.257. MILITARY HISTORY: Lee Navy Rifle World War II Carbines. Weatherby Mark V Accumark RC Over-the-Counter MOA! Super Accurate Hill Country LRH!

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1 Super Accurate Hill Country LRH! MILITARY HISTORY: Lee Navy Rifle World War II Carbines.257 Weatherby Magnum: Trifecta of Trajectory, Accuracy & Recoil November 2013 No. 271 Weatherby Mark V Accumark RC Over-the-Counter MOA! $ Display until 12/13/2013 Printed in USA $5.99 U.S./Canada 11

Sporting Firearms Journal November 2013 Volume 45, Number 6 ISSN 0162-3593 Issue No.

40-82 Winchester Centerfire (WCF) Classic Cartridges - John Haviland 42.

.. 14 20 22 How to Hold Things: Vises Light Gunsmithing - Gil Sengel Nosler s AccuBond Long Range Bullet Mostly

Down Range - Mike Venturino 30 Weatherby Mark V Accumark RC MOA Right Out of the Box Stan Trzoniec 36 Hill

2 Sporting Firearms Journal November 2013 Volume 45, Number 6 ISSN Issue No Revisiting Lever Actions Spotting Scope - Dave Scovill Winchester Centerfire (WCF) Classic Cartridges - John Haviland Weatherby Magnum Flat Trajectory, Accuracy and Mild Recoil Brian Pearce Page How to Hold Things: Vises Light Gunsmithing - Gil Sengel Nosler s AccuBond Long Range Bullet Mostly Long Guns - Brian Pearce Vintage Sniper Rifle Silhouette? Down Range - Mike Venturino 30 Weatherby Mark V Accumark RC MOA Right Out of the Box Stan Trzoniec 36 Hill Country Long Range Hunter Testing a Custom.300 Winchester Magnum John Haviland Lee Navy Rifle Trials and Tribulations John Barsness World War II Carbines How Short Rifles Were Conceived and Used Mike Venturino Page Page Background Photo: 2013 Vic Schendel Rifle 271

On the cover... This pair of distinctive hunting rifles includes a Weatherby Mark V Accumark.240 Weatherby Magnum with a Meopta variable and a Hill Country custom LRH.

.. 62 Top of the Bottom Unsung Hero of the Custom World Terry Wieland 68 What s New in the Marketplace Inside Product News - Clair Rees 78 Nor Borrower Be Walnut Hill - Terry Wieland Issue No.

Hoots Managing Editor Roberta Scovill Assisting Editor Al Miller Senior Art Director Gerald Hudson Production Director Becky Pinkley Contributing Editors John Haviland Ron Spomer Brian Pearce Stan

net Advertising Information: 1-800-899-7810 Circulation Circulation Manager Kendra Newell circ@riflemagazine.

3 On the cover... This pair of distinctive hunting rifles includes a Weatherby Mark V Accumark.240 Weatherby Magnum with a Meopta variable and a Hill Country custom LRH.300 Winchester Magnum topped off with a Swarovski scope. Weatherby photo by Stan Trzoniec. Page Top of the Bottom Unsung Hero of the Custom World Terry Wieland 68 What s New in the Marketplace Inside Product News - Clair Rees 78 Nor Borrower Be Walnut Hill - Terry Wieland Issue No. 271 November 2013 Sporting Firearms Journal Publisher/President Don Polacek Publishing Consultant Mark Harris Editor in Chief Dave Scovill Associate Editor Lee J. Hoots Managing Editor Roberta Scovill Assisting Editor Al Miller Senior Art Director Gerald Hudson Production Director Becky Pinkley Contributing Editors John Haviland Ron Spomer Brian Pearce Stan Trzoniec Clair Rees Mike Venturino Gil Sengel Ken Waters Terry Wieland Advertising Advertising Director - Tammy Rossi tammy@riflemag.com Advertising Representative - Tom Bowman bowman.t@sbcglobal.net Advertising Information: Circulation Circulation Manager Kendra Newell circ@riflemagazine.com Subscription Information: Rifle (ISSN ) is published bimonthly with one annual special edition by Polacek Publishing Corporation, dba Wolfe Publishing Company (Don Polacek, President), 2180 Gulfstream, Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona (Also publisher of Handloader magazine.) Telephone (928) Periodical Postage paid at Prescott, Arizona, and additional mailing offices. Subscription prices: U.S. possessions single issue, $5.99; 6 issues, $19.97; 12 issues, $36. Foreign and Canada single issue, $5.99; 6 issues $26; 12 issues, $48. Please allow 8-10 weeks for first issue. Advertising rates furnished on request. All rights reserved. Change of address: Please give six weeks notice. Send both the old and new address, plus mailing label if possible, to Circulation Department, Rifle Magazine, 2180 Gulfstream, Suite A, Prescott, Arizona POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Rifle, 2180 Gulfstream, Suite A, Prescott, Arizona Canadian returns: PM # Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Wolfe Publishing Co Gulfstream, Ste. A Prescott, AZ Tel: (928) Fax: (928) Polacek Publishing Corporation Publisher of Rifle is not responsible for mishaps of any nature that might occur from use of published loading data or from recommendations by any member of The Staff. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. All authors are contracted under work for hire. Publisher retains all copyrights upon payment for all manuscripts. Although all possible care is exercised, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for lost or mutilated manuscripts. 6 Background Photo: 2013 Vic Schendel Rifle 271

MOSTLY LONG GUNS During the 1940s, John Nos - ler (1913-2010) found conventional cup and lead core bullets lacking for hunting and began developing and testing his own designs.

This bullet has become legendary worldwide for its deep penetration and reliable expansion and performance on game. All major U.S.

It has been continually improved and refined, and in spite of stiff competition, it remains widely popular.

4 MOSTLY LONG GUNS During the 1940s, John Nos - ler ( ) found conventional cup and lead core bullets lacking for hunting and began developing and testing his own designs. By 1948 Nosler was manufacturing the Partition bullet and founded The Nosler Partition Bullet Company in Oregon. This bullet has become legendary worldwide for its deep penetration and reliable expansion and performance on game. All major U.S. ammunition companies (as well as some foreign companies) have offered this bullet in premium hunting loads. It has been continually improved and refined, and in spite of stiff competition, it remains widely popular. NOSLER S ACCUBOND LONG RANGE BULLET by Brian Pearce The AccuBond-LR 7mm 168 grain (right) is notably longer and has a higher ballistic coefficient than traditional 168-grain match hollowpoint boat-tails (left). In addition to the Partition, Nosler has added other great hunting, competition and handgun bullets to its product line. A few examples include the Solid Base (1972) that evolved into the highly popular Ballistic Tip (1984) and has become known for its devastating effect on soft tissue (lung shots). This bullet has become widely popular among hunters, but especially deer hunters. In an effort to fill the performance gap between the Partition and the Ballistic Tip, the bonded AccuBond bullet was developed in 2003, an excellent general purpose thin-skinned game bullet that has rightfully gained a loyal following. The Custom Com Rifle 271

The bonded AccuBond-LR (right) joins other bullets from Nosler, including the Partition, Ballistic Tip and the original AccuBond.

For hunting large and dangerous game, where bone-breaking ability and arrow straight penetration is required in big-bore rifles, the Nosler Solid appeared in 2007. In late 2012 Nosler, Inc.

Today we have better barrels, more accurate rifles and scopes that can be precisely regulated with a particular bullet, all of which allows more accurate long-range shot placement if the shooter has

In itially it will be available in seven configurations ranging from 6.5mm/.264-inch to.308-inch caliber. (See the table for details.

5 The bonded AccuBond-LR (right) joins other bullets from Nosler, including the Partition, Ballistic Tip and the original AccuBond. petition line appeared in 2003, which has made inroads into competition circles. The solid copper (lead free) E-Tip bullet was introduced in 2007 to offer a lead-free option for hunting big game. For hunting large and dangerous game, where bone-breaking ability and arrow straight penetration is required in big-bore rifles, the Nosler Solid appeared in In late 2012 Nosler, Inc. unveiled its latest hunting bullet, the Accu - Bond Long Range (LR), but production did not get underway until the spring of This bullet is best described as being in step with the times. Today we have better barrels, more accurate rifles and scopes that can be precisely regulated with a particular bullet, all of which allows more accurate long-range shot placement if the shooter has the necessary skills. The AccuBond-LRs offer bonded terminal performance but boast of incredibly high ballistic coef - ficients (BC), even as high as a G1 of.730 (.30-caliber, 210-grain). In itially it will be available in seven configurations ranging from 6.5mm/.264-inch to.308-inch caliber. (See the table for details.) The AccuBond-LR features a gray plastic tip inserted over a hollowpoint cavity. Like the original Accu Bond, which will remain in the product line, the LR has a lead core bonded to a copper jacket. It features a boat-tail and tangent ogive, along with an unusually long length, a combination that yields an extremely high BC. Nosler AccuBond-LR Specifications overall sectional G1 ballistic bullet caliber bullet density coefficient length (inch) (grains) (inches) The 7mm 168-grain AccuBond- LR bullet was recently tried in a Beretta Mato.280 Remington rifle, one of the more accurate big game rifles I own. Two loads were developed using new NoslerCustom Shooters using Lilja.22 rimfire barrels at the 2012 London Olympics won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals If you want to shoot like a champion, choose Lilja! Gold Medal Niccolo Campriani Italy Men s 3-Position New Olympic Record ( points) Bleiker Rifle Lilja Barrel Silver Medal Lionel Cox Belgium Men s 50-Meter Rifle Prone Grunig Elmiger Rifle Lilja Barrel 4 Grooves Twist 16 Lilja Precision Rifle Barrels, Inc. P.O. Box 372, Plains, MT Tel: Fax: brass and CCI BR-2 (bench rest) primers. The first load contained 56.0 grains of Hodgdon H-4831SC powder for an average velocity of 2,673 fps. The second load contained 53.5 grains of Hodgdon H for an average velocity of 2,790 fps. Both loads proved accurate, with 100-yard, three-shot groups hovering around.5 inch, but some of the better groups dropped below.350 inch. Clearly the AccuBond-LR is accurate with correct load development. According to the folks at Nosler, the AccuBond-LR has an optimum hunting performance window of 3,200 fps but will expand reliably as low as 1,300 fps. This large window, combined with its extremely high BC, allows it to better retain velocity downrange and achieve reliable expansion from a variety of calibers and muzzle velocities. Ammunition companies will certainly be anxious to offer this hunting bullet in factory loads. Just as John Nosler accurately estimated that hunters wanted a premium bullet more than 65 years ago, Nosler, Inc. is equally in step with the times with an accurate, high BC, long-range hunting bullet. R Bronze Medal Matt Emmons U.S.A. Men s 3-Position Three-Time Olympic Medal Winner Anschutz 2000 Series Rifle Lilja Drop-In Barrel November-December

Stan Trzoniec Weatherby has brought forward a raft of improved versions of both the Mark V and the Vanguard with improved

6 Stan Trzoniec Weatherby has brought forward a raft of improved versions of both the Mark V and the Vanguard with improved accuracy, classy stocks and the ability to have just about any version custom made in its custom shop in the company s Paso Robles, California, facility. While some may dote on a specific part of a rifle the action, stock or accuracy I liked the Mark V from stem to stern the first time I handled one. When my collecting began, there were no synthetic stocks, only beautifully finished, high-grade walnut that seemed to accompany each rifle. Today, you can still get a Mark V with fancy wood, engraving or whatever your checkbook can take, but for the all-season, all-weather hunter, the Mark V Accumark Range Certified (RC) might be worth looking into. This new rifle has the time-tested Mark V action and is chambered in 14 different cartridges from the.240 Weatherby Magnum up to the and Weatherby 30 Mark V Rifle 271

MOA Right Out of the Box This Weatherby Mark V Accumark Range Certified rifle is topped off with a Meopta 3-9x 42mm scope.

If by chance you don t see anything to your liking with the cartridge listing, the Weatherby Custom Shop is most happy to chamber the rifle in your choice of cartridge as well as place it in a

For instance, for those not needing the extra muzzle energy, cartridges like the.240 Weatherby Magnum or the.30-06 have the standard action.

No matter which action is on the rifle, the fluted design is the same something that has been unchanged from the original action to today s modern Mark V.

224 Weatherby Magnum but not seen in awhile nor pending in the future. The bolt face includes the traditional plunger-type ejector and a claw extractor.

At the rear of this fat bolt, you have the bolt handle, and behind it there is the stylized bolt shroud with the safety.

The receiver is machined from forged 4140 chrome-moly steel and has a satin finish. Holes have been machined into the bolt to vent gas in the unlikely event a cartridge case ruptures.

7 MOA Right Out of the Box This Weatherby Mark V Accumark Range Certified rifle is topped off with a Meopta 3-9x 42mm scope. Below, the bottom metal has a laser-engraved logo denoting the rifle s guarantee. Weatherby Magnums, including the.338 Lapua. If by chance you don t see anything to your liking with the cartridge listing, the Weatherby Custom Shop is most happy to chamber the rifle in your choice of cartridge as well as place it in a left-hand stock if desired. Depending upon which of the RC models is chosen, the Mark V comes in a standard (six lugs) or magnum (nine lugs) action suitable for the cartridge length and power. For instance, for those not needing the extra muzzle energy, cartridges like the.240 Weatherby Magnum or the have the standard action. Anything above that, Weatherby opts for the larger, heavier receiver. No matter which action is on the rifle, the fluted design is the same something that has been unchanged from the original action to today s modern Mark V. The advantage of such a design is a modest 54-degree lift to load or unload a cartridge. The only thing that is missing is the so-called small action once used for the.224 Weatherby Magnum but not seen in awhile nor pending in the future. The bolt face includes the traditional plunger-type ejector and a claw extractor. Since the locking lugs are the same diameter as the bolt, this action has a smooth feeling to it even without customizing the internal raceways. At the rear of this fat bolt, you have the bolt handle, and behind it there is the stylized bolt shroud with the safety. It s simple to operate: back and down for safe, up and forward to fire, and when the rifle is cocked, a cocking indicator protrudes from under the shroud. The receiver is machined from forged 4140 chrome-moly steel and has a satin finish. Holes have been machined into the bolt to vent gas in the unlikely event a cartridge case ruptures. Topside the receiver has been drilled and tapped for commercial scope bases; underneath is a massive integral recoil lug for strength. The metal alloy floorplate carries the unique Range Certified logo and is released via a small floorplate latch that has been designed to not interfere with the trigger, to avoid an accidental bump that discharges the contents of the magazine at the wrong moment on a hunt. The trigger on the sample broke at 4 pounds without a hint of slack. The trigger is adjustable, but Weatherby advises not to tinker with it and recommends taking it to a Weatherby Service Center or a qualified gunsmith for fine-tuning. Weatherby has seemed to go the distance with this rifle to ensure the owner a three-shot group of.99 inch or less with factory ammunition at 100 yards, and a factory target using the Oehler Research 83 Ballistic Imaging System is included to prove it. Information on the target includes the ammunition used and velocity readings with computer-generated drop tables out to 500 yards. Using.240 Weatherby Magnum ammunition with a Barnes 85-grain bullet, the sample rifle, under controlled conditions, produced a group under an inch at the factory. While I am a walnut man myself, I find nothing lacking with Weatherby s choice of a composite stock. According to Weatherby, it is specially designed, hand-laminated and profiled with a raised Monte Carlo comb; it is made of fiberglass, aramid and graphite unidirectional fibers, which in layman s terms makes it tough as nails. While the trademark of the Weatherby rifle Accumark RC November-December

Above, the.240 Weatherby Magnum is built on the smaller, or medium, action that has six locking lugs. Due to its fat-bolt design, it moves through the receiver with little resistance.

Weatherby bolt (right) and the six locking lugs on the.240 versus nine on the larger.257.

To finish the stock for a more custom look, the outer part has a graymatte, gel-coat finish accented with black spider webbing.

8 Above, the.240 Weatherby Magnum is built on the smaller, or medium, action that has six locking lugs. Due to its fat-bolt design, it moves through the receiver with little resistance. Right, note the diameter of the.240 Weatherby bolt (left) and the.257 Weatherby bolt (right) and the six locking lugs on the.240 versus nine on the larger.257. has always been a high-grade walnut stock, like others in the in - dustry, the cry for more durable, weather-resistant stocks has been heard by the Weatherby team. To finish the stock for a more custom look, the outer part has a graymatte, gel-coat finish accented with black spider webbing. Inside the stock, a computer-controlled, machined bedding plate manufactured from 6061 T-6 aircraft-quality aluminum is bedded. According to Weatherby photographs, it looks like the bed ding plate not only covers the important area around the receiver but also extends rearward through the wrist of the pistol grip and into part of the buttstock, and forward right along the base of the forearm. This allows a stable platform for the receiver to rest in, enabling not only a lifetime of accuracy but also the assurance that every time you take the rifle out, its zero has not been affected by any weather conditions. It should be noted here that taking the gun apart for maintenance is no problem, but when putting it back together again, I d opt to use a mini-torque wrench like the one shown in the photos. Brownells carries them, and they are set for a predetermined range; Weatherby recommends 55 inchpounds. For the most part, the stock pro- Weatherby Mark V Accumark RC 32 file is pure Weatherby. While there are no exotic wood tips or spacers, the forend does display the characteristic Weatherby cut back where the tip would be. From here, the stock has a very gradual taper toward the floorplate, then to the pistol grip. Although the stock has no checkering, the application of the spider webbing texture provides a good grip with or without gloves. The high comb is accompanied by cast-off for right-hand shooters. Twin sling swivel studs are provided for field carry, and to soften the blow, a Pachmayr Decelerator pad is included with a black spacer. Specifications Model: Weatherby Mark V Accumark RC Action: Mark V six-lug bolt Stock: composite Cartridge tested:.240 Weatherby Magnum Cartridges available: 7 Weatherby Magnums; 7 standard cartridges Barrel length: 24 to 28 inches, cartridge dependant Overall length: 44 inches with 24-inch barrel Sights: none furnished, receiver drilled and tapped Weight: 7¼ pounds up to the Finish: matte finish, stainless steel barrel Options: many from the custom shop Price: from $2,400 (.240 Weatherby Magnum) to $2,700 (larger magnums) Manufacturer: Weatherby 1605 Commerce Way Paso Robles CA For a pleasing contrast, the stainless button-rifled barrel is fluted and machined to a Weatherby No. 3 contour, which works out to be.720 inch at the target-crowned muzzle. The barrel is attached to the receiver in a clean and straightforward manner and is free-floated. To get the most accuracy and to use the rifle to its fullest potential, anything from the.240 Weatherby Magnum to the comes with a 24-inch barrel. From the.257 Weatherby Magnum to the.340 Weatherby Magnum, barrel length increases to 26 inches; with the and Weatherby Magnums you get a 28-inch tube. Weight of the gun with the 24-inch barrel is quoted as being 7.25 pounds, the 26-inch barrel goes 8.75 and, finally, the 28-inch barrel hits the high side of 9 pounds with a scope. Trzoniec found the controls on the Meopta scope fluid in operation. The back ring on the eyepiece is for focus; forward of that is the power ring. Rifle 271

Weatherby Accumark RC Range Results cartridge bullet velocity group (grains) (fps) (inch).240 Weatherby Magnum 85 Weatherby Barnes TSX 3,476.600 87 Weatherby Pointed-Expanding 3,468.

The one on the test rifle broke at 4 pounds without a hint of slack. Above, when installing the action back into the stock, torque the stock screws to 55 inch-pounds and use factory shims.

240 Weatherby Magnum, a cartridge I especially like. Introduced in 1968 to be competitive with the Inside the Mark V Accumark stock is an aluminum bedding plate. popular.

30-06 with almost the same powder capacity. By do - ing this, Weatherby was able to outdistance both the.243 Winchester and the 6mm Remington by at least 300 fps.

240 Weatherby, and while factory ammunition is available (albeit $43 to $90 per 20-round box), handloading certainly brings out the best in the.240 Weatherby Magnum.

9 Weatherby Accumark RC Range Results cartridge bullet velocity group (grains) (fps) (inch).240 Weatherby Magnum 85 Weatherby Barnes TSX 3, Weatherby Pointed-Expanding 3, Weatherby Hornady Spire Point 3, Notes: All three-shot groups were fired at 100 yards and chronographed over an Oehler Model 35P. The trigger is adjustable. The one on the test rifle broke at 4 pounds without a hint of slack. Above, when installing the action back into the stock, torque the stock screws to 55 inch-pounds and use factory shims. Below, to keep everything constant, it is recommended that a mini-torque tool be used to reinstall the action, as shown here. The sample was chambered for the.240 Weatherby Magnum, a cartridge I especially like. Introduced in 1968 to be competitive with the Inside the Mark V Accumark stock is an aluminum bedding plate. popular.243 Winchester while still outracing the 6mm Remington, it was a natural fit between the.224 and the.257 Weatherby Magnums. In basic form, it has a head size matching the with almost the same powder capacity. By do - ing this, Weatherby was able to outdistance both the.243 Winchester and the 6mm Remington by at least 300 fps. Because of its stature, the Mark V action has been slimmed down to accommodate the.240 Weatherby, and while factory ammunition is available (albeit $43 to $90 per 20-round box), handloading certainly brings out the best in the.240 Weatherby Magnum. Opening the pages of my handloading notes, I find that with a Hornady 58-grain V-MAX and 53.0 grains of IMR-4350,.75-inch groups are there for the asking. Want more? How about 52.5 grains of IMR-4831 with a Speer 85-grain boat-tail for nearly 3,500 fps with groups that span only.625 inch. There is more to be had, but handloading can vary from gun to gun. The.240 Weatherby Magnum with a rather low-recoil factor and built- in accuracy is a pleasure to work with. Keep in mind, use factory fresh brass, Federal 215 primers, and like all Weatherby cartridges, let the barrel cool between shots and groups. To finish off the rifle and get it ready for the range, I installed a pair of Weatherby (Talley) bases and rings. Within the rings went a Meopta Meopro 3-9x 42mm scope. With a matte finish, it was the perfect complement to this rifle, and with fingertip focusing and a slightly oversized objective lens teamed with crystal clear optics, I was eager to start testing. With ammunition in short supply these days, the company forwarded its 33

Barrel & Gun Works Reboring Rerifling Custom Barrels Lengths to 36 Calibers.22 to.

com 928-772-4060 OPTICAL SERVICES COMPANY Custom power increase (+60%) for most target scopes.

O. Box 1174 Santa Teresa, NM 88008 Tel: 915-740-4290 E-mail: cheryl@targetshooteroptics.com www.targetshooteroptics.com Get A Grip Gunbooks Now offering reloading books on America s 3 1 4-inch BP cartridges.

40-90 Sharps Straight 45-120-3 1 4 45-120-3 1 4 Volume II 50-140-3 1 4 50-90-2 1 2 Steve Carpenter P.O. Box 157 - Seymour, WI 54165 Phone: (920) 833-2282 Visit our online store: www.

factory 85-grain loads topped with Barnes TSX bullets. Along with this, I added a box of 87-grain PT-EX (Pointed-Expanding) bullets and Hornady 100-grain Spire Points.

I monitored the wind, and on a day when it was dead calm in the morning, out the door I went.

The second and third went the same, and in between groups I allowed a full 10 minutes for the barrel to cool.

Szweda Classic Style Stocks and Custom Checkering. Call: (928) 772-7626 or visit my web site: www.customstockmaker.com Pro-Bed 2000 The Ultimate Stock Bedding Epoxy www.scorehi.

243 Winchester, 6mm Remington,.240 Weatherby Magnum and 6mm-284. rounds are fired in rapid succession, especially with a sporterweight barrel.

10 Barrel & Gun Works Reboring Rerifling Custom Barrels Lengths to 36 Calibers.22 to.585 Chrome moly or Stainless Steel Dan Pedersen, Barrel Maker 339 Grove Avenue Prescott, AZ OPTICAL SERVICES COMPANY Custom power increase (+60%) for most target scopes. B&L, Bushnell, Leupold, Lyman AA & STS, Redfield 3200 & 6400, Sightron, Unertl, Weaver T, Steel T Series. Rebuild & Blueprint Benchrest & Varmint Bullet Drop Reticles Cheryl Ackerman P.O. Box 1174 Santa Teresa, NM Tel: cheryl@targetshooteroptics.com Get A Grip Gunbooks Now offering reloading books on America s inch BP cartridges. These books cover many of the issues that are unique to these long, straight cases and offer reloading data for the hunter Sharps Straight Volume II Steve Carpenter P.O. Box Seymour, WI Phone: (920) Visit our online store: Weatherby Mark V Accumark RC The.240 Weatherby Magnum s best group with Weatherby ammunition went just under.5 inch. factory 85-grain loads topped with Barnes TSX bullets. Along with this, I added a box of 87-grain PT-EX (Pointed-Expanding) bullets and Hornady 100-grain Spire Points. Because this is a special hightech rifle, I went through great pains making sure I gave it a good and fair workout to see if the advertising hype matched the final product. I monitored the wind, and on a day when it was dead calm in the morning, out the door I went. When it came to the shooting (I had sighted in the rifle previously so I could start with a cold barrel), the scenario went like this: fire one round, give the barrel a twominute rest. The second and third went the same, and in between groups I allowed a full 10 minutes for the barrel to cool. I know it s sometimes hard to believe, but even a smaller cartridge like the.240 Weatherby Magnum will heat the barrel very quickly when three RMS CUSTOM GUNSMITHING Robert M. Szweda Classic Style Stocks and Custom Checkering. Call: (928) or visit my web site: Pro-Bed 2000 The Ultimate Stock Bedding Epoxy Featuring: Stockwork Accurizing Custom Rifles G U N S M I T H I N G Toll Free: Tel: Fax: Popular 6mm cartridges (left to right):.243 Winchester, 6mm Remington,.240 Weatherby Magnum and 6mm-284. rounds are fired in rapid succession, especially with a sporterweight barrel. With the temperature in the mid- 50s, the barrel stayed constant, and the groups started to fall in The.240 Weatherby Magnum is more than adequate for pronghorn. place nicely. With the Barnes 85- grain bullet, velocity was 3,476 fps (factory stats round it off to 3,500) with three shots going into a tight cluster of.600 inch and matching previous handloads shot in another Weatherby. With the 87-grain bullets, they cut a group measuring a curt.450 inch with three shots almost touching at 3,468 fps (factory was 3,523 fps). Finally, the 100-grain Spire Point printed under an inch (.995) with a velocity of 3,290 fps (factory was 3,406 fps), so you can see in all cases, Weatherby is honest when it comes to advertising the performance of its own ammunition and rifles. R Rifle 271

Cocking Indicator Allows you to instantly see whether rifle is cocked or uncocked. An important safety feature.

Cocking Indicator Allows you to instantly see whether rifle is cocked or uncocked. An important safety feature. Fully Enclosed Bolt Sleeve Completely enshrouds rear of action to redirect high-pressure