Weatherby Mark V Carbon Compact 243 Win 22" Rifle

The Mark V Carbon Compact is built around fit. Weatherby shortened the length of pull for smaller framed shooters and paired it with the lighter 6-Lug Standard Action, so the rifle comes up where it should instead of being wrestled into position. The stock is a hand laid fiberglass shell with a raised Monte Carlo comb, black with brown, green and white sponge accents, and that comb shape moves recoil away from the shooter's face rather than into it.

The barrel is a BSF carbon unit measuring 22 inches, capped with Weatherby's Accubrake DST directional self timing brake. Receiver and trigger guard wear an OD Green finish while the bolt, bolt knob and safety are graphite black. In 243 Winchester the package makes sense: a cartridge that shoots flat on deer and antelope, reaches out on coyotes, and recoils lightly enough that a newer shooter can learn on it without picking up a flinch. Put a light carbon barrel, a comb built to manage muzzle rise and a brake on that cartridge and the result is about as pleasant as a centerfire hunting rifle gets to shoot from field positions.