Weatherby Mark V Accumark 338 Lapua Quality Control

[Bubba Boomstick]

So let me get this straight......You shortened the LOP,,,But you wouldn't bed it because of warranty issues ??? You won't pay $200 range fee to get your $2800 rifle back because they will not replace the stock YOU shortened ???? Good economics right there.

Get real. I had a qualified gunsmith shorten the length of pull. I also called them BEFORE I shipped the rifle that I shortened the length of pull. The customer support said that was okay, and gave me an RMA.

I'll repeat that one more time. They were aware of the length of pull modification before I even shipped the rifle and then at last minute they want to cover their lack of quality.

 

[CJ6]

Get real. I had a qualified gunsmith shorten the length of pull. I also called them BEFORE I shipped the rifle that I shortened the length of pull. The customer support said that was okay, and gave me an RMA.

I'll repeat that one more time. They were aware of the length of pull modification before I even shipped the rifle and then at last minute they want to cover their lack of quality.

And NOWHERE in any of your posts was this mentioned till now.....?????

 

[davidjoe]

If the gun shot .3 moa in testing then that’s great and should resolve all issues. That’s the headline here.

 

[Zero333]

A different muzzle brake might help. I have a handful of rifles that shot twice as good after I put on a decent brake on them. Even a Suppressor can enhance the accuracy of a rifle. Especially one with a skinny barrel shooting a big magnum round.

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

If the gun shot .3 moa in testing then that’s great and should resolve all issues. That’s the headline here.

They proved the barreled action can shoot, which is good news. They didn't test the rifle in the original stock so they modified the variables of the experiment.

I probably have an issue with the bedding because they are getting drastically different results in a different stock. Other users have claimed bedding can be a problem.

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

A different muzzle brake might help. I have a handful of rifles that shot twice as good after I put on a decent brake on them. Even a Suppressor can enhance the accuracy of a rifle. Especially one with a skinny barrel shooting a big magnum round.

I will have to explore this. Can you elaborate what types of results you are getting with different brakes? I'm really interested to hear about this.

When I get the rifle back, I'm going to try shooting it without the brake.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

The long freebore is a weatherby thing. Dont try to reach the lands its not needed. It sounds to me like you just need a new stock. Get it back and sell it. Ive never been slightly impressed by any weatherby product.

 

[Zero333]

I will have to explore this. Can you elaborate what types of results you are getting with different brakes? I'm really interested to hear about this.

When I get the rifle back, I'm going to try shooting it without the brake.

What happens with the skinny barrels is they tend to whip more than the fat ones and a little extra weight at the end dampens the whipping. As long as it's a reputable brake / suppressor, I can guarantee it will shoot better. And being close to the lands is not that important. I have a 300winmag that could never hold 1 moa until I started loading lighter weight TTSX copper bullets and jumping them a mile. Now it always hold 3/4 moa.

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

I tried loading using COAL from the Hornady load book using Hornady Bullets. The harmonics were wild. I didn't spend more than 10 rounds at book COAL because I was just wasting powder.

These are my best 338 Lapua groups loaded at 3.800" COAL which is still 0.035" off the lands. 100 yards indoors.


For reference, today I bought a CZ 600 Alpha in 6.5 PRC. This is shooting the same indoor range, the same scope. 100 yards. Factory Hornady ELD-M 147 gr. No load development. No cleaning. This gun is $700 and an absolute HAMMER. I'm not the best shooter, but I am happy with this. I don't even think I'll handload for this rifle. Here are pictures:

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

The long freebore is a weatherby thing. Dont try to reach the lands its not needed. It sounds to me like you just need a new stock. Get it back and sell it. Ive never been slightly impressed by any weatherby product.

Sportsmans will give me $800 cash for it. I should probably take the cash and put it into my 300 Norma custom build.

I think this rifle is bad luck and was built on a Native American burial ground on the Crow Reservation north of Sheridan, WY. Does anyone know any spells to rid bad spirits from possessing my rifles in the future? I might need to find an accuracy exorcist...

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Sportsmans will give me $800 cash for it. I should probably take the cash and put it into my 300 Norma custom build.

I think this rifle is bad luck and was built on a Native American burial ground on the Crow Reservation north of Sheridan, WY. Does anyone know any spells to rid bad spirits from possessing my rifles in the future? I might need to find an accuracy exorcist...

Aint no way id take $800 after you pay $200 to get it back. Id find a weatherby guy and let him shoot factory ammo in it for close to what it was nee

 

[Zero333]

Not sure if you tried it already. But RL-33 works like a charm accuracy and velocity wise in the bigger cases.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Barnes only has 2 factory ammo loads, should be easy to duplicate.

 

[MagnumW]

Gotta skim bed weatherbys……
I expect 6” groups at 1000 yards after skim bed and load tweaking on older wbees - 338-378 w 300 SMK. Not sure about newer barrels -old ones were Kriegers I believe.

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

I got my rifle back today. I worked up a load using a brake and without the brake.

The Weatherby Accubrake makes the group have vertical stringing and overall reduces accuracy. Groups shot without muzzlebrake are more triangular.

Weatherby claimed they fixed nothing, but the gun now shoots 0.5 MOA.

I used the same scope bases, same scope, torqued the same 25 inch pounds. I shot off of Caldwell rest instead of a bipod to eliminate that variable.

Shooting an 8.8 pound 338 Lapua with no muzzlebrake is very painful. I used IMR 4955 using Speer Hot-Cor 200 grain. This bullet gave me the best results before I sent the gun in.

This gun has never shot this well. Even through 80 handloads shots.
87.0 grains - 0.92" group (no brake)
87.0 grains (with muzzlebrake) - 0.33" 3 shot group / 1.1" 5 shot group

88.8 grains - 0.58" group (no brake)

90.0 grains (with brake)

After that, the groups went to hell. This is Hodgdon max load at 92.5 grains.
Even though the group is bad, it is still triangular.

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

In conclusion, the Accubrake made things worse. The rotary muzzlebrake makes the group have vertical stringing. While it reduces felt recoil, the gun jumps around much more erratically.

Weatherby claimed to have fixed nothing, but upon arrival, the rifle shoots sub-moa with handloads. Previously, I was not able to find accuracy at any charge weight. But now, I can achieve 1 MOA at starting loads. The rifle shoots terrible at higher and max charge weights.

 

[davidjoe]

However they came to be, those are good results. If it was me, I’d be relieved and reassured that my rifle can be counted on to deliver the important shot, but that would be the last short range paper punching I ever did with it.

I have seven of these so I’m biased, but subjecting any Mark V, let alone a big bore, to endure short range paper punching tests is in a real sense, like challenging John Williams to sit for a four hour SAT exam. He’s John Williams, his value isn’t dictated by a high school standardized test. No 100 yard paper group explains or accounts for the fact that you delivered a .338 diameter, heavy bullet, very fast, from a versatile magazine equipped repeater of first tier quality; let the single shot .223’s and short 6’s have what they will dominate, anyway, without their lurking frame of reference to diminish results.

These aren’t built to soak up our countless hours at the range. They are for the important shot. How often are they seen “shot out”. Weatherby doesn’t try to make paper punchers. Look at the dual radius case (not yours), the 9 lug bolt, the milled square bottom action, integral lug. Nothing was considered too costly or complicated. It’s not easier, but harder to contour a carry weight barrel. (Yours is fluted, then the flutes are coated). Just read the threads on guys asking about turning down a target barrel. There’s nothing easier than leaving the OD of bar stock exactly as it came off the truck.

They aren’t exempted from objective performance like say a Purdy, that’s a different class, but they aren’t just a simple heavy barrel job, either.

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

I agree with you. I am proud I have the ability to shoot a non-braked, painful, 9 pound 338 Lapua and shoot sub MOA.

Based on the customer service alone, I will not buy another Weatherby rifle or recommend it to anyone. However, I am very pleased that in the end the rifle did work and it can shoot very well (0.4 MOA). Too bad they sabotaged their own rifle with a sub par muzzle brake that disturbs harmonics with fliers.

I will end up developing a light/medium load for this gun that doesn't require me to use a brake. This gun shoots terribly with hotter loads anyways. 338 Lapua with a muzzlebrake gives me a headache.

Thank you to everyone who contributed in this thread to help me troubleshoot this.

I will never use this brake again. Rest in peace Weatherby Accubrake, you will NOT be missed.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I agree with you. I am proud I have the ability to shoot a non-braked, painful, 9 pound 338 Lapua and shoot sub MOA.

Based on the customer service alone, I will not buy another Weatherby rifle or recommend it to anyone. However, I am very pleased that in the end the rifle did work and it can shoot very well (0.4 MOA). Too bad they sabotaged their own rifle with a sub par muzzle brake that disturbs harmonics with fliers.

I will end up developing a light/medium load for this gun that doesn't require me to use a brake. This gun shoots terribly with hotter loads anyways. 338 Lapua with a muzzlebrake gives me a headache.

Thank you to everyone who contributed in this thread to help me troubleshoot this.

I will never use this brake again. Rest in peace Weatherby Accubrake, you will NOT be missed.
View attachment 1385686

Are the radial holes evenly spaced? Is the exit hole in the middle?

 

[davidjoe]

At the risk of voicing too many opinions on one thread, these are tight fitting, good looking brakes. Just look at that.

Before any substantial amount of gas makes it to the brake, that bullet is out of the barrel and not being affected any longer by whatever the barrel does, if anything, when the gasses hit the holes.

You’re 90% converted, Bubba, just keep it tight with that little rod they give you, and trust Weatherby on that last 10%.