Several years ago, when the short fats (.300 WSM) and long fat (.300 RUM) were developed, there was so much publicity that I thought belted cartridges and rimless cartridges like the .30-06 would soon be things of the past.
My favorite cartridges have long been the various Weatherby cartridges, although I did sell my .300 Wth. and buy a .300 RUM.
I wrote to Weatherby, advising them that belted brass would soon be obsolete, and suggesting they design a line of Beltless Weatherby Magnums. I suggested the .300 RUM case as a starting point, with a case the same length of the 7 MM, .270, and .257 Weatherbys. For the larger calibers, .30 and up, I suggested a case similiar to the full length .300 RUM.
The difference I suggested was that the shoulder be distinctive radious shape on Weatherby cartridges, instead of the present shape.
Surprise, Surprise, one day I received a telephone call from a Weatherby vice president, thanking me for the suggtestion.
We talked a few minutes, then he said that the radioused shoulder on Weatherby cartridges would not work if the case was rimless. He went on to explain that a rimless case of this design would not headspace on the radioused shoulder.
But, he did thank me for thinking of Weatherby, and said that they would welcome any suggestions I came up with.
While I had him on the phone, I suggested that the .460 Weatherby was too heavy and had too much recoil for most people (including me). I suggested a smaller case, with the capability of moving a 500 grain bullet about 2300 to 2400 FPS.
This would be for people who hunt DG, but do not want the recoil and weight of the .460. It could be built on the same action as the .300 and .340, at a considerable saving of weight.
He said they had been thinking along those lines, also. Imigine my surprise when the Mark V was introduced in .458 Lott.
The Lott case is not the design I suggested, but it works just as well, maybe better. I suggested the .300, 340, and .375 case size and shape be necked up to .458.
But, getting back to the original post, apparantly the radioused shoulder will not work on a beltless case, so if you want a Weatherby cartridge, you will have to put up with the belt.
I have, since 1963, when I got my first Weatherby, and it doesn't keep me awake at night fretting about it. I would rather have a belted Weatherby than no Weatherby at all.
