Interest in Weatherby Mark V actions?

[std7mag]

In talking with a tech from Weatherby, i was surprised learn that Weatherby does not offer their Mark V action, or barreled action.

This being after it my thoughts of building a wildcat 7mm-378 on a Mark V action for an ELR/ULR rifle build.

So i'm inquiring if there would be any interest in Weatherby to sell just their Mark V action.

I'm asking on the 3 firearm related forums that i'm on and if enough interest, then addressing Weatherby with my results.

Thank You!

 

[10at6]

Many better options than a Mark V.

 

[std7mag]

Better, not better.
I'm only asking about interest.

 

[tobnpr]

I considered building a .338 LM target rifle with one a couple of years ago.
Action is robust enough, but I felt that it didn't lend itself to the work needed (there's no way to true lugs/abutments) for a target rifle- and there's nothing close to the level of aftermarket support of other choices for stocks/chassis systems, triggers, etc.

Fine hunting rifles- not so much for "precision" builds which was my objective.

 

[Adam in WI]

I like it, but I think if Weatherby were to offer a bare Mk V receiver the price would make you shake your head. Unless you're looking for a 6 lug, there's a decent amount of synthetic models floating around that can be picked up reasonably.

 

[INTJ]

No interest here in a Mk 5 action.

Then again I have no interest in most factory produced actions. For a factory action to be of interest to me, it has to do something better than one of the many available customs actions we can choose from.

If we exclude cost, the CRF M-70 and the CZ 550 Safari action are two factory actions that interest me. Their only competition in a custom claw-style CRF actions as far as I know are the ARC actions.

When we include cost, then factory actions can be of interest if the are obtained cheaply enough. How that usually works is somebody has a Remington or Tikka already, and so they are comparing to cost of an action truing job to a new custom.

But to go out and buy a factory action, which then has to be trued, and still doesn't have many of the features of a custom action doesn't make sense.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I cant think of a single customer, over the last 25yrs, that has even entertained using a weatherby action, even if they had one to use

 

[Adam in WI]

Ken, you might check over on LRH. I recall that member JE Custom is a big fan of the Mk V action, and had used it often. I remember reading his remarks that suggested they needed very little, if any truing.

 

[jackieschmidt]

The reason the model 700 has been, (more or less), replicated in so many custom actions is it’s brutal simplicity. Part of it’s simplicity is the safety system is not located in the bolt. It’s in the trigger. That makes it possible to just do away with it if you wish with having no affect on the rest of the action’s function.

That also allows you to build a trigger, which is a separate entity, with a extremely light pull that we in Benchrest have gone to rely on.

Try that with a Mk5 Weatherby. Even the Trigger Tech can only go down to 16 ounces.

The single thing the Weatherby Mk5 has going for it is strength. It is arguably the strongest action available in a weight that is practicle in a rifle with a reasonable weight. It also has that short bolt lift, just 30 degrees.

Years ago, (before everybody and his grandmother started manufacturing actions), when we wanted to build a HBR or Benchrest rifle on a factory action, you could go to Academy, buy one of those Remington Tupperware stocked ADL’s for less than $350, add a custom barrel and a jewel trigger and have a barreled action that was simple, easy to work on, and affective. Plus, no safety to mess with if it wasn’t needed.

No doubt why just about every custom made is in someway patterned after Mr Walkers creation.

I have never met anyone who was willing to tear a Mk5 apart just to scavenge the action. It would be a neat project For perhaps a PR Series or F Class in one of the cases that fit the Weatherby magnum bolt face.

Anybody have one at a good price?

 

[INTJ]

I don't know that the Mk 5 is unusually strong amymore. Won't almost all modern bolt actions hold and let the barrel bulge/burst?

As far as strength and light weight, I would put up the 26 oz BAT Vesper against about anything, especially a Mk 5. The Vesper has up to a Lapua bolt face, 1.125" tenon, and two massive locking lugs. It's cut for a 4" Wyatt's box as well.

I think Defiance has something similar.

 

[tobnpr]

Won't almost all modern bolt actions hold and let the barrel bulge/burst?

When you say "hold", it's not just a matter of whether there's a sudden, catastrophic failure.
For large casehead magnums (like the Lapua), bolt thrust is the primary concern for me. The MkV has a lot of surface area with its multiple lugs and abutments. I don't assume "lesser" actions will fail per se, but loading beyond their design parameters can potentiallu result in plastic deformation and increasing headspace.

Just my take. I am neither an engineer nor metallurgist.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

When you say "hold", it's not just a matter of whether there's a sudden, catastrophic failure.
For large casehead magnums (like the Lapua), bolt thrust is the primary concern for me. The MkV has a lot of surface area with its multiple lugs and abutments. I don't assume "lesser" actions will fail per se, but loading beyond their design parameters can potentiallu result in plastic deformation and increasing headspace.

Just my take. I am neither an engineer nor metallurgist.

Do those tiny lugs have more surface area than the current big actions like he mentioned? How many are actually making contact at any given time? As far as bolt thrust, ive never seen a bolt shear and slide out the back, rather the rifle peels like a banana.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Do those tiny lugs have more surface area than the current big actions like he mentioned? How many are actually making contact at any given time? As far as bolt thrust, ive never seen a bolt shear and slide out the back, rather the rifle peels like a banana. View attachment 1391796

Dusty, there is also the matter of the material a manufacturer will use in their actions.

I would be curious as to what brand of action you have in that picture.

The manufactures that are using 416 stainless are doing it for one reason. Machinability. The advent of Computer Aid Design and Computer Aid Machining along with 416 stainless has resulted in everybody and his grandmother making actions.

But regardless of the glossy ads, there is no way that a 416 action will ever hold up to extreme pressure as one machined from 17-4 PH or a top quality Crome Moly, or even a Chrome Moly Nickel.

There is more involved with material strength levels than simple Tensile/Yield numbers. I have always believed that ductility as measured by Charpy V Notch is just as important. In this department, 416 is not in the same league.

 

[AlNyhus]

On the Lilja Barrels site under the 'Articles' section, Dan Lilja has a very good article on bolt thrust and how to calculate it. The article on bolt thrust is worth it's weight in gold and helped me sort out a 'problem child' gun in the past. -Al

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Dusty, there is also the matter of the material a manufacturer will use in their actions.

I would be curious as to what brand of action you have in that picture.

The manufactures that are using 416 stainless are doing it for one reason. Machinability. The advent of Computer Aid Design and Computer Aid Machining along with 416 stainless has resulted in everybody and his grandmother making actions.

But regardless of the glossy ads, there is no way that a 416 action will ever hold up to extreme pressure as one machined from 17-4 PH or a top quality Crome Moly, or even a Chrome Moly Nickel.

There is more involved with material strength levels than simple Tensile/Yield numbers. I have always believed that ductility as measured by Charpy V Notch is just as important. In this department, 416 is not in the same league.

Bat

 

[ar15Jeff]

Ouch!

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Heres another i seen on the net years back

 

[DaveTooley]

I'm not a big fan of multi lug, more than 3, actions. Yes you add lugs but do you add surface area? Every lug has machining tolerances, transition area built into the corners. Inside and out where you lose surface area. If anyone is interested I have a MkV 30-378 with a Kreiger 1-12 barrel for sale. PM me

 

[jackieschmidt]

I'm not a big fan of multi lug, more than 3, actions. Yes you add lugs but do you add surface area? Every lug has machining tolerances, transition area built into the corners. Inside and out where you lose surface area. If anyone is interested I have a MkV 30-378 with a Kreiger 1-12 barrel for sale. PM me

If you have ever messed around with a Remington 788, you soon discover that you were lucky if half of those 9 locking lugs even made contact.

Of course, we would hope that a multi-thousand dollar Mk5 Weatherby would be machined with considerably higher standards than a $178 REM 788. Wouldn’t we?

 

[Carl S]

I'm not a big fan of multi lug, more than 3, actions. Yes you add lugs but do you add surface area? Every lug has machining tolerances, transition area built into the corners. Inside and out where you lose surface area. If anyone is interested I have a MkV 30-378 with a Kreiger 1-12 barrel for sale. PM me

Surface area is key Dave.