Which Weatherby Rifle

[TaperPin]

Picking up a mark 5 makes me smile.

 

[Marshfly]

The old school Weatherby cartridges made sense when we did not have rangefinders, reliable dialing scopes, and high BC bullets. Now that those exist paying ridiculous prices for limited proprietary ammo makes zero sense. Sorry for the Weatherby fanbois, but that’s the reality.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rabbithuntr]

I would not want to be stuck with a Weatherby cartridge. I had a Howa and liked it except the stock the peak 44 solves that. However I like shooting guns and a Creedmoor would better if you want to shoot a lot, and you really won’t lose any useable performance I doubt.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[2five7]

I asked myself this same question in 2020. Ended up with a Weathermark LT in 6.5 RPM. No regrets. Awesome rifle, and cartridge.

 

[wind gypsy]

54 degree bolt throw means you have to do the same amount of cocking work in 54 degrees vs 90 so if all else were the same (it's not, the 2 lug vs 6 lug configuration is different) you have that much more force required disturbing your sight picture and point of aim more.

Personally, I prefer a light bolt lift to minimize sight picture disturbance. It's not like working a slick 90 degree bolt is slow. The main benefit of a smaller degree bolt lift is scope clearance. Not an issue if you don't insist on mounting scope low as possible and even then it often still isn't depending on scope size and bolt handle geometry.

That said, most hunters aren't going to follow through on a shot and will come off the gun, work the bolt like a gorilla, and then try to find the target again, so these rabbit holes on bolt lift dont mean much for them.

Also, I agree with the less is more train of thought much of the time, i.e. creed>PRC but if a guy is stuck using monos in CA I can see the desire for more velocity.

 

[sjwfarms]

Late to the party on this one but I have the Mark V hunter in .06 with the peak 44 stock replacement. Fit like a glove out of the box. right around 8# loaded with scope and bipod. Barrel heats up fast but also cools fast.

adding the $500 vanguard 6.5CM talked about on here as it will be much more fun at the range

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Weatherby quality has gone down and their cartridges aren’t that good.

 

[BjornF16]

Only because the OP has limited the selection to Weatherby…

Mark V Hunter (although I would go with either 280 AI or 6.5 CM over 6.5 RPM).

1. I’m a fan of less than 90° bolt lift
2. Cut and thread Hunter’s non-fluted barrel for 5/8-24 threads for suppressor
3. I had RPM previously; unless you hand load it is very pricey ammo. If you do hand load, brass is scarce
4. Be prepared to properly bed the action
5. Definitely not a fan of Monte Carlo stocks for recoil management (staying on target)

 

[Marshfly]

Weatherby quality has gone down and their cartridges aren’t that good.

Agreed. The three PRCs match or beat everything Weatherby offers for less money.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Agreed. The three PRCs match or beat everything Weatherby offers for less money.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My dad was a huge weatherby fan, that’s what he saw in magazines while growing up without any extra money. When he was working, he collected weatherby rifles like they were going out of style. We have a pile of cool classic weatherby rifles and the new ones just aren’t as nice.

I do agree that a PRC is probably better than any weatherby cartridge.

 

[Marshfly]

My dad was a huge weatherby fan, that’s what he saw in magazines while growing up without any extra money. When he was working, he collected weatherby rifles like they were going out of style. We have a pile of cool classic weatherby rifles and the new ones just aren’t as nice.

I do agree that a PRC is probably better than any weatherby cartridge.

It’s not even that the cartridges are bad. They were designed when high BC bullets and reliable range finders and dialing scopes didn’t exist. Now those exist so they make zero sense when they cost more.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Touchdown88]

6.5 PRC. There is no mid-length vanguard action. This will allow you to load 156 Bergers if you want.

 

[Nhenry]

I’ll be the odd one out and say the XP. It’s the cheapest on the list, it’s chambered in a cartridge that I’ve been interested in since its release, and if you want to upgrade the stock/save weight you can always get 700 clone stocks easy

 

[Glitterball]

If a large part of your desire for a Weatherby is its Weatherby-ness, I’d have to recommend against the Vanguard being that it’s essentially a Howa. My wife and I recently picked up two Weatherby Mark Vs because we both just wanted that Weatherby je ne sais quoi. The Vanguard wouldn’t have scratched that itch. Nothing against Howa.

I have a Mark V Hunter in 308 and she has a Mark V Backcountry 2.0 in 6.5 CM. Comparing the two, my Hunter stock is, of course, a little heavier but it feels MUCH larger than the Peak 44 on the Backcountry. LOP on the Hunter is 0.5” longer than the Peak 44, but the biggest difference in ergos is in the grip. The Hunter grip has a lot more volume, which makes the whole rifle feel bulkier. I’m a big guy with big hands so the Hunter works just fine for me. The Peak 44, however, is sleek and light and just feels perfect. I’ll likely be switching out my Hunter stock for a Peak 44 at some point.

Having said that, if the choice is between the Talon to get the Peak 44 or the Mark V for the action, I’d go Mark V all day. You can always change the stock down the line. Further, if you’re a fairly large person I think you’d do fine with the Hunter. If you’re on the smaller side, you may find that the Weathermark is better suited fit-wise, and that alone is probably worth the extra $100.

I don’t really have an opinion on the XP. I’m bullish on the new 307 action being a 700 clone. I haven’t handled one yet though, and not sure how I’d feel about the extra weight - especially when compared to a Backcountry.

 

[Marshfly]

Love the Peak 44 that I put on my Rem 700. LOVE it.

 

[Unclecroc]

If it was me I’d buy the 307 and not look back. If you don’t like it or want to upgrade something eventually it’s a no brainer with it being a 700 clone.

 

[Marshfly]

I see zero reason to buy a 307 when the Tikka exists. The Alpine MDT is pretty damn cool for just under 7 pounds though. Not $3k cool. But cool.