Weatherby as a donor action

powdergun

powdergun

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I have a Mk V safe queen in 300 wby mag made in the 70's ( Japan ). For those of you who build long range precision rigs I understand that Rem and Savage actions are often used.

Would the Weatherby make a good donor for a build or would it be wiser to use a rem or savage. BTW my main concern is saving some money but also having a great LR rifle. I do not have the kill set to do this myself so it would be going to a gunsmith.
 
I would check if the gunsmiths are willing to work on your Weatherby. Tooling and set up maybe different and so add cost. If the Weatherby is in good shape, you may want to try and sell it as is and start fresh.
 
I've been looking into this as well. From what I've been able to dig up the 9 locking lug action is a deterent for many. Most smiths say that they can't be trued up to make 100% lug contact. I read arguments for and against lapping the lugs to improve this. Most smiths I've talked to have said that it is best to just screw on a new barrel and go. The actions are generally good as is. With a match grade barrel they are capable of shooting very well. The short bolt throw is nice and the box mag is huge so you can mag feed those long seated bullets. They are also a very strong action if you're thinking of building a magnum caliber rifle.

I currently have a weatherby TRR in 338 Lapua. This gun is built on the mark v action. It is a great shooting rifle. I have no problem hitting 12" plates at 1000 yards and have made regular hits on my 18" x30" plate out to 1450. I have it up for sale right now as another project has caught my attention but if it doesen't sell it will be wearing the 30" kreiger I have stashed away next spring.
 
My biggest concern would be if the trigger could be reworked enough to get a decent trigger pull. You should be able to tell if /which locking lugs are making contact by looking at the back side of the lugs on the bolt.
 
I had mine taken down to a crisp 2 lbs. It is comparable to the Timney I have on my 260. Timney also makes a trigger for the mark v.
 
Correct, I understand the concept well as I am a machinist. Some lathes are more simple than others, some US made lathes don't have interchangeable gears. The most common lathes with gunsmiths are US made, almost specifically designed for through spindle work only. Point is, metric threads aren't the most common, so some smiths aren't set up for it or just don't like doing it.
 
What would be the approximate cost of having a heavier match barrel put on and trigger work done on the weatherby ?
 
Barrel blank- $450 - $500
Thread and chamber - $250

The smith that did my trigger charged me $75. Timney makes a replacement for around $150. Add a couple hundred if you're gonna put a brake on it.
 
In my opinion, The Weatherby is one of the best push feed actions out there.....it totally blows away the Remington in design (I own 2 Remingtons, but no Weatherbys, so don't call me biased). I've been thinking that the Weatherby in 338Lapua would be the way to go for a long range hunting rifle.
Ivor
 
If I understand correctly ( please excuse I'm a long time shooter zero time custom gun builder ) the weatherby mkV I have which is currently a 300 wby mag should be able to be rebarreled with a match grade barrel to just about any round I want.

So with a little trigger work, a new barrel, and a good stock with a few etc... things I should have a solid long range shooter for under $2000 ? Optics extra.

Hmmm time to start saving my loose change.

The original barrel has had very little use. After a rebarrel is the original still useful and is there a market for these factory barrels ?
 
The Mark V thread is not metric, it's 1-1/16 x 16 TPI, same thread as a 700...the Vanguard thread is metric, 26mm x 1.5, I've cut them on my lathe without a problem.

Why not tune up your Mark V with it's 300 Wby barrel and try it out at long range.

I think the Mark V is a way better action than a 700 except the Rem has a better factory trigger, but triggers are easly swapped. As a matter of fact most actions are better than a 700.

I wouldn't worry about the lug contact thing,...it has more effect on a two lug action than a 9 lug, which is basically a three lug, with each lug having three contact surfaces.
 
The barrel is quite thin. I've tried a few times with assorted loads to get it to group. The best I've done is around 1.5" at 100M. First shot with a cold barrel is right on POI but after that not so good. ( I've waited up to 20 minutes between shots )

I know the rifle has more to give with a bit of tweeking but I thought a better barrel may just be the ticket to turn it into a long range milk jug slayer. As for hunting maybe a long range shooter but for now I'm usually tagged out by the end of muzzle loader season and elk and or moose won't happen for me for at least another ten years.

I've got a great range close to home so I do have a lot of opportunity to burn powder.
 
"If I understand correctly ( please excuse I'm a long time shooter zero time custom gun builder ) the weatherby mkV I have which is currently a 300 wby mag should be able to be rebarreled with a match grade barrel to just about any round I want."

The bolt face may limit you to as to what caliber's can be used with minimum modification. When I was toying with idea's for mine I found out that being a 338 lapua I'm limited to that case or the 378. I believe since yours is in 300 weatherby the bolt face should leave you more options.
 
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