Weatherby issues

[3855WIN]

I’d get in touch with Adam Weatherby and tell him your situation.

 

[ImBillT]

ImBill, I guess I just expected a little more out of a company like Weatherby.

It’s a company whose original owner was a gun nut, and is now owned by a guy who can hardly speak the lingo without sounding like an uniformed idiot. He is likely a great businessman who understands what price point he can sell things at, and how long he can warranty them. Weatherby does not have, and has never had, the market share that Leupold, Vortex, Remington or Savage have/had. The fact that Weatherby’s best rifle is one that they buy from someone else should tell you something.

Ironically, Weatherby buys Howa rifles and Norma brass and then sells them at a premium. Nosler on the other hand, sells a very high end copy of a Howa 1500 action(likely under license), barrels it with a superior barrel, and stocks it with a superior stock, for a similar or lower price than Weatherby, AND until recently did not just buy Norma brass, but paid a local shop to uniform and weight sort that brass, again, at a similar or lower price compared to Weatherby.

Small companies cannot afford big warranties. Period. I honestly believe that you probably got a lemon. I honestly believe that most Weatherbys are probably more accurate than the one you got. HOWEVER I feel sympathy for Weatherby in this situation, not you. They are a small outfit, and they cannot be expected to offer to go above and beyond their warranty. That would likely bankrupt them rather quickly. They have to draw a line somewhere, and why shouldn’t they draw it right where the paperwork says they drew it? A lot of large companies that still care about their customers do go above and beyond their warranties, but they can afford to do so. Leupold and Vortex warranties are rock solid. I don’t know if Ruger has a formal warranty or what it is, but let me tell you, they went ABOVE AND BEYOND for me, when I all I wanted to do was buy a part for a gun that was waaaaaay out of warranty and I wasn’t even the original owner. BUT I just named three companies who can afford to waste more money than Weatherby likely brings in. I DO NOT THINK THAT DENYING A CS CLAIM, FOR BEING OUT OF WARRANTY IS BAD CS.

I do think Weatherby rifles should not be expected to be accurate. That’s not what they are about.

 

[ImBillT]

First, not bailing on Weatherbys. Just disappointed in them.
Talked with a dealer the other day and wait time on a new one is less. Make sense to you? Stand behind what’s already out there.
My main point for the thread is, if you have a Weatherby, make sure it shoots before the 2 years is up or you’re SOL.

Yes it makes sense that the wait time on a new one is less. I can almost always build something faster than I can take it apart, fix it, and rebuild it, AND you’re talking two different departments. It’s perfectly normal for one department to be less behind than another department.

Yes, with any warranty, if you expect the company to take care of you, then make sure the thing works while it’s still under warranty.

There are a few companies that go above and beyond, but you can’t expect that from everyone. That would bankrupt a lot of companies.

 

[elkhnter]

ImBill, first off, I don’t know why you keep bringing up Howa rifles, mine is a Weathermark not a Weatherguard. Two entirely different rifles.
Second, it’s 3-6 months to look at the rifle, not fix it.
I’ve had 2 very successful businesses, and in both I made it a priority to take care of any problems with items I’d sold or built. Sometimes taking care of things that had nothing to do with anything I’d done. I was raised that that was good CS.
And lastly, I’ve never once bad mouthed Weatherbys or Adam Weatherby. You did that.

 

[elkhnter]

Guess what y’all, I called Weatherby today. Now I called Monday and was told 3-4 months more before they would look at it. Today I was told that they’d got it setup and shot yesterday. Guess the squeaky wheel thing is true. Thank you Weatherby.
BTW, they said it shot .8 with factory TTSX 180 ammo. Now I need to start looking at mounts and possibly scope issues when it gets home.

 

[Deleted member 18333]

First, not bailing on Weatherbys. Just disappointed in them.
Talked with a dealer the other day and wait time on a new one is less. Make sense to you? Stand behind what’s already out there.
My main point for the thread is, if you have a Weatherby, make sure it shoots before the 2 years is up or you’re SOL.

I have the same rifle, won it at a RMEF banquet. Have yet to fire a round through it. Curious to see if I have similar issues to yours. I have one other Weatherby I bought for my sons, Vanguard in 7MMRem. We are all pleased with that gun.

 

[MO Betta]

1. A shot-out barrel. I shot this 30-378 Weatherby 1000 rounds one afternoon on a prairie dog town and now the throat is eroded to 3” long before the rifling starts.

I'd be seeing my orthopedist after 100, jeez. Heavy chassis?

 

[flinchy]

Weatherbys a great company and has always responded to my customer support inquires in a timely fasion. Slimming the lug would certainly void the sub moa guarantee which also complicates the possible fix for them. Parts are also on a slow boat from... as well. Kind of a stretch to think they would cover cost.

 

[elkhnter]

Weatherbys a great company and has always responded to my customer support inquires in a timely fasion. Slimming the lug would certainly void the sub moa guarantee which also complicates the possible fix for them. Parts are also on a slow boat from... as well. Kind of a stretch to think they would cover cost.

No disrespect, but did you read post #35?

 

[Wind Gypsy]

1) I listened to an interview with the current owner(grandson of Roy?). I’ll give my vote of no confidence.

2) Weatherby made their name by pushing velocity at all cost, and a big way they used to get that velocity was with very excessive freebore, which usually hurts accuracy. My point, is that the company never put accuracy first, and that hasn’t changed. Weatherby rifles are pretty polished rifles in pretty polished wood and cost a little extra to make you feel better than the guy beside you with a Browning or Winchester(and they feel better than the guy beside them with a Remington or Savage, and everyone looks down at the guy toting a Mossberg)

3) Vanguards come with a better guarantee than the more expensive rifles because Weatherby did not, and does not, design, or manufacturer Vanguards. They are a Howa 1500 that Weatherby pays to put their name on, and that’s reflected in the increased price compared to a Howa. Howa builds a better rifle than Weatherby, and it’s not just more accurate. Back when Howa was copying Sako L-61’s, they were pretty much as good as Sako, and they have been quite good ever since(even if they had to modify their design after being sued).

4) Yes it sucks to let a rifle sit in a box and find out that it isn’t covered even though you’ve never shot it BUT Weatherby has no way of knowing why you decided to send it back, or preparing for a rash of old rifles to get sent back. Two years is a long time to shoot a rifle before you decide you’re unhappy with it. I’ll be the first to say that since kids arrived, I rarely do anything more than double check that I’m still sighted in before a hunt, but Weatherby can’t just assume that every person who has had one of their rifles for 2, 5, 10, or 15 years and is now unhappy with it, never shot it, and they can’t be expected to plan for such a thing financially. They deserve to have a time period after which they no longer have to worry that you’ll decide they owe you something, and two years is not entirely unreasonable.

Agreed.

Weatherby makes some cool stuff but the fact that they use a 9 lug action for a modern hunting rifle tells me they play more off name recognition than functionality.

 

[cahunter805]

Weatherbys a great company and has always responded to my customer support inquires in a timely fasion. Slimming the lug would certainly void the sub moa guarantee which also complicates the possible fix for them. Parts are also on a slow boat from... as well. Kind of a stretch to think they would cover cost.

He shimmed the lug.

 

[nrpate05]

Bummer, I had a Vanguard S2 for awhile and it shot well, but really with only one grain weight. It was 7mm mag and would shoot 160's into an inch or less, but 150's wouldn't go better than about 3". I'm using factory ammo and, of course, didn't try everything but it seemed a bit strange. I also noticed in some of the Meateater episodes that a few of them had trouble ejecting a spent shell.

 

[amo16]

HOWEVER I feel sympathy for Weatherby in this situation, not you.

You can't be serious.

 

[EKYHunter]

Sorry about your issues OP. I just went to Weatherby’s website and it says the following re the accuracy guarantee:

GUARANTEED SUB-MOA ACCURACY

All Mark V® rifles are guaranteed to shoot a 3-shot group of .99” or less at 100 yards (SUB-MOA) from a cold barrel when used with Weatherby® factory or premium ammunition.

I noticed that it says nothing about a 2 year limit. Is that limit in the fine print somewhere? I’m wondering if a lot of folks purchase their rifles and don’t know about the limitations. I’ve never owned a Weatherby but I’d surely be disappointed if I bought one and had the issues you described. But fortunately they were able to examine your rifle so hopefully you’re on the road to recovery so to speak.

 

[elkhnter]

It’s in the paperwork that comes with the rifle.

 

[EKYHunter]

It’s in the paperwork that comes with the rifle.

Thanks for that. I figured it must have. Reckon folks buy the rifle without knowing that? It’s 100% on the buyer to know this of course but I’d say some never research it that far.

 

[elkhnter]

Also on the site. Just found this.

 

[homers]

Sorry about your issues OP. I just went to Weatherby’s website and it says the following re the accuracy guarantee:

GUARANTEED SUB-MOA ACCURACY

All Mark V® rifles are guaranteed to shoot a 3-shot group of .99” or less at 100 yards (SUB-MOA) from a cold barrel when used with Weatherby® factory or premium ammunition.

I noticed that it says nothing about a 2 year limit. Is that limit in the fine print somewhere? I’m wondering if a lot of folks purchase their rifles and don’t know about the limitations. I’ve never owned a Weatherby but I’d surely be disappointed if I bought one and had the issues you described. But fortunately they were able to examine your rifle so hopefully you’re on the road to recovery so to speak.

The website clearly states 2 years. I went to main page, scrolled down to Warranty.

Accuracy Guarantee

Weatherby Guarantees SUB-MOA Accuracy within Two-Years of Verified Purchase Date to Original Purchaser. Learn More Here

 

[ImBillT]

You can't be serious.

Why not? Some dude with a rifle whose warranty has expired has now cost them a number of would be customers due to an online rant.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I don't know how Weatherby handles their "lack of accuracy" claims. You spend the money to Insure and ship the rifle to them, then they keep the rifle for 3 months, then return it to you saying "It meets our accuracy standards". I would try a trusted gunsmith to take care of it before returning it to Weatherby.