My local gun shop has a Weatherby synthetic in 375 H&H second hand should I buy it or pay nearly double for a Winchester?

I'd consider a Howa...(Vangaard) but not a MarkV

The winchester is worth double a Mark V IMO.....

You have to decide about the CRF issue.....If you're not hunting DG It wouldn't make a hill of beans to me.

Now I have gone and found a Remington priced half way between the Weatherby and the Winny.

vapodog
why a vangaurd and not the mark V?

quote:

vapodog
why a vangaurd and not the mark V?

It's my experience that there's absolutely no quality control at weatherby.....it's a "pretty" contest. Howa on the other hand has earned some of my trust.

416SW: I recently was trying to order a .375 H&H in a Mark V action and it turned out to be too diffecult here in Alaska in the time frame I wanted...but the rifle you describe sounds like a real deal. Mark Vs are one of the best actions out there. I have no beef with vapodog, but I have to disagree with him on this point. I love Weatherbys and I love Mark Vs. Best rifle out there, no matter what the cartridge. I also think the modern Vanguards are excellent rifles as well.

I have a Mark V euro sporter in 375 h&h that I really love. Matte finish, oiled dark wood stock, 24" barrel, and my 1st made in the usa mark V. I got a steal on it NIB for under $600.00. Sometimes a great deal comes along (at least I thought it was) and you can't pass it up.
Keith

.416 much easier to have a switch barrel....just buy the .458 lott barrel for this and get yoour current .375 barrel worked to be removeable.....have we not had this discussion

Buying a Vabguard in 375 H&H should be a challenge...I think they stop at 338 Winchester.

quote:

I have no beef with vapodog, but I have to disagree with him on this point.

That's ok.....it's not the action I have a beef with....

I assure you that my quality control comment is the result of owning many weatherby rifles and I won't have one in the house again.

When one spends appreciably more than the cost of a M-70 one expects something better than a M-70.....Flash and shine are poor substitutes for malfunctions, bad chambers and stock finishes that crack in the cold weather. All things that can be corrected and things I've never encountered with the M-70. Others' experiences may be different.

My only reason for posting on a Weatherby thread is to say that when you see a Weatherby, especially in a dangerous game caliber, you should RUN THE OTHER WAY!.

vapodog: I have three Wbys, two out of their custom shop (.378 and .416) and one beater .300 I bought at a bankrupt Kmart, which was too good to pass up. None of my rifles have wood on them. These three are excellent rifles, but the two big ones have special stocks and the actions have been cleaned up...but I can understand your disappoint. I have always had pretty good luck with M700s and while I have had some problems with brand new M70s, I think the M70 is a geat gun as well, for what they cost.

But I bet a .375H&H in a Wby at a good price (as above) would be a good deal. I think Weatherby goes through different cycles..I have looked a several of the guns they have made over the years that I would never buy.

I bought a Weatherby Mark V Weathermark Alaskan in .375 H&H on Auction Arms before I knew I should be concerned about quality. It was made in Japan and appeared to be new when I got it. Cost was $600.

The rifle has a classic shaped synthetic stock and its recoil characteristics are very good.

The best part has been the accuracy and consistency of the rifle. It has shot .28" groups with Speers and routinely shoots <1 1/2 at 200 yards with about anything you load.

I gotta tell you I'd probably have bought a CZ if I knew then what I know now ... my experience with a 9.3x62 and a .416 Rigby has been excellent! However, not all Weatherbys are duds. I have no complaints with mine.

I have had involvement with Wbys since about 1972 and like others they go through different phases.

The 460 is the best but it is basically a custom shop rilfe and always has been. I have owned two 460s and been directly involed with some others. Bedded and floated they are the most accurate big bores I have seen.

Wbys tend to be very reliable feeders because the do all the control from the magazine much like a 303 SMLE.

In 375 they have the plus of the long magazine.

In recent years there have been feeding problems with the Model 70 and you can pick the potentil culprits. The magazine box is narrowed by a crimping type affair and my understanding is this was done to handle 416 Rem with blunt bullets but the current ones are OK. The barrels often misalingned with the receivers and they still fuck up the barrels on the blued/walnut model with the way they put the recoil lug on. No such problem with stainless.

There are some crook feeders in Australia because of shit brass that is currently here and that kills CRF.

I has a stainless Wby 375 when the first US made rifles came here and they had the open sights and was very accurate. But I bought that just to try. Personally for me, Wby and 375 H&H don't go together.

For a wood gun Rem 700 375 is good because they don't stuff up the barrel welding a recoil lug on. That is where Wby is good their recoil lug on the big bangers is on the barrel reinforce.

If you get a Rem 700 and get an HS Precision in line feed magazine you will have the smoothest and most reliable feeder without all the potential problems that comes with CRF.

But I think if I was buying a 375 today and keeping to the general spirit of the calibre I would probably go CZ. Like the Wby you have the long magazine and not all accurate 375 loads will shoot at the 3.6" OAL and that is the limit on M70 and Rem 700 is a tad longer but CZ and Wby are way longer.

I think sights a nice on a 375 and the CZ has the sights.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Mike378:
Buying a Vabguard in 375 H&H should be a challenge...I think they stop at 338 Winchester.

Thanks Mile i was going to say the same thing. If its a true Wby in .375 it has to be a Mk V in one of their many variations. Is it woth it?, if in good sahpe i would say yes and you woulndt look back after you have fired several groups you can cover with a quater. Thats what i think. Charlie