Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Weatherby Experiences

Looking closely at a Weathermark Mark V for a 6.5 Creed mid range hunting platform. Handled one in a different caliber recently, and everything looked top notch. Super smooth action, great trigger. One thing kinda caught my eye, though- apparently Weatherby intentionally engineers a contact point between the stock and barrel towards the front end of the stock to improve accuracy on light sporter profile rifles. I know they know more about barrel harmonics than I ever will, but this just seems counterintuitive to everything I've ever learned about rifles- any pressure on a barrel can and will change with different rests, conditions or temperatures and inconsistency equals loss of accuracy.

So, who has experience with this? Accurate across a range of conditions as is, or would it be worthwhile to consider removing that contact point and bedding the action to the stock instead? How far do I make it on the idiocy scale for entertaining the idea of taking a dremel to the stock of a $1200 rifle? Thanks for any input.

Calling Fotis, come in Fotis...




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I cant chime in on the higher end stuff but I do have a Vanguard S2 in 25-06. It was pretty easy to get a sub MOA load worked up for it with Barnes TTSX. I still think it is the most rifle you can get for 479 to 499. Stock feels like a rifle stock, trigger is great and the action is VERY smooth. No plastic trigger guards or safeties either.

I have an Accumark in .270win and the gun is ridiculously accurate. It makes me look like Im good at shooting. Its my confidence hunting rifle.

I had both of my Mk V’s “speed bumps” cut out. Both rifles, 7 Wby UL & 280 UL are extremely accurate after the sanding & bedding, not so prior. Both are repeatable & predictable in accuracy with several bullet weights. The 280 UL is especially comfortable to shoot & carry.

Your concern is quite valid. I have only seen two Wby’s that actually preferred the pressure point, both were 300 Wby’s. I have worked with about a dozen MK V’s other than my five.

I’ve had several, all shot well.

Weatherby and a bunch of others use speed bumps. Shoot the rifle first. If your going to take a dremel to the stock then be prepared to bed the front lug correctly. I lost count of the number of Mark V's I have owned , only one was a problem and it had nothing to do with accuracy and that was 20 years ago. Weatherby replaced it.

I've owned and hunted with Weatherbys my entire life. They are well made, accurate rifles but I recognize they are not for everybody and if you go to the expense of owning one, get it a Weatehrby caliber.

So now that's my decision... do I want to spend that kind of money on a rifle that I know has a potential design flaw that I may have to "fix?" Not that doing a bedding job is a big deal- I've gotten my Marine Tex and Kiwi shoe polish technique down pretty well at this point. Tough call, though. Several other rifles that are close to the same price point do not share such a concern (Bergara Premier Mountain, Barrett Fieldcraft) but have Remington 700 style two position safeties which I don't like, and I've never been able to find either to see in person. Decisions, decisions.

Interesting perspective. Why would you recommend against getting one in a mainstream caliber? I'll never shoot more than 500 yards at game, and 6.5 Creed gives perfectly acceptable performance at a price point that fits my budget.

Prolly shouldn't even comment since I've never owned a Weatherby...But, for a few years around here I did very well with a plain jane model 70 .308 that was a real sleeper at the local turkey shoots. Then along came a couple fellows moved into the area, one with a .257 Wby and one with a .300 Wby (with a barrel contour about the size of a buggy whip). They routinely spanked my ass with them cannons. I got no beef with the Creed, I love mine, but don't underestimate the proprietary calibers in Weatherby.

......................Well imo, I think you would be well or better served if you can acquire a newer Sheridan Wyoming version of the Weathermark now on their site. Made a few improvements.

I have an Accumark chambered in 338-378. She is one accurate and booming piece using the best reloads she likes....On the heavy side but dats ok....

If ya go to the Bee site they have a Q&A section there which will answer your barrel free float and pressure point questions. Basically the heavier #3 contour barrels are free floated such as my Accumark, while the #2 and thinner tubes require a contact or pressure point in order to combat their tendency to be a little more whippy (barrel harmonics) than the heavier #3 barrels............

If my buddy makes me a good enough offer (he wants my Accumark), then I will replace it with one of the new and improved Wyoming MK5 Bees. .

I have a 2006 model Mark V in 270 Weatherby and it is very accurate, 3 shots touching on the average day with Weatherby Ammo. I have a late 1980's Vanguard deluxe in 270 Weatherby that recently put 5 shots in the same hole that could be covered with a nickel. My Vanguard S2 in 300 Weatherby is another that is scary accurate 3 shots under a dime with weatherby brand ammo. So I cannot complain one bit. I have not tried any handloads out of any of them as the $36.00 dollar a box Weatherby select ammo shoots really well.


The Mark V and the Vanguard deluxe are both bedded and barrels are floated ( bought both of them used that way). The 300 Weatherby is straight out of the box, no bedding and there is a slight pressure point. Can't find a reason to mess with it.

I’ve owned several Wby Mk Vs over the years and all were very good shooting rifles. My son owns one of the UL models in 270Win and it’s a great shooting rig. Handles several bullets in different weights and shoots amazingly small groups for such a light rig.
My old buddy Jorge is a Wby purist, he can’t stand a Wby cartridge in anything but their rifles, and can’t own a Wby rifle chambered to anything but one of their cartridges!

I'm justifying spending this amount of dineros by seeing the bedding idea as a backup- I'll shoot it, see if it achieves the tiny little Weatherby groups you often hear about, and if not, bust out my dremel and Marine Tex.



I do wish dearly I could afford to feed a rifle in a Weatherby-specific cartridge... a guy can dream.

OXN939,do you handload?

I feel the exact same way. The only standard cartridge I ever owned in a Mark V was a 280 in the 6lug.

Again very few rifles do not have a foreend tip when they are put in a synthetic stock. These manufacturers will not bother putting in a dab of epoxy behind the lug. Bergara Premier Mountain, Barrett Fieldcraft are layed up stocks. If you can afford a new Weathermark then you surely can afford a weatherby specific cartridge.

The stock on any rifle is so easy to replace. My new Sako 85 is the second of two to have its factory stock turn into a sticky mess. The barreled actions, being the business center of the guns, are the finest commercial rifles I own. I have one custom stocked & the other soon to be. These are near $1600 each & should never have had any issues.

No way I would pass on the gun over a stock problem.

Spot on !