Weatherby Mark V Accumark 338 Lapua Quality Control

[Bubba Boomstick]

Hello,
I have been following this forum for years, but this is my first post.

1. I just sent my rifle back to Weatherby last week for accuracy.
2. Factory ammunition such as Hornady Precision Hunter, produces groups around 5-6 inches. Handloads produce groups down to 2-3 inches.
3. I have tried 4 different powders, 5 different bullets, and I am using 338 Lapua Peterson brass. Less than 100 rounds through the barrel; barrel cleaned every 20 shots.
4. Actions screws are torqued, changed the scope, changed the scope bases, changed the gun rest, changed powder charge, seating depth, barrel tuner, rear bag, trimmed brass, bore cleaner, copper solvent, etc.
5. The pictures below are with handloads with powders weights within 0.1 grains of accuracy at 100 yards.
6. Barrel has large freebore. Bullets seated at 3.795 inches are max length internal magazine and are 0.035 inches from lands.

I have owned about 15 bolt action rifles at varying price points. This rifle was $2800 brand new and is the least accurate rifle I have owned. My Savage Long Range Hunter in 338 Lapua is objectively superior with groups that are half this size and I purchased it for half the price.

My question:
Have other users seen similar issues from Weatherby? Is my rifle a lemon? Or is their quality suffering on average? Can the Accubrake from the factory be to blame?

 

[Loudenboomer]

I'm interested to hear what Weatherby comes up with. The Items you've checked seem to point to a manufacture problem.
My .338 Lapua is not a Wby. (Savage 110 BA) but I was having trouble shooting the groups I liked. The rifle shot a little wider than 1.5 MOA. I originally chocked it up to Savage factory barrel quality and decided to put on a 30" shouldered Krieger. When striping the rifle down to send to the gunsmith I discovered a shine under the mount. I sure the Night Force scope was moving if only slightly.
I'm Just getting things up and running with the new barrel. I now have Locktite between the receiver and mount.

 

[std7mag]

How is the loading on your bipod?
I ask because when i can't get a decent amount of loading on my bipod, i get groups such as yours.
Spike feet in dirt, or wood bench shoots very accurately.

I'm getting 0.78" three shot groups with my Mark V Weathermark LT in 7mm WBY Mag.
RL26 with 175gr Nosler ABLR.

I have to seat the bullets fairly low( 3.360") due to not being able to eject a loaded round if i load closer to the lands.

No bipod on the Mark V. Shooting with front rest & rear bag.

 

[Ironworker]

What is the barrel contour? It sure looks thin; maybe that's the problem. Are you expecting MOA? What is the barrel contour on the savage?
I bought a used($1,000) MKV Accumark in 338-378, and it shot poorly. Found a gunsmith who could buy parts from WBY; the rifle is now a 257WBY mag with a Bart bbl. It's a tack driver now.

 

[CJ6]

One thing with Weatherby's.... If you're NOT using Weatherby factory ammo their accuracy "claim" goes out the window.

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

I'm interested to hear what Weatherby comes up with. The Items you've checked seem to point to a manufacture problem.
My .338 Lapua is not a Wby. (Savage 110 BA) but I was having trouble shooting the groups I liked. The rifle shot a little wider than 1.5 MOA. I originally chocked it up to Savage factory barrel quality and decided to put on a 30" shouldered Krieger.

I am interested as well. I will update this post as I receive information and I will do another accuracy test and post it here once I receive my rifle back. My Savage 110 Long Range Hunter shot 3 inch groups with factory ammo, but after doing a seating test, it shot sub moa groups.

I am so happy you found success with an aftermarket barrel.

How is the loading on your bipod?

I have to seat the bullets fairly low( 3.360") due to not being able to eject a loaded round if i load closer to the lands.

I usually lean into the bipod to manage the stout recoil of the Lapua. Though, I tried shooting it off of a bag and it didn't change anything.
Here's the funny thing: This rifle TORQUES. When this rifle torques, the whole stock twists in a clockwise direction very violently. I've tried free recoil shouldering, firm shouldering, and everything in between.

I had to have my local gunsmith lengthen the ejection port, because the magazine is 0.1 inches longer than the ejection port.

What is the barrel contour? It sure looks thin; maybe that's the problem. Are you expecting MOA? What is the barrel contour on the savage?
I bought a used($1,000) MKV Accumark in 338-378, and it shot poorly. Found a gunsmith who could buy parts from WBY; the rifle is now a 257WBY mag with a Bart bbl. It's a tack driver now.

It is a factory #3 contour barrel. At the shoulder before the 5/8-24 threads, it measures about 0.745 inches, so pretty much a sporter contour on the Weatherby.

I am expecting at least minute of angle groups. If they can't fix it, I contacted Lilja Barrels for a blank and I'll have a gunsmith chamber it in 300 Norma and later 338 Norma. I am so happy that you found success after rebarreling yours; that is fantastic.

One thing with Weatherby's.... If you're NOT using Weatherby factory ammo their accuracy "claim" goes out the window.

You are correct. Unfortunately, they do not load factory ammunition in the 338 Lapua, so who knows how they are testing these rifles?

Their customer service also leaves more to be desired. I have had better service at my local McDonalds drive through and at the DMV. I can write a whole thread just on the 4 phone calls I have had because I am being really polite and trying to articulate my issues clearly, and they just do not care. They want me to go buy HAMMER BULLETS and just shut up and stop complaining.

Thank you all for your responses.

 

[std7mag]

Yeah, if i load out to the lands with the 175gr ABLR it's 3.630".
But i can't get a loaded round out of the receiver at that length.
I have to make COAL 3.360" to clear the ejection port.

I was challenged to "man up & take a Dremel" to it.

I'll pass on that!

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

If we the consumer have to redesign the product we purchased, that's a bad product.

It's obvious the Mark V action is dated and not optimized for long high BC bullets and the long throats they are chambering their rifles in. I just cannot understand why their magazines, throats, and ejection ports have 3 different dimensions.

 

[davidjoe]

Torque is just a fact of life. We complain about torque in Fclass required sand bags under 10 kilogram rifles on 25 pound front rests, burning only half the powder you are shooting.

I don’t see pictures of the 5-6 inch groups you mention. That would be surprising if they could not be improved, but the pictures you attached honestly are not.

I have a Mark V .338 LM, similar to or actually called the TRR. It also has a relatively light contoured and fluted barrel. I haven’t gotten around to shooting it yet, but I don’t really expect the combination of a light gun and heavy load to shoot better than 1 to 1.5 moa. These aren’t range day paper punchers, imo, though, they are very high quality field tools, of an enduring and unmatched design.

Isn’t that gun considered acceptable with 1.5 moa groups, with yours being right there or better?

 

[Ironworker]

MOA with that thin bbl? My 257 WBY Mag has a Rem Varmint contour, I fired five shots a month ago, and the barrel still hasn't cooled down.

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

I don’t see pictures of the 5-6 inch groups you mention. That would be surprising if they could not be improved, but the pictures you attached honestly are not.

Thank you for your reply and insight. The attached images are 50 yards, 3 inch groups, so about 5-6 MOA with factory Hornady Hunter Ammunition.

I spent around $300 in bullets and powders and got the groups down to 1.5 MOA. But the load is not stable and the node is sensitive. The rifle prefers to shoot 2.5 MOA consistently.

Isn’t that gun considered acceptable with 1.5 moa groups, with yours being right there or better?

Very valid point. A hunting rifle does not need to shoot better than 2 MOA to hit an 8 inch target at 400 yards. This rifle can absolutely slam deer and elk within those ranges.

But this is a competitive market. And for the same amount of money, I can get something else. Fierce rifles are lightweight and have a 0.5 MOA guarantee and they give me the proof target. I sent it back because my wife told me I had wasted enough money in this rifle, and she knows I can shoot!

 

[MagnumW]

Somethings wrong with that rifle.

All weatherbys I’ve shot need skim bedding.

With bedding they can shoot 1/2 moa with proper load out to 1000.

 

[FNSafari]

One thing with Weatherby's.... If you're NOT using Weatherby factory ammo their accuracy "claim" goes out the window.

An escape hatch for Weatherby.

 

[davidjoe]

One thing the forum guys ask when there’s a questionably grouping big bore, is whether another shooter gets the same results. It’s not a suggestion intended to be in any way demeaning.

I’m, for example, curious enough about how well, or not, my 300 WM load F-Class gun can shoot at 1,000, that it’s well worth the 100 plus rounds to me to get the favor from the recent 2022 LR winner at nationals, to shoot it Sunday at the club match.

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

Absolutely, there's always people that buy too much gun and complain here. Getting a second opinion is great idea to verify the groups.

Once I get the rifle back, I will have me and an unlucky range friend test it out.

My wife is a great shot, but she's expressed she's not at all interested in shooting my 10 pound 338 Lapua. I can't imagine why lol jk.

Somethings wrong with that rifle.

All weatherbys I’ve shot need skim bedding.

With bedding they can shoot 1/2 moa with proper load out to 1000.

I was going to do that, but if I bed the rifle in any way, I void the warranty.

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

The RMA number they emailed to put to put on the shipping label was incorrect. When I called customer support to get a status update, they couldn't find it. They had received it in the mail, and it sat in their warehouse with no idea who it belonged to. In addition, they misspelled my email and sent my personal information to the wrong email address.

I spent $80 to ship the rifle back under warranty and they didn't know where it was?

This is kind of embarrassing.

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

Update 11/17/2022:

I call them after 3 weeks.

They said:
>>Your riflestock is modified so we are unable to test your rifle in its current condition.

>The stock had length of pull shortened from 14" down to 13.25"

>>Yes, but it is modified so we put it in a new factory unmodified stock

>How did it shoot?

>>It shot 0.3 moa in a vice clamp in a new stock with Barnes 338

>Okay, so you didn't test it in its original stock

>>No

>So, there's something wrong with the stock?

>>Yes, I believe so.

>Did you guys replace the stock?

>>No we will not replace it, and it will be $200 for range test fee to ship it back.

 

[tthomp302]

Update 11/17/2022:

I call them after 3 weeks.

They said:
>>Your riflestock is modified so we are unable to test your rifle in its current condition.

>The stock had length of pull shortened from 14" down to 13.25"

>>Yes, but it is modified so we put it in a new factory unmodified stock

>How did it shoot?

>>It shot 0.3 moa in a vice clamp in a new stock with Barnes 338

>Okay, so you didn't test it in its original stock

>>No

>So, there's something wrong with the stock?

>>Yes, I believe so.

>Did you guys replace the stock?

>>No we will not replace it, and it will be $200 for range test fee to ship it back.


I'm not paying that money, so I guess this will just be a $2800 loss.

I have a 7mm-8 vanguard there now that cant shoot below 3 inches with all types of factory ammo. They keep giving the run around. What was quoted as a 4 week turn around is getting closer to double that. I will more than likely never buy another Weatherby rifle. Their customer support people are rude and have put me on hold and even hung up.

 

[CJ6]

Update 11/17/2022:

I call them after 3 weeks.

They said:
>>Your riflestock is modified so we are unable to test your rifle in its current condition.

>The stock had length of pull shortened from 14" down to 13.25"

>>Yes, but it is modified so we put it in a new factory unmodified stock

>How did it shoot?

>>It shot 0.3 moa in a vice clamp in a new stock with Barnes 338

>Okay, so you didn't test it in its original stock

>>No

>So, there's something wrong with the stock?

>>Yes, I believe so.

>Did you guys replace the stock?

>>No we will not replace it, and it will be $200 for range test fee to ship it back.


I'm not paying that money, so I guess this will just be a $2800 loss.

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.

 

[Bubba Boomstick]

I have a 7mm-8 vanguard there now that cant shoot below 3 inches with all types of factory ammo. They keep giving the run around. What was quoted as a 4 week turn around is getting closer to double that. I will more than likely never buy another Weatherby rifle. Their customer support people are rude and have put me on hold and even hung up.

I spoke to Carbon Six Barrels over the phone. They provided me some insight that Weatherby basically clamp their rifles in a vice. If the rifle shoots 3 MOA its leaves the factory. If it shoots 1 MOA, they call it "Range Certified" and charge $400 extra for it. So if your rifle shoots 3 MOA, that's pretty typical.

I can verify their customer support is rude. I will never buy another one of these rifles again. They will go bankrupt like Remington.