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snake284
Posts: 22,429 Senior Member
Weatherby Rifles, Remove the Dude Factor and What is your opinion?
snake284
Posts: 22,429 Senior Member
This got started in another thread, but I wanted to continue it without maintaining the thread hijack there. So I started it here. It's about your opinions about the Weatherby Mark V rifle with the dude factor removed. Or if you like the dude factor, what's your opinion? Jump on in.
Most of the glamor or dude effect in a Weatherby is in the stock and ultra shiny blue. What I'm describing here is removing those attributes and making a more classic design out of it. But I will tell you from experience, not from following other people's opinion, that Weatherby rifles are all about quality. They're made from the best of materials to exacting standards. And, just like a Remington, Savage, Ruger, Winchester, Whatever! They will shoot extremely well if you tweak em right, in my opinion. I know of a couple others on this forum that own, shoot, and hunt with Weatherby Rifles and almost to the man they like them. Take the dude factor out of it and do you have a real argument? I know one old guy that has one chambered in 7mm Remington Mag and that thing will shoot well under MOA. It's a great rifle and one of the best shooting magnums I've ever seen. I think he bought it as a 7mm Weatherby Magnum, but had it rechambered in the Remington because he couldn't stand the price of brass or loaded ammo. I think he said the rechamber cost him about a half inch or so of barrel length is all, and it was a 26 inch barrel to start with so no real loss.
Now I'm not arguing whether you like Roy's cartridges or not. That is a completely different argument and I'm only concerning the platform here. Take any cartridge you like and barrel a WBY Action in it and how would you rate it?
Another argument about WBYs is getting all those locking lugs to mate up. I have used this argument myself before I owned one. But have you looked at some military artillery? They've got a lot more lugs than a WBY and they do fine. I figure it depends on the quality of workmanship. I have never heard of a WBY blowing up because the lugs gave way. And most WBY rifles are capable of great accuracy, so they're doing something right
These are some of my arguments FOR Roy's rifles. What can you come up with? Do you like em? Do you think they're evil? What's your opinion of one if the Dude Factor is removed?
Most of the glamor or dude effect in a Weatherby is in the stock and ultra shiny blue. What I'm describing here is removing those attributes and making a more classic design out of it. But I will tell you from experience, not from following other people's opinion, that Weatherby rifles are all about quality. They're made from the best of materials to exacting standards. And, just like a Remington, Savage, Ruger, Winchester, Whatever! They will shoot extremely well if you tweak em right, in my opinion. I know of a couple others on this forum that own, shoot, and hunt with Weatherby Rifles and almost to the man they like them. Take the dude factor out of it and do you have a real argument? I know one old guy that has one chambered in 7mm Remington Mag and that thing will shoot well under MOA. It's a great rifle and one of the best shooting magnums I've ever seen. I think he bought it as a 7mm Weatherby Magnum, but had it rechambered in the Remington because he couldn't stand the price of brass or loaded ammo. I think he said the rechamber cost him about a half inch or so of barrel length is all, and it was a 26 inch barrel to start with so no real loss.
Now I'm not arguing whether you like Roy's cartridges or not. That is a completely different argument and I'm only concerning the platform here. Take any cartridge you like and barrel a WBY Action in it and how would you rate it?
Another argument about WBYs is getting all those locking lugs to mate up. I have used this argument myself before I owned one. But have you looked at some military artillery? They've got a lot more lugs than a WBY and they do fine. I figure it depends on the quality of workmanship. I have never heard of a WBY blowing up because the lugs gave way. And most WBY rifles are capable of great accuracy, so they're doing something right
These are some of my arguments FOR Roy's rifles. What can you come up with? Do you like em? Do you think they're evil? What's your opinion of one if the Dude Factor is removed?
Daddy, what's an enabler?
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Replies
I really regret cancelling a layaway on a Mk V Ultralight in 280 Rem 10 years ago. And I wouldn't mind a Fiberark my old GM has been sitting on for years if they'd just lower the dang price. They feel pretty good in the hands and on the shoulder. A friend of mine works at their repair/custom shop, and I trust his opinion that they are VERY well built rifles. If I could find another UL in 338-06 or 280, I'd probably pick one up then and there. And I'd rub it in to Sakodude that I found his unicorn before he did lol. Then I'd probably sell it to him, but still I'd be really happy about owning it up until then.
All I can say is that I do not like the price for what they offer in the Mark V and do not like the freebore of the Weatherby cartridges.
I don't recall ever firing a Mark V.
When I was looking for a bolt action rifle, I couldn't get past the ugly, heavy stock. Although I never thought about them as 2x4s, I think you are right.
Plus, I don't get Magnum fever.
You guys are missing the point of this thread. I've got it written all over it about removing the Dude factor and rebarreling to a cartridge you prefer. I'm not arguing price here. I know they're expensive. Let me add, say you had all the money you would ever need for the rifle of your choice. If you could have a De-Duded WBY Mark V in the cartridge of your choice what would be your opinion of it? Is there another good reason you wouldn't want it? What are your thoughts?
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Dad 5-31-13
Then you wouldn't have a Weatherby.
If you dedude a Mark V, is it a Mark V? What does that action get me that I need?
If I someone gave me one in '06 with a nice stock, I wouldn't pitch it in the trash. But, if I had f-you money to burn, I would have a custom built rifle built around a M700 action.
Plunger ejector? They work. Sako/AR style extractor? They work too, but they don't thrill me.
What I most dislike about Weatherby - at least on the proprietary chamberings - is the factory-added extra freebore. I prefer that the burning out of throats be part of the shooting process, rather than the manufacturing process.
The factory stocks are an abomination - not the Day-Glo polyurethane so much as the shape.
If I want a bombproof action for monster cartridges on a "spare no expense" rifle, I'll either build on or lobby for a return of the P14/M1917 Enfield. Controlled feed, manual ejection, a safety that physically grabs the firing pin, and yes, the added speed of cock-on-close (SCREW the C.O.O. mods!) .
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
I got no prejudice against or allegiance to. A gun is a tool if if I try the tool and it delivers I'm sold.
Dude factor?
I've visted with a couple a different hunters that carried Weatherbys. They dressed kind of like dudes. They were both freindly, polite, and a pleasure to talk with. Their rifles were nice looking tools too.
I would rather build on a Remington 700 (or clone) Action. A Weatherby Action is counter productive to build on and, to my knowledge, is not a 1st Line Comp acceptable platform.
If I couldn't build, I would rather have a Remington 700. I know them, trust them, work on them, and there are more aftermarket parts than fleas on a camel.
I don't have Mark V experience and I don't desire to. Simply because I know other platforms that work well (better?) for less.
The very first WBY actions were surplus P14/17's.
Big slug, as usual you knock it out of the park. I have no argument with your response as it is very good. One thing though, I believe the Mark V Safety does block the firing pin. It looks like a normal trigger blocker but I believe from some schematics I've seen it blocks the firing pin.
I get your argument about the P-14 and 1917 and I too love them. Convert to cock on opening and you've got the best of the Mausers.
Great post as usual.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Yes you would. I didn't say change anything mechanical except maybe the barrel or grind the name off the action. It would still be Mark V all the way and they do make Mark Vs in non WBY Calibers. So why wouldn't it be a Weatherby?
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Correct Al, Yes they did. I remember seeing one in a LGS back in the 60s. It was a beautiful rifle too.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
You'll get no argument from me about the Model 700. I think it's about as good as it gets. Designed by a Remington Engineer who was a bench rest shooter, it is capable of better accuracy than most factory rifles with the right tweaking and a good barrel. And, it is very strong too. All this to say nothing of being a lot cheaper to build than most competitors. Also, I've had Model 700s for most of my adult life and I've not only never broke one but never seen an extractor break on one. There's four Model 700s in my safe right now, plus I lost my first one in a divorce. So that makes five for me.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
You said, ".....rebarreling to a cartridge you prefer.".. Once you rebarrel, you no longer have a "Weatherby". You have a rifle build on a Weatherby action. Not built by them. Changing the barrel is pretty "Mechanical".
Most of the guns in my safe are not Remington rifles. They are built on 700 actions. No longer factory.
Once you yank the factory barrel and "rebarrel"............it ain't factory.
Well Unc, if you've ever shot one, you know it by the big smooth bolt and short throw. It's a Cadillac. There's more to being a Mark V than the "DUDE" effect. In my opinion they are great rifles mechanically. Also, as I told Zee in another post you will get no argument from me about a Model 700 Remington. It's my favorite all time rifle. However, right along with it is the 98 Mauser. The Weatherby isn't my favorite. But I do like certain things about them. AND they are high quality.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
OK Zee, whatever, I have some REAL Remingtons.
Besides, I never said Factory. If I put it in a conventional Stock it ain't factory. Not completely.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
I have 1 factory barreled Remington 700. It's my .260 Remington rifle.
But........I put it in an HS Stock and installed a Timney Trigger. So........technically.......it ain't factory either.
:applause:
My 7mm RUM
& .300 RUMs
are factory barreled!
I love it when I discover guns I forgot I had!
:silly:
7mm Rem Mag
If you want to send it to me, I will drop my No Magnum rule.
This one is never getting sold.
There will always be enough insecure people who equate a deep pocket to being able to buy mythical "best quality" toys, whether the toy happens to be an airplane, a car, a wristwatch, a gun, or some other bauble to support the people who pander to them in high style.
Jerry
I edited it. I got distracted by someone at the door and didn't read all your post.
I have a .30-06, a .22-250, a .243 and a .308, all Remington 700s, and so far all factory except for the fact the 06 and .22-250 are bedded.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
The beauty of cock-on-close. . .
With cock-on-open, you are going from a stationary start to compress a really beefy spring, while at the same time potentially breaking loose a cartridge that has been pressure-fit to the chamber. Put the two together and the process is harder and slower than it needs to be.
Cock-on-close separates the physical effort you have to input to accomplish these operations, AND it saves compressing the striker spring until you have made a running start on the forward stroke.
Cock-on-open may offer certain advantages to installing fiddly adjustable match triggers that often have trouble standing the test of the real-world beating inflicted by a lot of operators, but for a system that's GOTTA work no matter what, I think Mauser had the right idea with the closure-cocking system on his '92-'96 - copied on the 1914/17. The beefy military two-stage triggers CAN be made clean enough for target accuracy, and they WORK. The more I play with the "Swiss Watches", the more I like the "Soviet Tanks".
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
Add to that the whippy barrels that do not allow for sustained shooting. Almost impossible to develop a drop chart for one unless you have a good day.
Not impressed for the price you pay.
"The Un-Tactical"