Well lads, there is a first time for everything. I've purchased the first Weatherby rifle that does not shoot and its the 7mm Weatherby.

I purchased two Weathermarks for upcoming Alaska hunts, a 340 and a 7mm . The 340 shoots half MOA like every other Weatherby I've ever owned), but I can't get the 7 to shoot less than 2.75" with factory or my time proven loads.
I used factory 154gr Hornadys and hand loaded 140 TTSXs and 160 Partitions and it made for erratic patterns.

So I called Weatherby and although they agreed to look at it (noshit!) they did inform me there would be a 195 dollar "range fee" for testing. Suffice it to say, I am not happy *I* have to pay for their mistake.
I was very nice to the guy on the phone, but did ask if Weatherby was going to be at the Dallas Safari Club convention this week and he said yes. It will make for an interesting conversation.

I'll keep you guys posted, but Weatherby haters, REJOICE!

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Well lads, there is a first time for everything. I've purchased the first Weatherby rifle that does not shoot and its the 7mm Weatherby.

I purchased two Weathermarks for upcoming Alaska hunts, a 340 and a 7mm . The 340 shoots half MOA like every other Weatherby I've ever owned), but I can't get the 7 to shoot less than 2.75" with factory or my time proven loads.
I used factory 154gr Hornadys and hand loaded 140 TTSXs and 160 Partitions and it made for erratic patterns.

So I called Weatherby and although they agreed to look at it (noshit!) they did inform me there would be a 195 dollar "range fee" for testing. Suffice it to say, I am not happy *I* have to pay for their mistake.
I was very nice to the guy on the phone, but did ask if Weatherby was going to be at the Dallas Safari Club convention this week and he said yes. It will make for an interesting conversation.

I'll keep you guys posted, but Weatherby haters, REJOICE!

I had a similar issue with a Weatherby Ultra Lightweight. It turned out that the stock screws needed to be re-torqued. One of the screws was extremely loose. Since then its a tack driver and no problems.

Will Wby fix it?

Jorge:

You probably know this, but I have found the best occurs accuracy often occurs when I have seated the bullet so far out it is a single shot. I have a custom built (Stiller action, Brux bbl, McM stock, Jewell trigger, ATACR scope) .338 Lapua that would shoot groups as small as 1.5" at 500 yards but the next would be 1 MOA. When I seated the bullet out, it has not shot a group larger than 3.5" at 500 yards; Friday it plunked them into 1.5" (prone, with a bipod).

I have found really super accurate rifles seem to be tolerant of lots of different seating depths, but most rifles don't do well when the bullet has to travel a country mile to engage the rifling.

Jorge, check the torque on the action screws...50-53 inch/lbs seems to be good. I remember the same thing happening when Layne Simpson was testing a Wby rifle in a magazine write-up. It shot like a benchrest rifle afterwards.

Gents, thanks for all the responses. Torque settings have been checked and scopes swapped. I am going to HOLD THEM to their written guarantee of .99 MOA with factory ammo (grain not specified but I tried a bunch) and I sure as shit not going to PAY THEM to fix THEIR issue. Hopefully, their reps at the convention will be receptive. BTW John, the infamous Weatherby freeborn has mostly been done away with thanks to newer powders.

Does the muzzle crown look ok? Magazine binding in the stock or action? Surely there is a logical solution...but they should find it and resolve it!

God Bless, Louis

quote:

BTW John, the infamous Weatherby freeborn has mostly been done away with thanks to newer powders.

I have never owned a Weatherby; just going off my own experience, freebore or no freebore.


I think one reason the 28 Nolser and 300 PRC are doing so well is due to the ability to seat bullets way out to maximize seating depth options - and still fit in the magazine.

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Gents, thanks for all the responses. Torque settings have been checked and scopes swapped. I am going to HOLD THEM to their written guarantee of .99 MOA with factory ammo (grain not specified but I tried a bunch) and I sure as shit not going to PAY THEM to fix THEIR issue. Hopefully, their reps at the convention will be receptive. BTW John, the infamous Weatherby freeborn has mostly been done away with thanks to newer powders.

Wow sorry to hear about your troubles. I wonder if the grandkids now in charge don't feel the same need for customer service that their parents & grandparents felt?

Out of curiosity have you tried some factory ammo through it? If nothing else it might strengthen your argument with that it doesn't match their guarantee so they need to make it right. I've found Weatherby's tend shoot best if the OAL is within factory specs for their ammo.

Please let us know how it turns out.

Agreed! I had the same accuracy issue with a 270 WM I could not get to shoot. Weatherby provided the torque on that action screws and they gun shot 1/2" Groups.
Not sure what bullet you are shooting in the 7MM Wea. however if you handload I might suggest looking in the Norma reloading manual and use the max loading of MRP behind a 160 Gr Nosler Partition.
It will leave the barrel at +3200 FPS (Oheler Chrono) on a 50F day if your pipe is 26" and is extremely accurate in my rifle.

EZ

/

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Jorge, check the torque on the action screws...50-53 inch/lbs seems to be good. I remember the same thing happening when Layne Simpson was testing a Wby rifle in a magazine write-up. It shot like a benchrest rifle afterwards.

quote:

Out of curiosity have you tried some factory ammo through it?

Yes, so stated in my OP as I know Weatherby would make an issue out of it. The ONLY fix is a new barrel and I'm not paying for either it or the "range session" session, even if I have to do a "Grein Hein" Redux...

quote:

if you handload I might suggest looking in the Norma reloading manual and use the max loading of MRP behind a 160 Gr Nosler Partition.

I've been loading Weatherbys for forty years, using data from their old Weatherby guide using MRP and they always print on top of their factory loads. It's all there in my OP

Hope you get satisfaction in Dallas, Jorge. A friend was just telling me about a .257 Weatherby that only shoots the Barnes factory loads with any precision. So I guess there are a few outliers in circulation.
I certainly agree that paying Weatherby to meet its promised obligation is ridiculous, and a stain on the Weatherby reputation.

Here is my note to Weatherby, only to receive an irritating auto response:

Pursuant to my conversation with customer service today, I am sending my 7mm Weatherby magnum to you for inspection and evaluation as a result of poor grouping with factory ammo (targets enclosed with rifle).

I have been a Weatherby owner since the early 80s. I bought my first rifle from your old store on Firestone Boulevard in South Gate and since then have owned dozens, with my current inventory of six Weatherbys, all MKVs and with them I have taken over three dozen species of game world wide from Africa to all over the United States.
Two weeks ago I purchased a pair of your Weathermarks, one in 340 (Paso Robles rifle) and the other a 7mm (Wyoming rifle). The 340 shoots like all other Weatherbys I've owned, well under MOA with most sub half MOA.

However, the 7mm simply does not shoot with any ammunition I tried, both factory Weatherby ammo and my time tested hand loads using the old Weatherby Guide (1985 and older) 'Factory Equivalent loads" with Norma MRP that have always grouped exactly like the factory ammo on every Weatherby caliber, including two previous 7mm Weatherbys.
I tried 140 gr Barnes TTSXs, 160 gr Nosler Partitions, 154 and 175 grain Hornady Interlocks (both factory ammo and my own hand loads) and the best group was right at 2.5", clearly unsatisfactory and way outside your written .99" guarantee.

While I realize nothing is flawless and I expect you will make this right, I have to admit I was taken aback when your Customer Service representative (Chip?) told me I would be charged a 195 dollar "range fee" to correct the problem, in addition to the shipping costs.

In years past, you used to provide a factory target with each rifle and while I can appreciate and understand your "Range Certified" selling point to justify a higher price that now includes a target, I do not see how you can charge me, the customer to fix a rifle that should have never left your warehouse and not even close to your factory guarantee.

I will be attending the Dallas Safari Club convention this week (I've attended the Weatherby Foundation banquet in years past) and hope to speak personally with your representatives at the convention, but I have to be perfectly up front with you that if I have to pay for this range fee I will do so, but I will have purchased my last Weatherby.

Frankly, I hope that what I heard was in error, but if that is not so, your warranty is just an empty promise. if you have any questions and would like to discuss, please feel free to call me anytime.

Sincerely,

J,
My daughters W Mark V 7 mm W rifle shot 6 inch groups and was loud. Local W dealer told me to clean the copper from the barrel every 12 shots and it would shoot less than minute of angle. He also installed removable muzzle brake.

I took it home and after 1 + hours had the copper out.
Took it to range and presto --5/8 INCH GROUPS WITH w 7 AMMO.
SHE KILLED A MONTANA MULE DEER WITH ONE 400 YARD SHOT!

Sorry, but that is the extent of my W knowledge.

Well, that was forthright and to the point. I hope Weatherby steps up. I'd love to hear your conversation with the Weatherby reps at the DSC show.

As promised, I'll keep you all posted..

I have owned only one Weatherby rifle, a Mark V deluxe chambered in 7mmWby. It shot pretty good with Weatherby brand ammo, sub .75 MOA, but when I messed with hand loads it didn't cooperate for me. I have to admit I didn't play with loading very long until I traded it for another rifle. I traded it because it was too purty to hunt with and too heavy for my likes. It seemed to be very picky, so if you haven't tried Weatherby ammo in your 7Wby you might want to try it first before doing anything else.

quote:

so if you haven't tried Weatherby ammo in your 7Wby you might want to try it first before doing anything else.

::SIGH::: I wish people would take the time to READ what is actually posted...

Jorge, good luck with your wish, reading a post thoroughly seems to be a lost art. Whenever I have a rifle that groups that badly, the first thing I do is loosen both action screws, then really tighten the front , and barely snug the rear. Frequently, if there are action bedding issues this will help.
I had an co-worker that had a MK5 in 257 that was shooting pie plate sized groups @100 with WTBY factory ammo. I did the above and the rifle shot cloverleafs! It turned out that the previous year for some reason, he took it to a gunsmith to have it glass bedded. The smith did a beautiful job except he forgot to bed the rear tang. When the rear guard screw was tightned it was in a bind and accuracy went out the window. I glass bedded the tang and it was back to cloverleafs and he was a happy camper.

Thanks, Lee. I did check the torque settings to specs and no joy. We'll see what they say on Friday

Maybe Weatherby attitudes have changed with Roy's grandson now running things.

I think your assessment of the barrel being the culprit is correct. The barrel itself might be OK but what will make a Wby a real hair pulling gun is if free bore diameter is too big.

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:

quote:

so if you haven't tried Weatherby ammo in your 7Wby you might want to try it first before doing anything else.

::SIGH::: I wish people would take the time to READ what is actually posted...

You ask for opinions than complain when you get them. Pardon me for not reading your original post clearly enough. It's not like every post on AR doesn't cover the same ground many times over or drift off completely. So why would this one be any different.

At any rate hopefully weatherby makes good on their guarentee without charging you.

quote:

You ask for opinions than complain when you get them

No sir, I complained because the issue of factory ammo was on virtually every post. Thanks anyway..

154 grain factory ammo was what I saw when I read the original post

If I was Weatherby.....(which I'm clearly not)….I'd respond like this:

"Sir....return the gun to us and we will make it right with you including reimbursement of your return shipping costs....that is assuming our range tests show that the gun does not perform to our published accuracy standards.

However, if the gun does in fact live up to our standards, you will be charged a range fee of $200 and the cost of shipping the gun back to you.

If you agree with this, please return the gun to us ASAP and we will keep you informed as to our findings."

I think everyone posting here knows that there is a lot of folks out there that can't shoot for squat and automatically blame the gun. You and I shouldn't have to pay for their inability to shoot.

A friend of mine had a 257 Weatherby that shot poorly and a peak with a Hawkeye bore scope showed a defect in the rifling. The rifle went back to Weatherby and they checked out the rifle and claimed it shot fine and enclosed test targets. A view of the bore after the rifle was returned showed that the rifling issue had "disappeared" and indeed the rifle met the accuracy specification.

Ok here is what you do if they give you any lip, take the gun apart at SCI at their table and break the stock in little pieces on the floor, while you scream and cuss them out toss the bolt across the hall, they will beg you to let them fix it, take out your pocket knife and scrub the cheap blue..

Stick with me and you will wear diamonds as big as horse turds ole buddy!!

So how did this play out with wby?