Just bought a Weatherby Ultra Lightweight in 30-06.
Looks and feels like an ok "walkabout" rifle, but I have not had a chance to take it to the range yet.

Took the action/barrel out of the stock, and there are two small "knobs" approx 2 1/2 " from the end of the stock.
Obviously pressure points for the barrel.

Does any of you have experience with this model, and is the pressure points doing any good accuracy wise, or is it better to remove them?

Don't have any experience with the model, the bumps are pressure points as you say. Why not shoot it first and see how things go. Then shim the action up until the barrel clears as in free floats and try it again. When the results come in you can make a wiser decision on pressure points / free float. That would be my approach. FWIW --- John

I always had good results with bedding the front of the action about 3 inches of the barrel free floating the rest.


But I would shoot it first it could shoot great.

I have and have had several ULW Mark Vs and they have all been MOA and a few are much, much better with nothing done to them but barrel break in. Definitely shoot it before you change it.

quote:

Originally posted by Quintus:
I have and have had several ULW Mark Vs and they have all been MOA and a few are much, much better with nothing done to them but barrel break in. Definitely shoot it before you change it.

Will do, that is just the feedback I was looking for.
Thank you for your comment

I've only had the one, in 300 Weatherby. It wasn't much of a shooter, so I bedded it and tried free floating and putting the pressure back in. Finally I broke down and rebarrelled it with a #2 Gaillard barrel with the same approximate contour as Remington magnum contour. Chambered it in .300 Win Mag. That fixed it right up.

Personally, I would not do it. Most of them like the upward pressure to shoot accurately. Since it is an inert fiberglass handle, I would leave it and be more concerned with the inch pounds of torque applied to the guard screws. Most of the Weatherbys I have fooled with are sensitive to the screw torque. Also, all of the Weatherbys I've owned preferred flat based bullets. The one exception that proves the rule is a Vanguard in .300Wby. Mag. that likes 180grain Accubonds. Like John303 said, shoot it and shim up the action if it doesn't perform and go from there.

I guess I have 20 rifles that are centerfire and have traded out of more than that.
To the best of my recollection all were free floated forward of the receiver save for 2-3" just ahead of the recoil lug.
Free floating has always worked better than pressure points on feather weights to heavy varminters, in my case.

It's good advice to shoot it first. That barrel is pretty thin and the factory pressure points are there for a reason. As mentioned, do pay attention to screw torque.

Shoot it first is always the best advise, most fwt barrels like 3 point bedding with upward pressure at the forend..

Freefloating is not the answer to every shooting problem as some seem to insist..

When I build a rifle I bed it tight all the way, test fire it, if not right then I 3 point bed it as suggested, if not right then the last thing I do is free float the barrel..I do this because barrel harmonics all differ, and I can take wood out but I cannot put it back..

If one of these 3 methods does not work, you need a new barrel, however on rare occasions glass bedding may or may not save you buying a new barrel..

Sorry not to have given you an update, but have been on the road for a while.

Well, the rifle have been on the range twice, and to my delight it is a real shooter.
Both with Norma factory ammo (165 grs) and with my home brew (180 grs Woodleigh PP)

I have not been able to chronograph the loads, but they are just under max, and 3 shots are usualy an inch from the bench.

In my book, more then good enough from such a thin barrel.

So I will leave it be and hunt this fall with the rifle the way it came out of the Box.
So far so good

quote:

I have not been able to chronograph the loads, but they are just under max, and 3 shots are usualy an inch from the bench.

Do not chronograph it the best way to ruin a great kill every thing rifle is to chronograph it

If it doesn't meet your velocity expectations you well never be happy with it.

That said I crony all my loads but than I realize they are what they are.