I have the opportunity to purchase a Mark V Deluxe with an Imperial scope for $1,200. The gun is 98% with a couple of barely noticeable blemishes on the stock. The scope and rings look perfect. Basically, the gun and scope look virtually brand new. I think it's a pretty decent price, but I'd like some thoughts from others. Thanks a bunch.

Probably not a better "one-cartridge-to-do-it-all" than the .340 Wby. With .270 Win trajectory and more energy than the venerable .375 H&H at any range, what more can you ask for? I truly is the ballistic "Holy Grail".

I like the 340 Weatherby, but I am biased. I am not sure what the imperial scope is all about, but the $1,200 price tag isn't horrible for a rifle wih a good quality scope. Usually the Deluxe sells for $1800-$2000 new.

John

Pretty good price, I don't think you'd get hurt with it. The imperial scope would sell on ebay for $150+ or more if in great condition. A few years ago I bought a 340 Lazermark with a premier scope for about that, sold the scope and made enough on it to put a Leupold Vari xII on it.

Now if it's a German made gun (about the time frame as the imperial scopes) I would think it was a great price in 98%.

Great site for Weatherby guns http://www.weatherby.dk/

Sounds like it's in pretty good shape so probably worth the price... And yes, if it's a German made it's a very good price... Heck, I spent more then 1700 for my Accumark in 338-378 and the Deluxe are more then that... If it looks as good as it sounds and you have the money, pick it up, the 340 is an excellent round...

Ken....

1st off welcome to our forum.
weather its german made or japanese wouldn't matter to me, they both build ausome rifles,imho. as great as the 340 wby is it still does recoil quite a bit,ive owned a imperial scope years ago,and prefer zeiss nikon,leupold etc, what really matters is how much that rifle/combo pulls you,i'd also agree its a good buy. regards

Thanks for your input gentlemen. The gun was made in Japan, but I still think it's a pretty decent price. First time poster here, but this is a good site for info. Thanks again for the advice.

I'd say that's not a bad deal for such a combination. The Japanese Weatherbys were still very good, and Imperial scopes are hard to come by these days. It makes for a very versatile piece of nostalgia. I have a 340, and I like it a lot.

Some of the mark v's have issues with the bolt stops.

Many years ago i bought a 340 to check it out as my main "brown bear" rifle... Before useing it on my next bear hunt, i saw a "meat" moose. I took the shot and when i pulled the bolt back it came right out of the gun in my hand! I ordered a new bolt stop, and got rid of it!!

A friend was climbing up on a steep ridge and opened the bolt on his Wby for the climb. When he got to the top, his bolt was gone, and he never found it! I guess he learned to NOT leave the bolt open against the bolt stop!!

I've seen many of them with cracked and broken stocks, and i've had two reliable hunters tell me they had the actions freeze up in cold weather because of the small locking lugs. (in Alaska)

I'm not a Mark V fan, as in my opinion, they are over priced and have some poor design issues.. The stocks can be pretty, but most are laid out wrong, to be a strong stock.

BUT, if you like WBY's then nothing else will do to satisfy that!!

DM

I would definately be concerned if I had a weathebry bolt stop break, they are almost twice the size of any other make I have seen. As for freezing actions, that has less to do with the locking lugs and a lot to do with condensation/water getting into the action. I have seen remingtons and Winchesters both get frozen shut. Still a lot of AK guides using the mk V, usually synthetic stocks though.

John

At the time, they did have a fairly large bolt stop in them, but for some strange reason there was a lathe cut in it, and they broke right there...

It was small snow crystalls that froze up the actions, not moisture...

Those actions will also freeze up if a small amount of any foreign matter gets into the locking lugs as those lugs are small, and aren't hard to get something in there to make them jam.

The crazy part is, on most Mark 5's, unless you lap all those lugs, only a few are engaging anyway...

It's like many products, most are buying the name...

DM

quote:

Originally posted by DM:
At the time, they did have a fairly large bolt stop in them, but for some strange reason there was a lathe cut in it, and they broke right there...

It was small snow crystalls that froze up the actions, not moisture...

Those actions will also freeze up if a small amount of any foreign matter gets into the locking lugs as those lugs are small, and aren't hard to get something in there to make them jam.

The crazy part is, on most Mark 5's, unless you lap all those lugs, only a few are engaging anyway...

It's like many products, most are buying the name...

DM

Sounds like you may have had a bad part. Too bad.

Snow crystals and not moisture? Wow! Oh well, learn something new everyday.

Don't feel bad, but remington actions don't engage their lugs equally and they only have two. As both rifles are shot and wear in the will eventully grab all the lugs.

And no one says you have to like the MKV action, but the reasons you give for it don't match my experience or anyone elses who has used the MKV for a long time.

John

I've owned a 340 wby for over 20 years I love the caliber and the rifle i pack it in snow, rain, freezing rain, -30. never had the action freeze

I probably should post this in the optics section, but I'll do it here. A Zeiss Conquest and Leupold VX-III are the nicest/most expensive scopes I currently own. Although it may be silly, I'll want to put a very nice piece of glass on this gun if I end up buying it. I'm thinking of a Swarovski or Kahles. Any suggestions on a particular model that could handle the recoil of the .340 in the $1,000 - $1,200 prica range?

quote:

And no one says you have to like the MKV action, but the reasons you give for it don't match my experience or anyone elses who has used the MKV for a long time.

Here's a thread running right now on another
site... It seems more have problems with Mark V's than just me...

More Mark V Opinions

DM

quote:

Originally posted by DM:

quote:

And no one says you have to like the MKV action, but the reasons you give for it don't match my experience or anyone elses who has used the MKV for a long time.

Here's a thread running right now on another
site... It seems more have problems with Mark V's than just me...

More Mark V Opinions

DM

I looked through five pages of posts and the only one that mentioned any mechanical failure was you! One person responded to your frozen action comment by saying that action freezing is owed to the stupidity of the rifleman, not the design.

Again, some people have some valid points by saying that there are guns that are guaranteed to shoot 1" (namely Tikkas) for 1/2 the price. If small groups is what is important, then the Tikka would be a better buy. Owning both a tikka and a weatherby, I feel the weatherby action is much stronger. Some didn't like the weight of the MKV action; but no-one mentioned the MKV ultra light at <7lbs for a magnum action. Some mentioned stock cracking, which I would agree is a problem, one that has been shared by a lot of American Mfgs making big kicking guns. Weatherby has been good at repairing damaged stocks.

Some people made stupid arguments like I won't buy something that is made in propiertary cartridges. Weatherby has been chambering standard cartridges in a reduced strength action for almost 10 years or more now.

Is the Weatherby the best gun under all circumstances for all people? Of course not. IS it a strong, functional, accurate rifle? Yes! Can you get a rifle that shoots uniques cartridges designed and marketed by a man who ate, breathed, and lived hunting... Yes!

Again, I am not trying to talk you into buying a Weatherby, there is no sense in that. All I am saying, your poor experience with a rifle you owned is not typical.

John

quote:

Originally posted by Techsan:
I probably should post this in the optics section, but I'll do it here. A Zeiss Conquest and Leupold VX-III are the nicest/most expensive scopes I currently own. Although it may be silly, I'll want to put a very nice piece of glass on this gun if I end up buying it. I'm thinking of a Swarovski or Kahles. Any suggestions on a particular model that could handle the recoil of the .340 in the $1,000 - $1,200 prica range?

The VXIII scope would be perfect for a 340 Weathebry anywhere in North America!. If you want to spend some more money, the Kahles is a little better than the VXIII in low light (30 mm tube vs 30mm tube), the Swaorvski gives you quite a bit more. On my 340, I have a Leupold 3.5-10 mkIV (Just thought about it, MKIV scope on a MKV action, there is something sick about that) and it seems to hold its own in low light. One thing I will caution you about the European scopes is that they typically have 1/2"-3/4" less eye relief, watch for the gun coming back and the scope making contact, even with the rubber pieces, this can lead to a shiner.

John