Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Why not a Weatherby?

As I stated in the Howa thread I posted earlier, I'm on a quest for a light weight hunting rifle. It doesn't matter if it's a long or short action, but I would prefer short.

Anyhow, after reading several threads and posting several threads, I don't hear much mention of Weatherby rifles other than Vanguards.

A decade ago, I owned a Weatherby Super Big Game Master; now known as the Ultra Light in 300Win Mag. The rifle had the best stock I'd ever held in my hands; it did a great job of soaking up the magnum recoil, the rifle was light weight and it shot factory fodder into a 1.5" group @ 100yds....nothing to bitch about other than being overpriced.

So all things considered, especially the Ultra Light's weight; why don't I hear more about the "upper tier" Weatherby rifles on the Fire?

Lot of Weatherby haters on here I've got three ultra lightweights and love them especially My 280 until my wife laid claim to it.

Have 4 Weatherby's and never considered selling even one. Actually thinking of taking them with me when I go.

Why not? As a kid it was mostly a case of could not afford one. Now I'm old and that's not an issue.

I'm a big fan of the Bee cartridges and use them often. I perfer the early FN actioned rifles and customs built on Rem. 700 actions. I would like to try a ultra light in 270 if I can find one at a decent price. I have seven rifles chambered now in Bee cartridges.

I have a u-light mark V in .25-06, great gun. I wasn't a zealot / looney it would still be my go to gun.

Great lightweight rifles, too bad that they can't make a %@$^&ing non-magnum ultra-lightweight for us lefties...

Too stupid for their own good, just like Winchester, Kimber, Remington..

I love the feel of The MKV Ultralight, I tried half a dozen or so before I gave up on the idea as I never could find one that would shoot MOA.....I think any rifle in this upper tier price range should easily do that, My Ultralights seemed to shoot more like 2 MOA.......unacceptable in My opinion..........Good luck.......Hb

A hunting part of mine has a Lightweight/SBGM in 7mm Rem Mag. He had a heck of a time getting it to shoot good. Kinda turned me off to them, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't own one. Just other rifles I'd buy first.

And they're a little pricey. Kind of on the upper edge of what I'd pay for a production rifle.

I got my first Weatherby (a Vanguard, on sale) and then read the book about Roy's history...then I bought 2 Mark V's... I think they are fine rifles and if I had more room in the gun safe I would buy another one (the Laser-guard by Cabela's)...but I think some folks hate Weatherby and some like 'em...I don't meet to many shooters in between.

I shoot the Weatherby cartridges, but only one in a Weatherby. They are accurate and put game down.

I did have a .308 ULW that didn't shoot well. My .257 in a ULW shoots just fine.

The nicest weatherby rifle I ever saw was one of the original Weatherby rifles that was built off of a sporterized m1917. Roy started off building on this type of platform way back in the day and they sure were beautiful rifles. That's the only Weatherby rifle I'd buy...

Weatherby? I think I've heard of them. Do they make rifles?

I find the WBY ultra-lights harder to shoot off-hand than other brands. With that heavy action they have to shave weight somewhere, and those barrels are thin and fluted. I've owned one in 338-06 and one in 30-06 and both shot good groups though.
I'm a huge fan of the look and feel of the wood/blued Mark V's, and I've had several. But, I just prefer SS/Syn for our rainy elk seasons, and prefer a lighter rifle also. If my hunting consisted of road hunting, or sitting in a tree stand a gorgeous Weatherby Mark V would make more sense.

I have a couple of MKV's, and have owned a few Vanguards,all shot well. My favorite is this German MKV in 270 WBY caliber.It now wears a Leupold 3x9 Compact.

My solution to the lightweight rifle quest took a turn on Black Friday. Walmart had Rem ADL 700's on sale w/ rebates and I could not resist. So I bought a .243 Win youth model (net $266.60). I have since traded the stock for a full size, lightened the trigger to 3#, floated the barrel and added a Leupold VX-1 3-9 in Burris mounts (traded the stock scope for some brass). I have less than $450 in the rifle w/scope, it weighs right at 7# and shoots anything I have tried from 58gr Vmax's to 100gr BTSP's into an inch and loads it really likes into 1/2"(or less). The barrel is a standard contour 20" long. I think that a shorter stiffer barrel is more accurate than a longer whippy one. I'm sure I give up around 100fps from a 24" tube but so what? Its not for everyone I'm sure and certainly not pretty with the camo plastic stock but I'm really enjoying it and have been shooting the heck out of it.

I've owned and shot a number of Weatherbys over the past dozen years, and all have been at least adequately accurate, and most very accurate.

The Ultra Lightweights tend to be more accurate in smaller calibers, probably because the smaller hole makes the barrel stiffer. Had a .240 ULW that averaged between 1/2 and 3/4" for 3-shot groups with about any load. Right now have a 7mm Wby. Magnum ULW that's not that accurate with every load, but does well under an inch with the right load, including Weatherby factory ammo with the 160 Nosler Partition.

I have nothing against Weatherby rifles as long as they're not in a Weatherby stock.

The Vanguards are good rifles ...not made by Weatherby.


As for Mark Vs I would invite you to buy one, and find out for yourself.....

Same here.

The only one I seen that held by attention for more than a minute was one made in late 50s on Shultz & Larsen Magnum action. I must have been dreaming of my youth and Hans Christian Andersen. Anyhow unfortunately it was chambered for .378 Magnum.