Looking for gun smith to rebarrel wby mark v in 378wby to same caliber. Had a smith lined up but fell through so now looking for one that maybe has experience in bigger calibers for dangerous game. Thanks

Where?

Just lookin for confident gun smith that has experience with big bores in the State of Texas. Need to get 378 rebarrrled.

Size of the hole in the barrel makes no difference ... what makes it hard or easy is whether you can live with a precontoured blank .. and the avail of same to fit your stock. Also CM easier to work with than stainless. Starting with a full blank and contouring it to match the original is a lot of work and hard to get right. Getting a contoured blank and fitting the barrel channel to that is a lot easier. Trying to find a precontoured blank made to exactly the same dimensions may be hard, unless by some fluke Wby used someone else's standard contour.

I suggest you send it back to Weatherby if you want to retain the originality, barrel markings, and resale value.

Hard to imagine shooting out a 378 Wby, I think your shoulder and ears would be gone before the barrel wore out.

The smith that looked at it said a bartlein #5 contour would fit and the original barrel measured about a #4. The original has recoil lug on bbl if that was said correct and thats why he didnt want to work on it due to thinkin with out it it would brake the stock. Im not worried about resale value i wont sale it just want get her goin so can get ready for buff in Africa

Has second recoil lug on barrel and benchmark bbl comtours not bartlein.

Why do you need a new barrel? Or just want one, fine.

Shoots groups like a shotgun and for what i want it to do it wont do and for me confidence in rifle is everything and goin all way to Africa i want confidence.

But if you want to proceed, Mitch ? near Breckenridge can do it.

How do you know it is the barrel? I assume you went through the entire system and did troubleshooting on every component. When rifles suddenly start shooting "like shotguns" it is rarely the barrel. Not saying you didn't.

Where in texas are you located? If anywhere near Abilene I will be happy to look it over for you although I don't work on other people's guns for various reasons. Could be as simple as tightening the action screws; or bedding fix; or new crown; or (most likely I think, give the caliber) something has let go in the scope.

Shoot 5 shots at 40 yards with iron sights and report back. Tighten the guard screws first.
Is what I would do. Just me of course.
I, like RG, would suspect scope/mounts, first.
I get inquiries like this sometimes; I have a list of causes.

I have cleaned bore, checked screws, i have had two different scopes on it. Its just not consistent with groups. Will shoot good some days and shotgun like next same load same everything nothin changes on my end. Im kinda guy if dont do what i like i get new wich in this case is barrel in my opinion. Im in midland Texas.

No iron sights on rifle.

Ok, it ain't the barrel. Barrels do not shoot "good" some days and shotgun patterns on others. Of course, it is your rifle, opinion, and money.

Ok so i used a vx 3 1-5.5 in warne quick release mounts for scope and a zeiss v4 30mm 1-4 with warne quick release mounts. Bedded the mounts like i have on all my other wbys and torqued to spec per recommendation of manufacture. Im not ruling out barrel per say but like said earlier if i dont like i just get one that i do like. I had a 270wby that did same thing and it was missing rifling in middle of barrel. So thats why kinda came up with the conclusion of i need new barrel. Replaced that one and never looked back.

So i m just looking for smiths in texas that i can talk to or will look at rifle and go from there.

Go with dpcd excellent gunsmith

Why just Texas? Loyalty? By the way, I think it is the caliber. Have found accuracy issues with the Wby calibers. Just my humble opinion

Jim Kobe did the last one for me. Just shipped it to him. I need to send him another project but it's been really crazy.

whose ammo? I have weighed the charges in Wby factory ammo and found huge variations in the powder grains.

Texas cause where i live dont wanna deal with hassle of shipping fire arm. Im weatherby guy and have 3 other calibers that all drive tacks. I reload all my own ammo so i know everything is consistent. I will take off one of my near mounts on other wby with proven scope and shoot groups again and see what happens. Then kinda go from there in meen time look for smith to talk and get ideas from.

Well there's a smith in Lubbock, Howard Hastings. He should be able to help you. Look him up on the internet.,

and if that doesn't work out, I suggest taking a "less extreme" caliber like a 375 H&H, that way your PH will not cringe when you take the rifle out of the case. buffalo are resistant to weatherby calibers

Thanks for info Mr. Gould, one question how is buffalo resistant to weatherby caliber when shoots same swift a frame as 375 H and H just 2-300 fps faster?

Difference is, most people can handle a 375 H&H better and the bullet goes into the vitals and not the gut, or the butt.

I have seen a "hard" bullet from a 30-378 blow up on the shoulder of an eland and not penetrate. we never found the eland. cient paid for it though.

For these reasons, most PHs wince when they see a Weatherby.

So seems like its personal problem not wby problem on performance if they shoot them in gut or butt.

Also sounds like bad shot placement and how do you know the bullet blew up and did not penetrate if you never found the animal cant blame that on the 30-378.

Check the crown..just to eliminate something simple. Kreiger can an will match the contour if you want a first class job. I THINK Lothar will too..again, both first class barrels

Douglas will copy any barrel; I use them exclusively. Barrels are equal to any others, and customer service is FAR above all.

Well I wish you the best of luck with your hunt. First buff hunt with a 378 Wby, what could go wrong?

Is it a fiberglass or wood stock? Might check and see if stock is making contact with the barrel. I had a rifle years ago that was free floated...could slide a dollar bill between barrel and stock with no issues. When I set it on the bench with the front bag closer to the action screw there was no issue...when I moved the front rest closer the end of the forearm the transfer of weight coupled with a weaker forend caused the stock to flex a bit and make contact with the barrel causing erratic grouping. Would rule the stock out before swapping barrels as it may not solve the problem.

March's My Rifle Won't Shoot thread, want to replace the barrel.
Rifle shooting badly.....next step?
http://forums.accuratereloadin...9411043/m/4981039752

Seems we missed the April edition My Rifle Won't Shoot, want to replace the barrel.

But now have Mays.

Might I suggest finding a competent gunsmith in TX (if you prefer) and let him determine why it won't shoot and whether you need a new barrel.

Thanks for info and the thread to read. Mr Gould im sure same thing could go wrong with H&h, 416, 458 etc its funny that you judge another by what he shoots and make statements that in fact you have no idea of how I shoot or handle the 378 or how many rounds and animals that have succumbed to 378 already. When original post was just for a gun smith in Texas but if you have nothin better to then oh well. Thanks for letting us know you dont like the 378. Best of luck to you as well.