Since I haven't allowed comments on this video, I'll try to set this up in the Q & A format.

Q1. Why didn't you buy rifle _________?
A1. I considered MANY rifles before buying this one. I looked at EVERYTHING on the market in 2014. Remington 700s to Tikkas, Ruger to Savage to DPMS and everything in between. I considered several semi-automatic .308s as well but couldn't justify the purchase with my limited skill, interest, and budget. It also came down to what I could actually FIND in a 'big box' gun store. My local gun shop didn't carry bolt action .308s because they said no one bought them. I found this Watherby at a Cabela's store and decided it was good enough for what I was going to do with it. It also didn't hurt that I already owned a Weatherby Series One and knew they were very solid rifles.

Q2: Why did you not specifically buy a Remington 700?
A2: After seeing several of them in person and seeing them in online reviews, I decided that Remington 700s are a bit oversold. They cost $100 more than most Weatherby rifles and just feel 'cheap' to me. Their stocks are thin, their case ejection is weak or nonexistent and their bolt knob shape is obnoxious. It's also hard to find one with a 22" or 24" barrel. Most are 26" or 16" with a few 20" models mixed in. A Remingon 700 with a threaded barrel is nearly $1000 and the action/receiver is no different than on cheaper models. Unless you just have to have a chassis system for your precision rifle or you feel exceptionally patriotic, I see no reason to buy a Remington 700.


Q3: Why did you buy a .308 and not a .300 Win. Mag., .260 Remington, or 6.5 Creedmoor? Aren't those 'better' cartridges for long range shooting?

A3: Please understand that I do not hand load and have no intention of getting into it anytime soon. As such, I'm "limited" to factory ammo and after considering many other cartridges, .308 made the most sense for me. It performs well in the 300-600 yard range, is deflected by wind less than .223 Rem. (which is what I was shooting before), is cheaper AND easier to find in factory loads than ANY OTHER precision rifle cartridge, and provides a longer barrel life than the .260 Rem. or 6.5 Creedmoor.


Q4: Why a 24" barrel and not a 20" or a 16"?
Aren't shorter barrels more "accurate"?
A4: After my afternoon of accuracy testing for this rifle, I'm starting to see each rifle as an individual. Each barrel will exhibit an affinity for certain loads over others and this will have more of an affect on accuracy than the barrel's length (or rigidity). The shooter also has a tremendous impact on the accuracy of a rifle. Without him or her actually being able to shoot well, a rifle's merits are nothing but speculation or potential. I would only gravitate toward a shorter barreled rifle if I intended to use a suppressor or if I wanted to use the rifle in confined spaces. Otherwise, a 24" barrel gives you greater muzzle velocity and is easier to find at a gun retailer than something shorter.