Feedback on interest in Weatherby Mark V actions.

[std7mag]

In my discussions with a tech from Weatherby, i learned that they do not offer their Mark V actions, or barreled actions for sale.

Since the idea of building a wildcat 7mm-378 ELR/ULR rifle on a Mark V action occurred to me, i'll admit to being disappointed in hearing this.

So i'm going to be asking for feedback on any interest on the Mark V action to be sold separately on the 3 firearm related forums that i'm on.
If enough interest, then take that to Weatherby to hopefully make it happen.

 

[mtmuley]

Just use a custom. mtmuley

 

[std7mag]

Just use a custom. mtmuley

Wasn't what i was after. Lol

Just looking for interest in the Mark V action.

Sometimes i'm kind of a "purist".
Mark V action for a Weatherby magnum cartridge type person.

Otherwise i'd just build it on a Savage action & be done with it.

 

[mtmuley]

Wasn't what i was after. Lol

Just looking for interest in the Mark V action.

Sometimes i'm kind of a "purist".
Mark V action for a Weatherby magnum cartridge type person.

Otherwise i'd just build it on a Savage action & be done with it.

I don't think most riflemakers sell bare actions, do they? The Mark V isn't exactly popular among builders. A friend of mine has a pretty good relationship with Weatherby. I'll run it by him. mtmuley

 

[buffybr]

It wasn't a Mark V, but when I bought my .300 Weatherby Vanguard, the first thing I did when I got it home was to take off the factory stock and replace it with AA Fancy walnut. I still have the unused factory stock in a box.

It's an expensive way to get a barreled action, but there should be a resale value in a factory stock.

 

[cahunter805]

The Mark V action is a solid action and built like a tank. That is the first problem for many. They are heavy. Also the 6 and 9 lugs are a pain to true. There are gunsmiths who build off them though. Their trigger is easy to work on and with a spring change and stoning are excellent.

 

[mtmuley]

Their trigger is easy to work on and with a spring change and stoning are excellent.

Off topic, but a Smith that knows triggers can work magic. We have a local guy that is a wizard with factory Remington triggers. mtmuley

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

Weatherby bolts are like bricks. Not sure why they overbuilt them but I'm guessing there wasn't a lightweight everything craze back in the day when Roy designed em. Either way it's not one that I'd have on my list for a custom build.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Weatherby bolts are like bricks. Not sure why they overbuilt them but I'm guessing there wasn't a lightweight everything craze back in the day when Roy designed em. Either way it's not one that I'd have on my list for a custom build.

Yep.

Pulled my FILs 7mm weatherby out of the safe a while back and remember thinking what a monster the action was compared to my tikka or 700.

I guess you want something like that if back in the day you were handloading/fire forming or otherwise just pushing the limits of cartridges are were slightly worried about catastrophic failures?

Definitely wouldn’t be on my list for a custom gun build.

 

[std7mag]

Personally,
I'd like to see them open (lengthen) the ejection port at least 0.3".
Then we could sit the Berger VLDs out to where they like it and be able to eject a loaded round without taking the bolt out.

As far as "beefiness" or weight are concerned, the action weight doesn't bother me that much.
As far as an ELR/ULR or maybe an F-Open build are concerned, it's actually desirable.

As far as hunting rifles are concerned, my Mark V Weathermark LT weighs 7.3lb sans scope.

Unfortunately they discontinued the Mark V Ultra Lightweight which came in at 6.2lb with the 9 lug bolt.

 

[Don Fischer]

The Mark V action is a solid action and built like a tank. That is the first problem for many. They are heavy. Also the 6 and 9 lugs are a pain to true. There are gunsmiths who build off them though. Their trigger is easy to work on and with a spring change and stoning are excellent.

Don't know for a fact but I suspect the weatherby action is not much if any stronger than most other's. Think I read years ago that the secrete to the so called high pressure loads in weatherby is the bullet jump to the lands, have read there a lot of free bore in the Mark V. All that free bore should increase case capacity without throwing the cartridge over the pressure limit. I think that a reason no Weatherby cartridge is used in match shooting, match accuracy doesn't seem to be there. In fact, weren't the origional Weatherby rifles Mauser's? My own idea about the Mark V action is it's more of a sales pitch than anything. I think back in the 70's Sauer was marketing a rifle with a similar action but not in Weatherby cartridges.

I think I've mentioned my old 7mm mag from years ago on here. Tried cutting out the lands to allow the 160gr bullet to be seated out with the base of the bullet at the base of the neck. Was looking for more accuracy and got it but also noticed that the max load increased by two grains using N205 powder! Has to be increased case capacity doing that. What wasn't around then was chronographs so I could actually record the before and after velocity! Wonder what would happen if a 30-06 was opened up to provide more free bore? My old 30-06 has a pretty badly worn throat and the bullet's, Hornady 180gr BT's are seated to the base of the neck. If the barrel wasn't already so worn I'd try it just to see. These days I do have a chronograph. Be interesting just to see!

I don't know what would happen with say my 6.5x55. magazine won't let me seat 140gr bullet's out that far and I can't reach the lands with the bullet. Then wasn't the origional loading a 156gr bullet? Perhaps they couldn't get a long enough action to handle shorter and longer bullet's and saw the thing as a big game cartridge so to fix that went with a lond throat. Increase case capacity and still be able to use shorter bullet's. The long action's in American rifles I've tried won't allow seating bullet's out to much. Had a 700 like that in 6mm Rem and because of the magazine couldn't reach the lands with the bullet's. Finding that pressure change in that old 7mm mag, an L61R sako, really surprised me then.

Had to go look. That old 30-06 is a 1903 Springfield and bullet's are seated to the max in the magazine. But at that length they need to be loaded bullet first through the action or the bullet hit's the front of the action.

 

[old roper 42]

In my discussions with a tech from Weatherby, i learned that they do not offer their Mark V actions, or barreled actions for sale.

Since the idea of building a wildcat 7mm-378 ELR/ULR rifle on a Mark V action occurred to me, i'll admit to being disappointed in hearing this.

So i'm going to be asking for feedback on any interest on the Mark V action to be sold separately on the 3 firearm related forums that i'm on.
If enough interest, then take that to Weatherby to hopefully make it happen.

Why would they sale actions when they have custom shop.

Custom Shop Landing Page - Weatherby, Inc.

ALL CUSTOM BUILDS TYPICALLY HAVE A 180 DAY LEAD TIME* This may vary depending on level of customization and parts availability. IF NO FFL IS INPUTTED OR SELECTED THE LEAD TIME WILL NOT BEGIN UNTIL WE RECEIVE THE FFL LICENSE. ALL CUSTOM BUILDS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE* ALL CARBON BARRELED BUILDS HAVE A...

weatherby.com

 

[cahunter805]

Don't know for a fact but I suspect the weatherby action is not much if any stronger than most other's. Think I read years ago that the secrete to the so called high pressure loads in weatherby is the bullet jump to the lands, have read there a lot of free bore in the Mark V. All that free bore should increase case capacity without throwing the cartridge over the pressure limit. I think that a reason no Weatherby cartridge is used in match shooting, match accuracy doesn't seem to be there. In fact, weren't the origional Weatherby rifles Mauser's? My own idea about the Mark V action is it's more of a sales pitch than anything. I think back in the 70's Sauer was marketing a rifle with a similar action but not in Weatherby cartridges.

I think I've mentioned my old 7mm mag from years ago on here. Tried cutting out the lands to allow the 160gr bullet to be seated out with the base of the bullet at the base of the neck. Was looking for more accuracy and got it but also noticed that the max load increased by two grains using N205 powder! Has to be increased case capacity doing that. What wasn't around then was chronographs so I could actually record the before and after velocity! Wonder what would happen if a 30-06 was opened up to provide more free bore? My old 30-06 has a pretty badly worn throat and the bullet's, Hornady 180gr BT's are seated to the base of the neck. If the barrel wasn't already so worn I'd try it just to see. These days I do have a chronograph. Be interesting just to see!

I don't know what would happen with say my 6.5x55. magazine won't let me seat 140gr bullet's out that far and I can't reach the lands with the bullet. Then wasn't the origional loading a 156gr bullet? Perhaps they couldn't get a long enough action to handle shorter and longer bullet's and saw the thing as a big game cartridge so to fix that went with a lond throat. Increase case capacity and still be able to use shorter bullet's. The long action's in American rifles I've tried won't allow seating bullet's out to much. Had a 700 like that in 6mm Rem and because of the magazine couldn't reach the lands with the bullet's. Finding that pressure change in that old 7mm mag, an L61R sako, really surprised me then.

Had to go look. That old 30-06 is a 1903 Springfield and bullet's are seated to the max in the magazine. But at that length they need to be loaded bullet first through the action or the bullet hit's the front of the action.

I never said they were stronger. They are just built with bigger bolts and heavier than many other actions.
Distance to the lands and freebore are two different things. You can lengthen a throat easily but when cutting setting up/cutting freebore it must be done very precisely.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I don’t understand why anyone would want a 9 lug action these days. It’s silly. Heavy, 9 mating surfaces to get right, and typically a heavy bolt lift. None of which are beneficial. It’s cool that Roy built a bunch of wildcats back in the day but that doesn’t make me want something like that for a tool now.

 

[std7mag]

Why would they sale actions when they have custom shop.

Custom Shop Landing Page - Weatherby, Inc.

ALL CUSTOM BUILDS TYPICALLY HAVE A 180 DAY LEAD TIME* This may vary depending on level of customization and parts availability. IF NO FFL IS INPUTTED OR SELECTED THE LEAD TIME WILL NOT BEGIN UNTIL WE RECEIVE THE FFL LICENSE. ALL CUSTOM BUILDS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE* ALL CARBON BARRELED BUILDS HAVE A...

weatherby.com

Would be nice to build an Ultra Lightweight. Since discontinuing even their custom shop won't build you one.

 

[old roper 42]

Would be nice to build an Ultra Lightweight. Since discontinuing even their custom shop won't build you one.

I don't think it bother me since I have no interest in Ultra light Wby rifle.

 

[std7mag]

Why would they sale actions when they have custom shop.

Custom Shop Landing Page - Weatherby, Inc.

ALL CUSTOM BUILDS TYPICALLY HAVE A 180 DAY LEAD TIME* This may vary depending on level of customization and parts availability. IF NO FFL IS INPUTTED OR SELECTED THE LEAD TIME WILL NOT BEGIN UNTIL WE RECEIVE THE FFL LICENSE. ALL CUSTOM BUILDS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE* ALL CARBON BARRELED BUILDS HAVE A...

weatherby.com

Also my thoughts are, if a "custom shop" won't build you what you want, with their items even, are they truly a "custom shop"?
Or an accessories shop?

 

[old roper 42]

Also my thoughts are, if a "custom shop" won't build you what you want, with their items even, are they truly a "custom shop"?
Or an accessories shop?

Wby custom shop is for their rifles only. They have list on what they do and you can look that up and it not to hard and they post what they do per rifle selected.

Let me ask you, How many custom rifles have you had build and who build them? You purchased used 24B which was copy of Forbes 24 which I own. Why didn't you buy a 24 custom? How many times have posted on owning that rifle at one time.

 

[std7mag]

Many, i sold it last year.
I bought the 24B used for $995.
Sold for $1,600.

There is no way i could afford the start at $3,600 for a custom.

My "customs" now are created in my basement.

 

[old roper 42]

Many, i sold it last year.
I bought the 24B used for $995.
Sold for $1,600.

There is no way i could afford the start at $3,600 for a custom.

My "customs" now are created in my basement.
Some milling and lathe work i can do at work.

If your building you own, why worry about what Wby doing.