Weatherby...free floating?

X

xxtavixx

Inactive
Hello everyone!

Finally joined. Thank you for all the knowledge shared on the website already. Late last year I finally picked up my first Weatherby. To say the least, my wife was not pleased.

I really like the look and the feel of a high quality wood stock. And I'm lefty handed. And I like being able to get ammunition easily as I do not reload. I had always liked the Weatherby, but being left handed I was limited to options, especially as the Vanguard is not offered in the left handed configuration. I checked out a few different Manufacturers and rifles...but decided the Weatherby was for me. This left me to face finding a Mark V, 9 lug...in a non Weatherby round.ÂÂ-CENSORED- Once I committed to this decision I knew I was in for a long wait. I had been keeping an eye out since before the decision was final. Three days later - I bought a Weatherby Mark V 9 lug, left handed in 30-06. I was amazed that this gun came up at that time. It was like a dream come true.

Down the road, almost a year now...she (yes, I know...) is topped with a Z5 and is an amazing, beautiful and elegant work of art. See pics (sorry, terrible cell phone and poor lighting):






Ive been having some struggles with consistency. Some days I go out, and my first shot is a dead bullseye. But the groupings are terrible. I cannot keep a ground to under 2 inches easily. The crown is good, rifling is good. I am left wondering if the barrel should be free floated. Ive never done taken this step because it appears as though the barrel had a support built into the stock, and it looks VERY intentional. Does anyone have any thoughts on how important this support is? I am concerned because the barrel is thin, does it potentially need that support? Sadly, I am more comfortable with every other gun I own...including one I paid $200 for this year. See pics below:






Any thoughts? Thank you!
 
Most guns shoot at least some better free floated. It is rare for one to shoot worse even if it does not improve. Some gun companies use a little upward pressure on the barrel right at the tip of the stock. It appears to be the case on this one. I'd probably have it floated, but I'd at least try a couple of things 1st.

You don't say what brand or type of ammo you're using. I'd try something else 1st. Much of the budget ammo sold at Walmart etc., isn't the most accurate and even the really good stuff doesn't always shoot well in some rifles.

You could also have a scope mount issue. If everything is not mounted right you'll not get good results no matter how good the scope. I'd double check that as well. FWIW, I really, really do not like anything with windage adjustments like those mounts. They are overly complex, heavy and difficult to mount correctly. And more prone to shooting loose over time than any other type of mount.
 
I free floated my MKV in 257 WM. Big improvement but I would follow the advice above before I did anything.
 
Thanks. I have tried several different rounds, varying in weight and velocity. Same inconsistency. Ive had two scopes on with the same struggles, and remounted them several times in an attemlt to resolve.

Is my conxern that the barrel is too thing to be free floated just ridiculous?
 
Last edited:
Nice looking rifle! I would buy an aftermarket synthetic stock and try it. Maybe something on the order of a Medalist. You can always free float it. Check your screws and make sure they are torqued properly. Be careful with wood stocks. On the Wby site check FAQ's and it will tell you the correct torque values.

Older Wby's had an 1 1/2 inch gaurantee. If your first shot is dead on it sounds like a stock issue. You didn't mention what was happening to your groups. Are they stringing or just opening up?
 
Back around 1970 or so I bought a German-made Mk V in '06. 26" #2 profile barrel.

Wouldn't group for squat.

I free-floated the forearm. On my gunsmith-uncle's advice, I made a shim for the forearm tip. I folded a strip of kitchen wax paper back and forth until it took a slight pull to insert it. The heat of shooting caused very slight melting and for it to stick in place.

His theory was that the shim acted as a damper, helping for consistency in vibrations of the barrel from shot to shot. All I know is that it worked.

I went from five-shot three-inch groups to five-shot 7/8" groups. Ten-shot groups around 1-1/8".
 
My first shot is usually fairly dead one. As I shoot, the groups open up very quickly. Ive had shots spray off as far as four inches to either side. If im very patient with the shooting and let it cool down extensively i can get a 2 inch group at 100 yards. Several times ive been able to hit exactly where i want on a cold first shot.

The screws are properly tight.
 
Well, I would call Weatherby. Got nothing to lose. I've always found them to be very helpful. I had a brand new .300 that wouldn't shoot either. I called them and they called me back on a Sunday. The guy told me that he had come in to do a little work and heard my message and decided to call. He asked me to check the target that came with the rifle and what weight bullet. I told him the target was shot with 180 grain and I was shooting 15...duh...

He laughed and told me to try 180's. Rifle shoots like a dream with 180's, either handloads or factory. It hates everything else. :D Kind of weird. I have another Mark V Euromark 300 that loves 165 grains. Shoots 1/2 inch groups all day long. Put a 180 in it and it gets down right -CENSORED--CENSORED--CENSORED--CENSORED--CENSORED--CENSORED-. :p
 
I have a .270win with the same style stock, although the rifle is a vanguard VGX. There is the same pressure point in the stock. It was explained to me that Weatherby barrels are "whippy" and benefit from the pressure point. Mine is insanely accurate with 130 gn Sierra GK's. I would definitely call Weatherby if there is an issue.
 
XX: While 95% of my rifles are floated, some shoot better with some dampening...as posted earlier. However, I just remove the raised point at the tip of the fore-end and install a thin piece of rubber (from a blown bicycle inner-tube) or from a tube patch. It works to dampen the barrel harmonics and accuracy is more consistent when the barrel heats up, especially more-so with pencil-thin barrels on some rifles available today. The patch does not have to be tight-tight, just a little snug enough to dampen the vibrations and allow the barrel to heat up without changing POA/POI or accuracy. Mine are around 2" long and are flush with the top edge of the fore-end.

With the hard projection in the factory stocks, the impact can be as much as 6" higher @100yds.and "groups" look more like SG patterns when the barrel heats and warps.. Been there.. and fixed it.

WILL
 
I've always figured that with a "pencil" barrel, a decent three-shot group is about as good as it will get.

IMO, the most important thing in a hunting rifle is that the first shot from a cold barrel reliably has the point of aim be the point of impact.
 
This is from Weatherby site

All Weatherby Mark V rifles and all other Vanguard rifles with serial numbers beginning with V, VL, VS, or VX, are guaranteed to shoot a 1 ½” or better 3-shot group at 100 yards from a cold barrel when used with premium (non-Weatherby calibers) or Weatherby factory ammunition. Together, the Weatherby system (premium ammunition and rifle) forms the flattest shooting, hardest hitting, most accurate combination in the industry today.

If you are experiencing accuracy problems, then please follow the subsequent steps to either correct or identify the issue.

Accuracy Checklist

- ACTION SCREWS: Confirm that these screws are tight. With aluminum bedded stocks, verify that the screws are torqued to 55 inch-lbs, while wood and synthetic stocks should be torqued to 35 inch-lbs. (See attachment for torquing procedures)

- SCOPE MOUNTS: Use a quality set of scope mounts, and verify that they have been securely mounted to the firearm.

- SCOPE: Use a quality, tested scope, and verify that it is securely mounted to the firearm.

- AMMUNITION: Test fire the rifle using only premium or Weatherby factory ammunition. Please see attached lists for our recommendations.

- CROWN: Verify that the barrel’s crown is free of any dings, gouges or large scratches.

- CLEAN BARREL: Use a trusted copper solvent, such as Sweet’s 7.62, to thorough clean the bore (follow manufacturers instructions for any brand used).

WARNING: MODIFICATION OF THE ORIGINAL BARREL OR FACTORY STOCK BEDDING WILL VOID THE ACCURACY GUARANTE
 
ART: My first rifle to be floated was a Ruger 77 in 7 Rem Mag, (purchased new in Mar.'76) and it has a pencil thin barrel. Later that summer it was sighted-in with Browning 150gr SPs and 10 shots could be covered by a quarter. (The 175gr SPs went slap-through a telephone pole, and whumped my shoulder a tad too hard), so the 150s were good enough for me, and off to the woods went yours truly looking for Bambi's cousins......Finally met one - invited him home for dinner - and he was delicious.

The rifle went in the rack, Uncle Sam had other plans for me and 10 months passed before we got together again. To the range we traipsed and..... SURPRISE! 6" high and almost 9" right.....Same box of 150gr ammo (well, one of 15 boxes) -- but all from the same lot- Browning was going out of the ammo business and at $2.25/box, I scooped up some $60 worth in 125/150/175gr weights. . Long story short....The stock was so warped, when I removed the barrel and action, it literally squeaked. After hogging out the channel and finally-- after three tries over six weeks-- the warping could be seen in the different stages but the wood never touched the barrel except in the action. There was a good 1/8" to 3/16" gap around that barrel and no amount of sealing the stock---channel and all--would keep it from warping.

Gaudy? Hell yeah! But, with 140gr Sierra FB bullets-- IMR 4831 powder and RP brass/Mag primers-- that pencil-thin barrel would literally "bust a thumbtack" at a 100yds shot-after-shot, and go into 1.76" at 440 measured yds.....Provided you waited 1 1/2 to 2 minutes between shots, and...You kept the magazine full with three rounds with one in the chamber (to keep the same upward pressure on the bolt with each shot). I just painted the whole rifle with flat black and grey primer spray paint in a striped pattern and it still does the job to this day.. I just need to replace the Bushnell Banner 3-9X40 w/BDC (interchangeable drums--not the yardage dots on the stadia wire), because the clarity is getting worse in bright sunlight.

Sorry to rant on like this, but it seems sometimes the thin barrels are overlooked as being inaccurate, but not all are. Do they heat up quicker? Yes, they do. But if you know their limitations, and shoot accordingly, You can get some very good mileage with them. Some need to be floated to shoot well...Some dampened. It just takes a little experimenting to find out what they like.

WILL.
 
You didn't say whether you were letting the barrel cool down between shots.
With a pencil barrel rifle, that can be important, especially if the stock fit is also a problem area. You said the first shot from a cold barrel is close to dead on.

I have a .270 Winchester M70 in a Select Grade factory stock that puts two shots together from a cold barrel at 100 yards, and then moves the next shot out 1/4 to 1/2 inch at 2 o'clock.
If I continue shooting, the next shot is and additional 1/4 to 1/2 inch out further at 2 o'clock and it keeps going out at 2 o'clock until I let the barrel cool completely.
After the barrel is cold, the first shot is again right at point of aim. But trying to shoot 5 shot groups without having the rifle cool down completely between shots is a exercise in futility.

For hunting, getting two rounds to touch from a cold barrel is perfect.
I don't know about you, but I have never had the opportunity to get more than one shot at an animal. Hitting what you aim at where you aimed is a necessity, but it has always been from a cold barrel.
Shooting groups doesn't matter if the deer drops in its tracks.

For shooting groups, I my target rifles all have heavy bull barrels and all their stocks are free floating with trigger pulls in the 2 lb range. They also weigh 10 lbs or more. I wouldn't want to carry them around on a hunt.
 
ART; I've just been very lucky with most of the firearms in my collection, and I had one heck of a teacher in my formative years in the loading game. He's gone now, but I will never forget what he taught me.
He said rifles are like most women....They'll keep resisting whatever you do just to see how far you'll go to satisfy them, and give them what they want. Once you find out what it is....They'll let you know. The only thing then is: Do you stop there or keep going? I stopped with what I found they liked...[Strictly speaking of the rifles, I mean] Now, women....They're an entirely different subject to me.


WILL.
 
When I want to find out if freefloating a barrel will help accuracy, I cut up some business cards and raise the action slightly in the stock. If it works, then I go to work on the forend. If it doesn't, I haven't changed anything.
 
Its a hunting rifle. You say the first cold bore shot goes exactly where you want it. Therefor, I would leave it as it is.
 
I'm a bench rest shooter, for accuracy bedding & free floating the barrel is the way to go. The stock is beautiful, read up on bedding & free floating, it's not that hard to do. Also first check your action screws torque settings, it my be as simple as that. How are you cleaning your rifle, run a dry patch through the barrel to remove any oil before you shoot. Can cause pressure problems & flyers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top