i love my model 700's but....

[littletoes]

I have a 300 Weatherby Mag, in a Mark V action, built on the Accumark design. A beautiful rifle, no doubt.

Weatherby was one of the first to come out with the fluted barrel design, which is copied now by the Remington Sendero, and several others. Very inovative, it creates more surface area, creating a better cooling sorface, not to mention its COOL.

Several of my friends have Tactical rifles that have this same design, worth a few thousand dollars. Most are GAP's and Surgeon's, but there are other manufactures there also.

What I'm thinking, it would take a talented 'Smith, but I'm wondering if the Mark V action would make a great .338 Lapua? I haven't looked at the bolt faces of either cartrige, and the Weatherby action IS one of the strongest going, with an insanely over-kill bolt.

Why not customize one? Just find a smith with talent enough to WANT to tackle it! Oh, and have the money....... 

[WDFW-SUX]

You mean something like this

http://www.weaverrifles.com/Rifles/30-378Weatherby/30-378Weatherby.htm

[jeepasaurusrex]

I shoot a Howa 1500 in .270 win. Out of the box it is more accurate than my Dad's 700 SPS. I have owned it for 15yrs and have had no issues with it. I have taken Deer, Elk, and Bear with it. My best distance/group with it was 3.5" @ 500yds.  At 100yds it will shoot sub 1/4 MOA groups all day long with some factory ammo. It doesn't like Federal Ammo. It will shoot Remington Core-Loct the best. The last trip to the range with hand loads, I achieved my best grouping with some 130gr Barnes TSX.  We have a bunch of 150gr Ballistic Silver Tips loaded up I cant wait to try.
 

[257 Wby Mag]

I know the major difference was 2-lugs vs 7-lugs on the bolt.  I loved my Vanguard.  It was my first deer sized rifle in .25-06 and it was a shooter.  It was the older generation manufactured in Japan with the fancy stock and it was heavy.  I used that rifle for deer, elk, and coyotes until it was stolen a few years ago.  One day I will replace it just to have one to shoot.  The way I use my hunting rifles though I am sure a fan of synthetic stocks.

Vanguards have 2 lugs, Mark V Weatherby Magnums, except the 240, have 9 lugs, the 240 and rem and win mags, 270, 30-06,etc have 6 lugs.

Some hate em, some love em, kinda like binocs,scopes, trucks or women. If you're gonna go custom, model 700 is THE way to go. Matter of fact, I picked up a older ADL the other day in 30-06 for my 240 Weatherby donar.

Lets see some factory Remington mountain rifle's that'll group 5 factory loaded rounds like this.. grin...

Stinkin Weatherby Sympathizer....I've got a factory Remmie that'll give your Roy Toy a run for its money....I'll bring it when I come up.

 Roy Toy!!! Thats a goodun Joe!! I've had a couple remingtons that are nippin on its heals too... Your gonna be chasin bulls here pretty quick huh? Later

[Bofire]

Squaring, surfacing and truing a two lug action is expensive and often  messed up, doing the same thing with a 9 lug action? I have read an evalutation that showed less then 50% contact with the multi-lug actions, I would guess it is possible but very, very expensive.

If I were to do another custom rifle tomorrow it would be on a Remington 700 action or one of the custom actions( there are lots of them), the Mark 5 action is marketing at its best, insanely strong?? not. Most two lug actions are far superior.
Carl

[FOsteology]

I agree with Carl.

[littletoes]

Carl,

ah, perhaps...but there are a few three and four lug actions out there doing some amazing things, but you would have to read about what they are doing in europe to know.

Don't dicount the Weatherby, it has no problem containing the 378, or 460. Imagine if you will, not having nine, but three larger, thicker lugs?
I agree with what you say, about the "hype", but the action is strong, not the strongest, I think that nomination goes to the jap rifle of ww II.

Make it easy? Lap the lugs in, have 100% contact. It just takes time.

[MountainWalk]

The Arisaka type 99 is quite brutally strong, but also brutally ugly and clumsy.  I don't think you could pay me to buy a Mark 5? action.

[Jekemi]

I recently purchased a Weatherby Vanguard .270. I have a Nikon scope on it. The groups were very tight. The gun has a great feel, heft, and is built like a tank. Nothing fancy but simply designed to shoot straight even after thousands of rounds. I did quite a bit of research before buying the rifle, the only rifle I own for deer. I'd love a Remington 700 or Kimber, TC, etc. but for the price you can't beat the Vanguard. Since purchasing it I've looked around for aftermarket parts and there are a ton. Next for me is a new dark gray camo pattern stock. They can be had for as little as $180 if you look around. Paid $399 for the gun. You can get one with SS barrel for a little more.  Can you say Value?

[jdb]

Between my dad and I we have owned 4 700's all great shooters after a little tweaking, beded, floated, trigger tuned. I owned one howa rifle that I took the time to break in and it would shoot well below moa with remanufactored blackhills ammo. A good friend ownes a howa 22-250 that is also a very accurate rifle much more so than his markX wheatherby. JB

[257 Wby Mag]

The Arisaka type 99 is quite brutally strong, but also brutally ugly and clumsy.  I don't think you could pay me to buy a Mark 5? action.

Now we all have our opinions, but that, is probally the most idiotic thing you've wrote!! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I doubt people are gonna be waiting in line to pay you, to take a Mark V action. Stick to your 03A3's, enfeilds,Ariska's, blah, blah, blah.

[MountainWalk]

Awefully touchy aren't we 257?  Guess you never heard of a figure of speech? No?

For the record I like Rugers, Mausers and Savages. blah blah blah.

[257 Wby Mag]

Awefully touchy aren't we 257?  Guess you never heard of a figure of speech? No?

For the record I like Rugers, Mausers and Savages. blah blah blah.

And thats fine, but to say you wouldn't have one if somebody GAVE you one?? So, since you have so much experience with the Mark V action, whats wrong with it? I want to hear from YOUR own experiences, not something you googled or read outta Feild and Stream...

[MountainWalk]

I don't really use google much, not even google earth,, dial up doesnt work so well.

All the WBY's Ive ever handled were way too heavy. I really am not a fan of the extra full pistol grip, nor the 45 degree fore end tips. I also don't like the racey "CAlifornina" style stocks. They cost way too much to not get much extra. That, and I'm just not a fan of WBY calibers. Satisfactory?


Im not much into "accurizing" rifles. I don't buy rifles to do tons of work on them. Factory rifles suit me fine. The teeniest tiniest groups dont really excite me either. I like good solid from the factory hunting accuracy. Now if I were to build one of these types rifles, I wouldnt start with a WBY.

Now, if someone paid me to have one, I would immediatly sell it to someone who liked them.

[257 Wby Mag]

Soooo, now that you have the cosmetic issues outta the way, whats wrong with the action? I can't beleive they would be any heavier than any of the controlled round feed actions you've mentioned. They do make a model thats 63/4 lbs, magnum that is, with a 26'' snout.. Satisfactory??