verify modeled results with your own rifle.
The .240 Apex is a British-designed sporting cartridge whose factory-load performance closely parallels the far more common .243 Winchester, driving a 100-grain bullet to around 2,900 fps. It is a classic between-the-wars English deer and plains-game round, always closely associated with Holland & Holland, who built more rifles in this calibre than anyone else. Despite its .240 name it actually uses .245-inch bullets. It remains a well-regarded but decidedly niche collector's and vintage-sporting cartridge rather than a practical modern choice.
The .240 Apex was developed by the English gunmaker Holland & Holland no later than 1919, and is also known as the .240 Magnum Rimless Holland & Holland or .240 Super Express. It was created as a flat-shooting sporting round for deer and light plains game. Its belted case reflects a Holland & Holland innovation - the firm introduced the first belted cartridge, the .400/375 Belted Nitro Express, in 1905 - a design feature that later became standard on magnum cartridges. A rimmed companion, the .240 Flanged Magnum, was developed at the same time for break-action and combination rifles.
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