Weatherby Mark V Capra 280 Ackley Improved 2rd Rifle

280 Ackley Improved started life as a wildcat and earned its way onto factory spec sheets the hard way, by shooting well enough that people kept building rifles for it. Blowing the shoulder of the 280 Remington case forward buys extra powder capacity, which turns a good 7mm hunting round into one that runs close to magnum velocities without magnum recoil or a belted case. It is a natural fit for a light mountain rifle where every foot pound of recoil gets felt.

The Backcountry Capra builds it on the Mark V six lug short action machined from titanium, one of the lightest production actions in the catalog. The barrel is a thin contour with double spiral fluting forming a double helix, finished in graphite black Cerakote and threaded 1/2-28 behind a two inch brake, and Weatherby holds the rifle to sub MOA accuracy. Two rounds go in the magazine, the receiver comes drilled and tapped for a scope mount, and a modified Peak 44 Blacktooth stock keeps the weight down. Between the cartridge and the platform it is one of the more sensible ways to carry a 7mm into high country.