Getting acceptable accuracy - where to start?

[pharmseller]

I have a Weatherby Mark V Ultra Lightweight in .30-06.  DOM is February, 2001.  I bought her new.  I have not altered this rifle in any way.

I've never been impressed with the accuracy.  She's a joy to carry and she fits me very well but I have zero confidence in shots over 250 yards.  That hasn't been an issue until lately, as my hunting grounds have changed to eastern Oregon, where 400 yard shots are common.

I handload and I have tried many different combinations of bullet, powder, primer, COAL, etc, to wring as much accuracy as possible.  It shouldn't be this hard to get a rifle to shoot, especially a Weatherby.  And yes, I've installed multiple scopes to make sure it's not the optics.

I'm considering a bedding job and a barrel re-crown.  If I get the bedding job should I free-float the barrel, or retain the two nubs that provide upward pressure?  Also, if I re-crown (from the recessed target crown) what kind of crown should I select?

Any suggestions are welcome.  I bought a Tikka T3 Lite SS for half the price that shoots bughole groups with just about anything I load for her, but I don't want to abandon the Weatherby.

Thanks,

P

[eford]

When  was the last time the bore had a really good scrubbing with a copper removing agent? I'm sure someone will suggest using Bore Tech Eliminator, so if you haven't done that I would get a bottle and clean clean clean.

If you're going to bed the receiver you might as well float the barrel, in my opinion. I know that not all barrels need to be floated, but with a bedding job it will almost certainly shoot better---and the floating could improve things more.

It is possible that a crowning job will help also. As long as you can do it, get it. Cutting the recess in the crown just a little deeper and smoothing out the burs can fix the crown. It may be just fine---but it is an excellent item to check.

Some people think that you should only change one thing at a time to keep the changes as low as possible. Tinker with this, fiddle with that, so on and so on, soon you might get to what the problem is (and solve it) and in the meantime you've lost time, maybe even a lot of trips to the gunsmith and or the range.

As always, keep the Nation posted on your results.

[WBY MAG MAN]

P, one thing to keep in mind is that Weatherby uses A smaller diameter barrel than other  gun maker's that is why they put those two little nub's at the end of the barrel channel they help control barrel whip! Of the 8 Wby's I own, I floated 4, and ended up putting them(the nub's) back in 3 of them, I'm sure most people on here will tell you the same thing. That would be the VERY last thing I tried. It Took me over A year, around 350 round's and I lost count of the different load combo's before I got my 30-378 to shoot to .5 MOA. The free bore in these Wby's can make them very picky. As eford, said keep us posted maybe one of us has A load you can try.....jerry

[carpetking]

I also tried several ultralights over the years. I could never get them to shoot either, I tried every thing contacted several accuracy specialist who said those are some of the most difficult rifles to get to shoot. Now I'm thinking about trying a new ultralight rc but heres the real question? If weatherby will rc the new ultralight which by the way is free floated barrel,the regular ultralight has forearm pressure why will they SUB-MOA the new model but not the old one? It tells me that the accuracy isn't there and they know it!

[ccc23454]

I played hell getting my 300UL to shot better than 1.5-2" groups with even with hand loads. What I did was clean barrel channel except for those designed pressure points(sandpaper), had 2 places that were touching.  Gave it a good cleaning and what I think mattered most was experimented with torque values on the stock.  My stock was loosing torque during firing even with blue locktite. Solved this by using a small amount of red loctite on screws on upward part of thread so if I need to I can heat with a solder iron to loosen. I think the barrel slap/recoil whatever you want to call it was tough on action screw and effecting the groups.  Now it shots just under MOA with a average shooter behind the trigger like myself so I am extremely happy and is quickly becoming my favorite rifle. I now use a small dab of a paint pen as a witness mark on the screw heads just to verify they ain't moved.

If want to sell it let me know...lol

Chris

[NMARKANITE]

Have you shot any kinda quality aftermarket ammo in the rifle and if you have did it group at all ? Also cleaning the Vanguards is a must as they get dirty really fast and why would you wanta re crown this rifle is the crown buggered up? Take a Qtip and see if you have any snags on it ? I would say it just needs cleaning really well and since you have changed scopes I would give Weatherby Custom Shop a call since hunting season is over and everyone is back from shot show, should get it fixed up but as soon as you start doing modifications you can forget any warranty ! As mentioned keep us in the loop as CS can be slow but they are busy and give them a chance !

[WBY MAG MAN]

As ccc23454 said he did with the sand paper, I too did because I had A couple of ever so miner touches between the barrel and stock. All of mine shoot .75 MOA or better now. The barrel should free float except for the two pressure point's at the end of the channel according to the custom shop 5-6 year's ago when I did mine. On my 257 the swivel screw was too long and touching the barrel! As mentioned keep check on action screw torque, if they aren't in spec, accuracy is right out the window. Keep after it you'll get it...Jerry

[carpetking]

Has anybody shot the new ultralight rc yet?

[pharmseller]

I shot my brother's Tikka T3 SS Superlite.  Close to the same weight as my Weatherby at less than half the price.

I expected more from the Weatherby name than I got.  The UL will be moving down the road as soon as I find another Tikka for myself.



P

[terminator]

  Pharmseller:If memory serves me you have posted Weatherby bashing before.Yawn.

[Chip]

I went through this with my VGL. Wood stocked 20 inch barrel.  The rifle was my grandfathers gun that he bought new in the early 80s. I know he tried it free floated and with some pressure on the tip and ended up with a full skin bedding on the barrel.  He never really hunted with it much and used mostly 150s in it. I played with it to get it to shoot 165s. I tried it free floated. And it seemed to behave best that way. I even put it in a Howa heavy barrel synthetic stock just to check it out. Tried it in a Vanguard synthetic too. I really wanted it back in the nice wood stock so I shimmed the end of the barrel and re bedded the action and the first probably 4 inches or so of the barrel and that did the trick for mine. The factory bedding job had the action in a bit of a twist. The bottom of the wood stock wasn't squared up with the action even though it had the factory bedding compound stuff in it.  It shoots a little under an inch with my 165 load so I'm happy with it.  Stock with it you'll get it dialed in.

[Downeast]

I noticed that you did not mention what groups you were shooting? I have a few ultralight rifles, some Wby, some not,  that should 1.5-2 inches regardless. No problem. They are hunting guns and will hit a 8 inch pie plate out to 300 without a rest all day. They are lightweight, easy to carry and climb trees with, and I can shoot them offhand.  I have a hard time aiming my Accumarks or Mark V's at long range without some form of a rest. But that isn't their job. Hence, the lighter guns get used more. So, if you can consistently hit an 8 inch pie plate at 300 yards offhand, don't worry about it and go kill something. If it doesn't or you just don't like the gun, get rid of the darn thing and buy something else! Problem solved.

[WA Mtnhunter]

My Mark V Lightweight Sporter .30-06 did not appear to shoot well in the beginning with all sorts of factory loads, particularly Swift A-Frame and Nosler Partitions.  After a couple of boxes of ammo through it and a thorough scrubing it shoots lights out.  Warning, all #1 contour barrels heat up rapidly and will usually string shots after a couple of rounds. These rifles are hunting rifles not target rifles, so you might try letting it cool to ambient temperature after 2 shots.  Mine shoots "bughole" groups with Federal 165 TSX and Remington 180 Corelokts, BTW.  I don't worry about heat related shot stringing since I have never shot at anything twice with it

[pharmseller]

Pharmseller:If memory serves me you have posted Weatherby bashing before.Yawn.

You have a poor memory.

Or you perceive valid criticism as bashing.

Yawn.



P

[terminator]

Enjoy your Tikka.