300 Weatherby

Dave3 · December 2001

Thinking of a 300 Weatherby What do you Men think? How bad do they kick?It's up to God to judge Osoma Bin Ladin, It's up to the United States to arrange that meeting!

"Protect the Right to Protect yourself"

idsman75 · December 2001

I've never had any experience with them but I've heard some disgruntled Weatherby owners gripe about the performance of Weatherby Magnum calibers. It sounded like the gripe over the performance of those calibers took precidence over the gripe about the recoil.

7mm_ultra_mag_is_king · December 2001

The .300 is an ok cartridge depending on what you expect out of it. If you want benchrest accuracy you wont get it from any wtby chamber. They will shoot between 2.5" and 1" groups at 100 yds but to me 1" is totally unaceptable. recoil is harsh depending on what brand of rifle it is. I have a Vangaurd that will kill in the front and * in the rear but a remington that has half the recoil. Both are in .300 wtby. If I wanted a big gun I would reccomend a .338 over the .300 wtby.

when all else fails........................

Orphanedcowboy · December 2001

I have 2 .300 Weatherby's both model 70's, both sporter LT's, one I had completely reworked, teflon coated, new douglas barrel, HS Precision stock, will shoot 1" all day long, the other all factory except a Boyd's Laminated stock, shoots good groups, 1.5" most of the time, I never really noticed the kick of the gun myself, but I have killed some game with them both, I like what they give me over a '06 in the velocity and range, as well as energy. I wouldn't make it a manistay or your main gun unless your going to make them beanfeild shots at larger game. There are a slew of calibers that will accomplish what the 300 weatherby will if used within their capabilities, and without the harshness of the recoil. When I say I never notice the recoil, I am not talking about a day at the range, I am talking about in the field when your adrenaline is flowing, because when I sighted them in, I did feel it the next day.

Orphanedcowboy@msn.com

Dave3 · December 2001

Thanks Guy's, I'm looking for a big gun that I could use to kill big game and down load to shoot varmints. I see in the hornady book You can get a 110 grain bullet for the weatherby. Anyone do any shooting like this? Are these light loads avalible in the ultra mags?

"Protect the Right to Protect yourself"

songdog · December 2001

Dave- The only problem that i would have with using a rifle for big game and varmints is accuracy. Since the twist of te barrel is most likely designed for heavier bullets, 165-220 gr. bullets, i would not tend to believe that it would work well with the 110 gr. The twist will probably throw the 110 gr all over the paper, but that is just my prediction. This is what i would probably do. Once you find the bullet that is best suitedfor your rifle, stick with that bullet weight. Whether you use a 110 gr. or a 220 gr. bullet on a varmint,it will not matter they both will make the same hole. I would use a FMJ for varmints thoughif you are wanting to try to keep the pelts. If you do not want to keep the pelts, then by all means blow them to hell. songdog

dslivingston · December 2001

I own many Weatherby's and have collected them since the 60's. I have usually been able to maintain 1" groups with all of them. The recoil for the .300 is quite harsh. Old Weatherby info indicated about 40 lbs of free recoil. This gun hammers you while the larger calibers seem to push.My best target load for the 300 is:Speer 180 Gr.77.0 Grains of 4350CCI Mag PrimerVelocity 3130 FPSI do not full length resize the case's only the neck and seat the bullets very long in the case. I love to shoot this rifle, but the first shot will certainly wake you up.Regards,David Livingstondlivingston@sc.rr.com

bem243 · December 2001

Dave, I agree with Songdog. Had an experience with a .270 some years ago. It would shoot 1/2-3/4 inch groups with 130-150 grain bullets but would shoot a 3 inch pattern with 100 grain loads. Stick with what shoots best in your gun.

robsguns · December 2001

Just one note, since everything else has already been said, I believe. If youre reloading yourself, you know how much powder a Weatherby uses. I would not be using that much powder to shoot at varmints. I am also sure that if you get into any serious varmint shooting, like a dog town, that you will not do your barrel any good shooting shooting that amount of rounds through it. I believe your barrel will heat up rather quickly shooting that large a bullet at the highest velocity possible, as most varmint shooters do for the best trajectory, provided it is accurate. I really think you should get a varmint caliber for varmints, and use your elk gun for elk and anything similar. You will save your shoulder, your brass, your powder, your ears, and most of all, your money (in the long run, your reloading a 300 Wby. would pay for a varmint caliber gun).

SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC

Dave3 · December 2001

Thanks a million guy's, That's what I love about this site, lot's of good advice that can save a guy a ton of money. I've got a 243 A-bolt (sweet) and a Bushmaster in 223 (for sale) and a M1A so hopefully this spring I'll be doggin' with all of these, I was just thinking of one more that would round out the selection. I had a dealer tell me that a KDT muzzle break greatly reduces recoil has anyone out there tried one of these?

"Protect the Right to Protect yourself"

whiteclouder · December 2001

dave3:Couple of things. When Roy Weatherby first started to mass produce his line, he quaranteed 1" groups for anything under the .340. The technology has not changed. You can still get 1" groups out of a 30 caliber. You and the barrel makes need only do your parts.Second, you have a deer rifle, the 243. It also does well as a varmint gun out to 400 yards. What you need now is a big game rifle. Any .30 will do. Supercharged is better if you shoot long range so think about the Weatherby, the Win Mag, the H&H or the Rem 8mm. Do not get blinded by the hype for that extra 2 or 3 hundred feet per second, you'll never see the difference.The recoil complained about is the perceived recoil. A 220 grain .30 bullet fired at 3000 fps will generate EXACTLY the same recoil if fired in a Weatherby or a Remington 700. Stock fit is what will make it painful or tolerable. Both will kick, guaranteed.Good huunting.Clouder..

7mm_ultra_mag_is_king · December 2001

Anything 1" or larger stinks. Why don't you experts tell them Mr. Roy Weatherby's secret to getting those velocities. He sacrifices accuracy for fps because he has to play chamber tricks to acheive it. I have an old 760 game master in 30-06 that will outshoot wtby in groups all day long. I was drawn into the hype about enough power to mow down acres of forest in a single shot and when I got it to the bench I cried. What good is all that power if you can't...............nevermind I quit.

when all else fails........................

whiteclouder · December 2001

7MM:Couldn't agree more. And still most here will get sucked into believing the NEW ultra mags are needed to fill the niche somehow left by 200 years of shooting experience all over the world. It's MARKETING fellas and Roy W. was a master. Poorly designed stocks, skinny barrels, shiny plastic finishes but velocity that could not be matched by anyone. He called into question a mans masculinity if they complained about the recoil.A passage from my second book comes to mind:One of the young characters is showing off his new horse (an Appaloosa * Weatherby)"Walks Fast found out who jumped Simon and I guess the family made him give Simon the horse for punishment. `n Simon likes the horse he has so he gave this'n to me. Ain't he purty?""I don't think I've seen more that one or two of those in my life. Indians way north and west of here raise `em and don't part with `em lightly.""I love `em. He will run flat out for five miles and then be ready to come back just as fast. I can't wear `im down. Want to ride `im?"Tay looked at the horse and smiled. "My bowels move reg'lar and I can still make water, Buell. At my age, I ain't lookin' fer a fast horse." At my age, I will shoot my Husqvarna 30'06.Clouder..

cpermd · December 2001

Dave3If it is a PreBan BM then,cpermd@centurytel.net

varmit hunter · December 2001

clouder,You bring back memories.I had a Appaloosa ONCE.You no why the Indians rode them into battle?.....So they would be PI$$ed off when they got there.

A unarmed man is a subject.A armed man is a citizen.

robsguns · December 2001

Dave,Email me about the description on the Bushy, I am looking for a reasonably priced used one. robsguns@hotmail.com

SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC

Guns & Glass · December 2001

Let's get a historical reality check here.1. Weatherby was in extreme disagreement with many of his days leading gun writers. Made major enemies!2. He went into COMPETITION with the major gun makers, and custom rifle builders, with then radical ideas. Major enemies. Many deliberately lied, and tried to put him out of business.Some still are; like the Rem 300 Ultra advertised specs on the Rem litature when it first came out, page 2. Note how it has been "toned down". Unsportsman marketing!3. Patents protected his business. Smart.4. Most competive gun/ammo manufacturers like Rem, Win. don't load their Wby ammo to it's capability. Makes Wby look too good.5. Wby ammo is about as close you'll get to match grade ammo. Often it's referred to "match grade hunting ammo".6. His ideas have been proven many times.Ie,Felt Recoil reducing stock design is just oneShoot a scoped .300 Wby in a Wby stock, then take the same barrelled action stick it in a Rem, or Win classic style stock. if you can't feel the reduction of FR you are either totally afraid of the caliber, or totally UNobjective. The stock design is one of the most ergonomic designs available today. Physics is the same for everyone.7. .340 Wby case is one of the biggest cases used by ultra long range wildcatters. There are reasons why it's used over the .300 Win.8. 30/378 Wby is one of the best mid cal ultra long range cartridges. Quietly used by US Special forces.9. Compare the UltraMark, or WSM to other similar specality rifle.10.Wby hasn't sacrificed accuracy for performance, but balanced the cartridge design in his rifles. Example take the aforementioned Rem 760, 180 gr. bullet with a maximum charge, and watch the group open. Try a 200/220 grain bullet group worse. There are reasons this happens. I'm not on a mission against anyone who has posted against Wby. I don't care if it's Wby, Rem, Win, or any other company. Just want correct info out there.Like it was already said above,..."it's marketing". Unfortunately for a long time now, marketing includes what I call..."Pinochioitis".Remember why his nose grew?We have been,...are being fed many marginal truths by companies. In that I take extreme personal offense, because alot of good guys like you, and others spend hard earned $$$ with disappointing results.Off the soap box.

Happy Bullet Holes![This message has been edited by Guns & Glass (edited 12-17-2001).]

whiteclouder · December 2001

G&G:The mainstream manufacturers will not load Weatherby cartridges to max because the Weatherby has a much stronger action. Law suits follow mistakes like that.His marketing exaggerated the velocities as well, still do. Put any one on a chronograph and it will fall short. Add another two or three inches to the barrel and you will come closer. Ever wondered how long the barrel is on a test stand? Same holds true with all of them.Weatherby's only contribution was the marvelous action he pioneered. That's ALL. The skinny barrels, the roll over cheek piece, the brush hook pistol grip, all cosmetic. The belt on the case. WHY? Absolutely and completely unnecessary. But it sold to the eager beavers who had to have the best and the gun writers said this was an improvement. Hell, ya can't even refer to it as a magnum (and that will sell anything) if it doesn't have a belt. Now that's successful marketing.Do not mix the word physics, and felt or perceived in the same sentence. There's a reason the hacks invented the words perceived recoil. You even went one further, you offered an acronym, FD. That makes it official, gotta be good. How the recoil is distributed will affect your comfort level, no doubt, but the recoil is exactly the same. Even marketers and pundits cannot change Newton's Laws. If you had all the money you wanted (like the US Government) and had the flag to wrap yourself in as a reason for needing something (like a US soldier in today's climate) wouldn't you buy the absolute best for a sniper rifle? Yup, I think so too and they don't buy Weatherbys.Clouder.

jhj370 · December 2001

What do they buy? Just curious.

whiteclouder · December 2001

370:The Marines(who else matters) use a Remington 700. Specially modified and set up at Quantico. Unertl Scope, plastic stock.Clouder..

7mm_ultra_mag_is_king · December 2001

Clouder I'm beginning to like you.first off if I could ever find out how to get a video online I want to show guns something with that 760. The300 wtby,180 g sierra bullet with 77 grains of imr 4350 will shoot at 3020 fps, the .06 will shoot the same bullet at 2670 fps using 56 gtrains of imr 4350,diff of 21 grains of powder and a diff of 350 fps. is it worth it? My .06 will group that load .75 at 100 yards, the wtby will group 1.46 at 100 yds, whats that group size at 200-500 yds now?the .300 win mag shoots the same bullet at 2988 using 72 grains of 4350. diff of 5 grains and 32 fps, I used a freinds rem 700 bdl .300 win mag with a 26"barrel and grouped .76 at 100 yds. Who wins? as far as I'm concerned the .06 and .300 win mag blew the wtby away. If you tell me where or how to get a video online I will take the video camera to the range with the pro chrony and prove this. I may have gotten luckey with my 760 game blaster but for an old club this thing shoots! i have not found 1 bullet i cannot tweak down under 1" with this gun. I love it. And clouder I agree with you that the recoil is felt recoil that is different , my vanguard will definatley hurt you but the rem is much easier to deal with after 40 rounds. This is one discussion that I can yak about for hours and never get tired of it. My personal opinion and it is only an opinion is that wtby is a waste of money and I beleive I got short changed on both of mine because I want a gun to shoot well on paper not just on the chrony. Any time that the throat is extra long to keep pressure down you are cheating in accuracy,instead of pushing the bullet into the rifeling you are slamming it in to it, what happens there????? accuracy goes down the 'ol pooper fast. I may not be anywhere close to being an expert but I have wasted alot of money on wtby chambers,powder and bullets only to find out its not what I wanted. Like a sports car to a caddy,sports car ride like doggy doo but the caddy rides great, now caddy can keep up with sports car and maintain smooth ride, sports car still ride like crap, wtby=sports car,,rem=caddy.and almost half the money too!as someone said before

NEXT!

when all else fails........................

Pup · December 2001

*Feels the need to jump on the 'ole bandwagon" Have a Weatherby Mk 5 deluxe in .300 mag sitting in the closet. Shoots a hair under 1" @100 yds. 180 grn Nosler with 75.5 grns of 4350 and Fed primer gives a 3150 ave through a chrono. And what a fireball at night! It's been said here that anything 1" or more sucks. Do I need to split the 19th hair behind the shoulder of an elk at 500 yds? Varmit vs. big game require different levels of performance from the guns used. I'd reckon around 1" is acceptable for a rifle intended for large game. As for the recoil, if everyone was a big fat guy like me it wouldn't be an issue Besides, there's just something about that Rosewood forend tip and grip cap, along with the steel vault action, great trigger, fantastic woodwork.....you guys know what I mean.

7mm_ultra_mag_is_king · December 2001

well imagine that,guess my crono lied to me, if you shot 3150 using 75.5 and I only shot 3020 using 77g somthing wrong. I use federal magnum large rifle primers.

when all else fails........................

songdog · December 2001

7mm- Here is what i believe is wrong with reloading books. The contour of the barrel means everything. I would believe that the pattern of the riflngs would determine the speed of the bullet. I would tend to think that all bullets from the same type of rifle will be at different speeds with the same exact loads. The riflings will be tighter at different parts of the barrel in every rifle thus causing the speeds to vary slightly. But what do i know. THese are just my $.02 songdog

Guns & Glass · December 2001

Whitecloud, appreciate your comments. Some "back at you's" I hope do the same.I wrote/meant that the...competitive gun/ammo makers don't load the ammo to it's potential, not the action. If SAAMI specs are followed you should be safe.You kinda answered your own arguement concerning barrels. Barrel lengths do affect velocity, and performance. That's why Roy specifically used 26" for the Mags as a reference/test point.Go and try to buy a Rem rifle with the same special test barrel, and special 28"(28")length. You can't. Yet they compared it to a stock production 26" 300 WBY. Cut Rem barrel to 26", and watch the speed drop, yet still burn/waste 13% more powder. It should have been compared to the 30-378 Wby Mag based on case volume. But, even so it still wouldn't equal the 30-378 WBY. There is increased performance with the WBY double radius shoulder(venturi effect). Not to mention you can load/seat longer heavier bullets much better. I like fair, and...accurate tests for...ALL!As far as stocks go, the design, not cosmetics are what counts. Try it, you will find a reduction in how the recoil is transferred to your body via the head, and neck. The design is so simple, I wish I thought of it.As far as Actual Recoil (AR) goes, it is a measurable quanity, which if the procedure is done same way for every gun will produce accurate results. But Felt Recoil is subject to each of our opinions, and perceptions of what to expect. Hard to accurately measure. Try shooting(Safely) with your eyes closed. I once took a friend out to shoot my Sauer in .458 Win mag. When he saw the bullet, he said, "no way". I tricked him, by only showing the 350 gr. Got him to try one round, gripping the rifle like it was a rattlesnake in his hands. Handed me the rifle, and said, "felt like a 12ga. 3" mag."Then I loaded a 510gr round, gave the rifle back to him. He now was holding it looser, more relaxed, head not down on stock. Wasn't "afraid" of the recoil...till he shot the 510 'er. He almost dropped the rifle. I was laughing so hard. Still am. Again, try the stock design. If you don't, then you will never really be able to "feel" the difference, and remain totally objective. Facts only please.Never wrote the US Gov' used WBY's, but they are using the 30-378 Mag, along with newer scopes that have been replacing the Unertl's. Regards.

Happy Bullet Holes![This message has been edited by Guns & Glass (edited 12-17-2001).]

Richie Rich · December 2001

Just to add to the pot,I have a 300 it is however in a remington stock, a 700 camo and it quite abusive. However I got a great deal on it and would not trade it for the world it shoots .75 with my loads at 100. 165gr balistic tips and imr 4320. It does let you and everone else at the range know when it goes off but I use a past mag recoil pad. my most rounds out of it was 62 in a single day.

Guns & Glass · December 2001

7mm...King. Interesting use of IMR 4350, and the same bullet as "one powder/bullet fits all". I can understand how it simplifies things, but certainly will affect accuracy potential across the board.There are too many variables in the tests to draw such concrete conclussions. For example: Vanguards come in 24" barrel lengths, not 26". Vanguards weren't factory chambered in 300 WBY Mag. Tests between your buddy's rifle(26") apparently done on different days. What about the other two rifles? As you already know, tempature, time of day, barometric pressure, etc., all affect results. So, if not done at the same time/day data will be a bag of mixed results.One suggestion as a result of your "off chrony", when shooting charges that will be unburnt such as in 24" barrels(300 WBY/Win Mags) the screen placement can be affected by the gas charge/particles as they go thru, or even hit the screen. This is especially thru is using only one screen(shortcut), or they all aren't in true alignment.Doesn't that make you mad when test equiptment is "off"? We go to have fun, wanting to try something new and exciting, or just to relax,...but.Regards.

7mm_ultra_mag_is_king · December 2001

you know what guns, I've got the funniest looking thing right here beside me , its a wtby vanguard in 300 wtby mag, bought it at wally world. Aint that somethin?? dont make them huh?If you paid attention to what I said I also have a t rem in 300wtby, My buddies rifle is a 300 win mag, as far as the bullet powder combo it was quick and easy to use that since you mentioned a 180 grain ball. If you reload quite a bit you will also know that in large capacity cases imr works QUITE well. what other combos do you want me to try, I have a reloading shop in my basesment and have quite a selection of different powder combos to try, but since you are an expert I have another question for you, how long can you seat the bullet in a wtby before it touches the rifleing? you cant do it,the bullet will fall out of the case. say what you will but I have "played" with the wtbys enough to know that they do not have the accuracy potential that other chambers have, I spent a great deal of money on my 7mm and had it chambered in 7mm wtby mag, after that stupid mistake in a quest for something a little better than rem mag I wanted to bend the gun over someones head. It was then I started to learn how wtby makes big velocity, I found it to be the same for all wtby mags. Like I said they go fast and that is about it. but for me why spend $30+ a box for ammo or waste good powder for something that is minimal in gains at a loss of accuracy. On my 7mm when I had it rechambered to stw the results blew away the wtby, in speed and accuracy. My two .300's I have are merely conversation pieces I don't hunt with them and never will. You will never convince me of the reasons a wtby is better to shoot because to me they are a waste and nothing more than a name. I spend a great deal of time reloading for all of my rifles and until I achieve what I want and expect out of a rifle it is not done for fun. If I decide to shoot an old doe in the head at 300 yards I will hit it there because small groups at 100 do the job past that. Say what you want but after all I have tried and I have tried alot a wtby to me is a waste. But I'm done with this conversation, I am an acuracy nut and will always be, I have no use for a rifle that will not shoot sub 1". Such a shame that my little $200 handi rifles out shoot most everything I own.

when all else fails........................

JustC · December 2001

I gotta jump in on this one. I have found the weatherby cartridges to perform better than some of the groups listed. The reason why is I DON'T USE WEATHERBY BARRELS!!! Thay are thin and have no "tonnage". The steel is not thick enough or strong enough to harness the powerful energy as it travels the barrel. I have used a MK V action but with Hart barrels. This works well. To get these calibers below 1", get a heavier barrel. Remember, the shoulder angle provides much higher pressures than Win mags and others.

varmit hunter · December 2001

7MM,I am also a acuracy nut.After spending way to much on way to many rifles,Those little handi rifles make me wont to tear out my hair.My cut down tiney little .223 shoots .240 groups with factory Hornadys.Just bought the heavy barreld 25/06.

A unarmed man is a subject.A armed man is a citizen.

Guns & Glass · December 2001

7...King,First, I too am a 28 cal affectinado; 2-7mm-08's in Rem 7, and Lone Eagle, 1-7X64 Krico, 1-7 Rem mag Mountain rifle, 1-7 Wby Mag Fibre Mark. Lone Eagle, and Wby hold the tightest groups.Lone Eagle will digest just about anything at the 1" group, but likes Hornady Light Mag best. Best so far is quarter sized groups.7mm Wby will only shoot best with Wby ammo, and PMC Eldorado. Nothing else will group UNDER 1" in this gun. Federal Premium, Win Supreme give "catcher's mitt" groups!(there's reasons if you'd like to know).Your right, I forgot some of the last production runs of synthetics were for the 'big boxes'. I'm a Wby collector who has egg on his face. I was traveling thru Md, and Penna. stopped at two Wally Worlds, and on sale for $379 in a couple calibers.Is the price you paid similar?The blanket statement of all Wby Mags "don't shoot" is certainly correct in your experience, for which I'm sorry to learn about. No one spends good $$$ and time to have the problems you had. But you have a reworked rifle, which is subject to the reamer, machinery used, skill of the 'smith( not casting doubt here),stock work, action tension, etc. I'm sure you have shot rifles that just by going to a different bullet, grain weight, OAL change, or even brass(I like Norma),your groups improved. Your experienced, you know this I'm sure. But as why all the trouble you've had,... is a good question.One thing that puzzles me about the question you asked (and answered), is about the bullet will "fall out". Who's bullet, style, grain weight, powder charge, etc.,??? That is scary, because it's not supposed to happen. Did you do a chamber cast? If so, what did you find?

Happy Bullet Holes!

AntiqueDr · December 2001

If you dont like the freebore in the Mark V rifles, why did you let your gunsmith freebore the rifle you had rechambered?

We buy, sell and trade quality guns and scopes!Ask us about Shepherd Scopes!Visit our website at www.ApaxEnterprises.com

Loud Guns And Big Trucks · December 2001

I like wtbys[This message has been edited by Loud Guns And Big Trucks (edited 12-20-2001).]

cpermd · December 2001

I love my W300 in a Rem 700.But I have to call the * if someone says a single US unit is using any derivative in any form?cpermd

300 Weatherby

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