A friend of mine is interested in buying a Weatherby MV 375 H&H, he showed it to me and the bolt has a small amount of play backwards and forwards when closed is this O.K. or not?
The play is still there with a fired case in it.
Thanks for any help.

Is there play with a live round in the chamber? If so doon't fire the gun but get it to a qualified Gunsmith to have the headspace checked out.

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Doug Humbarger
NRA Life member

Bear thanks for the answer.
There were no live rounds left when we found the loose bolt. The question really is the rifle/action ok to buy or should the bolt not be loose. If it is only a question of getting the headspace checked and the barrel set back then that would be ok, but if the loose bolt is not as it was shipped from the factory (I beleive it has been rebarreled) means he should not buy the rifle - that is what I'm asking.

Is it only a headspace issue or somthing that should not be there to begin with?
Thanks
416SW

From your description it sounds as if the recoil lugs have been set back! This is a Weatherby Mk V so I would be afraid, very afraid to own it! The lugs on a Weatherby are not very big! To make up for their small stature Weatherby uses alot of lugs. If the lugs have been set back there is a very real possibility that there are fatigue cracks in the action as well.

My advise is to pass on it.

Todd E

I have yet to see a Wby that all lugs made contact, try some die blue on them then fire the gun and check the contact....but not in this case. You should have the headspace checked by a gunsmith, not a big deal.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

Thanks for the replies
Just checked another weatherby 270win and the bolt moved the same. So if my mate buys it I will get the headspace checked out for him.