I love it when this thread resurrects itself...just about the time conveniently that everyone is reloading for next year.
What Is Your Favorite All Around Caliber...And Why????
- Thread starter ScottR
- Start date
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Even tho it might be considered "overbore", with todays powders you should be able to get a lot more barrel life out of the gun.
I shoot a .220 Ackley Improved Swift that a built about 10 years ago. I don't know for sure how many rounds have gone thru the barrel (Shilen Match SS), probably close to 5,000 and the barrel still looks like new. My loads are all over 4,000 fps. The new slower burning powders are really great .
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dan maule
Veteran member
Please keep us posted on this, I am planning on getting one but haven?t been able to decide which gun I want to get it in.
archeranthony
Active Member
My favorite is my 338 Win Mag. In Savage 116 bear hunter. I am more comfortable with this rifle than any of my others. And still flat enough to shoot 300 plus.
Timr245
Very Active Member
Ahh the classic GMC/Cadillac debate haha. Both of my vanguards, 257 & 300 wbys, shoot about .5 - .75 groups at 100 with my handloads. So Ive always spent my money elsewhere rather than just telling people I have a Mark V. Just my opinion though. In my experiences the Vanguard is a solid action for the investment.
dan maule
Veteran member
I had an FFL when Weatherby moved it's manufacturing from Japan back to California. A lot of the wholesalers dropped their prices on Mark Vs dramatically so I picked up a few. Now that I have to pay full price I am looking at the Vanguard but I am not sure which one I want to get as they are offering the 6.5-300 in several models.
JimP
Administrator
Then you will have to forget the Vanguard since it is made by Howa in Japan. I haven't heard if they plan on bringing the manufacture of them here to the US.
BAKPAKR
Active Member
- May 10, 2018
- 193
- 121
You cannot make a 300 Weatherby case from a 270 Weatherby case. The case length spec for the 257/270/7mm is 2.549 inches and the length of the 300/340 case is 2.825 inches.
I thought I read that weatherby was moving manufacturing facilities to Sheridan, Wyoming area. I must have misunderstood. If so that would be the Mark V probably?
Sorry about getting off thread guys.....
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Timr245
Very Active Member
Indeed they are moved to Sheridan. CC that’s also correct, made in Japan and technically produced by Howa. Their 1500 is pretty much the same rifle.
no big deal . threads tend to wander away but they generally come back on topic. much like B.S around a campfire.
Timr245
Very Active Member
Well my lack of patience got the best of me today. Had an extra set of Wby bases here so I torqued them up, robbed the VX-3i & QD rings off my 300 Wby and out back the new 6.5-300 & I went. Following the Wby barrel break-in as always, I was a lil distraught about the accuracy until the last group of 3 was finally right at 1”. This was factory ammo and still breaking the barrel in. I have 6 different handload variations now reloaded and ready to put downrange tomorrow. I’ll be mounting my VX-5HD up in some extra rings and getting it zeroed before firing the test loads. All action screws and bases have been re-torqued. I’ve always been skeptical of breaks also and this is the first rifle I’ve shot with one. They change barrel harmonics, period. I may remove if accurany doesn’t imporove.
Timr245
Very Active Member
Im elated to update my previous posts regarding my new 6.5-300! After some disgust with how the favtory ammo shot, I was able to get my group of 8 different test loads down range today and now am a happy camper again. Had 1 load with 2 in the same hole & a total of 5/8” spread and 2 other loads with very similar performance. If anyone wants the load info just let me know. These were fired from a Weatherby Vanguard First-Lite w/muzzle brake, using the VX-3i off my 300 Wby.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
Bonecollector
Veteran member
Timr245
Very Active Member
140gr Nosler accu-bond, ~3350fps at the muzzle, making ~3490ft/lbs of energy. I’ll have my hydrodipped pieces on Friday, get the VX-5 mounted up & hopefully I get some of those rounds through a chrony to verify the calculations.
memtb
Active Member
My wife and I use only one rifle for “all” of our big game hunting. She, a .338 WM....225 TTSX’s @ 2950. Myself, a .375 AI....250 TTSX’s @ 3130.
Both calibers are capable of taking any game animal in North America, and Africa. Though the .338, would not be legal for everything in Africa....but anything we would likely hunt! memtb
Both calibers are capable of taking any game animal in North America, and Africa. Though the .338, would not be legal for everything in Africa....but anything we would likely hunt! memtb
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DH56
Active Member
30-06 has Killed the most Big game with me here in the states and in Canada. Also partial to the 7mm STW, but don't use it much except for Hunting out West.