I just finished reading Roy Weatherby's biography written in 1992 by Grits and Tom Gresham. I have never owned a Weatherby rifle and only shot a couple, so I thought, what the heck, I will get "learned up" on him and his famous rifles.

Honestly, after reading this book, I would be hesitant to own one of those rifles. Reading the trials and trevails of this one time AAA club salesman and insurance peddler turned high powered rifle manufacturer is eye opening and a bit scary.

Weatherby was a salesman, pure and simple. He is portrayed in the book as an idea guy but not much of a businessman. He was raised in the Depression and had a lifelong fear of failing and being broke. He was at the edge of that fear several times but that did not seem to keep him from chasing a variety of expensive hobbies (collecting classics cars or coins or stamps or remote controlled airplanes and many others). His idea, not unlike John "Pondoro" Taylor was that velocity kills - i.e. what he called hydrostatic shock of a high velocity, light weight bullet hitting tissue causing a shock wave that destroys tissue and kills the animal. In the book, he goes to Kenya for 3 months to test this and comes away with his beliefs somewhat intact, however, he learned that "where" the bullet hit was pretty important as well.

His descriptions of Africa are fun to read but a little much like the first time hunter that goes to South Africa and has the "greatest PH ever" and is now an expert. Overall, he came back advocating his .300 Weatherby as a serious dangerous game cartridge but liked the .375 HH too.

I learned a lot about that time period (late 1940's to 1980's) in the hunting business and how the business was conducted. He farmed out his guns to be made in Japan and Europe. He always struggled to get a reliable source for ammo and ended up suing Speer over bad ammo.

He sold scopes as well, all made in Japan. He made shotguns, made in Europe and Japan under his label.

He had many partners and bought and sold pieces of his company to raise money regularly. His key partner to start up was Herb Klein of Dallas fame and the first Weatherby Award winner.

Oh, by the way, the Weatherby Award was originally a sales gimmick to draw attention to his gun of the future.

He did not get alone well with Jack O'Connor yet considered him a friend. I doubt anyone got along with O'Connor.

In the end, I came away feeling that this is a gun (those made in 1950's to late 1980's) a never want any part of due to the various makers, quality issues and overall problems this guy had in holding his company together. I have no clue how the company is doing today, I hope it is better.

Anyone out there have any thoughts on Weatherby and his guns?

Nice to read this.

I have my uncle's Weatherby, serial number 8xx, made in the very early 1950s, in .270 WCF, and sports a chrome-lined barrel--stamped on the receiver front "chrome bore." I took this rifle to SA and Zim in the 1990s and shot plains game with it and now use it as a loner rifles for friends to come to AK to hunt with me.

The lines of these early Weatherby rifles are very pleasing to the eye. Not so with the slanted comb of the more modern era. James Watts originator of the .450 Watts cartridge, visited Roy in the 1950s and debated killing power. Watts favored heavy bullets at moderate speed and Roy said, "Nothing kills but velocity."

Roy Weatherby has, in my humble opinion, a respected place in firearms history as he was the first with the high velocity mentality. All that followed are basically "posers" or "wannabes" and bring attention to their product with absolutely stupid names along with no workmanship synthetic stocks and CNC machined metalwork. Many of Roy's early rifles were nicely hand done and, even though I am now 100% vintage doubles, have many of his catalogs of his early years and enjoy them greatly as, as stated above, he was the first.

Cheers, mates.
Cal

Dogcat,

a weatherby made by Sauer (Germany) or Howa (Japan) are never the problem ...

i used 300, 460 and 340 and I still use a 340 in Mark V made in Japan. so far so good ...

My daughter has two Weatherbys - a 20ga Orion O/U that shoots well for anyone that tries it and has never needed maintenance.
And a Mark V left handed rifle chambered in 7mm W Magnum. Using Weatherby ammo, it shoots under a minute of angle if cleaned every 12-15 shots and she can shoot it well. Again, it is a pretty rifle that has had no maintenance problems.

Never owned a Weatherby manufactured rifle, but will be taking a McWhorter chambered in 7mm Weatherby to Masailand next year. Not generally a high velocity/light bullet fan, but I think it will be a good cartridge for that venue.

If you really want to read about a bullshit sales artist, find any book about Herter!

I have several Weather by rifles, and have used them for many years.

I have used ones made in Germany - bu Sauer, and Japan as well.

We had major problems with several 300 Weatherby Magnum made in Japan. They would fire when you take the safety off!!

Apart from that, they are great guns.

I used a 416 Weatherby Magnum on one safari, worked great. I liked that caliber, and built myself a 416 Rigby Improved.

This one shot a lot better than the Weatherby factory gun.

I think I've seen more Weatherby rifles fail than all other makers combined. Usually cracked stocks and bolt problems are the case. Also, in my experience, a heavy for caliber bullet moving at moderate speed kills better than velocity alone. Obviously I am not a fan of the rifles nor the calibers.

I doubt quality manufacturing has ever been an issue with a Weatherby. Oh the odd thing can happen with any manufactured item but they seem overall to be made pretty well especially when compared to the current standard elsewhere.

I have two, a .300 Accumark and a .257 deluxe. I'm pretty happy with both. But they are what they are as far as killing ability is concerned. They are very effective within limits. But I happen to believe that some animals are effected by high velocity and others by the thump of a heavier larger caliber bullet.

Weatherby didn't invent the high velocity idea he just popularized it. A man named Newton could be considered the forerunner of that idea. But there's no doubt Roy Weatherby has greatly influenced firearms and cartridge development of today.

I stand corrected. It was Newton who was the grandfather of high velocity. I guess his caliber were too much ahead of their time to be come as popular as they should have been. Perhaps Roy was the father…
Cal

I had a Weatherby 300 that was great on medium sized animals (Dall sheep) at long range, but was deplorable on big game(moose) at close range--the bullets just couldn't hold up at such velocities.

I've owned 257 through to 416 Wby and never had any reliability issues. And they shot very well.

Best killer on PG I have ever seen was a 30-378 Wby using 180gr TSX Weatherby factory loads...

I have 4 rifles chambered in Weatherby cartridges. The 257 and 300 Weatherby in one of Saeed's favorite rifles, the Blaser R 93 and a 378 and 460 Weatherby in Weatherby's Deluxe model.

To say that speed doesn't kill is a bit ridiculous; just as foolish as saying a big cartridge didn't make a bigger hole.

There is also yak about Weatherby bullets going too fast and thus not holding up when common cartridges send bullets just as fast with nary a peep from the pundits.

My rifles by Weatherby are probably my favorites.

I have three Weatherby rifles, and all three are tack drivers. Have taken my .300 Weatherby Mag to Africa three times, and on numerous North American big game hunting trips. Say what you want about Roy Weatherby, but the rifles I have are superb.

Thanks for the comments.
The book was very interesting in that is was a picture of the time period from the late 1940's to his death in 1988.

The quality issues mentioned in the book were significant. The chapter on his dealings with Sauer were interesting as Sauer did make them correctly but could not make them for the price Weatherby could sell them for. He had guns made by Howa, SKB, Sako, the Japanese and others. His worst experience seemed to be getting ammo made in time for delivery of rifles.

He was the consummate salesman for sure. He had no "real" engineering" or testing to confirm or disprove his theories on hydrostatic shock on the high speed, light weight bullets. However, there are a lot of folks that use them and had success. I think with the better bullets today, the higher velocity may pay off but then again, we have the various RUM cartridges and others too.

I am not a "nay sayer" on Weatherby's at all. I just found the book very insightful and interesting.

I fell "victim" to the Weatherby mystique through their great catalogs early on. I presently own five of them, made in the US, Japan and Germany. One of my US made ones is one of his early models built on a M98 action that will be going with me elk hunting next week. My 257 Weatherby is without question the most impressive deer killer I've ever used. Not one, ONE has ever taken a step. My US made MKV has always been to Africa with me (two safaris) and always will. j

IMO, both concepts are correct on the velocity, and heavy slower killing ability.

The difference is in the type of animal being hunted. Big tough animals respond to the big bullet slower velocity, while very light bodied animals respond more to velocity
, but both still must be placed in the right place to do their job correctly!

As to Weatherby rifles, they are push feed gaudy rifles and the only Weatherby rifles made that even look good are the early ones made in Germany on FN actions and in regular chamberings!

...............Opinions vary however!

Absolutely happy with 257 Wby. I also have a 30-378 RC which is very accurate but for my kind of hunting it is a bit bulky. Blaser R8 in 270 Wby is ordered. I like the brand and the products. Also one of the best facebook pages.

And the 270 Wby is an awesome round indeed! Good combination in an R8.

Seen used 375 wearherby in Hamilton used gun shop
Too many of odd calibers
I'm sticking with classics

I bought a used .224 wby about five years ago. It was not an accurate rifle.
I have a Sako custom in 257 wby. Outstanding cartridge.

How is the recoil and muzzle blast in the .257 and .270 Weatherby rifles?

Recoil w a 257 is non-existent. As far as "blast", I never noticed it to be any different that any other 24-26" barreled rifle I shoot.

I have a 257 weatherby and it shoots 1" groups at 100 yds all day with 100 gr nosler partitions. Great long shooting rifle. It is rather loud when you shoot but highly accurate and is at its best when shooting over 200 yds. Best shot was on a mulie buck in Nevada at over 300 yds. Frontal chest shot was all I had and the buck sat on his back legs and just rolled over. Bullet took out the heart, one lung and was lodged in the back left ham.

Roy Weatherby holds a special place in my life. I grew up in a community next door to the South Gate shop. My father was not a hunter or outdoorsman but supported my reading inspired interest in guns and hunting. At the ripe age of 8 years old visits to his shop inspired lifelong memories. The shop was adorned with hunting trophies from around the world. The full body mount of an 11 foot polar bear and an elephant shoulder mount come to mind. It was a place to create dreams so your right when you say Roy Weatherby was a marketing genius. Today I own one Southgate Weatherby Classic Mark 257 Weatherby Magnum. It is my accurate go to mule deer rifle and a constant reminder of my childhood.
lb

I have one of the, as Cal puts it, "no workmanship synthetic stocked" Mark 5 Weatherby's in 340 WBY Mag. That rifle is simply a killing machine. It's accounted for moose, caribou, deer, elk, and too many African plains game animals to even begin to name.

Game reaction to pushing a 225gr TSX at 3,000fps is an awesome thing to see. Every animal I've hit with it sat right down on the spot. That includes an Alaskan bull moose and a RSA eland!

I've never had a single issue with the rife and it's a true tack driver. The one negative is that recoil is a sharp slap. I find that significant practice with it is necessary to handle it well. But then again, practice is always a good thing.

Much has been said about the WBY's pushing bullets too fast and having them break up on impact. Those statements apply to the older, non-premium bullets of today. A Barnes TSX out of a WBY is about as deadly as it gets, IMHO of course!

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
And the 270 Wby is an awesome round indeed! Good combination in an R8.

Yup with that combo Biebs hits the berm 9 out of 10 tries

Mike

What is the name of the book. I would be interested in reading it. If you would want too part with you're copy let me know.

Like, LB, I grew up very near the original Weatherby store on Firestone Blvd in South Gate. I first read about Weatherby rifles in Outdoor Life. I would ride my bike to his store and spend a lot of time looking at all the heads on the walls and the rifles in the racks.

When I turned 16 I had saved enough to buy a Weatherby. I had been shooting my Dad's various '06's but wanted a 300. Couldn't be talked out of it. So my Dad took me to the Weatherby store and I picked one out. It is an FN South Gate model, serial # 32XX. Mr. Weatherby happened to be in the store at the time and the clerk told him a 16 year old kid was buying a 300. He came out from the office and made the sale himself. I have a B&W photo of me, Mr. Weatherby and my Dad, with me holding my new rifle.

Over the past 50 years I've taken that same rifle all over North America as well as to 4 countries in Africa. Shot a lot of stuff with it. A lot.

It's been restocked only because I once committed the Cardinal sin of leaving it in a scabbard, on a horse, hobbled, not tied. The horse proceeded to rub itself on a nearby juniper and virtually destroyed the stock. My fault.

I've always loaded it with 200 grain premium bullets travelling at just below maximum velocities. Accuracy and reliability have been all one could ask of a hunting rifle. I've taken a lot of game with it. A lot. From prairie dogs, to antelope, to eland, its never let me down.

Not too optimistic about the future of hunting, but I hope my grandson will someday take it on his first African safari.

I guess this is about opinion, and the OP has his. The 270, 300 and 375 Weatherby cartridges were ahead of their time. It can be said that the 300 H&H and 375 H&H do the job and the Weatherby calibers don't add that much. Of course that can be said about the 300 Win Mag the WSMs, not to mention the new Ruger calibers! I only own one Weatherby Mark V I bought used a few years ago in 270 Weatherby. It's a made in Japan model 80s vintage. It's a bit heavy, but I hit a scuba tank five times in a row with it at 845 yards at the Fort Carson range. At a time when no one was giving an accuracy guarantee Roy Weatherby was, his original rifles were made on FN Mauser actions, I guess they don't work either because Roy's name is on them.

Anyway my two cents

I think a lot of the knock on Weatherby rifles and cartridges came from the nimrods who bought a gun and never even sighted it in before taking it on a safari or other guided hunt then were scared of it. The early models with inlaid stocks and fancy checkering seemed to attract a certain clientele who were not necessarily knowledgeable.
As with many high velocity cartridges of the mid 1900's the bullets were not up to the task and that also contributed to tarnishing the reputation.

I don't know, but good old 308 been doing killing for me since Pleistocene

I had never owned or shot a Weatherby rifle until I was given a Miroku made MkV in .240 Weatherby last year. It has a beautiful walnut stock. Like my Miroku shotguns it works great. The action is a bit racy looking for my tastes but shoots minute of deer at 300+ yards. I'd like a ultralight in .257.

I have shot a sporter model Weatherby in .340 extensively for 20 years. This is a plain but pretty walnut stock with the Mark 5 action. It will shoot one hole groups when the shooter does his part with Norkfork 240 grainers. It has taken Moose, Many Elk and Deer. Busted a stock and Weatherby replaced it with a fine replacement stock at no cost. It has traveled from Alaska to Canada and all over the US west and never missed a lick. ----- I have also shot a .257 Wby accumark for 15 years and with a 6X24 Burris Signature scope and 120 grain Nosler Partitions it does accuracy stunts to match any rifle with many groups with three shots touching each other on good days pulling the trigger. At 3450 fps it is an excellent bean field deer getter. My Weatherbys are very important to me, my son and grandsons and now great grandsons and always will be. They have earned great respect from our crew through many hard hunting situations and are easy to load for with today's quality tough bullets. Good Shooting.

I've got an Ultralite made in 270 Remington, not WBY, and it shoots very good. I have it for a loaner rifle for company, I felt like the recoil was bit stiff, so had Lex at Rifles Inc, put a muzzle brake on it, it's a lot more tame now.

I will say, and it is my opinion only, that the stock design of the high comb type deals Roy favored, are not the best for taming recoil. Usually they make it worse.

At any rate, an interesting man in an interesting time, the hunting world would be a poorer place without his theory of more fast is better.

I disagree with much of what the poster writes. Jack O'Connor was gruff but so was everyone I met in that circle of friends. Each had varying levels of agreement with the O'Connor-Keith continuum of velocity-bore size, and each participant in the discussions generally came away undiminished in their position. the main issue Jack had with Weatherbys dealt with the stock lines, what was then called the "California" look. As for the rifles, I inherited my dads FN Deluxe 300 Weatherby 36 years ago and I used it for elk hunting with no complaints.

quote:

Originally posted by LB:
Roy Weatherby holds a special place in my life. I grew up in a community next door to the South Gate shop. My father was not a hunter or outdoorsman but supported my reading inspired interest in guns and hunting. At the ripe age of 8 years old visits to his shop inspired lifelong memories. The shop was adorned with hunting trophies from around the world. The full body mount of an 11 foot polar bear and an elephant shoulder mount come to mind. It was a place to create dreams so your right when you say Roy Weatherby was a marketing genius. Today I own one Southgate Weatherby Classic Mark 257 Weatherby Magnum. It is my accurate go to mule deer rifle and a constant reminder of my childhood.
lb

There are pics of that bear in the book and an account of the hunt. Truly an interesting man.
His diary of his African Safari was excellent as well.

Ray,
Based on what the book noted, Weatherby and O'Connor got along to a degree but Roy was after positive articles about his rifles. O'Connor wrote a little about them but it was not the ringing endorsement that Weatherby was seeking. At one point O'Connor threatened to Shipp all the Weatherby rifles he had back to Weatherby when Weatherby asked Jack to not write negative stuff about them.

They hunted together and O'Connor was a Weatherby Award recipient as well as part of the selection committee.

I personally have no fault with Weatherbys and I have found often their bad rap comes from poorly constructed hand loaded or factory bullets and amateur gunsmiths mucking with the triggers. Once you ask the right questions it comes out that often a hunter might be using a 150 gr BT at close range in his 300 WBY and the bullet blew up on the eland's shoulder bone. Not a fault of the Weatherby rifle but too much velocity for frangible bullet. A PH told me that he hated Weatherbys because he had a client whose rifle went off when he closed the bolt. Come to find out his friend had ADJUSTED the trigger before the safari. Personally the only Weatherby rifle I used quite a bit was a synthetic stocked 340 and it was a hammer. It shot great and functioned perfectly right out of the box.

Mark

I have several Weatherby rifles and have always been facinated by the calibers. I’ve taken the .300, .340 and .460 to Africa. I carried a German .378 a lot earlier this summer and am carrying a .300 now. Much to my surprise, my Japanese .460 is one of the more accurate rifles I own. I still don’t own a US manufactured Weatherby, but plan to change that soon. I’ve seen some great accuracy out of the US made rifles and would really like to play with a .257.

The newer 6.5 x 300 is really impressive also. I got to be around it for a bit in the prototyping phase. I was surprised at the accuracy and it’s the flattest shooting cartrigde I’ve gotten to shoot. At some point I may need one of those too.

The Weatherby corporate headquarters moved to the CA Central Coast, not far from my house, in the 1990’s. Now they are building their MV rifles all right here locally (Paso Robles, CA). I’ve gotten to tour the factory, see the CNC’s that build the actions, visit the 100 yard indoor range where they Range Certify the rifles, etc. They’ve been a terrific addition to this community and are providing lots of quality jobs while they’re cranking out some great guns. They are quick to step up to support local charities and promote youth hunting and shooting events.

I never met Roy, but I’ve gotten to know Ed (Roy’s son) and Adam (Roy’s grandson) and their families. They’re great people. Honest, very religious and terrific addtions to this area.

While I was facinated by the velocity as a kid, I now feel an extra loyalty to Weatherby after getting to know the family behind the brand.

Kyler

Love mine, a 460 Brevex Mauser made in 1957 at Southgate for wildcatter & Weatherby investor Bobby Burns, skip line checkering, gaudy engraving, inlays, gold plating and all.