Does anyone else on here use the 338-378 Weatherby?

[dgr416]

I have two Weatherby 338-378 Accumark rifles.I love hunting with them.I know it only has a 26 inch barrel but the next one will be a Krieger 30 " with the Weatherby accubrake on the end.It has very little recoil except for the 300 gr loads with the break on it.I have shot 1/4" groups with the gun at100 yards.I shot a few 1" groups at 300 yards with 250 gr Nosler Partitions and reloader 25.I can only load up to 110 grs of reloader 25 because I get a slight ejector mark then.I usually load 109 grs.I have loaded a few 300 gr Serria bullets with 100 grs of reloader 25.They didnt shoot as good as the nosler bullets but still shot 5/8" or less.The down side of this rifle is the noise with the break.There is also the fact if you dont clean it every 60 shots it will shoot patterns.I thought about a 338 Ultra mag sendero but thats going backwards.There is a 338-378 improved version but thats a bitch.I have gotten at least 10 shots from the brass I used.I bought a bunch of 416 Weatherby and necked it down.I think these Weatherby Accumarks with either a good 5x16 or 6x20 scope are hard to beat for rifles for long range you can actually tote.Its about 9.5 pounds loaded with a Nikon 6.5X20 scope.I use Weaver bases and Burris Signature Zee rings.They didnt move with 1500 shots ojn my 416 rem mag so I figured they would work on here.I usually always use the 250 gr noslers because of bears and its so accurate.Last year the only day I didnt use it I had three grizzleys at 400 yards I could have pegged one easy with the weatherby but let them go with my 338 win mag.I wanted to see if anyone else had one of these rifles.

 

[screech]

My dad has one and I'm kinda tossed up about it. Once it shot 2 or 3 groups under 1/2moa at 100 yrds but then it all went to sh.t, going back to 1.5moa at 100yrds. I cleaned it real well then shot a whitetail at 350yrds. on the second to last day of season with a 250gr. partion. I Havent been able to shoot it since because of the snow. But this spring I'm gonna see if I can get that .5moa again and if I can I know of another one that I can get for 1k$ that has had only a few rouds put through it. But you cant under estimate the power of this cartridge. I'm sorry I dont have any pictures but it rolled down the hill 200yrds and broke 1 of its tines off but sh.t happens. Any way That 338-378 left the hole rib cage blood shot on the entrace side and a nice size hole on the other.

 

[dgr416]

You have to totally clean the barrel back to the original shape.I shot mine about 100 times and it finally shot about 5 inch groups.I then narrowed it down to 60 shots and it worked fine.I had to soak my barrel after the 100 shots.Its mostly powder fouling.They are awesome guns.

 

[Guest]

Nope! I HATE WEATHERBYS!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[osprey]

We use the 30-378's in Wy. for elk, all Accumarks, I'm thinking about getting a 338-378 this year. Don't really need it, but what an awesome caliber on such a beautiful gun.

 

[bailey1474]

[ QUOTE ]
Nope! I HATE WEATHERBYS!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too!!! Well, I guess I don't hate them. I've just learned that there are better options out there. Especially for the money!!!

 

[dgr416]

I paid $1000 for each of the 338-378s I bought.The only other better gun for the money is the 338 win mag stainless Ruger 77 that I got in a trade.I had $150 in it.Its a pain in the butt to keep them clean but these weatherbys keep on shooting.I love the older rugers better than the new ones but do to no parts for the older ones and no stailness in the older ones I use the mark II 77s.I wish the Ruger mag express 77 was made in a stainless 338-378.I hate winchesters and dont like remingtons.I have had to to something to every one I have bought.They either wont feed or the scope mounts were drilled crooked.The winchesters rust too easliy.If a big Ruger was made it would be about the only gun more durable that the Weatherby.I do wonder if the 338 ultra mags foul like the 338-378s do.If there was a way to stop this fouling it would help make the 338-378 more popular.Its an awesome round.It does need a 28 " or 30 "barrel.

 

[bailey1474]

[ QUOTE ]
I paid $1000 for each of the 338-378s I bought.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not trying to be a smart *** or rain on anyone's parade, but I had about $1300 in my 270 AM before I went out and broke the bank on an A5 Mcmillan. $1000 for a Weatherby or $1300 for a custom? I know which one I'll take every time.

 

[wildworks]

I agree with bill! there is so much better out there for the money! and most smiths dont like weatherby actions to build on. get a good action and go to town. you will be supprised at what you can build for $1500 I also think there are better big 338 choices too !!!!

 

[alremkin]

I've got a 338/378 Weatherby Accumark too. Unfortunately I haven't been able to shoot it yet. It's taken me a long time to get it setup. I bought it last year about this time. At first I planned to put a Zeiss Conquest 3.5x10 on it with Burris double dovetail mount and Signature rings. Then I heard about a good deal on Zeiss 3x12 Diavari scopes. So I had to buy one and then decided that since the scope is heavier I should put better bases and rings on it. I've blue locktited a Near Manufacturng 10 MOA forward canting base to it and expect Leupold Mark IV bases to arrive next week. Do you know what sort velocities you're getting with your different loads especially the 300gr Sierra?

 

[Guest]

I had on that I worked on for a customer that came in with everything was loose scope mounts,guard screws,& muzzle brake.After remounting the scope bases with locktite and tighting every thing(65"#) on the guard screws,clean the copper out with Coppermelt. It shot 3 in one inch with factory Nosler 250 Partitions. If I had one of my own I would put some Tubbs final finish bullets through it to smooth out the tube and eliminate most of the fouling problem.To test the loads I used 50# of shot on my varmit rest to tame the recoil and make the testing easier.the factory load with nosler 250's chrno'd at 3006fps.
old bear

 

[dgr416]

I put clear fingernail polish on all my gun and
scope screws
I used the burris siginature
zee rings
on weaver bases.It worked on my 416 rem mag for 1600 shots without moving.I have not had my muzzlebreak come loose but the nail polish might work on there too.I have shot one of my guns about 400 times mostly with 350 gr bullets.I got 2850 with the 300 gr serria bullets with 100 grs of reloader 25 powder.I didnt want to get much hotter.I would start around 96 grs and work up.I could only use 109 grs of reloader 25 with the 250 grs bullets.I saw an article with loads up to 114.I shot one load with 112grs with a 250 nosler.It clocked 3250 fps but my bolt would not open.I had loaded only 5 rounds.I bbacked down to 110 and I still had an ejector mark.My favorite load is now 109 grs with about any of the 250 gr bullets but i like Nosler partitions best .They are accurate .I shot a .25" group at 100 yards and just about an inch at 300 yards.I use a 5.5x 16 power Nikon on one of my Weatherbys and a 6.5x20 Nikon..I like the 6.5x20 best because I dont have to carry my spotting scope .I use my binoculars to spot something then use the 20 power scope to look up close.I just wonder how far these guys on here drag these 20 pound guns they have.My rig with the 6.5x20 nikon is under 10 pounds loaded.I put a spongey sling and kane gun chaps on it.It protects the gun and is a little warmer than fiberglass stock.I let a 11 year friends son shoot caribou with it .He shot two caribou with 1 shot at 450 yards.It was an accident but he had two tags so it didnt matter.I find myself almost always hunting with these rifles unless its thick brush.Then I get my 416 rem mag out.

 

[sniper2]

I have a friend who has 4 one is a mk5wby and the others are #1 rugers with 30" Hart Barrels which also have brakes and shoot great and are shorter than the mk5.I'm not in love with Wbys but have some friends that own them and theirs shoot really good.I do know that wby didn't stand behind their product, a friend purchased a 30/378 wby that wouldn't shoot a 2" group at 100yds, he sent it back but wby would not make it good and they could have made it right with no injury to themselves.I don't believe any of the "Smiths" on this board would even let a rifle out of their shop that shot as lousey as 'ol Cokeman's 30/378wby.!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[dgr416]

I love those Weatherby 338-378s I have because they are light,accurate,dependable and I must have gotten the ones with good triggers .They both have around 3 pound triggers.I think that some of the Accumarks were made in Maine by SACO like mine were.They are put together better than the ones that are built now or something.I have had no problems with mine.I would not have bought a second one if I had problems.The winchester model 70s I bought a 416 Express Rifle and a 338 Stainless model 70s were a pain in the ***.The 416 rem mag winchester blew a piece of the bolt off the second shot.That kinda scared me.I bought the 338 model 70 stainless.It rusted before I shot it would not feed and the scope screws were drilled crooked.I had to replace the follower,spring and floor place to make it work.I bought two remington 700 Big Game Rifles in 416 rem mag.I had to replace the entire trigger gaurd,follower,spring and floor plate.I still dont trust The winchesters or Remingtons in a bind.I trust the the Weatherbys and Ruger 77 s I have fully they have never failed me.