Weatherby calibers for long range shooting

[gohring3006]

I finally got my Chrony, and my 300 Weatherby is pushing a 208 Amax right at 3000 fps with 78grns of 7828. Which is sorta in the middle of my load work up, it should be easy on the brass and barrel. I have no reserve on taking this to 1000 yards, especially since I do it with30-06 regularly. Im going to Thunder Valley shooting range in Coshocton County Ohio Monday to try a mile. I just hope its enough velocity to do it. The 300 Win Mag guys up there are saying its enough....we'll see.

 

[AZShooter]

Just Country:

A number of years ago I made a 7 Rem mag with a 30" Lilja SS barrel. It worked wonderfully and I got 3050 fps with a Berger180 gr VLD bullet. Okay so it wasn't a walk around rifle but it would have worked well in F class competition and it did work well as a coues wt rifle where we dont' walk around but sit and glass then shoot long range.

There was one issue. Dan suggested I use the 1 in 7 three groove to shoot those longer 180s. BIG MISTAKE. Once the throat become worn at round count 200 or so it began to damage the 180 hunting VLD, causing wild misses on the target. It was suggested I switch to the target VLD and that only lasted another 50 rounds. Only bullets that could stand the punishment were monos like the 150 e-tip or the 160 accubond. I was very disappointed as I made it to shoot the 180s. I eventually had it rebored to a 1 in 9 338 bore for the 300 Bergers in a long throated 338 RCM.


If you intend to get a twist faster than 1 in 9, don't do it as all he offers are 3 grooves.

 

[J E Custom]

Just Thought I would add my opinion to this question.

I build lots of accurate cartridges on the Mark 5 action. Lots of then are wildcats but lots are in standard Weatherby cartridges. With all the emphasis on big bullets and high velocities the Weatherby cartridges hold lots of powder and run at very high pressure (Good for velocity).

The case design is built around velocity, but accuracy Is not hard to achieve if the smith knows what/how to put one together right and head space it very close.

I personally see no advantage in the radius shouldered cases but again, they can be very accurate.

I feel the main reason that more mark 5 actions are not used is available actions and smiths that want to work on them. Remington style actions/clones are easier to work on and respond well to
any kind of accurizing and are very common so this is the style of custom or factory action that is most common. The reason the cartridge are not as popular is the radius shoulders and the belt.

Belts are also not a problem if they are set up correctly. and if a person does not like belts the simple way to change this is after fire forming. neck sizing ONLY will change the belted case to a shoulder head spaced case.

Also the Weatherby cases themselves are quite expensive and don't last long at the pressures they are normally ran.

So most people will build a match rifle that brass is easy to find, and components are readily available. also very simple and straight forward to load for.

The cartridges and the actions are second to none if every thing is right and can/do compete. they are just not as popular as other choices.

Also most matches do not require such huge amounts of powder and velocity so the big cases and actions are not necessary.

Just my opinion as to why more Weatherby cartridges and actions are not used.

J E CUSTOM

 

[MudRunner2005]

Just Thought I would add my opinion to this question.

I build lots of accurate cartridges on the Mark 5 action. Lots of then are wildcats but lots are in standard Weatherby cartridges. With all the emphasis on big bullets and high velocities the Weatherby cartridges hold lots of powder and run at very high pressure (Good for velocity).

The case design is built around velocity, but accuracy Is not hard to achieve if the smith knows what/how to put one together right and head space it very close.

I personally see no advantage in the radius shouldered cases but again, they can be very accurate.

I feel the main reason that more mark 5 actions are not used is available actions and smiths that want to work on them. Remington style actions/clones are easier to work on and respond well to
any kind of accurizing and are very common so this is the style of custom or factory action that is most common. The reason the cartridge are not as popular is the radius shoulders and the belt.

Belts are also not a problem if they are set up correctly. and if a person does not like belts the simple way to change this is after fire forming. neck sizing ONLY will change the belted case to a shoulder head spaced case.

Also the Weatherby cases themselves are quite expensive and don't last long at the pressures they are normally ran.

So most people will build a match rifle that brass is easy to find, and components are readily available. also very simple and straight forward to load for.

The cartridges and the actions are second to none if every thing is right and can/do compete. they are just not as popular as other choices.

Also most matches do not require such huge amounts of powder and velocity so the big cases and actions are not necessary.

Just my opinion as to why more Weatherby cartridges and actions are not used.

J E CUSTOM

I would have to agree completely.