Unfortuneatly for my wife, I took a little side trip on business to a little gun shop I've never been to, and lo and behold found a used Weatherby UL in .30-06, 95+% condition, supposedly less than one year old and the previous owner buys and sells every year. Asking $999.00 including mounts.

Can anyone give me their experiences with this rifle and if possible in this caliber? I'm thinking of coming back with trade material if it is a good deal.

They are expensive, but I think they are fantasic little rifles.

Weatherbys are a fine firearm and the 30=06 is just about right for the UL.

John

can,t say any thing against the weatherby, and I love the cartridge, But for a grand, I think I might prefer a kimber clasic.
I just like wood and blue steel...tj3006

I have one in a 300 wby and it's been a BIG disappointment. Super fussy with much ammo shooting 6" at 200 yds.....finally found a load that will do 3"/300 but it took a long long time. For some reason most of the first ones in that caliber were real lemmons. I just picked up a new tikka t-3 for $550. It's as nice or nicer than the wby in feel and handling. Mines 300 win mag and weighs just 7# 2oz full up with 3x9 burris ballistic plex. The tikka action is smoother and I like the clip. The trigger is better on the tikka to. The tikka is by far the most amazing $550 gun I've ever owned...it shoots almost any ammo to the same point of impact at 300 yds and is not fussy about clean barrels, fouled barrels, ammo with runnout, etc etc. In the price range you are talking about I'd look at a tikka and put a really nice scope on it.....and save yourself probably another $100 to boot over the $999 price.

Kraky,
I hope you have better luck with your tikka than i did.
I second the vote for a Kimber 8400.
Old Timer

I have never really been a Weatherby fan, but I have to admit, one of the nicest feeling rifles I have ever held in my hands was a Weatherby Ultra Light in 7/08....

Mine is in 308Win and is the exact opposite of the one Kraky had in 300Wby.

Took it out two days ago with a different scope on it that I've been messing with. Getting close to Deer Season, so I decided to get it sighted in with my old Hunting load - 150gr Hot Core, Fed210M and IMR4064 in fully prepped and weight sorted cases. Wind was gusting at about 10mph and I was shooting off a tailgate while sitting on stacked milk crates. Not the typical Bench at the Range.

First two shots would have the BenchRest guys say I was pulling a clinton and in fact, I know I can't shoot that good "on demand" anymore. Moved the scope and shot. Moved once more and it was right where I wanted it EXCEPT, no more of those cartridges.

Switched over to some FMJs that had shot real well in a buddy's 30-30, and they looked like a shotgun pattern in this 308Win. But..., I used a Randomly Picked Load for them and had not taken the time to actually Develop the Load. Proving what I already knew, that is not conducive to good accuracy.

Found some 150gr RN Sierras and shot a few of them. Back to some relatively small 2-shot groups.

Set the Bolt Open rifle with the barrel up and the wind had it cool in short order. The nice light fluted barrels heat up quickly and cool off quickly when the wind is blowing.

So if the 30-06 shoots as well as mine does, you would have a fine rifle. But you just never know how one will shoot until you actually mess with it some.

Only thing done to this one is the Trigger was adjusted just a bit. It is nice, with ZERO creep. I plan to keep this one a long time.

Best of luck to you.

Hotcore: Well, my used remington stainless in .280 shoots terrible, and I don't know if I want to put the effort into trying to sort it out, so I might use that plus a shotgun for trafing material.
My quandry is I have a std weight .308, and a 7mmag which covers the bases for the O6'. But, I don't have an O6!My other choice would be a Sako Finnlight, but of course I haven't found any for sale.

Funny, I don't use an 06 very much.. but everyone should still own an 06 if they are true American hunter.. and a 30/30 also....

and the 06 should be in a Model 70 or Model 700.. and the 30/30 should be a Model 94, or a Model 336...

quote:

Originally posted by kraky:
I have one in a 300 wby and it's been a BIG disappointment. Super fussy with much ammo shooting 6" at 200 yds.....finally found a load that will do 3"/300 but it took a long long time. For some reason most of the first ones in that caliber were real lemmons. I just picked up a new tikka t-3 for $550. It's as nice or nicer than the wby in feel and handling. Mines 300 win mag and weighs just 7# 2oz full up with 3x9 burris ballistic plex. The tikka action is smoother and I like the clip. The trigger is better on the tikka to. The tikka is by far the most amazing $550 gun I've ever owned...it shoots almost any ammo to the same point of impact at 300 yds and is not fussy about clean barrels, fouled barrels, ammo with runnout, etc etc. In the price range you are talking about I'd look at a tikka and put a really nice scope on it.....and save yourself probably another $100 to boot over the $999 price.

Makes me wonder why you didn't send it back to Wby, they guarantee 1.5" or less at 100 yds. One of the big disadvantes of the UL is that it can't string long shot groups with magnum loads. 2 shot groups are probably the limit.

John

I have two of the Ultra-Lightweights..30-06 and 338-06 and they shoot VERY good and handle very nice as well. Roy had something when he designed that hump-back butt stock...it just shoulders and lines your eye up to the scope so naturally. They look sharp and you can't beat the weight/performance factor. Whats there to complain about? I have the Talley custom lightweight bases and QD rings for mine so they are as light as possible. The 30-06 is 7 pounds even with the 2-7 Luppy scope and sling...with a 24" barrel. The 338-06 has a slightly heavier barrel contour and is a half pound heavier. I would buy it for that price since I have never seen them go for much less than that.

Woodrow: I am really looking hard at it and can't find too many reasons not to pull the trigger. Thanks for your post.

quote:

Originally posted by Westernmassman:
... my used remington stainless in .280 shoots terrible, and I don't know if I want to put the effort into trying to sort it out, ....

You could always have it rebarrelled to about any cartridge you want, including the 280Rem or 30-06, by a reputable GunSmith. Might not be much difference in the overall cost. And the Gun Smith should stand behind his work to ensure it is indeed accurate.

quote:

Originally posted by Woodrow S:
...Roy had something when he designed that hump-back butt stock...it just shoulders and lines your eye up to the scope so naturally. ...

Completely agree. It is the best fitting stock, for me, that I've ever used. Everything just aligns perfectly as if it had been custom designed to fit.

But as I said before, each rifle is different in it's accuracy potential. And unless you know the original Owner real well, you just never know how a "used" rifle has been treated.

Best of luck with which ever way you go.

I have the UL in 338-06 but have never fired it. It does have a nice look and feel to it.