Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire another Mark V catastrophe

Yep. It was helpful.

Here is a fact: 35 years ago as a fulltime rangemaster I observed blown primers and case head seperations of Weatherby Ammunition shot in Weatherby MkV rifles by nonhandloading shooters. Not a rumor or story, an observed finding.

This has been an ongoing problem that Weatherby has not corrected.

John it didn't happen today. I took my Mark V out after Mass and sighted it in with my deer load. No muss no fuss, it's normal .5 at 100 with that load.

On another forum for shooters several years ago � right after my .220 Howell was introduced � the site's reigning oracle condemned the cartridge in exaggerated terms and crazy assumptions, with absolutely no facts of its design or performance. When I supplied facts and rationale, I became the wet hound at the ladies' tea by unanimous vote of his worshipers. According to his worshipers, he was infallible because he was a competition champion. Never mind that at that time, I knew more about the cartridge than anybody else on the planet.

I do mot believe the Howa action par of this statement. I do believe the actions beginning was the Vorie action for the Vangard action. If that causes some head scratching, it should. You would have to reach back to th early 1960's.

Note the distinction between an event and an allegation �

You'll never hit a target that's north of you by shooting west.

(Au contraire, mon Frere, I have been televised and photographed ad nauseam. And several Campfire folks have seen me � one has hugged me, and another has kissed me. I ain't sayin' who, so eat your heart out and conjecture and opine to your heart's content!)





"You didn't actually see my client bite the plaintiff's ear off, did you?"

"Naw, suh � but I seen 'im spit it out."

Mr. Howell, is there a way the original post should be read other than it appears?

As I read the post, it appears that your are presenting events you know to be facts.

Did you intend to post a rumor, instead? FWIW, Dutch.

Prezactely

In plain English, "Just got word" means that I'd just gotten word of an alleged event.

Not that I'd seen it happen.

Not that I knew it to be so.

Not that I'd confirmed it.

"Do you know of any other such failure?" was a question.

"I'd appreciate details" meant that I needed more information.

Ought to be clear enough.

Do you know any OTHER old gun writers that are azzhats?

Raise your hand if you ever have done the following
-been a working/paid firearms designer for a mainstream manufacturer?
-written a technical manual on designing wildcat cartridges?
-been able to call Elmer Keith, Jack O'connor, P.O. Ackley, colleagues, friends?
-written at any length professionally on in depth balllistics of numerous cartridges?
-professionally consulted for major ammunition manufacturers?



To my knowledge there is only one poster who can raise his hand to all of these? Dr. Ken Howell
Perhaps some who would question a persons knowledge should first know the source a tad better.



Its is better to be silent and thought the fool, then open ones mouth and remove all doubt.

I got word from not one but several people, some of whom I know and consider to be credible.

Y'all got the same word from me.

So?

Hence the reason folks would take on 'face value' that he actually had INSIDE info on what happened and that it did in fact happen.

But of course he has no knowledge of that and now enjoys lambasting folks that apparently didn't attend the same grammar classes.

Red herring comes to mind.

I wonder what Weatherby is doing to combat (1) the alledged problem, and (2) assure potential buyers that all is OK?

What he said he had INSIDE information on was that a certain contractor who loaded ammo had concerns over the levels of some loads that were spec'd to them.
He said he was told this in confidence and doesn't want to betray what a trusted person asked to keep private.
However I would wager if Ken were to find out the unsafe conditons DID exist, or that there perhaps was an occurance of injury, he would likely be prompted to do something about it.
Hence perhaps the fishing question at the begining of the thread asking if anyone else had any information?

How else would like him to have handled something?



Monday morning quaterbacking.

I would wager perhaps thats why Ken decided to bring this thread into existence.

"Sir, what went through your mind the first time you fired your Mark V?"


"The bolt".

I wouldn't expect the first round out of the rifle to do it. The vast majority of reports that I've gotten attest that the Weatherby Mark V handles very hot ammo very well, usually for a very long time (very many rounds).

One report that I got said that the first round that was fired that day, from a new box of ammo, blew the guts out of the bolt into the shooter's face. I would NOT assume from that report that the rifle had never been fired before.

If the reports of failure are indeed creditable, the problem seems to comprise two discrete parts coming together in tragic combination � (a) action flaw and (b) terribly excessive pressures.

Why would any firearms manufacturer or ammo manufacturer or ammo retailer or wholesaler want ammo loaded past SAAMI specs given that the folks who buy factory ammo ain't the sort to chronograph loads ? The customer would never know he was getting " high performance " stuff .

The nine locking lugs are similar in design to " Acme " threads encountered on stuff designed to handle really high tension loads exactly like the load a rifle bolt experiences . The threads on drill pipe tool joints come to mind as well as " buttress " threads on other pipe designed to be run downhole .

As far as the thread from the wby website where the guy experiencing tight bolt lift says he and his Dad have " fired over 800 rounds of factory ammo in preperation for their upcoming hunt " ---------- that's 2000 bucks worth of ammo .

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm !

So?

Are you, then, in the dark and ignorant of the facts, as you claim, or are you presenting facts, as you claim?

We've gone from light to dark back and now back to enlightened. Please forgive me, but English IS my second language, and I find it impossible to discern from your writing WHAT the value of the information is you are presenting us with.

Is this a rifle problem? Is this an ammo problem? Are non WBY brand rifles chambered in WBY cartridges blowing up with WBY ammo? Are WBY rifles chambered in NON-wby cartridges blowing up? What are we to take to heart from your post? FWIW, Dutch.