The "MeatEater" television series is a hit in America. The host Steven Rinella reports on his hunting and fishing trips. So if the TV star uses certain products, it must be something special! If you go hunting, you need a gun. Sounds crazy, but it's true. Before the current version, Weatherby had already presented the Vanguard MeatEater Edition, which was created in collaboration with Rinella. Weatherby is now striking a similar chord with the brand new 307 series, here also in the MeatEater Edition.
The bolt-action rifle of the Weatherby 307 series
The new 307 series model from Weatherby is an addition to the Mark V and Vanguard series. Incidentally, the name 307 for the action comes from the fact that the marketing manager apparently combined the 3 from the Sheridan area code in the state of Wyoming with the number 7, due to the compatibility with the Remington 700. The bolt-action rifle was delivered for testing in 6.5 Creedmoor. Other possible calibers were the .257 Weatherby Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum, the .30-06 Springfield, 7 mm PRC and .308 Winchester. Since the trend towards stubby barrels is still unbroken, Weatherby is calling for the barrel lengths to be adapted to the caliber groups in order to ensure that the highest possible bullet velocity and energy can be exploited. It is therefore not surprising that the "shortest" barrel length in this series is 56 cm (for .308 Winchester as well as 7 mm PRC and 6.5 Creedmoor). For the .30-06 Springfield, a barrel with a length of 61 cm is used; for the two magnum calibers, the manufacturer relies on 66 cm. The stainless steel barrel of the MeatEater is spirally fluted (to match the bolt). The twist is specified as 1:8" (203 mm). The 1/2"x28 muzzle thread is factory fitted with an Accubrake-ST brake, also made of stainless steel. Weatherby finishes the barrel, the muzzle brake, the receiver and the bolt handle with a brown Cerakote coating.
Action and controls of the Weatherby 307 MeatEater:
The throw of the fluted bolt is 90 degrees. The interplay between the throw angle and the height of the scope makes it tight when repeating, but as we all know, you have to die a death. Due to the fact that the bolt handle is cranked slightly to the rear, the bolt handle smacked against the hand during the first shots in the "normal" shooting position. There was no contact with small hands. The bolt generally operates very easily and smoothly. Another practical extra is the tool-free disassembly of the two-lug bolt. There is a small black rocker on the left-hand side for removing the bolt.
And if you are annoyed by the length or shape of the bolt handle, simply buy another one and fit it. Problem recognised, problem solved. The two-position safety is located on the small of the stock to the right of the bolt shroud. You can reach the safety perfectly with your thumb and operate it silently without much effort. It acts on the trigger. When the gun is cocked, the rear of the bolt is flush with the bolt shroud. There is no red "danger sign" to indicate whether the bolt is cocked.
Weatherby relies on the quality of the accessories company TriggerTech for the trigger. This can be adjusted from the outside and the components are made of stainless steel. A factory trigger setting of around 1,300 grams was measured on the test gun. According to Weatherby, the trigger weight can be adjusted down to 2.5 pounds, i.e. just under 1,150 grams. The characteristics of the direct trigger from TriggerTech are wonderfully crisp: neither slak nor scratching sensations can be felt. It is labelled MeatEater on the right. A 20-mm Torx screwdriver is required to adjust the cheekpiece. A height of 8 mm is achieved in the centre position, and 16 mm in the highest position. Of course, being able to adjust the cheekpiece without tools would be a little more elegant, but on the other hand you set it once and that's it. The bolt can be removed easily even when the cheekpiece is extended. A metal sling swivel stud is integrated in the buttstock. The pistol grip is straight and quite short. Instead of checkering, the manufacturer speaks of texture. The corresponding area is slightly stepped in height and has a texture similar to woodchip wallpaper. This texture can also be found on the fore-end. It is practical that the manufacturer has installed two sling swivel studs there. Even when using a bipod, you do not have to do without your front sling swivel.
On top: Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x4 riflescope
Weatherby uses a Peak 44 Picatinny rail to connect the optics to the gun. We were supplied with a scope from Leupold for the 307 MeatEater: the 3-15x44 VX-5HD. An excellent choice from a purely visual point of view, as the slim scope harmonises wonderfully with the equally slim-looking rifle. The key data are quickly presented: the main tube diameter is 30 mm, length is 34.4 centimetres and it weighs 558 grams. Be careful with the adjustment: each click changes elevation and windage in ¼ MOA increments (approx. 7.3 mm at 100 m). You can adjust the parallax and operate the illuminated dot on the left-hand turret. The CDS ZeroLock2 turret is in the centre. CDS stands for "Custom Dial System", the quick reticle adjustment system from Leupold. The ZeroLock function is self-explanatory, the adjustment stops at the zero position. The number 2 stands for the number of turns of the turret that are possible for adjustment, two complete revolutions. This achieves a maximum elevation adjustment of 75 angular minutes. With the Leupold scope you get rather little in terms of weight, but a lot overall. The lenses are "Guard-ion" coated, which is designed to prevent water, dirt and fingerprints from adhering. The "Motion Sensor" technology proved to be practical – it saves nerves and batteries when the light point switches on and off by itself. The illuminated dot in the reticle, in this case the Firedot Duplex, is also always a pleasure to use.
Weatherby 307 MeatEater technical specifications and price
Model: | Weatherby 307 MeatEater Edition |
Caliber: | .308 Winchester |
Capacity: | 5+1 rounds |
Overall Length: | 105 cm |
Barrel Length: | 56 cm |
Twist Rate: | 1:8" (203 mm) |
Trigger Pull Weight: | adjustable |
Weight: | 3,300 g |
| Price (MSRP in the US): | $1,299 |
Features: spirally fluted cold-hammer forged barrel, barrel and receiver with Cerakote coating, two-position safety, detachable magazine, adjustable cheekpiece, adjustable trigger from TriggerTech, 1/2"x28 muzzle thread, muzzle brake. | |
The Watherby 307 MeatEater on the shooting range
Weatherby provides a sub-MOA guarantee on three-shot groups from a cold barrel with Weatherby factory or premium ammunition, more precisely: a factory guarantee of 2.6 cm at 100 metres. The test on the shooting range should show whether the test gun keeps this promise.
This time, only Hornady ammunition was fired on the 100 m course. The expectations regarding the manufacturer's guarantee for the Weatherby 307 were undercut with each of the loads, even with five-shot groups instead of three-shot hits. The best result at 18 mm was delivered by the CX bullet from the Outfitter ammunition series.
The Accubrake ST muzzle brake is said to provide a recoil reduction of up to 53 per cent. Whether that was really that many per cent in practice I have no idea, but the difference on the shoulder was definitely noticeable. Equally noticeable on the shooting range in the seated position was the shooter stress caused by the gases escaping from the muzzle brake. Given the number of shots fired in succession during the test, this was no particular pleasure. Basically, this set is not designed for extended series of shots and in practice it will not be too noticeable as a burden. Since there was absolutely no chance of any hunting success with the test rifle in the area, but we didn't want the gun to sit sadly in the closet until it was handed over, it accompanied us to the shooting cinema which was, as expected, a great pleasure.
Our verdict on the Weatherby 307 MeatEater
It was not difficult for me to get enthusiastic about the new MeatEater model. If you're looking for a hunting rifle that doesn't need a lot of bells and whistles but is still practical, the Weatherby 307 is a good choice. And if you want to convert or upgrade your bolt-action rifle at a later date, the options on the aftermarket suitable for Remington 700 actions are extensive, for example for stocks, triggers and magazines, so there are many ways to "Pimp my Gun". Oh, and a carbon fiber stock from the MTD brand will also be available for this model in the form of the Weatherby 307 Alpine.
Further information on the rifle can be found from the Weatherby website.
