Weatherby Focuses on Growing the Shooting Market—SHOT Show 2014

in Authors, Paul Helinski, Rifles, SHOT Show 2014

Updated: January 27, 2014 BY GunsAmerica Actual

Weatherby
https://www.weatherby.com/

Ed Weatherby developed many of today’s most popular calibers, especially the flattest shooting, hardest hitting magnums. He also designed and manufactured the strongest bolt action rifle available, to handle the higher pressures of the then-new magnums and wildcat rounds. Their Mark V action is still recognized as the strongest you can get. Weatherby introduced the lower-priced WBY-X line last year and have been developing new camo patterns with the first-time buyer in mind. The most popular seller is the WBY-X Reaper.

There’s a bigger story here, though. A story of the kind of people you find at Weatherby, and, from my experience, throughout the shooting industry. You probably remember the tragic death of American sniper and Navy SEAL, Chris Kyle. He was shot and killed on a gun range last February. Chris had been selected to represent Weatherby on the Weatherby shooting team, and they were building him a competition gun based on the Mark V Accumark. When tragedy struck, everyone at Weatherby wanted to do something to help Chris’s wife, Taya, and their children manage financially. An idea was proposed to build a limited run of Chris’s gun and auction them off with all of the proceeds going to Taya. It only took 48 hours to auction 26 rifles at $3,400 each. Mike Schweibert didn’t want to talk about it in the video because he felt it would do a disservice to Chris’s memory for Weatherby to benefit from what they did for Taya and the kids. That’s not why they did it. We asked him to let us bring it up in the video because we thought it was a story that should be heard throughout the industry, so he agreed to answer Julie’s questions on camera. With all the demonizing of guns we get from the media, it’s nice to hear something real. It makes you proud to be a part of an industry with such caring and generous people.

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30378wbymag January 29, 2014, 10:45 pm

Randy Lay, WOW, what an ARROGANT self centered comment!!! Do you even know what an assault rifle is? They have been outlawed since 1934 with the exception of SPECIAL licensing and BATFE hassles not to mention you forfeit your 4th amendment right.

Any ammo we give the anti’s is bad for all shooters!! I am an exceptionally proud owner of some VERY fine Weatherby bolt guns and a few MODERN SPORTING RIFLES in the AR platform. How one chooses to expend their own ammo is a VERY personal decision… These types of comments just fuel the anti 2nd Amendment idiots and their ilk… Something to consider and think about Mr. Lay…

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JHR January 29, 2014, 12:01 am

Back in the early 90’s, when I finally had enough money to start buying high quality firearms, over the period of a year I purchased three Weatherby Mark V Super Varmint Masters, with 26” cryogenically treated, fluted stainless bull barrels, one in .223, .243 and one in .308 and mounted Leupold VX-3 6-18×40 target dot scopes on them. They were the first bolt action rifles I put in my safe and will be the last to leave. Superbly accurate, off the bench, where I do most of my shooting, and even after almost 20, or so years, they still garner a fair amount of attention from other shooters at the range. Some jokers do say “you were just paying for a name” and my only reply to them is that “yes, I know, and I got my money’s worth. For an additional 2 cents worth, I think it would be great if Weatherby came out with a .556 AR platform. I would be one of the first in line at the gun shop.

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- Skydog January 29, 2014, 4:30 pm
  
  Regarding your comment about the .556x45mm Sporting AR Style rifle, I would think they might be wise to consider a “steel” version like the Limited Edition Turnbull – circa last year’s Shot Show, and have wood furniture on it, and maybe possibly use a short stroke piston like the HK AR15 style rifle. Like yourself, I would put a deposit down on one, immediately.
  
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Skydog January 28, 2014, 1:00 pm

Finest – what I call stock rack grade – general production rifles in the world. Take note new shooters >>> Mark V – you can not beat it, my only beef is with the stock since I’m a leftie, but I manage with their “stock” rifles. To date, and since the early 1980’s in my opinion these are the best thing going in the bolt rifle world. Thanks Weatherby for setting the bar where it should be (an over engineered Mauser action), and making an affordable rifle that’s worth every penny. I like the flames – cool pattern for the Hills of Appalachia and Shenandoah Valley, I can see a 7MM Rem Mag, 30 Win Mag and 375 H&H in my safe – very soon!

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Bob January 28, 2014, 10:43 am

Larry,

Ed Weatherby is the heir of Weatherby Firearms and President & CEO of the company. He is doing great things with the company and building great firearms for hunters at affordable prices. You’re right though, Roy developed those great calibers.

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Larry January 28, 2014, 9:14 am

Who the Hell is Ed Weatherby ??, It was ROY Weatherby who designed those hard hitting calibers, wow great fact checking

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- Todd January 28, 2014, 10:37 am
  
  Ed Weatherby is President and CEO of the company…do your research before commenting!!
  
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randy lay January 28, 2014, 8:37 am

Im a hunter and own Weatherbys and i love them…..but i have no need to have an assault rifle…those people that blow thru mag after mag of ammo at cans and junk cars on a weekend would better served putting same money into a retirement plan!!!!!!!!!!!

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- Skydog January 28, 2014, 12:48 pm
  
  AMEN
  
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- Isaiah January 28, 2014, 3:04 pm
  
  Assault rifles are highly regulated and can no longer be manufactured and sold, except to the military. Civilian ownership of assault rifles or any other full-automatic firearm is tightly regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives under the National Firearms Act of 1934 as amended by Title II of the Gun Control Act of 1968. In addition, the Firearms Owners’ Protection Act of 1986 halted the manufacture of assault rifles for the civilian market and currently limits legal civilian ownership to units produced and properly registered with the BATFE before May 1986.
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_rifle#United_States
  
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JLA January 28, 2014, 5:07 am

“With all the demonizing of guns we get from the media, it’s nice to hear something real. It makes you proud to be a part of an industry with such caring and generous people.”

I agree completely. However, in a way that statement sends the wrong message somewhat. Although I’m certain that wasn’t the intent, when you read it you really get the feeling that this sort of thing is rare in the shooting & outdoor industry. On the contrary, while the specific situation faced by Taya Kyle and her children is thankfully very rare in this industry, having companies step up to help and provide support, often without anyone ever even knowing about it, is one of the things that I really love about being a part of this community. It’s not rare at all. In fact it’s quite common!

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