Weatherby Mark V stock question

[Pathfinder101]

I have a Weatherby Mark V in .300 Wby Mag that I rarely shoot, because to be honest, the thing kicks like an epileptic rhino.  I think I am going to restock it with a synthetic stock and a Limbsaver buttpad.
I found one for sale, but it came off a .257 Wby Mag.  So, what I am wondering is; will it fit my .300?  I assume that a long action is a long action, and they should swap out, but I thought I would check here and see if anyone knows for sure before I buy it.

[jackelope]

muzzle brake.

[jackelope]

i think you'd be better off with a limbsaver pad on a wood stock than on a synthetic if you don't want to brake it....
there are some brakes out there that are not so loud...
mine is not too bad without ears on in a hunting situation.

[Pathfinder101]

I inherited the gun from my dad, who bought it new back in the late 60s, so it's got sentimental value, and I don't want to take the original stock apart to put a new buttpad on it.  Same thing with a muzzle brake. 
I used to have a 300 Win Mag with a muzzle brake.  It was not pleasant to shoot without hearing protection. 

[jackelope]

a new pad would require removing and reinstalling 2 screws...
 

[mossback91]

I have a Weatherby Mark V in .300 Wby Mag that I rarely shoot, because to be honest, the thing kicks like an epileptic rhino. 

 

[Pathfinder101]

a new pad would require removing and reinstalling 2 screws...
 

I must be a retard... what screws?  Where?  The thing looks glued on to me.

[jackelope]

you might not be a tard...but usually there's 2 screws holding those pads on...never seen one glued on. look on the flat part of the pad and you should see a little hole on each end of the pad. stick a phillips screwdriver in those holes a little ways and you should find a screw in there somewhere....leftie loosie, righty tighty...  who knows with weatherbys though, they might be glued on.

[jackelope]

maybe they are glued on....based on what i'm reading.
google is my friend.

[gramps]

I have a Mark V in .257 Wby..wood stock.  You can drop your action in my stock if you want to check, but I think they are  the same.  let me know.

[Huntbear]

Before using a screwdriver to remove any screws, put a bit of wax or liquid soap on the screwdriver shaft.  That way it will rotate easier against the rubber material, and not tear up your pad, old one or new one.  The holes can sometimes be hard to find, if it was installed right the first time.  Since the rubber closes up on itself to hide the slit that was cut to allow the screws.  There may be some final fitting of the pad after it is put on, but nothing anyone with any ability at all can not tackle.

[Jamieb]

The actions are the same for a 257wby and a 300wby. If the barrel Dia. is the same then the stock will work.

[Pathfinder101]

you might not be a tard...but usually there's 2 screws holding those pads on...never seen one glued on. look on the flat part of the pad and you should see a little hole on each end of the pad. stick a phillips screwdriver in those holes a little ways and you should find a screw in there somewhere....leftie loosie, righty tighty...  who knows with weatherbys though, they might be glued on.

Okay.  I went and rechecked.  Even took a screwdriver and poked at it for a few minutes.  Definently no screw holes. 

I have a Mark V in .257 Wby..wood stock.  You can drop your action in my stock if you want to check, but I think they are  the same.  let me know.

Thanks Gramps.  Sounds like they are interchangeable according to Jamieb.  I was mostly worried about the actions. 

[bobcat]

That's weird. I thought they always were screwed on so they could be removed.

[Pathfinder101]

That's weird. I thought they always were screwed on so they could be removed.

Keep in mind that when my dad bought this gun (in the 1960s), that was probably the best recoil pad on the market.  Why would anyone ever want to remove it?

[bobcat]

What if someone wanted to remove the recoil pad so they could cut a half inch off the stock, and then reinstall the recoil pad? 

[high country]

if your wby is out of the 60'2 and the 257 is late model there is a chance the inletting is different. I do not recall the differences as I have not dabbled with old wby's. a word of advice, if the gun is in reasonable shape, DO NOT ALTER IT. the simplest stock mod could affect the value in a huge way. if you need to trim a stock, get another one to trim. also be careful of limbsaver pads on big kickers and short eye relief scopes......you might get a surprise.

[Huntbear]

What if someone wanted to remove the recoil pad so they could cut a half inch off the stock, and then reinstall the recoil pad? 

Then you would have to install a new pad if it is glued on.  Most older recoil pads need to be replaced anyway, either due to rot or just compression from sitting on the recoil pad in safes and closets.

[Pathfinder101]

if your wby is out of the 60'2 and the 257 is late model there is a chance the inletting is different. I do not recall the differences as I have not dabbled with old wby's. a word of advice, if the gun is in reasonable shape, DO NOT ALTER IT. the simplest stock mod could affect the value in a huge way. if you need to trim a stock, get another one to trim. also be careful of limbsaver pads on big kickers and short eye relief scopes......you might get a surprise.

I actually have 2 older Weatherbys that I inherited from my dad.  One is an older post-WWII model that Roy Weatherby used to build off old beefed up Mauser actions.  It's probably 1950's vintage.  I saw one in Cabelas Gun Library the other day for about $2,000.00.  That one stays locked up, and I don't shoot it.
The other one (the one I am probably going to restock) is one he bought new in the late '60s, after Roy invented the Mark V action.  It appears to be no different than the Mark Vs that Weatherby makes today.
I don't plan to alter it, since, as you said, it will affect the value.  That's why I want to replace the stock with a synthetic and a good recoil pad and hunt with it.  I'll put the walnut stock (it really is gorgeous) away for safekeeping, intact.

[high country]

good plan. If I am not mistaken there was a run of 6 lug guns that differ from the 9 lugs of today.....just based on heresay, I am admittadly not a wby historian, just hoping to give you all the questions to ask.

[Pathfinder101]

Thanks for the input guys.