Upgrades from the Weatherby custom shop

Guns Magazine, Nov, 2004 by Dave Anderson

Weatherby made a run of Mark V rifles fitted with injection molded, straight-comb stocks and carrying a most attractive price tag in the late 1980s. I didn't care about the stock, but I did care about the price. I promptly bought one in .340 Wby.

Writers whose opinions I respect said the .340 killed like the hammer of Thor which proved absolutely true--and had inconsequential recoil--which was a lie. The .340 had recoil and there were consequences.

I was frugal (cheap) in those days. The .340 kicked a couple of cheap scopes to death before I tilted a 20-year-old steel-tube Weaver 1.5-4.5X variable.

All was well for some years. There were a few disparaging remarks from fellow hunters about the black plastic stock ("You sure that thing's really a Weatherby? Mighty plain looking if you ask me,") but I paid them no heed.

Then a few years ago I bought another Weatherby, a gorgeous Ultra Lightweight in .257 Wby. It seemed logical to rack them side by side in the gun safe. Big mistake. I forgot how sometimes siblings can quarrel worse than strangers. Usually the .257 would start it.

"Nice stock you have there. What color is it again? Let me think ... oh yeah, black."

"It's called class, you pompous twit. You wouldn't understand."

"What's your opinion on aluminum bedding blocks and Talley scope rings? Oh, I forgot, you wouldn't know."

"At least I shoot bullets with some weight, not those little weenie things you shoot."

"3,800 feet per second, baby. Say, I've noticed you haven't been out much lately. Ever think maybe it's because the old guy likes me better?"

A facelift for the .340

Clearly something had to be done. I tried setting the rifles at opposite ends of the rack; all it did was get them shouting and upsetting the other rifles. Fortunately the Weatherby Custom Shop has parts and services for both Mark V and Vanguard rifles. A look through the 2004 catalog suggested a solution.

The Weatherby custom shop offers a hand-laminated raised comb Monte Carlo stock with the distinctive Weatherby profile. Currently three patterns are available: Snow Camo, the very popular Desert Camo, and the handsome Dark Timber shown here.

The .340 barreled action dropped in with no fitting required. Eventually I'll likely glass bed it (glass bedding often helps and never hurls) but right now it shoots right around a minute of angle. If your Weatherby has a well-worn stock, an extra-nice piece of wood you want to preserve, or you just want a tough, stable, weather resistant stock these custom shop stocks are a great choice.

Also shown is the Weatherby web sling, 1 1/4-inch width, supplied with swivels. It has a non-slip lining in the shoulder area and is adjustable for length.

Originally intended for the big .460 Wby. rifles, the drop box magazine works with all Weatherby cartridges from .257 on up, adding one round to magazine capacity. It fit and functioned perfectly with no fitting or fussing required.

In most circumstances I prefer to carry a hunting rifle with magazine loaded and chamber empty. With the drop box machine I can do so and still have four rounds on tap.

The neat Weatherby cartridge carrier fits over the buttstock and stores six extra cartridges. Note the very effective Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad.

Weatherby offers Talley rings in fixed or quick detachable versions, with either lever locks or the screw-lock version shown here. Lever locks are handier but might catch on twigs and branches. The screw lock rings are unobtrusive but need a screwdriver to remove or attach. Both return accurately to zero, The scope is a 3-9x40 Zeiss Conquest.

Peace in the family

I set the .340 with its new stock and accessories back in the safe, leaving the door open a crack. There was silence for a long time, then the .257 broke the ice.

"Not a bad looking stock. The color suits you."

"Thanks. I guess for a punk kid you're not so bad yourself."

"Well, thanks. Its good we can talk like this. Say, I have a whitetail deer hunt coming up. Think I could borrow the drop box magazine?"

"Can't see why not."

"I'll take good care of it. How about the buttstock shell carrier?"

(Grudgingly) "I guess so."

"You won't be using the sling either, or the quick-detach Talley rings ..."

"Don't push your luck, little man."

It's great when the kids get along.