opinions on Weatherby Mark V?

[SpeedAKL]

Now that I'm out and actually earning an income I've been thinking about getting a really sharp hunting rig in the next 1-2 years, something that would last a long time and more importantly something that would make me hold it in my hands and think, "Wow this is nice!"

The practical thing to do would be to just get a decent Remmy or Savage in .30-06 and be done with it. However, I want to have something a little more "special" while still not paying as much as a small car. I have always likes the idea of a Weatherby Mark V Deluxe. I find it an exceptionally good-looking rifle with well-designed ergonomics and a smooth action.

Any Mark V owners on here care to comment about their experience with the gun?

As for caliber, I'd be tempted to get it in one of Weatherby's fast magnums not because I have any use for it in the Eastern US nor because I think that it will turn a bull elk into a pink cloud half a mile away simply by pointing in the general direction (see a humorous thread from H&Hhunter a few months back), but because I just want a mobile artillery piece. The .257 Weatherby is a cool concept as well for it's "death ray" ballistics.

 

[Art Eatman]

I've always liked long barrels, mostly because I've always loaded for the '06. So, about forty years back I found that the Mark V could be had with a 26" #2 profile barrel in '06. Drool, slobber, buy.

Okay, so it's a different world, nowadays. Mine is German-made. I put a Canjar trigger on it (Canjar's no longer in business) and re-did the forearm bedding. With a Leupold Vari-X Mk II 3x9, sling and ammo, it came to 9.5 pounds.

I did many and many a dozen-mile walking hunt. Heavy, yeah--but always reliable, as Bambi discovered.

Reliably sub-MOA. 4,000 rounds later, still sub-MOA.

But if I wuz gonna do another really-neat '06, I'd likely do it all over again.

 

[Buzzard]

Mobile artillery? Grab a MkV in .30-378 Wby Mag. You'll have a new appreciation for the phrase "Big Bang Theory." A 165 TSX stepping along at 3,400 feet per second can handle most game up to small Hondas and Toyotas. You'd need a .340 Mag to handle Buicks, though

The one Weatherby I shot in .270 Win was nice, loved the stock geometry! But I never could justify the price. If you're wondering whether I mean the price of the rifle or the price of the ammo, the answer is yes.

To Both! LOL

 

[shootr]

What a cool plan!! I say go for it - and .257 Weatherby is a great way to go. It was also Roy's fav caliber IIRC.

The Mark V action is terrific, strong and I like the short bolt throw. Fit and finish on Weatherby is excellent. You'll have something you'll be proud to use and own for your lifetime - and then you'll hand it down.

 

[shootr]

Okay - just clicked over to the W'by site... Got drool all over my key board. Built a few customs for myself... Think I'd be a real happy camper with the Accumark and a few custom flourishes!

 

[ArmedBear]

I'd like to have a .257 Weatherby here for pronghorns, but hell, that's a tad specialized.

They're nice guns, with good barrels, great fit and finish, etc. They are heavy, unless you get the Ultralight version.

So that would depend on what "hunting" means to you. If it means slogging uphill before sunup in the mountains and glassing from a hilltop, and hiking around looking for deer, I'd choose something else (think Winchester Model 70 Featherweight or EWSS). If it involves a deluxe stand and an ATV, especially with long shots, the Weatherby Mark V is a nice rifle.