Review: Weatherby Mark V Live Wild

The Weatherby Mark V has a solid reputation for being a rugged and reliable action. It earned that reputation after being built in chamberings that pushed the limit for velocity in a variety of calibres and, as a result, has been a favourite of hunters in the American West for decades. One of Weatherby’s most recent Mk V models, the Live Wild edition, is the outcome of a collaboration with Remi Warren, a hunter and guide known for his outstanding dedication to his craft and desire to push the limits.

The resulting rifle is designed to be punished on serious backcountry hunts and deliver the goods.

Weatherby Mk V Live Wild test — The Live Wild is finished with a camo pattern on its synthetic sporter-style stock

The Weatherby Mark V Live Wild is offered in a large variety of chamberings that make it suitable for most hunting situations that call for a hard-hitting rifle. The smaller end starts with cartridges like .243 Win and .25-06 Rem, and it goes up to .300 Wby Mag, with many other Weatherby offerings in between. The brand-new 7mm Backcountry from Federal is also offered, a cartridge that is a potential game-changer.

The rifle I received for testing was in .308 Win, which is less exciting than the high-velocity offerings, but a very suitable cartridge for most Australian hunting conditions in which this rifle may be used.

The Weatherby Mark V is often affectionately referred to as the world’s strongest action, and the multi-lug bolt system is synonymous with the model. In most chamberings you get six locking lugs, but the bigger magnums have nine. Besides making the lock-up incredibly strong, the larger number of lugs gives this rifle a 54-degree bolt lift, which is advertised as being the shortest in the industry, another feature that most shooters will be familiar with when it comes to Weatherby Mark V rifles. The action is bedded on aluminium pillars for extra strength and accuracy.

The bolt is an area where Weatherby has shaved some weight, with it having deep spiral flutes and a skeletonised bolt knob, which is removable if you wish to customise your Live Wild. The flutes also reduce the bearing surface within the action, which Weatherby states makes everything cycle more smoothly. The bolt features a fully enclosed shroud and three gas relief ports in the body to vent pressure in case of ammunition failure. The two-position safety sits on the right side of the bolt.

The internal box magazine holds four rounds in the .308, and it’s the same in about half of the chamberings, whereas capacity is three rounds for the bigger cartridges. Top loading the box magazine works as expected and I didn’t have a failure to load or cycle in any rounds at the range, or quickly topping up in the field when hunting. The hinged floorplate bares the Live Wild logo and Remi Warren’s name, which adds some aesthetic flare to the rifle, and is a visual reminder of where the inspiration behind this model came from.

The barrel is free-floated and features similar deep-spiral fluting to what is on the bolt, obviously making the rifle look smart, but also allowing heat to dissipate effectively. The latter is important here, as the #1 contour of the light barrel on this .308 tapers to just 14mm at the muzzle. At 55cm (22”) long, the 1:10 twist barrel is standard for most rifles of this style.

The magnum barrels are slightly longer with a number #2 contour and they, along with other cartridges, all come with appropriate twist rates.

The rifle is offered with a brake in many chamberings, and all barrels are threaded with ½-28 on the end. Weatherby’s thin-film Cerakote finishes off all the metalwork on the rifle, which keeps it looking great but also ensures it can stand up to the toughest environments.

The TriggerTech trigger is a fantastic addition to the rifle, boasting stainless steel components to ensure the trigger pulls are consistent from shot to shot. It is advertised as having a true zero-creep break and short over travel, and I found it very nice to shoot. Weatherby says it is adjustable between 1.0 and 2.2kg (2½-5lb) but the rifle I tested came in slightly lighter than that, with a range between 0.9kg and 1.8kg (roughly 2-4lb). One of the best things about the trigger is the fact that it is easily externally adjustable with an Allen key, so figuring out a weight you like takes all of a couple of minutes.

The stock is polymer, and the overall shape resembles most other Mark Vs. The forend is slim with a flat bottom so it feels great in the hand but takes a rest well and feels like it could be shot consistently all day. The grip features ambidextrous palm swells, which I wasn’t aware of until I held the rifle in my hand, and as soon as I picked it up it felt right. This is a great touch on a rifle that feels very stripped down and small overall, as the grip fills the hand and makes you feel like you’ve got a good hold.

With the nice recoil pad on the end, the length of pull is about 35cm (14”), and I felt like the rifle fitted me well. The overall length comes to 109cm (43”). The stock also features a slight drop at the comb (16mm/0.625”) and heel (8mm/0.3”) which helps to get your head in the right spot when you’ve got a scope mounted low, and it also looks great.

The finish is a hand-painted sponge camo pattern which is inspired by Remi’s Live Wild brand and gives the rifle a nice backcountry look that is fitting for many hunting environments.

All of this comes together as an overall package weighing just 2.5kg (5.6lb). It’s nice to see that when such drastic weight-saving measures have been made on a rifle, the effect is big enough to notice immediately. The ergonomics of the rifle still make it easy to shoot off a bench, but the muzzle brake would be essential on any of the big- hitting cartridges. Even with the 2.5-15x50mm ZeroTech scope that TSA supplied with this rifle, it was a well-balanced outfit that any hunter would happily carry in the hills for days on end.

Lightweight rifles such as this aren’t typically known for their superb accuracy, but Weatherby guarantees the Live Wild will shoot sub-MOA, with a three-shot group of 0.99 inches or less at 100 yards using premium ammunition. The claim also specifies ‘cold bore’, which I soon found to be vital in this instance. With such a thin barrel and deep flutes, it heats up very quickly, and firing three rounds in even moderate succession would often result in a flyer on the last round.

For this reason, I completed my accuracy testing over a couple more sessions than usual, and ensured I gave the rifle adequate time to cool between shots. Some ammunition was supplied by TSA, and Calibre Country in Tamworth helped me out with some other brands as usual.

I’m pleased to say that despite being such a light rifle, the accuracy it demonstrated with some ammunition was definitely sub-MOA, and well-within what hunters would need or expect out of a mountain rifle. The Sako 130gn HP ammunition was a standout, which was nice for me as it suited my hunting applications the best. I shot the rifle from prone with a bipod, and off a concrete bench and front rest; both with an Alpine Accuracy rear bag.

Remi is known for hunting some of the most remote country that North America and New Zealand have to offer, so to give this rifle the type of field-testing it craved, I took it into some of the steepest country I have access to. A typical day on goats in the New England can see shots being taken from many awkward positions, at distances anywhere between point blank and a couple of hundred metres. The rifle pointed, swung and carried beautifully.

I cut my teeth culling animals like this over 10 years ago with a Weatherby Vanguard in .308 and this Live Wild Mark V took me right back to those early days, albeit with a big upgrade on the rifle in my hands. All of my shots felt great, and I believe a lot of that came down to the trigger and the palm swell in the grip. In the moderate chamberings, this rifle would be perfect to do stuff like this all day, but some of the bigger bangers would make it ideal for walking up and down the big country in search of sambar.

I showed some of the pictures I’d taken to Remi and asked if there was anything else he’d like to say about the rifle that wasn’t listed explicitly on any of the media releases or the Weatherby website. He said that the accuracy and dependability of the Mark V action speaks for itself, so for him, the best part of the rifle was how stacked it was with great features while maintaining an approachable price point.

I thought that was a great take on it, as despite the recommended retail price being $4399 here in Australia, it’s significantly cheaper than nearly all the other Weatherby Mark V offerings. It’s a high-end rifle that is priced accordingly and anyone who may be after something in this style would do well to try one out and see for themselves.