Since its founding nearly 80 years ago, Weatherby has come to be known as one of the country’s premium gunmakers, while its Mark V remains the maker’s flagship rifle. Introduced in 1957 and designed to safely contain the weighty pressures associated with the Weatherby line of high-performance cartridges, the rifle has earned praise from royalty, politicians, gun writers, and celebrities alike.
Weatherby has now announced the expansion of the Mark V Backcountry line with the release of the Backcountry Guide and Guide TI—each significantly reduced in weight, making them ideal for the next backcountry adventure. This is accomplished with short BSF carbon barrels and Peak 44 carbon stocks that still feature factory-installed Spartan Precision mounts.
The BSF offers a 416R stainless steel match barrel that is sleeved into carbon fiber and loaded under tension, which keeps the rifling straighter as the barrel heats up, resulting in a stiffer, more rigid barrel. This proprietary method also ensures that 95% of the carbon fiber doesn’t touch the contoured barrel, allowing for air gaps that let air flow around the steel and cool the barrel faster. At the same time, the carbon fiber is designed to move at the same expansion rate as the 416R stainless steel, which provides vibration dampening, allowing for a 3-shot SUB-MOA group at 100 yards with factory-loaded ammunition.
The Backcountry Guide series also features shorter barrels on Weatherby Magnum calibers, with most barrels being two inches shorter than traditional offerings (excluding the 6.5-300). This design offers improved maneuverability without sacrificing performance.
The BSF barrels are coupled with the Peak 44 Blacktooth stock, which is engineered to be the lightest and strongest carbon fiber stock available today. Each stock is outfitted with a patented carbon fiber bedding block that engages the front recoil lug, transferring recoil force directly to the exterior shell. This results in reduced felt recoil for the shooter. In addition, the Blacktooth’s 3D Hex recoil pad enhances recoil management by stretching the time component of recoil, turning a sharp kick into a gentle shove through its honeycomb structure. The forend further features two factory-installed Spartan Precision Gunsmithing adapters for seamless use of the company’s ultralight accessories.
The Mark V Backcountry Guide TI further reduces the weight with a titanium action that offers an incredible strength-to-weight ratio. Titanium cuts a half pound off the rifle weight, and it is naturally corrosion-resistant and ready to hit the great outdoors.
Both models are equipped with the Trigger Tech trigger, designed to deliver true zero-creep, while it is adjusted down to just 2.5 pounds. It features precision-cut stainless components that ensure consistent trigger pulls. In addition, the Accubrake ST is equipped with 30 symmetrically spaced ports that help harness recoil, reducing felt recoil by up to 53%, while its titanium construction reduces the weight and brings the balance point of the rifle closer to the center. All of the medal components are also protected with a weather-resistant and durable Cerakote coating.
The Mark V Backcountry Guide and Guide TI are available in a wide selection of calibers, including .240 Weatherby Magnum, .243 Winchester, .257 WBY MAG, .280 Ackley Improved, .300 PRC, .300 WBY MAG, .300 Win, .308 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 WBY RPM, 6.5-300 WBY MAG, and 7mm PRC. Each Mark V rifle is manufactured at Weatherby’s headquarters in Sheridan, Wyoming.
The Mark V Background Guide is available now for $3,299.00 (MSRP), while the Mark V Background Guide TI is available for $3,799.00 (MSRP).