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Why does weatherby get a pass?

Wolfdog91

Silver $$ Contributor
Was chatting with a buddy about this . Seem when folks are getting a lil upset and going on tirades about new wizbang wildcats, the ARC's , Valkyries , PRC's ..y'all know the conversations , no one and I mean NO ONE seems to have a thing to say about weatherby and there multitude of rather..... unique ( if you ask me ) wildcats . Gotta ask ....why do they get a pass lol ? :D only thing I can think is it's because they don't to the annoying marketing and such that Hornady and the like does .....that or it's a legacy thing...they've been doing it for longer ect..
 
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Weatherbys not new. I remember when I was a kid my Dad looked at one in a gun shop I thought it was the most beautiful rifle on earth. I was probably 6 or 7. Ended up he bought a pre 64 88 .284. He couldnt afford the Weatherby. They just aint the new kid on the block. Doug
 
You can get a better gun for less money. Tommy Mc
It seems to me the point of the OP is not about a debate over cost v. quality but about all the new ammo offerings that, especially Hornady, get bashed over daily on this and other forums (although much worse here).
Like it or not, the 6.5 Creedmoor (the entire Creedmoor family) brought many more people who never gave a second look to the art of rifle shooting and it has been good for a whole host of other companies large and small. How many new rifle builders, good ones, are available to us now versus 2008?
Hornady is nothing if not innovative and bold enough to take on projects that most won't.
Weatherby has introduced some new cartridges in that time frame as well and, to the OP's point, no one really seems to care. While the 6.5 Creedmoor gave life to a basically dead 6.6 caliber industry the 6.6RPM (I think that's one) has been a snoozer.
 
Weatherby has managed to price themselves right out of most folks market. Their market is high end hunting rifles and for a few collectors. Good hunting rifles are everywhere at a much more affordable price. The Weatherby "PASS" is the price!
 
The whole Mark V experience seemed designed to discourage third party and reloader involvement.

The high price, double-radiussed shoulder, nine lug action, huge bolt body, and the shortish tenon best suited for light weight barrels all dissuade a gunsmith from trying to mechanically improve one.

The trigger actuated bolt release ensures non-interchangeability. The Mark V isn’t always blued to a high luster but it is always sensitive to moisture as no stainless versions are offered.

One could in theory run those cartridges through any custom build desired and avoid all of those Mark V rifle issues. The brass is expensive though. There have probably been times when only Norma supplied it, and that’s a risky proposition for consideration as match cartridge.

How difficult would it be to grind those reamers. My understanding is that a blindfolded individual could tactilely discern a Weatherby cartridge from an earnest imitation.
 
For those thinking the price gap has increased go look at your local gun store. I'd argue the opposite. Weatherby used to compete with Winchester, Remington etc. Now it's Christensen, Proof, Springfield, Gunwerks and many other semi custom rifles. Weatherby will always have their detractors, brass too soft, brass to expensive, hard to reload, ammo too expensive, rifles too expensive, only a 1.5" accuracy guarantee, blah blah blah.

Like the girl you always wanted to ask out but you were afraid she would say no...
 
It seems to me the point of the OP is not about a debate over cost v. quality but about all the new ammo offerings that, especially Hornady, get bashed over daily on this and other forums (although much worse here).
Like it or not, the 6.5 Creedmoor (the entire Creedmoor family) brought many more people who never gave a second look to the art of rifle shooting and it has been good for a whole host of other companies large and small. How many new rifle builders, good ones, are available to us now versus 2008?
Hornady is nothing if not innovative and bold enough to take on projects that most won't.
Weatherby has introduced some new cartridges in that time frame as well and, to the OP's point, no one really seems to care. While the 6.5 Creedmoor gave life to a basically dead 6.6 caliber industry the 6.6RPM (I think that's one) has been a snoozer.
Basically, idk I just find it odd. People usually it's the more average guy I guess. The usual conversation of * I don't understand these crazy new fangled rounds ! All th facts tacticool names* blah blah.....by then they'll say something like : why not the 224 weatherby varmint express !
....... Like... .224 Valkyrie or 7mm back country, .277 dig furry ect is a bit much but weatherby and there line of odd ball wildcats is just fine ....
USe whatever you want I really don't care I like all sorts of odd balls stuff it's just a social thought deal I think is a bit odd lol.


On a side note it also makes me wonder just how much company and naming conventions affect how the average guy or different groups of shooter look at a cartridge......the psychology of it all ...Like wonder how many more people or what group of people would have gotten more interested when with that 6.8 Western if they called it the .270 O'Conner Magnum or instead of 6.5 creedmore ,6.5 swede improved or something.

I know I've seen it first had a lot of folks in my age group honestly just like having cool sounding rounds
 
If you ever shot game with a weatherby youll find out how devastating and just plain old powerful they are. Ive got a .257 and a .300 . Havent noticed the .257 too much but the .300 is like artillery. Shoot through deer lengthways and keep going . So much for good eating . Doug
 
Heck, even I wasn’t around when Roy Weatherby conceived his line of Cartriges.

The entire concept was built around delivered energy on target, and that meant speed.
. Period. Lots of powder, and lots of Freebore. Accuracy for hunting was all that was needed. That meant Minute of Deer, Minute of Elk, Minute of Buffalo, and minute of Elephant.

Weatherby ammunition is loaded for maximum speed. It says right on the box that it is intended to be used in Weatherby Rifles. By today’s standards, the double radius shoulder and neck junction is looked at a a solution in search of a problem. And the Belt? Well, we all know what the latest generation thinks of belts.

Back in the 1980’s I owned a Mk5 in 300 Weatherby. It was an absolutely beautiful rifle. It was light, recoiled like it was mad at you, and was not that accurate with the Weatherby Ammo.

But it sure was pretty.
 
Remember, when I believe, it was the Bank of Boulder that used to advertise them. Deposit X amount of money for X amount of time and pick your rifle. I very nearly did that a couple of times. It was a decent amount of money to tie up back then, when I needed it more in hand.

Seems like for every 50 rifles chambered in a Weatherby caliber, only a couple were chambered in a common caliber. Most of those magnums.
 
I Saved My Nickels for, a Couple of, Years to, Buy Me, a Smooth Action, Short Bolt Lift, Lefty in, .270 Wby Mag. a Mk-5, 9 Lug, German Made, Rifle !
I WAS in,.. "Hog heaven" for about,.. 15 Years !
Went from, a .30-06 to, the .270 Wby,. SKIPPING Over, the .308, .270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag, .300 H&H, etc.
Damn, that "Thing",.. killed,.. Deer / Antelope/ Yotes and, Elk like,. Lightening
I hand loaded 150 gr. Hornady interlocks at,.. 3,077 FPS
in the PRE-Range Finder Days,.. that thing, WAS,.. "Golden" !
Roy Weatherby Was "Right" about, those, Fast Bullets and,.. Killing Power !
 
Weatherby has managed to price themselves right out of most folks market. Their market is high end hunting rifles and for a few collectors. Good hunting rifles are everywhere at a much more affordable price. The Weatherby "PASS" is the price!
People "collect" hunting rifles and do nothing else with them?
Danny
 

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