Nothing like a good Weatherby thread to stir things up in the middle of the week on AR.

I had sold off some of my wood stocked rifles and was looking for a new well built synthetic stocked rifle both as a shooter and for a hunting rifle.

In my earlier days I went through the Weatherby Mark V wood stocked rifles - but I moved on to the Winchester Model 70s.

But Weatherby continues to build even better Mark Vs such as the AccuMark and others.

I went browsing and stumbled on to the Arroyo at Weatherby. It is close to the Accumark other than the camo paint that while it isn't my favorite, I can live with that. But it seems to have a solid barrel and a little heft which I like, and the cerakote is already done too. Weatherby is testing these rifles in house and "range certifying" the accuracy of each one. Hard to beat that in a production rifle in my mind.

In calibers, if I was going something else like a Cooper or a Hill Country Rifle then I would probably look to a 30-06. I don't have one now and they do a lot and can shoot a lot too.

But in a Mark V I think a Weatherby caliber is the way to go. Something like the venerable 300 Weatherby Mag.

I can get a Hill Country Rifle Harvester for about the same money - but in a way it would be coming home some to have a Weatherby.

You guys please weigh in with your thoughts especially if you have an Arroyo, or an AccuMark and certainly if you have one of the "Range Certified" Weatherby's. I realize it is a love of hate thing with Weatherby - but you still have to give Weatherby credit for bringing new things out and for being American too. They stand behind their products and customers too.

The line up of the newer Vanguards looks nice too - but not what I want right now for me.

Thanks.

Arroyo

Weatherbys have been the most consistently accurate rifles I've ever owned. I tried (once) and bought a Tupperware Accumark that was EXTREMELY accurate, but I just can't live with plastic shit so I bought I Lazermark and of course NO MUZZLEBRAKE!

I have made that round myself on the wood versus the "hand laid synthetic" lol.

I love the wood to look at. It is just classic and beautiful.

But out there crawling around I have come to prefer the good fiberglass stocks.

I have not owned a single rifle with a muzzle brake. But you can take these off - or I am pretty sure that you can like on other Weatherbys. Or I will get it built that way.

I've had two MK V's. One an Accumark, and one a Japanese Euromark. Both in 300 Weatherby. I no longer have either. I've gone to a stock McMillan G30 in 338 Win Mag with the Vais brake and a worked over CZ 550 that shoots as well as the McMillan. As I turned into a geezer, I realized these Weatherby's were coming back awful fast and a bit harder than I liked. The final straw was the avaibility and cost of factory ammo. Both were quality rifles, and both had the smoothest bolts I've ever owned. Both would put three rounds of Weatherby Hornady 180 grainers inside a man's normal wrist watch crystal just about on demand.

To be honest, I've been looking (not to hard) for a RC Accumark in 7 Rem mag.
It's either going to be that or a Jackson Excalibur Cooper in the same caliber.

Not an Arroyo, but I bought my first Weatherby this spring and it`s a Mark V Ultra Lightweight in 30-06.

Topped with a Zeiss Victory 2,5-10x50 it is the most accurate hunting rifle I have ever owned!

Beeing a Ruger man most of my life, this dandy rifle has become my favourite "Walkabout" gun for red and roe deer.

I have had 2 RC Weatherbys and to be honest, they were no more accurate than the stock versions of the Accumark and Ultra Lightweight. I actually just sold a regular Accumark in 7mm Rem Mag that would put 160 Partitions into an inch and a half at 200 and 140 grain Accubonds in an honest inch with 5 holes at 200. The only Mark V I ever had trouble getting to group was a 1994 built sporter in .257Wby. It turned out to be just a little picky with seating depth and powder.
I kinda hated the Arroyo when I saw the pictures, but seeing one in person, it's a pretty sharp rifle all things considered. I think it would be all that and a bag of chips in 270 Wby.

Blasphemy alert.

I have Weatherby calibers in a Blaser platform. It is amazingly accurate in all the calibers and even a bit better than my Weatherby rifles, which are pretty damn good.

^^^^^

Thank you for the inputs guys.

I had Weatherbys in Mk Vs and 2 Vanguard DeLuxes and even a great 22 and a 12 OU when I was in my Weatherby period earlier. Then I got hooked on the Model 70s and Winchester and moved away from the Weatherby's and in to Winchester.

I have said here on the board that in some ways maybe I should have just stayed with the 300 Weatherby Mag. I had less rifles and guns but hunted more.

Then I did not have near the loading set up that I do now, or the experience eiher.

Somewhere along though, I changed to prefer the synthetic stocks for actual field use. So I had gone to look at an AccuMark and stumbled on the Arroyo. When I started looking at that a little bit more it seemed better than at first read.

Another thing I like is that Weatherby has hung in there and still provided top service to its customers more than just about any other American production firearms companies. They all have done a good job, and some bad jobs, but what I am referring to is the amount of time and consistency too. A few years ago I was at Carters and we called the custom shop and they not only answered, and went through whatever it was we wanted, and didn't just rush us off. Nice.

In my earlier years in the early 1980s and being from Texas, guys and even some guides gave me some grief about Weatherby . All that was unfounded and the rifles and other guns did a good job. Now with lots of grey beard and lots more experience that doesn't happen.

But I didn't have any experience with the Range Certified products either. But I would think a really good AccuMark is just as good. But if i have to take it in for cerakote then you are right back at the same price and having gunsmiths work on your rifle more.

I think the Coopers are good rifles and I am going to get one in 22LR. And I too was looking at the Jackson Hunter. Then I came upon the Arroyo an it has grown on me some.

On our recent Africa trip I used my Model 70 Laredo in 7MM Rem Mag and 160 Accubonds to very good effect on a wide variety of game. But the extra that the 300 Weatherby Mag brings to the table would have been a very good thing too.

For out just shooing on the range then I would prefer the 30 -06. So there is still work to be done.

I am going to go have a look at the new Weatherby production and see. Or if I can hold out until DSC then I can do a little shopping.

Anybody else like Arild have any comments on this in a non Weatherby caliber such as 30-06 ?

I am guessing 300 Weatherby barrel life is about the same as most magnums at 1200- 1500 rounds as I never saw any concrete numbers. I can ask Weatherby if I decide which way to go.

I would think brass life is 4-5 reloadings on the Weatherby branded brass too. In my Weatherby ownership before I just shot the Weatherby factory ammo. For hunting when it counts I would just shoot new brass, but for just range shooting I use my reloads.

quote:

I have Weatherby calibers in a Blaser platform

Rob, now there's a 2-edged sword! If there's anyone you don't piss off by owning a Blaser, the Wby chamberings will irk the remaining few :-)

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:

quote:

I have Weatherby calibers in a Blaser platform

Rob, now there's a 2-edged sword! If there's anyone you don't piss off by owning a Blaser, the Wby chamberings will irk the remaining few :-)

It is a special skill I have.

I also picked up a 338-378 Weatherby Mag Arroyo. It took a bit of work to get it right once I received it, namely:
- I had to hand paint away the camo hydro-dip seam on the spine of the stock
- I had to spray a coat of matte clear on the whole stock as the hydro-dip camo would pick up dirt, had ridges on the color transitions, and is brittle (meaning it had a few chips I had to paint in)
- I changed out the muzzle brake for a gill style brake (ABS Little Jimmy). Other rifles I've had with holes all around would nearly start fires in the grass when shooting from a bipod
- I had Richard Near build a custom 1-piece scope mount 30moa, 34mm to hold the Leupold VX6. Notice it has only about .030 clearance off the barrel.

So once I did all of this I started building up a load with 300 Gr Berger and VVN570 - and best group was 1.25 MOA - not good in my book so I'm still trying to find the right combo to get it under 1 MOA. May try Cutting Edge 252 Grain bullets next.

Jay

Thanks for posting Jay and welcome to AR.

That is a good looking set up. I like the Near mount and rings too.

I can see how the camo and cosmetics could be a little disappointing on a new custom shop rifle.

The barrel here in your picture looks thinner than what I was hoping.

How did it shoot with the any of the Weatherby factory loads?

The Range Certified report shows a 3 shot group of .85 MOA using Barnes 225 Gr TSX. The Bergers are the only bullets I've put through it to-date, but I may try a box of Barnes 250 Gr LRX or if I can source them a box of CE 252 Gr MHT's. I tend to like heavier bullets but will shoot the lighter ones if they provide better accuracy.

I figured cosmetics is an area I can fix easy enough. One last thing I forgot to mention is the cerakote on the bolt and in breech was like sandpaper on sandpaper - very rough to cycle. However I persisted, put copper anti-seize on the bolt and worked it many many times, the peaks of cerakote wore down quickly and now it cycles nicely (after cleaning).

The trigger is nice, but heavy at 4 lbs, so a new spring and a sear buff job to bring it down to 2.5 lbs is imminent.

I live in the foothills of Alberta, lots of open country here. More than once I was skunked by the Elk standing just out of range laughing at me. I was looking for my next rifle to be a 'light weight long range' elk rifle. My choices were Sako, Weatherby, or Custom built. I already own a custom long range rig in 338 Edge, but it's 20 lbs so more of a ridge gun. I choose Weatherby more on reputation, receiver design, the desired cartridge, and a short bolt throw (which I love).

I have high hopes for the rifle, I know I can always fall back to the RC load if needed.

The whole thing weighs in a 10.5 lbs - the barrel is thin but thicker than say a factory Remington or Browning. The real secret to a good barrel is somewhat about the weight, but more about the right length for the cartridge, the quality of the chambering, and the quality of the bore itself. Have a look at the new Browning X-Bolts - they are a marvel of engineering that the Japanese are known for, paper thin barrels, tiny receivers, but very accurate. If I were to re-barrel this rifle I would put in either Proof Carbon Fibre barrel, or a match grade 28" only a single contour bigger.

Jay

Just returned from shooting the new RC Ultra Lightweight in 270Wby. What a dream. It has the Accubrake and pushed like the 243 I was shooting along side. The factory target shows a .65" group with Ballistic tips. I got Accubonds (140gr) and Sierra 140gr GameKings to do about the same. I also shot the Gamekings at 300 yards. I only had 3 left when I moved back, and they landed in a spread right at 2". The only down points I have are the heavy trigger at about 4.25Lbs and the ugly brown stock. Anxious to try TSX and Partitions. Give the 270Bee a look. After the 300 it is as versatile as they come.

quote:

Originally posted by Quintus:
Just returned from shooting the new RC Ultra Lightweight in 270Wby. What a dream. It has the Accubrake and pushed like the 243 I was shooting along side. The factory target shows a .65" group with Ballistic tips. I got Accubonds (140gr) and Sierra 140gr GameKings to do about the same. I also shot the Gamekings at 300 yards. I only had 3 left when I moved back, and they landed in a spread right at 2". The only down points I have are the heavy trigger at about 4.25Lbs and the ugly brown stock. Anxious to try TSX and Partitions. Give the 270Bee a look. After the 300 it is as versatile as they come.

I've been looking closely at this round lately. Thank you for the report.

270 Magnums are great. I have had 270 Wby, 270/308 Norma and mate of mine had 270/300 Win.

Thank you for adding that Quintus.

I may be one of the few guys who like the somewhat heavier rifles. And the longer barrels that the Weatherby's already have. I may have acquired that in my previous Weatherby ownership days as it relates to barrel length.

I will have to look at some of these. I have about decided I can wait until DSC and see if any are at the show anywhere as I don't see Weatherby as an exhibitor.