Weatherby 224 mag Varmint Master as tactical rifle

[James Walker]

HI guys,

I'm new to this forum but have read it for a while and am impressed with the knowledge out there.

I have a West German Weatherby Varmint Master in 224 mag that I am about to order a Lilja barrel for that I intend to have chambered in 224 weatherby.

My reasoning is thus:
1/ The rifle has collector value and I want the option of returning it to standard at some time in the future.
2/ Whilst I'd rather have a 22 250 this would necessitate opening up the bolt and thus not allowing me to bring it back to standard.
3/ I have 500 once fired cases and 500 'new' (circa 1970) weatherby factory rounds in the fox boxes so will never need to buy new cases which, of course, cost a fortune!
4/ From what I have read the 224 and the 22 250 have similar ballistics.

At this time the best group I've got out of the rifle is 2" at 200 yards and .75" at 100 yards. I'm not the worlds greatest shot so the rifle can do better I'm sure!

The action has a great trigger and, of course, is smooth as silk like most weatherby's.

I'm thinking of a #8 contour and will be getting a fibre glass stock from Stocky's Stocks to fit.

I'd be interested in your collective opinion of this build idea and also of what twist rate and barrel length you'd recommend to get the ultimate out of the round.

I hand load so can tailor rounds to suit. I'm thinking of firing fairly heavy bullets with good BC's and the options from Lilja go as fast as 1:7".

I'd also like the option of firing lighter bullets but have heard that the spin imparted can tear lighter bullets apart.

As always, compromise, compromise!

Anyway, your advice most welcome,

cheers

James

 

[steve123]

Re: Weatherby 224 mag Varmint Master as tactical rifle

Looks like a fun build.

What about detachable bottom metal though ?

I'd be inclined to use the 90 grainers because of the BC. Should stabilize fine in a 7 twist because of the speed you'll be launching them. Maybe 3100fps out of a 26" ?

 

[James Walker]

Re: Weatherby 224 mag Varmint Master as tactical rifle

Thanks for that.
Excuse my ignorance but what's 'bottom metal'?''

The stock will have bipod and sling mounting capacity and I'm planning on using the same magazine plate etc. Although if it was available a detachable mag would be great... I don't think they are though.

Any ideas about barrel length?

cheers and thanks,

James

PS: have another couple of build on the go:

one is a 338-378 Mark V weatherby which will have a Bell and Carson Tactical fibreglass stock with a Lilja 30" #8 contour barrel in 1:10 twist to stabilise 250 grain bullets.

The other is a Zastava Mauser with Bell and Carson bench rest stock with 30" Lilja barrel 1:10 #8 contour in .375 H@H or .375 Weatherby. (unsure of which yet. Thinking of going standard as can always ream out to Weatherby chamber later and kind of like the idea of not having to fire form and square off the necks).

The Zastava (currently with factory barrel and chambered in 375 Ackley) shoots a .75" group with .280gr cast and gas checked bullets at 100 yards at its very best... or at least at my very best, so is potentially very accurate with standard barrel. Bullets are seated 20 thou off the lands and powered is 37 gr of ADI 2207 (Australian Defence Industries local powder). Also does very well with 15 gr Red Dot with same bullet.

Maximum power is 89gr of ADI 2209 pushing a 270 grain jacket bullet at 2950fps. Tough on the shoulder though...

When built up with new barrel etc this rifle should weigh in at about 14 pounds, twice what it weighs now. So will calm it down somewhat.

Got it for camels which I see every time I drive down around Alice Springs and out towards Simpson desert.

 

[steve123]

Re: Weatherby 224 mag Varmint Master as tactical rifle

You mentioned tactical rifle so I assumed for match use.

DBM. There's a number of companies that make detachable magazine systems that use 5 or 10 round Accuracy International magazines like Badger,Seekins,Hooper and others.

If you were to use such a system the feed lips might have to be bent or altered to get 224W to feed correctly.

I like longer barrels for my long range rifles for the gain in velocity. My 6x47L has a Tubb contour 26" with 7.5 twist. 7RM 28", 30-375R 30".

Camel hunting aye,LOL. That's something us Americans don't think of doing very often

You don't have problems with the web area of the case right above the belt over expanding after a few loads with the big Weatherby's?

 

[James Walker]

Re: Weatherby 224 mag Varmint Master as tactical rifle

/Users/jameswalker/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Masters/2011/11/25/20111125-073329/melbourne trip 07 065.jpg

photo, if it posts, is of a mummified camel in the Simpson Desert about 300km south east of Alice Springs in Central Australia.

We have about 2million camels running loose here, descendants of the camel train teams that provided inland transport before motor vehicles came along.

I had a small herd wander into my camp one evening at dusk. The bull camels looked like hereford bulls on stilts. Huge and weighing up to a ton. Tastes like lamb.

The builds I'm doing aren't for competition, I just like accurate rifles and playing around for that 'perfect load'... which is aways out there just beyond reach!

cheers

James

 

[James Walker]

Re: Weatherby 224 mag Varmint Master as tactical rifle

anyone know how to attach a photo to a post?

 

[steve123]

Re: Weatherby 224 mag Varmint Master as tactical rifle

You have to join a image hosting site like photobucket. Play around with it until you figure it out. The main thing is to select the "IMG" not URL.