Weatherby mfg trivia I guess

[silvertip-co]

I've been a Weatherby fan since I was a kid. They were just as expensive 50 yrs ago as they are today but back then there was no Vanguard. I always thought I'd have a Corvette by age 40, a Playmate by age 50, and a Weatherby for retirement. The Vette and Playmate didnt happen, and given my current laid up and unemployed staus at near 61yo it looks like the Wby might not happen either dangit. ( I dont know if I overgoal or underachieve )

Anyway I know Wbys was made in CA early on( the gunsmith who did work for me at my small PA gun shoppe worked there after WWII), and then in Germany and then Japan and now back to USA. I recall in 1996-97 for a year or two the Mk5 was made by a defence contractor in Saco ME USA (pronounced Sawco according to my then boss who was from Bangor).

I googled up Wikipedia and here's what they say which seems to be fairly up to date:

"The Mark V barreled action is manufactured by ATK in Brainerd, MN while the barrel and action for the Vanguard are still manufactured by Howa in Japan. Final assembly of the Mark V and Vanguard is performed at Weatherby's company headquarters in Paso Robles. The Mark V uses two action sizes. The larger 9-lug bolt action is used for all larger Weatherby magnum calibers. The smaller 6-lug action (in two lengths) is used for the 240 Weatherby, and all standard calibers. (The 224 Weatherby Magnum is no longer offered as a regular production caliber, but presumably could be special ordered.) Both the Mark V and Vanguard are available as sub-MOA rifles in various models (ranging from blued to stainless steel metal and kevlar to wood stocks) and calibers .223 (Vanguard only) through .300 Weatherby Magnum. Calibers .340 through .460 are only available on the Mark V platform due to the stronger bolt."

ATK of course makes missles and owns Federal Ammo and a BUNCH of other great American outdoor companies.

Thank you for viewing my drivel.

 

[436]

1996-97 for a year or two the Mk5 was made by a defence contractor in Saco ME USA (pronounced Sawco according to my then boss who was from Bangor).

I always have been fan all my life of the Wby rifles... I've owned quite a few {.300 (2) .257 (5) 240 (1) .224 (1) and 22.250 (1)} over the years... I still have my mint .224 Varmintmaster and a 22.250 Varmintmaster, which I rebarrel to 6XC... saving the barrel and not touching the stock on the rebarrel.
Anyway... I thought Saco made only the Accumark MkV rifle... using Krieger barrel's when they {and may still} started making them. At the time, I believe [could be wrong} thought that Saco was making M60's and parts for export and US sales.
I had two of the Accumark's in .257 Wby Mag... They were tack drivers.

Side note I did have one of the first Vanguards when they came out in a .300 Win Mag... I didn't think much of it at the time, other than it was pretty.
Just chiming in.
436

 

[J E Custom]

Thanks for the info.

I to am a big Weatherby fan . I have only owned a few factory complete rifles but have built quite
a few customs using the Mark 5 and the Vanguard actions.

The one thing I have found in all of them was Fit and Finish was very good no mater where
they were built.

I blueprint every action before it gets a custom barrel and they have been the most precise
actions that I have found bar none.

The only complaint I have ever had was there use of small barrels where a larger barrel would
be a big advantage IMO.

For the most part I have only seen a few triggers that were not satisfactory.

Go ahead and buy one, and at least you will have one of the things that you allways wanted.

PS: It is much cheaper than the other two things.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Dr. Vette]

FYI, production of the Mark V will move to Weatherby HQ in California in the next couple of weeks.

 

[silvertip-co]

FYI, production of the Mark V will move to Weatherby HQ in California in the next couple of weeks.

Cool thanks for the info. I belong to the Wby and Wby NAtion websites but I rarely go there.

Thanks also to the other posters above who gave me good info.