Finding a rifle in 300 weatherby mag.... is wby/howa the only manufacturer?

simko

simko

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Hi Everyone
My dad has hunted moose with a nice sporter mauser in 300 weatherby mag shooting 180gr bullets for moose.
Some genius at the hunt camp informed my dad that his barrel was burned out and needed to be replaced. Anyways, now this rifle has a massive bull barrel and this thing is HEAVY.
Someone is not a happy camper, and wants a new rifle but wants to use a 300wby again. Fine. I am assigned with research duties.


The question for this forum is: Is weatherby/howa the only brand of rifles for this caliber? If so, will a brand new wby/howa rifle be as good as an older weatherby? These rifles are not cheap and want to make sure before i try to learn the intricacies of the different models, vanguard , mark v, etc etc.

I'll ask the gunsmithing forum about the effects of reprofiling the barrel as well.

Thanks everyone
 
Doesn't seem like there is a lot of options if in the market for a new rifle.
But just about every manufacturer chambered one in the 300 wby over the years. Keep an eye out.
 
The barrel can be turned lighter, usually for $150 or so... plus re-bluing... not all smiths will do either... go back to the guy who installed the heavy barrel...
 
To be considered - from John Barsness articles - Weatherby "genuine" barrels have a free-bore to them - some "custom" barrels do not have that free-bore, and can experience "over pressure" with standard factory Weatherby ammo, as a result.
 
Potashminer said:
To be considered - from John Barsness articles - Weatherby "genuine" barrels have a free-bore to them - some "custom" barrels do not have that free-bore, and can experience "over pressure" with standard factory Weatherby ammo, as a result.
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Didn't weatherby reduce the freebore at some point a few decades ago? I recall reading something about that... They still have more freebore than others, but less than they used to I want to say?

Of course, with the aftermarket barrel on the OP's gun who knows what it has...

guntech said:
The barrel can be turned lighter, usually for $150 or so... plus re-bluing... not all smiths will do either... go back to the guy who installed the heavy barrel...
Click to expand...

This is a good idea. Take it back to the smith who installed the barrel and inquire about getting the barrel turned down. It'll cost a hell of a lot less than a new rifle.
 
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I do not know - just what I read in that article. The only 300 Weatherby I have is an opened up M1917 ex-military rifle with a 26" High Standard WWII barrel - and I have never bought or fired factory ammo in it.
 
dan belisle said:
Incidentally, if you go to a much lighter rifle, he might not like a 300 Wby anymore. Felt recoil will be much heavier. - dan
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There used to be a back and forth between he and I... Someone wanted a lighter weight rifle, 500yd distance capability, reduced recoil. 180 gr bullet. This thing ended up being a pretty nice sporter with mag ported (or similar) barrel and it was great. now its an anchor.
 
The Weatherby MkV rifle was first made in Germany, then production changed to Howa in Japan, then to California where they are still being made today. The Weatherby Vanguard rifles are presently made in Japan by Howa. All of the plants made good rifles but I think the Howa made Mkv's were the best by a very small margin. Other manufacturers such as Winchester and Sako (maybe others) have chambered Wby cartridges in they're rifles over the years but I don't know if any are still doing it.
 
Falconflyer said:
The Weatherby MkV rifle was first made in Germany, then production changed to Howa in Japan, then to California where they are still being made today. The Weatherby Vanguard rifles are presently made in Japan by Howa. All of the plants made good rifles but I think the Howa made Mkv's were the best by a very small margin. Other manufacturers such as Winchester and Sako (maybe others) have chambered Wby cartridges in they're rifles over the years but I don't know if any are still doing it.
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Weatherby recently moved to Sheridan, Wyoming.

https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2019/6/13/weatherby-s-monumental-move/
 
I had a Weatherby Vanguard S2 in 300WBY (Griptonite Stock). One of the most accurate rifles I've owned, but it will let you know it's there when touched off.
Try to get your issue worked out before purchasing a new rifle.
 
Suther said:
Didn't weatherby reduce the freebore at some point a few decades ago? I recall reading something about that... They still have more freebore than others, but less than they used to I want to say?

Of course, with the aftermarket barrel on the OP's gun who knows what it has...



This is a good idea. Take it back to the smith who installed the barrel and inquire about getting the barrel turned down. It'll cost a hell of a lot less than a new rifle.
Click to expand...

Wby has reduced the freebore at least twice I know of. Early rifles had as much as 3/4 inch. Then it was dropped to 1/2, and now I believe they have dropped it again, to 3/8 inch. - dan
 
simko said:
There used to be a back and forth between he and I... Someone wanted a lighter weight rifle, 500yd distance capability, reduced recoil. 180 gr bullet. This thing ended up being a pretty nice sporter with mag ported (or similar) barrel and it was great. now its an anchor.
Click to expand...

So, just so I understand. Your dad had an accurate standard weight 300 Wby built on a Mauser action (if it's an original Wby that's a collectable) and someone in your hunting camp convinced him his barrel was burnt out. So he had a truck axle barrel installed and now he wants a light rifle again? - dan
 
dan belisle said:
So, just so I understand. Your dad had an accurate standard weight 300 Wby built on a Mauser action (if it's an original Wby that's a collectable) and someone in your hunting camp convinced him his barrel was burnt out. So he had a truck axle barrel installed and now he wants a light rifle again? - dan
Click to expand...


I think he saw a decline in the rifle's performance and then someone might have chimed in, thus prompting the new barrel. To be honest, I was pretty frustrated with this whole situation. I remember he bought two rifles at the same time when i was a baby, one for him (300) the other for me (270), theyre both marked "mauser werke oberndorf" and imported by Ruko.
 
i like the idea of getting the barrel turned down. maybe just get a new barrel put on to the contour you would like.
 
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