Weatherby Mark V Giving me fits. Keep it or trade?

[bweber]

Hi,

I'm looking for any thoughts anyone may have on what I should do with a gun I'm working with. I recently picked up a used Weatherby Mark V in 270wby. I had planned on using is as my longer range gun for hunting out west (antelope, mule deer, caribou, goats, sheep, etc.). I paid $900 for it with a Leupold Vari-X III in 4.5x-14x. So, I figure I have about $750 into the gun itself (adding the $250 I paid to get a Bell and Carlson stock for it).

But the gun just isn't shooting well. I get about 3" groups at 100 yards with just about every handload I try (mostly 150gr Sierra bullets with either H4381 or IMR7828 powder). I'm thinking about having a Krieger barrel put on it, but am trying to decide whether it's worth putting $400 to $500 more into this gun, or whether I should just dump it and get something else. I like the caliber, so I'd kind of like to get it working. I'll be satisfied if I can get it to shoot 3/4" at 100 yards. (It's not a bench rest gun after all.)

One thing I know I don't like about it is that the trigger is pretty mushy. Does anyone know if Shilen, Timney, Jewell, or anyone else makes a good aftermarket trigger for the Mark V's?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Ben

 

[sakofan]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi,

I'm looking for any thoughts anyone may have on what I should do with a gun I'm working with. I recently picked up a used Weatherby Mark V in 270wby. I had planned on using is as my longer range gun for hunting out west (antelope, mule deer, caribou, goats, sheep, etc.). I paid $900 for it with a Leupold Vari-X III in 4.5x-14x. So, I figure I have about $750 into the gun itself (adding the $250 I paid to get a Bell and Carlson stock for it).

But the gun just isn't shooting well. I get about 3" groups at 100 yards with just about every handload I try (mostly 150gr Sierra bullets with either H4381 or IMR7828 powder). I'm thinking about having a Krieger barrel put on it, but am trying to decide whether it's worth putting $400 to $500 more into this gun, or whether I should just dump it and get something else. I like the caliber, so I'd kind of like to get it working. I'll be satisfied if I can get it to shoot 3/4" at 100 yards. (It's not a bench rest gun after all.)

One thing I know I don't like about it is that the trigger is pretty mushy. Does anyone know if Shilen, Timney, Jewell, or anyone else makes a good aftermarket trigger for the Mark V's?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Ben

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry to hear that.

A Jewell trigger is as good as it gets. Shilen is supposed to be good as well..sakofan..

 

[jhendri2]

First thing, mail it to Weatherby to make good on their 1.5 moa guarantee. Second, there is only one company who makes a Weatherby trigger: Jard Trigger . I have never used them, so I can't say for sure.

It's hard to get the "mushiness" out of a Weatherby trigger, since it's also the bolt release.

JMO,

Jim

 

[dreal]

I have had two Mark V's worked over by Kevin Knight at High Performance Gunsmithing in Montana www.muzzlebrake.com - Kevin has recrowned, bedded,free floated,lapped the barrels and tuned the trigger on both. Both triggers are stock Weatherby and are a crisp 2.5# pull. Both of these rifles were very finicky beforehand although not as bad as you describe.

I have since found that my 7mm wby likes a bit of pressure on the forend of the barrel to really maintain accuracy while the .300 likes the free float. Both are shooting sub-MOA.

My recommendations would start with bedding the action and floating the barrel, along with getting your trigger tuned up - or as was mentioned, send it to Weatherby to have them address the issue.

Good luck.

 

[bweber]

Thanks for all the replies. I've thought about floating the barrel. Problem is this one has that thin #1 contour barrel. I'm worried about whip if I try to float it, having heard horror stories about floating a barrel that thin.

I've thought about sending it back to the factory. Problem is that getting it to shoot 1.5" groups doesn't really get my anywhere. If this is really going to be a long range gun then 1.5moa doesn't cut it.

I'm thinking I may just spend the money and get the good barrel for it. At that point I'll have a chunk of change into it, but could have a gun with the heavy 28" Krieger barrel that I would ultimately like to have for long range.

It would be nice to get some work done on that trigger though. I don't mind triggers that are a bit heavy. But mush and creep drive me crazy.

Ben

 

[jhendri2]

Is this rifle an UL Accumark? I've had two of those and neither shot very well.

Also, on your long range rifle, why would you want a #1 contour barrel? Too light for my taste for longe range, would make areal nice stalking rifle though.

Have you adjust the trigger on your Weatherby yet? My have never had any creep. Is the mushiness your talking about, overtravel?


Whatever you decide, good luck with it.

Jim

 

[bweber]

Hi Jim,

I tend to agree about the #1 barrel being too light. Unfortunately I've never worked with a rifle designed for long-range accuracy, so I'm kind of learning as I go here. (Here in VT it's hard enough to find a range where you can even shoot over 200 yards.) So I'm thinking I will bite the bullet and get the heavier barrel.

As far as the trigger, by mushy I mean that when you squeeze it it's like pushing against a rubber band that breaks somewhere in the middle. Don't think it's over travel. On my Remington 700 I have it set so that it gives about 3oz. of resistance, but there's almost no movement before the trigger breaks. As a result it feels clean and crisp, which I like. I suspect if I give the Weatherby to the gunsmith and have them take out some of the over travel that would do the same thing.

Ben

 

[jhendri2]

The reason I asked if it was over travel, is this can't be removed from a Weatherby trigger. If there's slack and creep that can be adjusted out. Have you adjusted the trigger at all?

You mentioned in your first post, that you bought a B&C stock for it. Have you bedded the stock? If not, I would bed the stock see if there's improvement. If so, then I would float the barrel, if shooting improves cool, if not just re-bed the barrel. If you kept the original stock, you can always put it back into that stock and send it back to Weatherby.

What loads have you tried? Seat your bullets out as far as your magazine will allow. If you don't use a magazine, seat the bullet to touch the lands. What I do on my Weatherby's is to seat to touch the lands and only load two rounds. The round in the magazine, the feed ramp allows for extra COL.

Just some options.

Jim

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I've owned several Weatherby Mark V rifles. I was drawn to them because of the left hand actions and high velocity cartridges. All of them were inconsistent shooters. My Mark V's all had wood stocks which would walk/warp from season to season. Rifles were sent back to Weatherby several times. Accuracy improvements were noted after the return but would not last.

I even had Hart bed and free float one rifle. BIG mistake. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Accuracy was much worse and I had to have Weatherby replace the stock and original pressure points.

This may not be fair to say but I would NEVER own another Weatherby rifle. A plain Jane Remington 700 with a little work will outshoot the Weatherbys almost every time. For $50 Neil Jones will completely rework a Rem trigger and can bring them safely down to 2lbs. Any decent smith can true up a Rem action. According to my smith, the 9 locking lugs on a Mark V are a horror show to work with. There is also no need for the 9 tiny lugs.

Keep the scope - dump the rifle before you put too much money into it that you'll never get back.

Just my 2 cents - VH

 

[Mike375]

The Weatherby trigger (unless it is a very old Wby) needs he trigger return spring replaced.This requires the trigger assembly to be removed and the trigger to be disassmembled. Removing the trigger can be hard as it is on super tight.

Once done most Wbys with a combination of the sear engagement and weight of pull adjustments will come down to 1 pound or so with good reliability. Both adjustments can be made with the rifle assembled.

Wby actions can shoot extremely well and I
suspect that at least one lug of each of the banks is bearing and gives a tripod effect.

One problem with some factory Wbys is a combination of the freeboe dianteter being to large and a very thing barrel of only average quality.

Mike

 

[bweber]

Thanks for the advice. If I do sell it I would probably get a Remington Sendero stainless in 300 Winchester. It has the kind of barrel and stock that I'm looking for. Anyone have any experience with this gun good or bad?

Ben

 

[jhendri2]

I've floated and bedded probably 20-25 Weatherby's over the years and never had any problems. I'm not sure who your gunsmith is/was, but I have never heard about the locking lugs before. My gunsmith, Howard Dietz, has never said anything like that to me.

Again, the only problems I've ever had was out of two UL Accumarks, all my others have shot at least 1 MOA or better. The regular Accumarks have shot much better than that. I just got in a 338-378 Accumark and we'll see how it does.

I'll post the results. If I were going to build a LR rifle, I would not choose a Weatherby action, just because of expense, I would go with a custom action at that price. Otherwise, I would use a Remington or Winchester.

Weatherby hasn't been in business for nearly 60 years for no reason. They make a fine rifle, albeit more expensive, and they have a good reputation.

FWIW,

Jim

 

[jhendri2]

Remington Senderos are great rifles. Are you looking at the VSSF or the regular Sendero? I've never had one in 300WM, but I have had two in 7 STW, both were extremely accurate. For what you're trying to do, I think the Sendero would suit better than an UL Weatherby.

Good luck, and load a lot of practice ammo!

Jim

 

[bweber]

Thanks Jim.

Being winter I do, after all, have time on my side. I think I may put the Weatherby up for sale. If I can get at least $500 for it I think I'll dump it and try the Sendero or something similar. I have a stock 700BDL in .243 that will shoot 5/8" groups whenever I'm up to doing my part. So I kind of have some faith in the Remingtons. And the Sendero is already about what I'm looking to turn this Weatherby into.

Can anyone think of other similar guns that I should be looking at? Basically my criteria are: composite stock, good long-range caliber (270wby, 300WM, 7mm STW, any of the new short wonder mags, etc.), a long -preferably fluted- barrel. Basically something that can shoot reliably out to 400 yards. Realistic price range is up to about $1500 for the gun (I already have the scope for it). And I need to be able to get it to shoot under 3/4moa with handloads.

Thanks,

Ben