Highpower

I picked up a Vanguard many years ago chambered in 7-08 and fell in love with it. It has to be one of my best shooting rifles and of course, the 7-08 caliber is a terrific round. On the other hand, I've known 4 different folks who owned the Mk5s and everyone of them had serious problems. All 4 of them had the similar problem of walking as they heated up. Great first shot, but it wnt down hill from there. They all looked beautiful when taken out of the safe but they weren't much good for hunting with. As to the question if I'd take one for free!?! Of course I would, but I wouldn't give allot of money for one. (Mk 5 that is)

PaJack

I think the Mark V is over priced also as are most Weatherby's,all you are paying for is the "NAME". I have Vanguard that shoots execelent and it cost less than 1/2 of the other WBY's...[:-]

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RedAllison

Stubbs I guess you is correct. TOLD YA my memory seldom served me correctly, reckon I had my wires crossed (my wife says I was born that way! )

And YES SACO in ME is the firm I was thinkin about but had them confused as to who built what. Either way the Howa built guns are VERY fine arms and I have owned them before and will likely own them in the future.

But have to disagree that a Mk V is a fitful POC. The guns are very good, very strong actions and the build quality is equally exceptional. As for the "walking when hot" that is more a symptom of the way they are built than an inherent problem with them. ANY rifle that shoots high velocity bullets through a very thinly contoured barrel will heat up very quickly. Add too that fact that the Deluxe models arent floated and you do have a tendancy to "walk" if you keep pulling the trigger. But realistically its not a consideration in a big game hunting gun, only for target or varmint shooters.

"...Pay for the name..."? Show me ANYTHING of reputation that you don't pay a premium for. Does it really cost Mercedes $100,000 to build a car that doesn't do anything a $50,000 Cadillac wont? Don't get me wrong guys, I am not saying the Mk V is THE supreme be all too the rifle world. But it's not the only overpriced gun on the market. A Sako is equally overpriced. And if you REALLY want to talk about overcharging, how about Blaser's or the recent 84% wholesale increase that Beretta passed too dealers in 04 on the Sauer 202, which effectively DOUBLED the price of the rifle overnight?

The price of an item is bared out by those who want to purchase them. Roy Weatherby charged as much as the market would bare for his Mk V and it made his company very profitable and his wallet fat.

Aint that the American way?
RA

stubblejumper

Here in Canada a sako75 is priced approximately $300 less than a weatherby accumark yet the sako must shoot 1" groups before leaving the factory.(according to the Beretta USA website)The accumark is only guaranteed to shoot 1-1/2" groups.The Beretta therefore offers a better value for the price.

Highpower

I'm shooting a 'cheap old Remington' in 300RUM, so I understand the concept of barrel heating with high velocity rounds. What I don't get in my POC Remington are rounds walking literally off the paper. It will shoot pretty true, even when it's to hot to touch the barrel. My point before was, I've only ever been around 4 Mk V's, and they all did the same thing.



I'm sorry, If I'm spending $1200-$1500 for a rifle, it's a consideration, regardless what I'm hunting.

stubblejumper

If you are shooting your 300ultramag when it's too hot to touch the barrel,it won't be accurate for long.

WA7MM

Well, my primary hunting rifle is a Weatherby Accumark in 7mm Rem. Mag. and it is topped with a Swarovsky glass.

Now, it has a semi-bull barrel and even when reasonably hot (not as hot as not being able to touch it) it still shoots 1" groups at 100 meters.

I owned several MK5's in the past and no one has ever let me down.

Overpriced? Maybe.....Good? Yes.....Reliable? For sure.....

If anybody consider a $ 500.00 Dollar rig (including scope) a realible thing, I guess they still have a lot of hunting to do and a lot of frustration to suffer when it fails in the precise moment. Remember, you only get what you pay for.....

stubblejumper

Very true but here in Canada an accumark sells for over $1800.A SAKO 75 for just over $1500,and a tikka t-3 for $800.The tikka costs less than half the price of the accumark and offers the same 1" accuracy requirement as the sako.You can add a ziess conquest for $800 and the mounts for less than $100 and you have still spent less than for the accumark.The vanguard offers the same 1-1/2" accuracy guarantee as the mark V for $800 which again is less than half the price of the mark V.Spending more money does not guarantee that you are getting a better product in return.

oldelkhunter

Well with scope mine should be about 700 or so and It's just as reliable as the 1000 dollar MKv's I used to buy on a regular basis. I want to help Weatherby pay the mortgage on his new building not buy it for him.