Weatherby Ultra Lightweight?

J

JerryM

New member
The Wby MkV Ultra Lightweight looks like a great hunting rifle. If I were still hunting big game I would be tempted to get one in either .270 WCF or .257 Wby Mag. I suspect it would be the .270 WCF.

I never see them mentioned when folks are asking what rifle to buy. Maybe the cost is prohibitive for most.

Anyone here ever used one?

Thanks,
Jerry
 
While they are marketed as "Ultra Lightweight" they are really not. No matter how hard you try the Weatherby actions are the heaviest of all common actions. To get any kind of weight reduction they have to turn the barrels down pencil thin. The stocks are about 1/2lb.-3/4 lb. heavier than the true lightweight rifles are running.

For about the same money you can put together a custom rifle that will weigh less. For just a little more you can buy a NULA rifle. For $300-$400 less you can get a Kimber. Any of which will weigh less, have a better stock and will likely be more accurate.

If you want a full size rifle, Weatherby makes some good ones. It's just not a good platform to try to build an ultralight on.
 
Yes, the MK V is a heavy action. I have never seen the UL, and it would have to have a thin barrel, and of course the fiberglass stock.
However, if it groups under 1.5" it is accurate enough for any big game hunting in my view. I suspect I could tailor loads to exceed that accuracy.

I do like the Kimber 84M. I have not seen one of those either, but the photos show a beautiful rifle. The Mauser action is also not a light action, and I have some difficulty in believing that with a wood stock the rifle weighs less than 6 pounds. If so, that is more to my liking than the Wby.

Have you handled either of those rifles?
Thanks for the reply.

Jerry
 
I have a UL in .257 Wby. It is only "lightweight" compared to standard Mk V rifles. If a true lightweight is what you want you need to look elsewhere, such as the suggestions made by jmr40, NULA and Kimber (esp the Montana).

However if you can overlook the name, simply as a nice medium weight hunting rifle the UL is a good choice. The barrel is fluted but not overly thin. Mine gives moa or better accuracy with Weatherby factory ammo. It is very well made and has been totally reliable.

I've used mine mainly for open-country hunting in the U.S. (pronghorns, mule deer) and in Namibia for several plains game species. For such hunting it serves very well. The 26" barrel and overall length might make it a bit unwieldy hunting whitetails in heavy cover but I have other rifles for that.

I believe standard calibers such as .270 use a somewhat lighter six-lug action and 24" barrel so weight would be less. If you can, examine and handle one at a gun store. While not really light they are very nice rifles.
 
Thanks, Dave.
I am just dreaming as I have reached the age and physical condition that my hunting days are over. I have done a bunch of it from the desert SW to Alaska, where I spent 3.5 years in the Army.

I always remember what Jack O'Connor wrote, "You carry a rifle a lot more than you shoot it." Although if a rifle is too light for the cartridge you can develop a flinch from bench shooting working up loads and testing, etc. But I always liked lightweight rifles. In those days my M70 FWT rifles were the lightest I had.

I am just meditating on what I might do if...

I do have a friend, and my Alaska hunting buddy, who still hunts sheep and goats in such places as Russia and Mongolia. At 74 it is amazing that he can hunt in that rough and high altitude country. His two rifles are a .257 Wby and a .270 Wby.He has had them rebarreled with Shilen fluted barrels and uses "plastic" stocks. He has taken at least one of all the world's sheep and is working on goats.

Regards,
Jerry
 
Jerry I have a Kimber and standard Weatherby. I like both, but as a lightweight the Kimber is a better choice. It is a Mauser style action, but Kimber has machined away as much metal from the action as possible making the entire action very light. They also use a very lightweight, well designed synthetic stock and keep the barrel very close to a standard contour.

The Weatherby loses almost all the weight in the thinner barrel. 1.5" or so seems to be about what to expect, and I realize that for a hunting rifle that is good enough.

They are a bit pricy for what you get, but I suppose that if someome wanted one of the Weathergy mag calibers in a lightweight it would give you an option none of the other companies offer. In standard calibers you can get a lighter rifle for less money from several other manufacturers. I notice the mag calibers are a pound heavier than standard calibers. That is probably a good thing.
 
Hi JMR40,
Thanks for that assessment.
I have never taken to fiberglass stocks and camo guns. I like beautiful walnut and blue, but would probably settle for a stainless barrel.

On balance the Kimber would suit me better if I bought such a gun. I had thought that if I did get a new rifle I would have it custom made, but the Kimber is so nice that I would probably go that route.
In my day we did not say, "If you have to ask you can't afford it." Instead it was, "A fool and his money are soon parted." :D

I never bought a custom rifle. I had once wanted a 7MM Mashburn Mag. However, when I contacted them they said that they could not guarantee accuracy of 1.5 inches in a rifle that would weigh what I wanted. I had asked for one that duplicated the weight of the rifle that Warren Page ( Field and Stream Gun Editor) had. So I did not get one. Now of course such accuracy in a custom rifle would be easy.

More and more as the years went by I concluded that I did not need magnum calibers except for large bear. In addition, I am somewhat recoil sensitive, and when shooting magnums I have to be sure to squeeze the trigger. I suppose if I were hunting Marco Polo sheep like my friend I would probably also go for the .270 Wby.

Thanks, again.
Regards,
Jerry
 
I've got the MarkV Ultra Lightweight in .270 Wby. It has a pretty thin barrel profile and they cut some flutes into the bolt to bring the weight down some. The barrel is stainless but is finished black.

It's light enough for me, as I recall 7lbs. without a scope if chambered in Wby cartridges.

There have been some complaints online about accuracy because the barrel heats up fast. I think the majority of those come from people that shoot 5 shot groups and heat the barrel too much.

If I shoot a three shot group (fairly quickly) the first two holes touch. The third hole is 3/4" low and to the right. By my criteria that puts it into the very good accuracy zone for a hunting rifle.

The trigger is sweet.

I have a brake on mine and it's extremely loud. Kicks less than a 30-06 with the brake though. I have a feeling it would hurt some without a brake.
 
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I have always used 3 shots for accuracy for hunting rifles. I have never been an accuracy "nut." I would rather have a light rifle that will keep the first 3 shots under 1.5" and have max velocity than to download for accuracy.

Regards,
Jerry
 
I'm an accuracy nut but a hunting rifle is a hunting rifle. It wasn't designed for chipmunk hunting.

There's nothing like shooting a 5 shot 1/2" group at 100 yards for me but I keep it in perspective. I don't want to carry a 13lb benchrest rifle around for long either....

The Weatherby ULW will do the job it was designed for nicely. Weatherby cartridges aren't cheap but you don't shoot many per year hunting anyway.

The .270 WBY is the fastest .270 factory cartridge. When I took mine to the range the first time to sight in, the guys on either side of me took a hike til I was done. The muzzle brake was knocking old brass off of the roof. I couldn't blame them!
 
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