Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles A question for the Weatherby guys

Good Morning. I recently purchased a new to me Weatherby Mark vUltralightweight in 270Win. It was built according to the factory in 2000. They couldn’t tell me if the stock was HS Precision or Bell and Carlson? Thoughts? Also I’ve done some research on to bed and free float or not? What do you guys think? Thank you

Not sure on the stock but i would certainly shoot it first and see how it groups before doing any bedding... it probably does not need it

If it looks like this one, it's a B&C.

That’s it. Thank you. I have shot it. With factory ammunition. Killed a couple deer with it this year. The range sessions are long because of the barrel. I can’t wait to try some handloads. It’s a joy to carry. I’ve free floated and bedded all my rifles but I read somewhere that these line a pressure point on the barrel. Thanks guys

Have that exact rifle/stock in .243 Win. Needed no bedding tweaking. All 5 shot 100 yd groupings have been under 3/4" to date.

I've had a few ULW's over the years and they all show moa or less. Only 1 was bedded and done prior to me buying so don't know if it was really needed. The ULW's all have B&C stocks. For bedding, I believe Weatherby states not to bed fully if at all.

I have a Weatherby Ultra Lightweight 338-06 and have fooled with my son's in 30-06. In both cases each was fairly accurate as they came from the factory , around 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" 3-shot groups @ 100yds, but I new they could do better. I bedded both and also removed and replaced the factory pressure point. In both cases the groups dropped to around 1" to 1/1/4 but this time they were 5-shot groups. Bedding the action seemed to help a little but the biggest improvement was from pressure point being applied accurately with even pressure on the barrel.

The factory pressure point is comprised of two small pads, one on each side of the barrel channel. In each of the rifles I had/have both had one of the pads putting more pressure on one side of the barrel than the other. I removed the factory pads and use Devcon bedding to build a pad that accurately matched my barreled action with even upward pressure. With that work done both rifles improved significantly.

These Weatherby Ultra Lightweights are the only rifles I have ever owned that shot better with a pressure point vs a fully floated barrel. The factory stocks are very stiff and I think that lets you get by with the pressure point while the stock is just stiff enough that normal hand pressure used in shooting from the bench or in field position does not put undue pressure on the barrel.

Both the .270 Wby MkV Ultralights I had shot sub-MOA without the pressure points.

I understand the pressure point thing a little but I understand free floating better. If that makes sense. The pressure points just seem to variable to me. I can’t explain it. To me it’s like your tractor is making a noise and you hit the crank pulley with a hammer the noise stops. The pressure points to me are the hammer. I always thought that free floating only had positive results. Thanks guys

I have a 257 Wby mag mark V ultralight have not touched the barrel. After the barrel break in, It has shot half inch groups for about 20 years now.

Nice score. I handled one of those in SS and .30/06, probably around 2000, and was very impressed by the fit and handling. IIRC, the price was $695. Tan or brown spiderweb stock.

Free float & bed is never a step backwards.

No expert here but I have had .308, .30-06, .270, .280, and two .240s as well as a ,22-250 Super Predatormaster. I still have the .270 and .280. All have shot well with the exception of one .240 without any modifications to bedding. I only shot one of the .240s and it drove me nuts. Unmodified it would shoot great then terrible. I freed and bedded to no avail. The metal chassis with the B&C seemed counter to what it should when I bedded the front of the receiver and barrel shank and freefloated. Though supported from the bedding, without the pressure point when tightening the actions screws the front of the barrel would change heights in the stock. I just struggled with it and finally roaded it and sold the other .240 prior to shooting when someone wanted it more than I.

Overall, I have had very good luck with them and think weight and balance are close to perfect for me. I've made several shots on yotes and deer in the 300 to just short of 500 yards with the .270 and .280. I think you'll be pleased and I would definitely try it before doing any bedding.

chain....
Ok, welcome to Roy World, Pretty Sweet,,,,, you did Good, and it looks as though your Rifle was Built in the USA, and Weatherby was using Bell & Carlson as their Stock Supplier in those days as well..... (see attached)
Lj

Thanks guys. I’m hoping it turns out to be a good one. I have some Hornady brass loaded. It’s new brass so it might be a couple range sessions to find the sweet spot.

I bought a Wby ULW Mk V in 7mm Wby a dozen years ago or so. It shoots many loads really well, but mostly only with the lighter-to-mid bullets because of the unfortunate 1-10" twist Wby decided to put on it.

So, I decided to replace my foray into the 7mm Wby world by buying a couple 6.5-300 Wbys instead.

I gave the 7mm ULW to my son, who really liked it, to be his primary hunting rifle. Its groups seemed to open up a bit as it got hot, which is nothing abnormal, but I decided to free-float it and put a bit of a heavier stock on it to reduce the recoil for my son, even though he didn't really mind it. In any event, I dropped it into one of these:

https://www.bellandcarlson.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=1067

We haven't really shot it enough since then to identify whether or not it helps, but it does shoot well in that so far.

Good Morning. I thought I’d give everyone an update. Finally got scope mounted and went to the range yesterday. Rifle shot great. I was at the range for awhile waiting 5 mins between shots to keep the barrel cool. I know I didn’t see the rifle’s true potential but I did shoot many groups in the .6’s. I was shooting 150 Partitions the only powders I have are Reloader-22 and H-1000. The H-1000 was slightly better. This was with virgin Hornady brass. I think or I hope I can shrink the groups a bit with the fire formed brass and neck sizing. I will say these lightweights shoot a little different than my old ‘06. Thanks for all the help guys and Thanks Chris for selling me that great scope.

I have one of this style in a 308. it is skim bedded and floated , shoots very very well as in under half MOA .. with hand loads don't know that I've ever fired a factory around through it. I bought it on the cheap cuz somebody said it wouldn't shoot. they had stuck a shim under The recoil lug and they were correct when I got it it would not shoot so I worked it over and it is so near perfection for me...
just keep in mind when experimenting with loads or siding in that barrel is mighty thin and heat is your enemy.. shooting fairly fast mind will put 2 in the same hole third one's pretty close then things go to [bleep].
keep the barrel cool and it shoots like I said less than half moa.

Roger that. It’s my first Weatherby and my first lightweight rifle. It is a pleasure to carry. To shoot as well now that I’m going on the right direction. Thanks guys

Not always my friend. In some cases it is.