Whats wrong with Weatherby ?

[Streetstar]

I like side levers too --- and was perusing the Weatherby website to see if they still made their Mark 5 silhouette/hunting pistol (looks like its not a catalog item anymore)
-- when I came across their new marketing campaign

"Hog Reapers" , skull and crossbone themed rifles, along with miscellaneous MMA, and other pro sports people on the "Team Weatherby X"

http://wby-x.com/#page-8

Thankfully, not much has changed on the higher end stuff, -- nice walnut and blue steel is still the order of the day -- but seems like a heck of a lot of effort to try to ugly up what were once perfectly good Vanguards with ugly Halloween inspired graphics schemes
--- is anybody actually buying this stuff ? --- sheesh

http://www.teamweatherby.com/#page-1

[bdhold]

they're fishing in the tactical pond

[mikld]

It's just business. Trying to make their product appeal to a wider customer base, following trends...

[MrMurphy]

Not even the tactical pond, the MMA/new to shooting crowd.

There is a market there, and some people 'will' buy it.

I'm primarily a LE/military type shooter, and if I bought a new bolt gun it would likely be synthetic/stainless and camoflauged. But I wouldn't buy that Hog Reaper...

[Streetstar]

It's just business. Trying to make their product appeal to a wider customer base, following trends...

I know -- but it just screams of desperation a little. The type of shenanigans I would expect from possibly Savage, or Weatherby's supplier, Howa.

Most of the legit tactical crowd snickers at stuff like this too

My only hope is that 2 years from now, CDNN or somebody similar will be blowing these out online for 300 bucks, and I can pick up a couple of otherwise decent rifles and fix the factory's mess with a can of matte black Krylon

[BrentD]

I have no use for bolt rifles but those don't look any worse that all the rest of them that I see on the market these days.

[Blaine]

I suppose that if the new stuff draws in a new convert to shooting.....(I'll try not to laugh at his new rifle)

[Streetstar]

I have no use for bolt rifles but those don't look any worse that all the rest of them that I see on the market these days.

No -- those are Halloween rifles

Weatherby rifles are supposed to look like this ---




Even like this If you gotta go synthetic




And in the real world --- things like this test target below should be what matters , --- not trying to get Hog Huntin' & Killin' registered as a sport for the Hillbilly Olympics, complete with "Cool" and "Sick!" rifles colored up with skulls and snakeskins




Some of you guys' were probably a bit miffed when Winchester came out with the ill fated "Black Shadow" line of model 94's too, and we also scoffed pretty loudly at the Mossberg with the AR-15 stock on it
---- this to me is a gaffe that is almost as bad

[cshold]

I have no use for bolt rifles but those don't look any worse that all the rest of them that I see on the market these days.

No -- those are Halloween rifles

Weatherby rifles are supposed to look like this ---

Wow! that's sweet lookin

[BrentD]

I thought REAL Weatherbys were to have whiteline spacers, hideous basketweave "checkering" and ridiculous forearm nose caps. But today, all bolt rifles seem to have, instead, hideous camo plastic stocks and worse. Doesn't matter, my safes are empty of them.

Here, this is what a rifle is supposed to look like:


Now isn't that better than ANY Weatherby that ever lived?

[6pt-sika]

We had a Weatherby Mark V DeLuxe in 257 Weatherby in the shop a couple years ago . I took it to the range to sight it in with factory ammo and it shot 3 in about an inch at 100 yards and the gun was out on head space on top of that . I tried to buy the rifle but to no avail . After that I got a NIB Remington 700 CDL in 257 Weatherby . With hand loads it shot great but it just wasn't the same . I still have rifles chambered for the 270 and 300 Weatherby cartridges in factory Ruger #1B rifles and like them well enough . Maybe one day I'll pick up another Ruger #1B in 25-06 and rechamber it to 257 Weatherby .

[Streetstar]

Now isn't that better than ANY Weatherby that ever lived?

Brent , that's a nice looking rifle indeed , but I wasn't debating whether or not a vintage MArlin looked better than a Weatherby bolt rifle or not --- merely expressing my confusion over what looks like a poorly focused marketing campaign on the part of another classic American firearms manufacturer -- and yes, the attributes you mentioned as negatives about the rifles are what makes them what they are - and they are American classics in their own right -- Roy Weatherby wanted a rifle that stood apart, and wanted a rifle whose appearance was as flashy as its performance

Different strokes for different folks , so while you opine that your rifle looks better than a WBY, others might turn their nose up and say - "That Marlin looks ok, but it ain't no Winchester" , or a youngster might call it a "Paw Paw gun" -- worse still, others might pooh pooh any wood stocked hunting rifle in favor of the lean functionality of a modern FN SCAR or an HK 91

I got sentimental about selling my Marlin a week or so ago and elected to keep it, so I like Marlins too , -- but I also occasionally have needed a rifle that is more effective past 150 yards, and this is where the side levers start to distance themselves from the traditional tube magazine fed under-levers, and not many would argue that --- so while you don't have a place in your safe for them, many do


edit to add: -- Brent, I copied/pasted your photo into my "special picture folder" --- love the pic, - great rifle , a light dusting of snow on the ground, and your horse looking on in appreciation --- thumbs up !

[cshold]

Well said Doug.

[GoatGuy]

Doug - from looking at your pictures in this post one might get the impression you are ambidextrous. Nice rifles!
I owned a .300 Weatherby chambered rifle. It was on a pre64 Mod 70 Winchester, 26 inch Hart barrel, converted to left hand action. Very nice rifle. I made the 2 longest kills on game animals (Barbary Sheep) of any I had made before or likely to ever make again. Terrific cartridge for those longish shots in the mountains and high desert country of New Mexico.

[6pt-sika]

Sometimes it's better to say nothing then something that doesn't add anything usefull to the thread Brenty !

Like you I prefer Marlin 1893's over Winchester 1894's (but really the best Pre 1920 Marlin's were the old square bolt 1895's). But it has nothing to do with the original intent of this thread .

[6pt-sika]

It was on a pre64 Mod 70 Winchester, 26 inch Hart barrel, converted to left hand action.

OMG there was a time I collected and used Pre 64 Model 70's almost exclusively !

If you had told me you changed an original gun then, I'd about had a heart attack . Now after seeing similar things on a daily basis at the shop I am past all that LOL's !

[BrentD]

Sometimes it's better to say nothing then something that doesn't add anything usefull to the thread Brenty !

Like you I prefer Marlin 1893's over Winchester 1894's (but really the best Pre 1920 Marlin's were the old square bolt 1895's). But it has nothing to do with the original intent of this thread .

I'll ask for your approval next time, eh?

whatever.

[Mescalero]

Goat guy,
Thats what I have a 6.5-06 for.

[1886]

Maybe they are trying to appeal to younger shooters? Two of the candy stores in my area have recently added a tactical/black rifle section with a dedicated staff. The staff and the clientele are generally younger. I do not notice much interaction or interest(they are cordial) between these folks and the rest of the folks in the store. This is fine with me, like it is my business anyway. It seems to be bringing in younger shooters/enthusiast which is great for the future. The more shooters, the better. It bodes well for the future of the second amendment. 1886.

[Old Ironsights]

Maybe they are trying to appeal to younger shooters? Two of the candy stores in my area have recently added a tactical/black rifle section with a dedicated staff. The staff and the clientele are generally younger. I do not notice much interaction or interest(they are cordial) between these folks and the rest of the folks in the store. This is fine with me, like it is my business anyway. It seems to be bringing in younger shooters/enthusiast which is great for the future. The more shooters, the better. It bodes well for the future of the second amendment. 1886.

Question is... does the "staff" know enough to explain how ballistic tables work?

That a dedicated LR Bolt Gun is probably NOT useful for anything but bragging rights (in $$$$ spent and holes punched... with $$$ tuned ammo at regulated ranges... calculated with $$$$$ ballistic computers?)

(FWIW, I really like the "idea" of a gun like the .408 Chytec 2000... but I just don't have the time or the coin...)

[GoatGuy]

It was on a pre64 Mod 70 Winchester, 26 inch Hart barrel, converted to left hand action.

OMG there was a time I collected and used Pre 64 Model 70's almost exclusively !

If you had told me you changed an original gun then, I'd about had a heart attack . Now after seeing similar things on a daily basis at the shop I am past all that LOL's !

Nope, didn't change out an original. Bought it that way from a friend of a gunsmith pal who's long gone now. Rest in Peace, Butch Jacobs. Way too early dear friend.
I did ditch the heavy wood, right hand roll over comb stock a previous owner had installed. Added a fiberglass stock, bead blasting, re-blue and muzzle break installed, with thread protector added. All Butch's work. The work on that rifle was early in the era when synthetic stocks were beginning to make their appearance from custom builders.
Fine rifle and deadly with a load of IMR 7828, when it became available, with the 180 gr. Nosler Partition.
Had great fun regularly ringing the 500 meter gong at our club range. There were some really fine riflemen in that country at that time. I had to work hard to keep up with them.

[cshold]

I thought REAL Weatherbys were to have whiteline spacers, hideous basketweave "checkering" and ridiculous forearm nose caps. But today, all bolt rifles seem to have, instead, hideous camo plastic stocks and worse. Doesn't matter, my safes are empty of them.

Here, this is what a rifle is supposed to look like:


Now isn't that better than ANY Weatherby that ever lived?

Not so sure I'd of been as trusting with this photo shoot setup.
I do like the looks of both your models

[GoatGuy]

Goat guy,
Thats what I have a 6.5-06 for.

You know, you are indeed right, friend. Never fooled with that caliber, but have since noted it's superior characteristics. Tell us more of your fondness for it. Wish I had known more about the more efficient wildcats then. But in that place and in that time all the "cool kids on our block" were playing with the 300 H&H length cartridge cases.

Did buy another pre 64 70 barreled action, same fellow from whom I bought the first one. Wanted it for a long range varminter and antelope rifle. It was chambered in some wimpy 6 mm wildcat and Butch just wouldn't have it till he did a lefty conversion and rechambered for another cartridge, recommending the Rem 6mm AI. He did the work, took him only 23 months to complete. I really hated the necessary AI fire forming chore, so had him rebarrel it 25-06. Fine caliber as well, but I really never fell in love with that rifle. On reflection, I wish I had just chosen to rechamber the wimpy 6mm wildcat barrel to .240 Weatherby. That would have been a fine pair of "twins".

[6pt-sika]

Sometimes it's better to say nothing then something that doesn't add anything usefull to the thread Brenty !

Like you I prefer Marlin 1893's over Winchester 1894's (but really the best Pre 1920 Marlin's were the old square bolt 1895's). But it has nothing to do with the original intent of this thread .

I'll ask for your approval next time, eh?

whatever.

You just do that , whatever

[Streetstar]

Doug - from looking at your pictures in this post one might get the impression you are ambidextrous. Nice rifles!
.

LOL -- the lefty is not mine , It was a shot I had in my photobucket inventory of what was close to a classic old school Weatherby -- with the white spacers , high comb and heavy varnish on the wood

The first one and the synthetic one are mine ---- I have dibs with a buddy on an old Lazermark that is a "classic" weatherby, with floral carvings, high comb and California style wood (whatever that is), but so far he hasn't let go of it --- the recoil is so savage (compared to his AR-15's) he threatens to sell it to me everytime he pulls the trigger on it, so I am waiting patiently

[Old Ironsights]

Doug - from looking at your pictures in this post one might get the impression you are ambidextrous. Nice rifles! .

Some suggest that Oswald was preternaturally faster with his shooting because he was a Righty shooting a Lefty rifle... (or the other way around... I don't remember, or care... Theoretically, off-hand bolt shooting could be faster...)

[cshold]

Doug - from looking at your pictures in this post one might get the impression you are ambidextrous. Nice rifles! .

Some suggest that Oswald was preternaturally faster with his shooting because he was a Righty shooting a Lefty rifle... (or the other way around... I don't remember, or care... Theoretically, off-hand bolt shooting could be faster...)

O no, already time to dig up JFK again

[Old Ironsights]

Doug - from looking at your pictures in this post one might get the impression you are ambidextrous. Nice rifles! .

Some suggest that Oswald was preternaturally faster with his shooting because he was a Righty shooting a Lefty rifle... (or the other way around... I don't remember, or care... Theoretically, off-hand bolt shooting could be faster...)

O no, already time to dig up JFK again

Dig up JFK? Naah. Much more interested in the "shooter" and his "skill" with no good rifle than with a lowly Kennedy...

[GoatGuy]

Doug - from looking at your pictures in this post one might get the impression you are ambidextrous. Nice rifles! .

Some suggest that Oswald was preternaturally faster with his shooting because he was a Righty shooting a Lefty rifle... (or the other way around... I don't remember, or care... Theoretically, off-hand bolt shooting could be faster...)

O no, already time to dig up JFK again

No need. Bob Lee Swagger is on the case. The Third Bullet, by Stephen Hunter! An "if it was done and how it might have been done" tale. A must read for Swagger fans.
SPOILER ALERT - Old Savage's position is vindicated.

[Old Ironsights]

Doug - from looking at your pictures in this post one might get the impression you are ambidextrous. Nice rifles! .

Some suggest that Oswald was preternaturally faster with his shooting because he was a Righty shooting a Lefty rifle... (or the other way around... I don't remember, or care... Theoretically, off-hand bolt shooting could be faster...)

O no, already time to dig up JFK again

No need. Bob Lee Swagger is on the case. The Third Bullet, by Stephen Hunter! An "if it was done and how it might have been done" tale. A must read for Swagger fans.
SPOILER ALERT - Old Savage's position is vindicated.

But, But... the Old Man in Tennessee has The Shovel! Said so hisself! (But then, BLS's Chytech 2000 was capable of less than 0.1 MOA too... so it is possible that he was lying... )

[Streetstar]

Doug - from looking at your pictures in this post one might get the impression you are ambidextrous. Nice rifles! .

Some suggest that Oswald was preternaturally faster with his shooting because he was a Righty shooting a Lefty rifle... (or the other way around... I don't remember, or care... Theoretically, off-hand bolt shooting could be faster...)

O no, already time to dig up JFK again

No need. Bob Lee Swagger is on the case. The Third Bullet, by Stephen Hunter!.

I need to read one of those books this winter, I have only seen the movie starring a fellow who used to be the member of a band called. " the funky Bunch" (guess he got the last laugh)
clive Cusslers adventures are getting old so I need something different

[FWiedner]

Those new Weatherbys don't look that bad.

This post reminds me of when that Jim Gumbo character swore that only terrorists and punks used ARs and not for honest purpose.

[bdhold]

I thought REAL Weatherbys were to have whiteline spacers, hideous basketweave "checkering" and ridiculous forearm nose caps. But today, all bolt rifles seem to have, instead, hideous camo plastic stocks and worse. Doesn't matter, my safes are empty of them.

Here, this is what a rifle is supposed to look like:


Now isn't that better than ANY Weatherby that ever lived?

this post is fine, apropos, and free of narcissism.

[mikld]

Most of the folks here on Leverguns are older, more experienced shooters (or from reading all the posts for the last few years I would guess so). Of course a thread about these rifles will run a few days, but with a bunch of younger shooters, those that have not grown up on English Walnut stocks and bright, fine blue finishes, they would prolly just say "cool!", and go to another subject. To them guns aren't wood and blued steel, but dull black finishes and synthetic stocks or stainless steel and plastic. Not condemning them, just their culture (I remember my dad saying the Corvette's body won't last 'cause they aren't made of steel when I was drooling over them). I'm sure Weatherby will keep producing premium rifles with exotic wood stocks, with white line spacers and fine hand cut checkering, and high polished deep blue finishes for those that appreciate them (and can afford them)...

Just business...

[cshold]

Most of the folks here on Leverguns are older, more experienced shooters (or from reading all the posts for the last few years I would guess so). Of course a thread about these rifles will run a few days, but with a bunch of younger shooters, those that have not grown up on English Walnut stocks and bright, fine blue finishes, they would prolly just say "cool!", and go to another subject. To them guns aren't wood and blued steel, but dull black finishes and synthetic stocks or stainless steel and plastic. Not condemning them, just their culture (I remember my dad saying the Corvette's body won't last 'cause they aren't made of steel when I was drooling over them). I'm sure Weatherby will keep producing premium rifles with exotic wood stocks, with white line spacers and fine hand cut checkering, and high polished deep blue finishes for those that appreciate them (and can afford them)...

Just business...

Good point.

[Streetstar]

Most of the folks here on Leverguns are older, more experienced shooters (or from reading all the posts for the last few years I would guess so). Of course a thread about these rifles will run a few days, but with a bunch of younger shooters, those that have not grown up on English Walnut stocks and bright, fine blue finishes, they would prolly just say "cool!", and go to another subject. To them guns aren't wood and blued steel, but dull black finishes and synthetic stocks or stainless steel and plastic. Not condemning them, just their culture (I remember my dad saying the Corvette's body won't last 'cause they aren't made of steel when I was drooling over them). I'm sure Weatherby will keep producing premium rifles with exotic wood stocks, with white line spacers and fine hand cut checkering, and high polished deep blue finishes for those that appreciate them (and can afford them)...

Just business...

Its not synthetic stocks I was railing against (tilting at windmills) -- I have a few synth. stock rifles myself, - one of them is the desert tan stocked .300 Weatherby I posted somewhere above in the thread

--- its these goofy aberrations --- this rifle is the "Black Reaper" model --- puhleez -- along with the closeup of the paint job, and the paint job of the "Hog Reaper" --- they have a similarly themed Whitetail skull theme and others

but maybe the kids (by kids I mean anyone under age 25 , but not necessarily everyone that young is a "kid" ) look at it like they do the covers for their I-phones
Maybe I'm turning into a fuddy duddy,

If Weatherby wants to change my mind on this, they can send me one each of these rifles in .240, .257, 7mm, .300, and .30-378 weatherby magnums to try out in the field for them as their next sponsored extreme sports character --- I can foot the tab on the Rustoleum though

[Streetstar]

Those new Weatherbys don't look that bad.

This post reminds me of when that Jim Gumbo character swore that only terrorists and punks used ARs and not for honest purpose.

Check the closeup of the camo pattern I posted above -- they look designed to appeal to 13 year old Dungeons and Dragons players ---

--- Funny, I liked Jim Zumbo (but I like AR-15's too )

[MrMurphy]

Most of the folks here on Leverguns are older, more experienced shooters (or from reading all the posts for the last few years I would guess so). Of course a thread about these rifles will run a few days, but with a bunch of younger shooters, those that have not grown up on English Walnut stocks and bright, fine blue finishes, they would prolly just say "cool!", and go to another subject. To them guns aren't wood and blued steel, but dull black finishes and synthetic stocks or stainless steel and plastic. Not condemning them, just their culture (I remember my dad saying the Corvette's body won't last 'cause they aren't made of steel when I was drooling over them). I'm sure Weatherby will keep producing premium rifles with exotic wood stocks, with white line spacers and fine hand cut checkering, and high polished deep blue finishes for those that appreciate them (and can afford them)...

Just business...

You don't need to be an old guy who was shooting when airplanes were a novelty, World War One was recent news, and women couldn't vote, like half the guys here, or have pulled overwatch on the Last Supper to appreciate beauty, or go the other way, and prefer modern stuff.

A well known tactical trainer (in his 60s), Vietnam vet, etc has absolutely no use for hunting rifles. He doesn't hunt. He can appreciate the beauty but all his rifles are tools, and plastic and metal, because he teaches troops to survive on the battlefield.

You also don't have to be old to be experienced. I've been shooting for 30 years, and 'really' shooting (regularly and extensively) for about 25. I'm only 36. I've also been studying firearms for nearly 30 years......

Most of my guns are synthetic, stainless, plastic, etc.....but quite a few aren't.

Don't judge us all the same.

[Streetstar]

A well known tactical trainer (in his 60s), Vietnam vet, etc has absolutely no use for hunting rifles. .

Mr Rogers' neighborhood ?

[mikld]

Most of the folks here on Leverguns are older, more experienced shooters (or from reading all the posts for the last few years I would guess so). Of course a thread about these rifles will run a few days, but with a bunch of younger shooters, those that have not grown up on English Walnut stocks and bright, fine blue finishes, they would prolly just say "cool!", and go to another subject. To them guns aren't wood and blued steel, but dull black finishes and synthetic stocks or stainless steel and plastic. Not condemning them, just their culture (I remember my dad saying the Corvette's body won't last 'cause they aren't made of steel when I was drooling over them). I'm sure Weatherby will keep producing premium rifles with exotic wood stocks, with white line spacers and fine hand cut checkering, and high polished deep blue finishes for those that appreciate them (and can afford them)...

Just business...

Its not synthetic stocks I was railing against (tilting at windmills) -- I have a few synth. stock rifles myself, - one of them is the desert tan stocked .300 Weatherby I posted somewhere above in the thread

--- its these goofy aberrations --- this rifle is the "Black Reaper" model --- puhleez -- along with the closeup of the paint job, and the paint job of the "Hog Reaper" --- they have a similarly themed Whitetail skull theme and others

but maybe the kids (by kids I mean anyone under age 25 , but not necessarily everyone that young is a "kid" ) look at it like they do the covers for their I-phones
Maybe I'm turning into a fuddy duddy,

If Weatherby wants to change my mind on this, they can send me one each of these rifles in .240, .257, 7mm, .300, and .30-378 weatherby magnums to try out in the field for them as their next sponsored extreme sports character --- I can foot the tab on the Rustoleum though

Generation Gap!. What you may think as "Classic", they think of as boring...

[6pt-sika]

Bolt actions lever actions pipe bombs it doesn't matter after buying and selling this stuff for 40 plus years anymore I'm now more worried about resale so once the new toy has worn off I can get out from under it with as little loss as possible . And to do that the broader your base of possible buyers is the better .

[Old Ironsights]

Bolt actions lever actions pipe bombs it doesn't matter after buying and selling this stuff for 40 plus years anymore I'm now more worried about resale so once the new toy has worn off I can get out from under it with as little loss as possible . And to do that the broader your base of possible buyers is the better .

Camo is camo... doesn't really matter the pattern. How about a rifle camo-d in "morning wood"? (Google "morning wood camo"... )

Zombie chic is in, so why not? If I had my way and the assets, I'd be building a Levergun PLATFORM that could look any way you wanted it. It's not the appearance, it's the quality, accuracy and utility...

[SJPrice]

Doug - from looking at your pictures in this post one might get the impression you are ambidextrous. Nice rifles! .

Some suggest that Oswald was preternaturally faster with his shooting because he was a Righty shooting a Lefty rifle... (or the other way around... I don't remember, or care... Theoretically, off-hand bolt shooting could be faster...)

Actually from the bench or a solid rested forearm position, a left hander can be extremely fast because he never loses his grip and trigger position. Also when working up loads from the bench or shooting BR competitions, a left hander has the convenience of dropping the next round into the rifle with his right hand. However for off hand work, not so much. In this I do speak from personal experience.

[n2t]

I am in the minority, but I like them. They have been doing that style camo on compound bows for a while now and it's very popular there too. The good thing is that you can change it if you don't like it, and if you do you have the option. That pattern is a whole lot easier to take off than it is to put on and if the guns shoot just as well (and judging by the GFs 7mm-08 they do), the more options the better. But then again I do play dungeons and dragons on occasion so my opinion is worth just about what it costs.

[mikld]

Well, I don't care if my neighbor is wearing black thongs under his designer jeans and not tighty-whities under Levis. If my son wants to jack up his pickup and put 39 1/2" lifts kits in it, that is OK with me as I can still get a stock Chevy Silverado. Now, if the manufacturers dropped those items I prefer and only supply the newest fad, incredibly ugly to me items (like a Weatherby skull-and-crossbones ultra plastic thing), then I might be concerned. Weatherby isn't gonna drop their Ultra Mark in favor of a "tacti-cool" rifle that may only appeal to a "mall ninja", so I can't get my panties in a bunch over the whole thing...

Seems much ado about nothing...

[jkbrea]

I painted the synthetic stock on my Tikka OD green and black webbing spray. It came out great but I admit I like the skull stock better than a leaf pattern. I also love blued and wood.