Which Weatherby

[victor]

Hi Guys,
I'm in the market for a light weight rifle for elk hunting. I am a big fan of the .300Wby cartridge and this is the one I want to get. My delima is Which Wby model do I get. The Wby Ultra Light-weight at 6 3/4lbs or the Accumark at 8 3/4lbs.
The Light weight has a No. 2 special contour barrel that looks pretty thin to me. The Accumark has a No. 3 heavy contour barrel that looks just right but, is heavy to lug around all day in mountainous country.

I sure would like to know if any of you good folk out there have shot either of these rifles and what they group like. Accuracey is of the utmost importance. But then so is getting an elk, which requires hiking up into their domain.

If anybody has pics of actual targets with measurements that sure would weed out opinion and leave behind a lot of fact.

Thanks in advance for any info,
Vic

 

[ccsykes]

I shoot an accumark in 300 wby and it groups well (less than 1 MOA with handloads). I actually had a target I shot the other day, but it got thrown away when it blew across the yard. If I can find it, I will take a picture of it and post it. I know that the rocoil in my accumark is somewhat stout, but it is not a pain to shoot. The lightweight, being 2 lbs lighter, may get a little harsh when chambered in 300 wby. I am not bothered by 2 pounds.

 

[Longreach]

Victor,

I shot an Accumark in .300 Win and it was a gem of a rifle. The .300 Weatherby will recoil more but I'd imagine it to be tolerable in that rifle.

I'm with Christopher; the two pounds don't bother me...as yet! I'd rather know that I can comfortably shoot the rifle well.

 

[ricka0]

Not trying to stir up a $%^&* storm - but how does that price compare to what I'm doing? Get a 300 RUM and have a smith put on a 30" heavy Lilja barrel (in my case 1:12 twist as I'm shooting 155 & 168 gr), trigger job & Holland QD brake. I should have a sub 1/2 MOA gun with the right loads - and a chamber made for what I want to shoot. 300 RUMS are only $550 and used ones are dirt cheap (if you're getting a new barrel why buy new?)

See my 300 RUM ballistics charts on my site:
ricka's cool site

 

[ccsykes]

victor, from your post it sounds like you are going to be walking a lot. Sure, b1g b0res gun will be a nice rifle, but I do not know if I want to try to lug a rifle around all day with a 30 inch boom on it. From the bench, or a set up that requries little walking, it is an excellent idea. I am pleased with my accumark and would not worry about the two extra pounds. I cannot find that target that I shot the otherday, but I will keep looking for an old one that I might have lying around.

 

[victor]

Thanks Guys,

I appreciate all your comments and insight. However, I'm still undecided. I will drive some long distances this weekend to go handle some of these rifles first hand. I wish more stores had these guns in stock. They seem hard to find on shelves.
So far everybody seems to be rooting for the Accumark. Anybody shot the Ultra lightweight?

When I purchase one of these guns, I will write a report and post some targets.

Best Regards,
Vic

 

[dparks]

Just my opinion but I when I switched to a WBY round (.30-378) I started looking at the Weatherby rifles plus other rifles that shot the .30-378 round. I found a Weatherby and a Sako. A good friend, who also worked in a sporting good store, told me this, "The Weatherby costs twice as much but the Sako is twice the rifle." To be fair, the Weatherby was top of the line stainless, fluted (high end)while the Sako was a TRG with eveything black (low end). I ended up getting the sako. I have shot 2 deer and 1 elk and they were all 1 shot harvests!

 

[Guest]

I have shot a Weatherby Vanguard that was chambered for 300Wby , the gun was built with a Douglas barrel that was a very light conture and 24" with a ultralight stock , it tipped the scales somwhere around 7lbs. It kicked pretty hard , hard enough that I diden't want to shoot it after the 3rd shot.
I would deffinatly opt for the Accumark if the extra two lbs woulden't kill ya.
But me personaly , I would have a gun built it'll cost roughly the same as the Accumark and it'll surely be more accurate

 

[Buffalobob]

In a "light" rifle you might look at the ballistics of the 270 wby. More than enough gun for elk. Bullet selection is not as good as the 7mm or 300Wby but barrel stiffness will be better. I do not particularly like very much recoil so I tend to add weight and recoil pads, and now we have the third option of good factory recoil brakes. I no longer have any factory wbys but was happy with the walnut Mk Vs once I rebedded and free floated them.

 

[bigdog2]

Doesn't Weatherby still pre-test (shoot) their rifles and then include the target with the rifle in the box? If so, there's your best answer for a hunting rifle. Let's face it, the FIRST shot is the MOST important. You'll feel extra weight every step of the hunt but a bit extra recoil from a lighter rifle, for one or even two shots at an animal, will never be felt.

 

[cgrinn]

the accumark barrels in a 30-378 don't hold up for S#%T 200 rounds mine was toast i never fired unless barrel was cool put a 30" krieger on it had AZ.ammo develope a load and it shoots .3's .4's all day if i do my part,i can say i will never buy another weatherby.

 

[brian b]

[ QUOTE ]
In a "light" rifle you might look at the ballistics of the 270 wby. More than enough gun for elk. Bullet selection is not as good as the 7mm or 300Wby but barrel stiffness will be better. I do not particularly like very much recoil so I tend to add weight and recoil pads, and now we have the third option of good factory recoil brakes. I no longer have any factory wbys but was happy with the walnut Mk Vs once I rebedded and free floated them.


[/ QUOTE ]
buffalobob,
thanks a lot ,after reading your post I sprayed my computer with Coke that was halfway down my throat after realizing that barrel stiffness "will be better with a 270wby than a 7mm wby" in a pencil barrel rifle. That extra .007" just cost me a new keyboard.
B

 

[Buffalobob]

Better coke than beer. How much rum did you put in that coke anyway?

Being originally from Alabama my grasp of the english language is somewhat fragile so let us try this again.
He wants a 300wby in a light barrel. That would have a .308 hole in it. I suggest a 270wby which would have a .277 hole in it. This increases steel around hole by .031. About a 10% reduction in the bore diameter. This is no great amount of steel but it is accompanied by reduced recoil which helps both the "light" gun and the shooter. I have put my glass of milk down so I don't ruin my keyboard because I am afraid you will tell me you like the feel of a 300wby going off in a 6# rifle.

 

[WunderDog]

Victor,
I don't know if you have decided to make a purchase yet but hopefully I can provide you with some help. I was going through the same dilemma last year though it was between the 30-378 Accumark and the 300 Ultralight. My dad has the 30-378 and it is a nice gun but the accuracy has been a little more finicky. It is possible to get there but it takes a lot of tweaking of the handloads. Between that and the fact that I like to get well out of the way to hunt, I decided on the 300 in Ultralightweight (actually it is the Custom Outfitter but the same gun with different finish). I have been absolutely tickled with it. When I get home I will see if I can find some targets to scan in. It shoots consistently under an inch at 100 and I have had it under an inch at 200 with some good handloads. I hunted woodchucks with it this summer and had very few misses. This fall I killed my first elk at over 300 yds, a mulie at 100 and another mulie I hit in the front leg at about 450 and then killed it as it was running away with a shot at about 525. I also killed a whitetail buck in PA at about 200 yds. No large game was missed with this gun. This gun is way better than I am and I am completely pleased with my choice.
My only other advice related to this has to do with recoil. I am not recoil shy and you shouldn't be if you want to shoot a light 300 Mag well. It is not fun to shoot off the bench. I do not have a brake on mine though they are quite effective. This is just my .02 - admittedly somewhat biased as I am a big fan of Weatherby rifles and cartridges but I think you can do well with either choice. Good luck.