300 Weatherby and a few other questions

[aspen]

I have acquired an older Mark V in 300 Weatherby. It is made in Germany. I know that production was move to Japan in the 70's and then to the US in the 80's. Which of these makers are the best. What should I look out for with this early Mark V

The scope and mount look as ould as the gun. Currently the scope rings have the elevation and windage adjustments on them. What rings would be the best for this platform. I am looking at a Nikon Monarch or the Weaver Grand slam but I still need to go to the local gun shop and look at them.

What would be a good hunting load for CA deer. We don't get the biggest deer out here. Can any one refer me to an online dealer for shells.

I know that the 300 Weatherby will be a little much for deer but this is my only hunting rifle and I got it for a song from a friend. A guy an his work found it when his father passed away. His wife did not want it in the house. It has found a new home in my safe.

In the future I would like to get a 6mm, 25-06, 257 Roberts, or .243 that I can use for deer and Varmiting but not for a while. Which would you choose for this role?

I know that is a few questions. Thanks

 

[BigG]

That Weatherby would have been made by Sauer, IIRC. I would suggest 180 or 220 grain Weatherby ammo for deer. What's wrong with the scope that's on it?

 

[aspen]

Scope

I am not sure of the maker. I don't have the rifle in front of me.

It is a varible power and you almost need a wrench to adjust it. The cross hairs are Very hard to see. They are to thin. I can't see through it with a power setting higher than 5X.

I want a scope that I know will not let me down in the feild.

 

[Art Eatman]

I'm guessing that the 180-grain bullets won't destroy as much tissue as a 150-grain out of that rig. But the 220-grain bullets will give your shoulder a true "Hello, there!"

For hunting, if you want a variable, a 3x9 is about the best all around deal. A good, wide field of view at 3X if you're walking or stalking, and then you can use a higher setting if you're in a stand.

I'd go with a VariX II, 3x9 Leupold and use the existing bases and rings.

German-made Weatherbys bring higher prices from the collectors. My Mark V is German-made. All I've done to it was to install a Canjar trigger and rebed the forearm a tad. Free-floated, and a low-pressure shim.

Art

 

[rick_reno]

300 Wby

Lots of people avoid the guns made in Japan. The older German guns are nice, the new guns (USA made) are very good too.

CA deer are about as big as a good sized dog. 180 gr. from a 300 Wby will knock them down - see if you can get a few of them together - you'll get a bunch of them with that rifle. 150 gr. would be the biggest bullet I'd use on them with a 300 Wby. I shoot 300 Wby for elk hunting and so far I've needed what it delivers (my 30-06 would have worked just as good).

Any of those other rounds you mentioned are fine for deer and varmint hunting; 243 might be slightly less expensive to shoot a lot (varmint shooting can run thru a lot of ammo) than the others you mentioned. It's a good deer round too.

 

[Art Eatman]

rick, how well does the 150-grain bullet hold together from that Wby? I thought that maybe it might come apart a bit too readily, and splatter a lot of meat.

Art

 

[Gordon]

You being in Ca. and hunting Blacktail would be better served by a .308 or .270 . I be willing to drive over and trade you a nice New gun and New scope in a more practical caliber(seriously)of your choice . At any rate don't you dare touch that old Variable scope and mounts with the weird reticules that get smaller as power increases! It belongs on that old Weatherby DON"T TOUCH IT! Or get the curse of the Whammy on you! send me a PM!

 

[aspen]

The Scope is marked Bausch & Lomb it is a 2.5 X 9. It looks like a 40mm objective. The mounts are marked B & L Opt Co.

That is all I know about the optics.

 

[Preacherman]

You might have some serious collector value in that rifle & scope combination. I'd suggest checking it out with a collector's group, or perhaps with Weatherby themselves. You might do very well indeed by selling it "as is" to a collector, and then buying yourself a rifle and scope and banking the change!

 

[BigG]

Guys, I thought most of the deer meat would be converted to "pink mist" were he to use a 150 grainer in that cannon. Kinda like a ground hog making a close personal acquaintance with a 22/250!

 

[Art Eatman]

BigG, I'm guessing that the bullets in Wby factory ammo might have thicker jackets than, say, the 150-grain Sierra SPBT--which I know will come all unglued with a close-range hit and an MV of 3,000 or so.

Dat o' bullet design debbil.

Art

 

[Gordon]

OK guy, I won't try to trade you out of the Weatherby because it doesn't have an Imperial scope on it! So I will help you out. I shot .300 Weatherby all over the globe including Africa and Asia , and of course Ca. If you are going after coastal blactails that weigh less than 150 pounds go ahead and use 150 grain ammo. Hell yes they will 'blow up' but if you shoot for the neck you will have a lightning kill and nobody eats the neck I know of. If you HAVE to take the classic chest(shoulder ) shot you will lose the shoulder so better hit behind the shoulderand explode the lungs(and ruin a couple ribs). STAy AWAY FROM ANY SHOT THAT WILL PUT BULLET NEAR THE GUTS OR YOU MIGHT LOSE MOST OF THE DEER! The good part is that with 3200fps+ you will have the classic instant kill, no tracking here! Remington make ammo for .300 Weatherby that is cheaper than Weatherby ammo BUT sometimes you can find old weatherby ammo chesper , exspect to pay $22 a box or so. Sight 3 shots from bench at 50 yards make sight correction and recheck with another 3 . Move target to 100 yards and fire 3 shots you want them about 1.5 inches above your aiming point. make corrections and fire 3 more shots. Corrections fire last 3 if they are in a 3 " or less group just over bulleyes you are ready to go hunting with the last 5 rounds. I used to like 180 grain Noslers Partitions on animals up thru small elk. Anything bigger got heavy jacketed Barnes 220 grain round nose. I took my .300 and a .458 to Africa and felt Very well armed in all situations. In those days you shot Rhino! (with the .458!)

 

[12-34hom]

300 Weatherby is adaquate for any critter that roams in North America.

If you reload, 220 grain gamekings from Sierra [depending on the twist rate of your factory barrel] would be excellent fodder.

Weatherby ammo can get pricey, but i've seen it reasonable at gun shows. Of all the calibers Roy Weatherby came up with the 300 is the best IMHO.

It would be excellent bear medicine [grizz or brown] and i would not be hesitant to use it on cape buff provided the solids were from a premium bullet maker and were my handloads.

As with all Weatherby calibers they are somewhat overbore.

After researhing calibers for my current varmint rifle i went with a 6mm Ackley Improved. Which by the way comes within around 2 % of case capacity of a 257 Weatherby mag....

Would i hunt deer with a 300 Weatherby - why not.

12-34hom.