300 wby barrel length

wthby

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i am looking at getting a 300 wby. have my eye on a few diffrent models but looking at the SS Sub moa, Fibermark compsite/ Synthetic. The only delema i have is that i like the looks of the SS sub moa better, but like the action and longer barrel of the fibermark. In the end i quess what i am asking is

1) is there a big difference between the Mark V action and the Vanguard

2) Is 2" of barrel going to drastically change something

3) Should I be looking at a longer barrel yet

4) Is there a difference other than looks for SS vs Steel

I am looking at getting a rifle that i can use for hunting as well as reaching out a touching some targets. I might even look at phasing in the upgrades I just want to start with the right basics to upgrade sooner hopefully rather than later.

wthby

aim small, miss small
 
Get the one that you like best. There is little difference in velocity between the two lengths. Individual barrels will vary more then that extra 2".

It is a pretty big cartridge to be plinking with but will most certainly reach out as far as you could possibly want. Accuracy would be another issue as would recoil. Consider a very effective muzzle brake.

you will not get many shots in a row before that barrels gets too hot. In the summer, you may only get two shots before needing to cool the pipe.

Just look in the precision forum for all sorts of other cartridges that might suit your needs better.

Jerry
 
wthby said:
i am looking at getting a 300 wby. have my eye on a few diffrent models but looking at the SS Sub moa, Fibermark compsite/ Synthetic. The only delema i have is that i like the looks of the SS sub moa better, but like the action and longer barrel of the fibermark. In the end i quess what i am asking is

1) is there a big difference between the Mark V action and the Vanguard

Ans. Big difference both in price and quality.

2) Is 2" of barrel going to drastically change something

Ans. Weatherby normally uses 26" barrels for this caliber and a muzzle brake is available (don't know if it is standard or not - My Mark V Lazermark is 26" with a muzzle brake). Your velocity reduction for the average barrel (26" to 24") will be less than 100 ft/sec and will depend to some extent on the caliber. Someone on Gunnutz has done some testing on change of velocity because of reduction of barrel length and the results indicate that this reduction is not as much as a lot of people believe.

3) Should I be looking at a longer barrel yet

Ans. The combination of a muzzle brake and a 26" barrel makes for a long gun. This might not suit everyone and every application.

4) Is there a difference other than looks for SS vs Steel

Ans. The bore of a stainless steel barrel will not wear as fast (with everything else equal) as a steel barrel not to mention its better resistance to corrosion. This is not my assessment but rather results of testing in this area (can't remember the reference but a Google search might help you).


I am looking at getting a rifle that i can use for hunting as well as reaching out a touching some targets. I might even look at phasing in the upgrades I just want to start with the right basics to upgrade sooner hopefully rather than later.

wthby

aim small, miss small

Hi wthby,

Welcome to the forum.

I own a couple of Weatherby Mark V and would highly recommend them - just be prepared to pay top dollars for the Mark V. Also, before making up your mind, just make sure your try the operation of these actions, etc.

Duke1
 
stubblejumper said:
Price yes,but I disagree about the quality.The fit and finish of the howa made rifles that I have seen were just as good as the mark Vs.

I realize that quality is somewhat subjective but if we are talking about today's Weatherbys, The Mark V Lazermark sells for around $2200 at Wholesale Sports and the Weatherby Vanguard goes for as low as $520 at the same store. Quality is not necessarily completely associated with price but in this case, Weatherby would have priced themselves out of the market long time ago if these two models were of equal quality.

The actions look the same but the Mark V has some features not found on the Vanguard - see down below (from Weatherby).

In 1957, Roy Weatherby changed the face of American firearms with the introduction of the Mark V® bolt action. Three rings of steel surrounding the case head. Fluted bolt body with three gas ports. Nine locking lugs and a short 54-degree bolt lift. The Mark V was billed as the world’s strongest action and the ideal complement to the ultra-high velocity, magnum cartridges which he so successfully promoted. Put simply, for those who wanted the ultimate in speed and power, particularly on the biggest and most dangerous animals, the Weatherby Mark V Magnum system had no equal. It remains so today.

Introduced in 1970, the Vanguard® action first served as an economical alternative to the Mark V®. Over the years however, the Vanguard has continued to gain in popularity among all hunters, who can simply no longer ignore the exceptional combination of value, wide range of features and guaranteed accuracy. Based on a two-lug design, the Vanguard offers many of the same design elements and superior materials as the Mark V. The result is a highly accurate and dependable rifle that delivers year after year. With models starting at just a few hundred dollars, Vanguard is perhaps the finest rifle value on the market today. And, it is the only production rifle that comes with a factory-shot target as your assurance of guaranteed accuracy

If really interested in the Weatherby line, you should seriously look at the Weatherby Collector Forum on the internet. I haven't been able to access it today but it is usually at:

http://www.weatherbycollectors.com/

Duke1
 
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thanks for all input. i am now reconsidering and looking at a 30-378. after alot of mental debate i am now not sure which one is the better choice. I am worried about barrel erosion, not sure if it is directly linked to the 30-378 or just inherant in running larger units. what the thoughts around the 30 vs the 30-378. i have read alot of articles and studied the barnes reloading manual. in either case i would be using a barnes bullet. either TSX or XLC.

thanks

wthby

aim small. miss small
 
I have done some testing with the 300Wby. and barrel length. I have an Enfield P14 barrelled by Al Pedersen. It was 26 1/2 in. when I got it. It would shoot 180 gr. bullets at 3280 fps. About 10 yr. ago I cut the barrel to 24" With the same load it averaged 3100. I was able to achieve 3150 with a different load, with a slightly faster powder. I also own a Wby Alaskan in 300. It has a 26" barrel and shoots 180's at 3250 easily.
Also a comment about 'quality'. The Howabys are a quality rifle. They don't have the shiny finish of a MK V but don't confuse quality with shinyness. The wood to metal fit,absense of tooling marks etc speak well for the rifles. They lack some shine but are a good value. I disagree with the MOA concept because it 'cheapens' the non moa guns. I have a non moa 257 that shoots some handloads 3/4" though.
I also tried a 30-378 but thought the vel. gains were too small to warrant the extra powder, Blast and recoil.

My opinions only, Mark
 
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wthby said:
thanks for all input. i am now reconsidering and looking at a 30-378. after alot of mental debate i am now not sure which one is the better choice. I am worried about barrel erosion, not sure if it is directly linked to the 30-378 or just inherant in running larger units. what the thoughts around the 30 vs the 30-378. i have read alot of articles and studied the barnes reloading manual. in either case i would be using a barnes bullet. either TSX or XLC.

thanks

wthby

aim small. miss small


I've got a 300 Wby Accumark-awesome gun

this rifle is also available in 30-378 Wby, and while this cartridge is faster, I am not convinced it is fast enough to notice. I get just over 3200 fps with a 180gr bullet with mine. Recoil is not a problem.
 
The idea behind bigger cases is to get the highest velocity. It has nothing to do with better accuracy. If you are after the highest velocity, you require a very long barrel.... 30 inches with the biggest cases or why bother blowing the unburnt powder down the tube wearing it out very quickly?

If you want to impress people with the size, price and noise buy a 30-378 Mark V.

If you want a precision rifle with accuracy being the best, reasonable barrel life, and be able to reach out with a decent bullet without an excessive barrel length, build a .300 Winchester Magnum on a Remington 700 action.

Just my thoughts.......
 
I have now changed once again and decided to pick up a 7mm stw, SAKO 75 stainless synthetic. later on down the road i might pick up a big dog but for now i am going to plan with this on

thanks for all of you input, much appreciated

wthby

aim small, miss small
 
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