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Weatherby 307 Range SF in .223 Rem?

B

Barmcd

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2023
Messages
1,196
I'm looking for a .223 with a heavy barrel to shoot at 300-700 yards. This Weatherby looks like a good fit since it's got a 20" heavy barrel with a 1:8 twist. Normally, I'd like a longer barrel, but I've started shooting almost all my rifles suppressed so the 20" barrel isn't a big issue. The stock is adjustable for LOP and comb height so it might suffice if its stiff enough. Since it's also a Remington 700 footprint, there's a ton of customization options to fix what doesn't fit. As a bonus I've also seen it listed as low as $900 which makes it a terrific buy.

Weatherby 307 Range SF.jpg

What do you think? Any other rifles in this price range with similar features?

Weatherby 307 Range SF
 
I want to try one, so far its the last if the 700 clones i havent gotten to actually handle......and i want another WBY in the safe fir some reason.

There are quite a few options for similar rifles (complete and as parts builds) for 900-1300, but the 307 looks as good as any of them.
 
Last edited:
Barmcd said:
I'm looking for a .223 with a heavy barrel to shoot at 300-700 yards. This Weatherby looks like a good fit since it's got a 20" heavy barrel with a 1:8 twist. Normally, I'd like a longer barrel, but I've started shooting almost all my rifles suppressed so the 20" barrel isn't a big issue. The stock is adjustable for LOP and comb height so it might suffice if its stiff enough. Since it's also a Remington 700 footprint, there's a ton of customization options to fix what doesn't fit. As a bonus I've also seen it listed as low as $900 which makes it a terrific buy.

View attachment 1265626

What do you think? Any other rifles in this price range with similar features?

Weatherby 307 Range SF
Click to expand...
Tikka
 
That looks like it could be a great rifle.

Another option would be the Bergara HMR. I have several friends with them though they are all 6.5, 308, or 300 WM. All have been great shooters for right at 1k dollars.
 
Just looked and they dont make the HMR in 223. That's a bummer.

You could buy a Bergara barreled action and a stock of your choosing.
 
C-grunt said:
Just looked and they dont make the HMR in 223. That's a bummer.

You could buy a Bergara barreled action and a stock of your choosing.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've been having trouble finding a rifle in .223 with a heavy barrel. I want something that I can shoot without the barrel heating up after 3-4 shots. I'd also like it to be a Remington 700 foot-print so customization isn't a problem.
 
Barmcd said:
Yeah, well the Tikka Super Varmint cost $1749 and this one is $900. I'd like to go with the Tikka, but I'm not there yet.
Click to expand...

If Wby didn’t completely screw the pooch on their R700 clone, this rifle for $900 is a better option than the Tikka.

The ONLY downsides I can see with the Wby is 1) the fact it is catching your eye with a price tag, but is it really just buying a $900 action? The stock may just be a polymer noodle, and at that price point, is the barrel just a cold hammer forged barrel like the Vanguards, or a better button rifled barrel like the MkV’s? And 2) Is the action headspace controlled, meaning it is prefit barrel compatible, or are they all unique? This difference matters a lot for a high use, precision rifle, because the price difference between prefit barrels vs. Blanks plus smithing to set headspace is substantial - within one or two rebarrels, a $900 action/rifle plus 2 barrels costs more than a $1200-1400 action plus 2 prefits.

Personally, I would not buy an R700 clone meant for high volume precision shooting which was not headspace controlled. This WOULD be a deciding factor for me, alone.

For #1 above, if we found out it IS headspace controlled (which I can’t readily find online, so I think it is not), then I would think hard about a polymer noodle stock against a better stock, and I would think hard about the idea of turning a $900 factory rifle into a $3000 custom by adding a new barrel and stock/chassis, which is then still only worth $800 resold complete or $2000 if sold re-parted. If it’s just a CHF barrel, I would be pretty hard pressed to convince myself to buy it. A Savage would likely outshoot it’d a Ruger American shoot just as well, so I’d kinda look at it as a $900 action, if it‘s just a polymer noodle and a CHF barrel, and at that point, nah, there are better $900-1000 actions around, and there are better custom actions with prefit compatibility within reach of that price point to make the leap.

Maybe, maybe not better R700 clone than a Bergara HMR (differences from #1 above). Better aftermarket than a Tikka, Savage, or Ruger American, or Howa. These are the objective comparisons for value I would make.
 
Varminterror said:
If Wby didn’t completely screw the pooch on their R700 clone, this rifle for $900 is a better option than the Tikka.

The ONLY downsides I can see with the Wby is 1) the fact it is catching your eye with a price tag, but is it really just buying a $900 action? The stock may just be a polymer noodle, and at that price point, is the barrel just a cold hammer forged barrel like the Vanguards, or a better button rifled barrel like the MkV’s? And 2) Is the action headspace controlled, meaning it is prefit barrel compatible, or are they all unique? This difference matters a lot for a high use, precision rifle, because the price difference between prefit barrels vs. Blanks plus smithing to set headspace is substantial - within one or two rebarrels, a $900 action/rifle plus 2 barrels costs more than a $1200-1400 action plus 2 prefits.

Personally, I would not buy an R700 clone meant for high volume precision shooting which was not headspace controlled. This WOULD be a deciding factor for me, alone.

For #1 above, if we found out it IS headspace controlled (which I can’t readily find online, so I think it is not), then I would think hard about a polymer noodle stock against a better stock, and I would think hard about the idea of turning a $900 factory rifle into a $3000 custom by adding a new barrel and stock/chassis, which is then still only worth $800 resold complete or $2000 if sold re-parted. If it’s just a CHF barrel, I would be pretty hard pressed to convince myself to buy it. A Savage would likely outshoot it’d a Ruger American shoot just as well, so I’d kinda look at it as a $900 action, if it‘s just a polymer noodle and a CHF barrel, and at that point, nah, there are better $900-1000 actions around, and there are better custom actions with prefit compatibility within reach of that price point to make the leap.

Maybe, maybe not better R700 clone than a Bergara HMR (differences from #1 above). Better aftermarket than a Tikka, Savage, or Ruger American, or Howa. These are the objective comparisons for value I would make.
Click to expand...
The 307 stock has an internal aluminum chassis which should make it very rigid. My Bergara B14 has an internal aluminum chassis and it's a very rigid gun. I cannot find any information about how the stock barrel is manufactured. The 307 action is designed to accept prefit barrels and there are a few companies already making them. Here's one. It looks like a new stainless heavy barrel would run about $645.

Preferred Barrel Blanks
 
Barmcd said:
Yeah, I've been having trouble finding a rifle in .223 with a heavy barrel. I want something that I can shoot without the barrel heating up after 3-4 shots. I'd also like it to be a Remington 700 foot-print so customization isn't a problem.
Click to expand...

Savage model 12 done
 
Note all of your questions and give Weatherby a call - I am quite sure that they will be happy to answer. Then call the competition and ask the same questions. After your calls, your reading, your YouTubing, etc - follow your gut and pull the trigger.
 
Ok, so checking boxes for #2 with prefit compatibility, and if you’re satisfied with the HS-ish/Bergara-ish spine in the stock (I’m very much not, but I get it), then it competes with the Bergara plus the advantage of prefits.

Not sure I think there’s anything out there at $900 right now in that ballpark. But at $900, I’m guessing it uses CHF barrels, so then adding another $645 to step past a Ruger American and catch up to a Savage kinda stings.

Does the 223rem model use AICS mags still? Or do they swap to AR-15 magwell? Hopefully the AICS mags.
 
Steve S. said:
Note all of your questions and give Weatherby a call - I am quite sure that they will be happy to answer. Then call the competition and ask the same questions. After your calls, your reading, your YouTubing, etc - follow your gut and pull the trigger.
Click to expand...
Good idea! I’ll do that!
 
Varminterror said:
Ok, so checking boxes for #2 with prefit compatibility, and if you’re satisfied with the HS-ish/Bergara-ish spine in the stock (I’m very much not, but I get it), then it competes with the Bergara plus the advantage of prefits.

Not sure I think there’s anything out there at $900 right now in that ballpark. But at $900, I’m guessing it uses CHF barrels, so then adding another $645 to step past a Ruger American and catch up to a Savage kinda stings.

Does the 223rem model use AICS mags still? Or do they swap to AR-15 magwell? Hopefully the AICS mags.
Click to expand...
This won’t be the first, or even the fourth gun out of the cabinet so I’m not looking for the best possible gun, just the best possible and most accurate for what I want to pay. I wish I could just spec out a custom gun to check all the boxes, but I have to decide which boxes absolutely have to be checked and which ones I can live without. I appreciate you passing things along that I didn’t know or think about.

The gun is compatiable with AICS mags and comes with Magpul brand mags.
 
Seems like a lot of gun for $900. Magpul bottom metal, Trigger tech trigger, and hopefully a good barrel to go with them.

You are always taking chances with a factory barrel, but I would think Weatherby would take care of you if it didn't shoot to your satisfaction.
 
I've been eyeing the same rifle but kind of want to see one in person which I have not yet. I want something to shoot longer than 300 yards and not break the bank. I'd like to know how this is better than their Vangard offering, for $900 it seems like a lot of rifle.

-Jeff
 
Bartojc said:
I'd like to know how this is better than their Vangard offering, for $900 it seems like a lot of rifle.
Click to expand...

If the 307 is R700 footprint and headspace controlled, those two aspects alone are significant improvements over the Weatherby Vanguard/Howa 1500 which would be meaningful for a rather large sub-set of the potential market.
 
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