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

Just got word of yet another catastrophic failure of a Mk V action with same maker's factory ammo.

In one case, the bolt blew out the back. In this case, the guts of the bolt blew out the back. BAD!

Shooter is crippled for life but lucky to be alive.

Do you know of any other such failure? I'd appreciate details.

I've only heard second hand stories of catastrophic failures, but I have seen case failures and blown primers with factory ammo in Weatherby Mark V's during the 1970's when I was a rangemaster.

There was a recent thread about a fellow who had a 300 MkV set the lugs back using factory ammo, but he admitted he was a long range shooter who also handloaded with this gun. He claimed his non- Weatherby authorized gunsmith determined he actually stretched the action.

Last he posted, actually Weatherby posted, they received the gun back and were going to allow the owner to decide if he would tell us if it was a Weatherby issue, or shooter issue.

This was a custom built rebarreled long range rifle, and the gunsmith who built it said it was stretched. Many readers , through his disclosures, determined from Shooter he had no reason to believe the action was stretched and it well could be a improperly headspaced / overload causing his issues.

Allen

In all the Mk V failures that I know of, handloads had never been used � only factory ammo.

Aren't Weatherby factory loads actually loaded hot and leave little room for any rifle structural weakness?
g

Holy Crud!! I have two Mk V rifles, 1) an ultra-light in .30-06 and 2) a factory custom, black stainless, Fibermark in .280 Remington (7mm Express). Not sure I want to keep them now.

get a helmet.

With a steel face mask.

What rifles are these in ?? the old Sauer actions, or the newer Japanese actions?? i'm asking because i have a older German built mark 5 in 300. Don

Be careful Hawk. Probably a once in a blue moon occurance, but if your luck is like mine...

No Light Magnum loads in those two, at any rate, that's for sure.

I like those rifles. I don't own one though.

How common is this? 5 out of 1 million?

Any common denominators to the failures? caliber, steel used, place of manufacture?

JM.

Bet you didn't know you could develope a flinch over the interent!

Exactly.

You learn something new every day!

I've got a Mark V 300 and ain't one little bit skeered to shoot her, with factory ammo or my own loads.

Hmmm...I always thought the Mark V was THE strongest action, with those nine locking lugs. Least that's what they bragged for years. Metallurgical problems? Sure would be interesting to see the parts, although I suspect several lawyers are guarding them.

Marc,

Can I have your guns and hunting gear if something were to happen?

Hmmmm alway liked the ballistics of the .270 Weatherby. Maybe I can now get a deal on one, from somebody.

she will sell you her's for a good price.