What do you think about the Weatherby calibers?

codybrown

The local sporting goods store has a Remington model 700 chambered in 300 Weatherby mag. I have a couple of .338 win mags, and the majority of my remaining guns are 22 calibers, with one 35 remington. What is the 300 weatherby good for? I was trying to compare it to the ballistics of a 338, but the 200 grain bullet is the heaviest I can find for the weatherby, and probably the lightest I would use in the .338. If it was sighted in for a zero at 200 yards, there is only a .5 inch differance in drop between the two calibers. I think the weatherby would shine in 150-180 grain bullets, where both my 338's love 225 grainers.

FALPhil

Personally, I think the Weatherby cartridges are a solution looking for a problem. In other words, a marketing gimmick. But then, I am not a speed demon when it comes to ammo.

The 300 Wby more closely compares to the 300WM, the 308 Norma Mag, and the 30-338 wildcat. In all cases, it compares favorably because it is slightly faster, having more case capacity.

SingleShotLover

Very true...and Weatherby ammo is extremely expensive. Handloading doesn't help all that much since Weatherby brass can be up to four times the cost of other cartridges in their class. The only saving grace is that .300 Weatherby brass is also made by Remington at a much more reasonable cost.

The .300 Weatherby (or any .30 caliber magnum) is best with bullets in the 180-200 grain range. Using these, it is hard to beat but not really that much better than more conventional cartridges and uses considerably more powder to do basically the same job.

Every rifle shooter usually considers a Weatherby as the "Holy Grail" of rifles. A Weatherby cartridge chambered in another manufacturer's rifle really isn't the same. The bottom line, however, is if you want it, go for it and be happy!

chambered221

Over rated and too high priced !!!

With that said I must also give credit where credit is due.
The late Roy Weatherby gave the left handed shooter a quality firearm and a wide choice of calibers to choose from.

qwerty · Rookie Member Joined: May 01, 2008 Posts: 5

Its the best but too pricey

whittling

I think that its too much trouble . I say 300 win.

K.W.

I don´t like belted cases.

PaulS

I have never seen a Weatherby rifle shoot a small group.
I haven't see a lot of Weatherby's period but the ones I have seen have fired 2-3" groups at 100 yards. I believe the problem is in the extreme amount of freebore used to make the bullets faster. The radiused shoulders are just a marketing gimmick that has no real value over the angled shoulders of other cartridges.
my opinion - yours may be different.

codybrown

I'm looking for opinions here, and I appreciate them all. From what everyone is saying, it's not a really good rifle/caliber combination then?

shrpshtrjoe

There out of my price range. As stated above they are expensive to buy ammo for or reload for. I guess if there in your price range there alright. I got a buddy that loves them.
Joe

Dimitri · Super Member Joined: Nov 25, 2005 Posts: 5946

Thought about the Remington Ultra Mags. The ammunition is cheaper when I've noticed it at gun shops the Weatherby ammunition. Smile

Dimitri

Irv S

The .300 Weatherby (which I have) appears similar in ballistics to the .300 Ultramag. Both should be used with 180 or 200 grain bullets as the velocity is too high with the 150s. They are serious long distance medium game hunting, not plinking, cartridges and the cost of the cartridges relative to the other costs of a big game hunt is small. Think of them doing at 300 yards what a .30-06 does at 100 yards.

The .340 Weatherby (which I have) appears similar in ballistics to the .338 Ultramag - a step up from .338 Win Mag. The 250 grain bullets at a muzzle velocity of 3000 fps do a great job on elk and moose.

ElyBoy

Just like I said in another post.
"My Weatherby is just a little better than your gun"

I'm sure that the dead Elk, Grizzles, etc. wish that they were killed by a "little better" Weatherby than just a plain old Remington. Laughing

Eric

SingleShotLover

I can't speak for the accuracy of other Weatherbys, but I once had a .257 that I picked up for a price that I just couldn't pass by. Accuracy was outstanding (.75" or better with hunting loads..for 5, not 3-shot groups) and it really wasn't touchy about loads as long as you kept the case full of appropriate powders. Its only problem was a wispy barrel that overheated rapidly...not an issue in the game-hunting field.

Vince

PaulS...I am assuming that when you say "I have never seen a Weatherby rifle shoot a small group." you are talking about the Weatherby calibres, not simply Weatherby rifles in general.

SingleShotLover wrote:

I can't speak for the accuracy of other Weatherbys, but I once had a .257 that I picked up for a price that I just couldn't pass by. Accuracy was outstanding (.75" or better with hunting loads..for 5, not 3-shot groups) and it really wasn't touchy about loads as long as you kept the case full of appropriate powders. Its only problem was a wispy barrel that overheated rapidly...not an issue in the game-hunting field.

I have experienced the same with my Weatherby Vanguard in .243 Win. It groups .7" at 100m, five shot groups, with my hunting loads.

Cheers, Vince