The Weatherby Mark V Backcountry Guide Ti is a lightweight hunting rifle built with a titanium action, carbon-fiber barrel, and Peak 44 Blacktooth carbon stock, weighing just 5.58 pounds. It excels at backcountry hunting where weight matters most and comes with a sub-MOA accuracy guarantee. The $3,799 price point puts it firmly in premium territory.
- Extremely lightweight at 5.58 pounds thanks to titanium action and carbon fiber construction
- Bolt-locking safety prevents accidental opening during transport and handling
- Built-in Spartan bipod/tripod attachment system for field shooting stability
- Premium pricing at $3,799 puts it out of reach for many hunters
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When older shooters and hunters think of Weatherby rifles, they typically think of glossy wood stocks with an exaggerated Monte Carlo stock and deeply blued steel. The retailer still offers rifles like that, but most of the modern Weatherby rifles feature synthetic stocks and steel with a Cerakote finish. As a company, Weatherby has fully evolved into the 21st century, and their new Backcountry Guide Ti rifle is a perfect example of this evolution. About the only thing it shares with the rifles of your grandfather’s generation is quality of build. I recently tested the Weatherby Mark V Backcountry Guide Ti on my home range. Here’s how it fared.
Quick Overview
Weatherby Mark V Backcountry Guide Ti Rifle
Pros
- Lightweight
- Bolt-locking safety
- Spartan bipod/tripod attachment
- Available in left or right hand
- Lots of chamberings
Specs
- Length: 42 inches (as tested)
- Weight: 5.58 pounds (as tested)
- Barrel: BSF Carbon 22 or 24 inches + 2-inch radial port muzzle brake (22-inch tested)
- Action: Mark V (6-lug)
- Trigger: Trigger Tech, 2.75 pounds (as tested)
- Capacity: 4+1
- Chamberings: 6-lug Mark V action: 243 Winchester, 240 Weatherby Magnum, 25 Creedmoor, 25 Weatherby RPM, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 Weatherby RPM and 280 Ackley Improved. 9-lug action: 257 Weatherby Magnum, 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum, 7mm Backcountry, 7mm PRC, 300 PRC, 300 Winchester Magnum, and 300 Weatherby Magnum.
- Finish: Graphite black Cerakote
- Stock: Peak 44 Blacktooth
- Sights: None
- Price: $3,799
Related: Lipsey’s Ruger Alaskan Bush Rifle Review—Expert Tested
A Closer Look at the Weatherby Mark V Backcountry Guide Ti Rifle
Weatherby offers what might be considered four versions of their Backcountry Guide Ti rifle. It is available in the compact Mark V six-lug action, like the rifle I tested, or it can be had with the larger Mark V nine-lug action for magnum and PRC cartridges. In addition to these two variations, the gun is also offered in left- or right-hand models. Regardless, each rifle is fitted with either a 20-, 22-, 24-, or 26-inch BSF carbon-fiber-wrapped 416R stainless barrel with a threaded muzzle and a 2-inch long radial-port muzzle brake. A sub-MOA three-shot precision guarantee is standard with each rifle.
The Mark V action has been around for a long time. On the Backcountry Guide Ti, it comes with a spiral-fluted bolt with an enlarged and fluted bolt handle, as well as a two position safety that’s located on the bolt shroud. In the safe position, the safety locks the bolt handle closed. The bolt is fitted with a plunger-style ejector and a Sako/Ma6-style extractor. The rifle’s titanium action is machined in Sheridan, Wyoming, comes drilled and tapped for scope mounts, and a Trigger Tech trigger is standard.
The rifle’s stock is the Blacktooth from PEAK 44, which retails for $780, and it has a black carbon sponge finish. This stock weighs only 20 ounces, has a comb with negative drop to help with recoil, a carbon bedding block, and it is wears a 3D Hex recoil pad. Weatherby wisely included two Spartan MagnaSwitch adapters in the forend of the stock. One is near the end, and the other is midway between the trigger guard and front sling swivel stud. There is also has a hinged floorplate with the Backcountry logo and a topographic terrain pattern.
Related: Sako Grizzly Rifle Review—Expert Tested
Weatherby Mark V Backcountry Guide Ti Test Results
The bench rest testing with this rifle deserves some explanation. I first mounted the Swarovski Z8i 2.3-18X56 rifle scope in a set of Leupold standard rings I had on hand. But groups opened excessively after a few shots, and I ultimately discovered one of the horizontal screws on the rear mount had broken. I ordered a set of Talley lightweight alloy rings and remounted the scope. Additionally, I only had three pre-production variations of the new 25 Weatherby RPM ammo to try and a limited supply at that. The rifle did not like the factory load with the 107-grain Hammer bullet, but it shot the other two factory loads and both handloads very well.
The rifle balanced very well out of the box but was a bit muzzle heavy with either a Banish Backcountry or MeatEater suppressor attached, and they extended the rifles length to almost 4 feet. There were no functioning issues at all with this rifle, however, the thumb safety on the bolt shroud was a bit stiff to place into the “safe” position. This stiffness did slightly diminish with use.
The rifle excelled when I took it away from the bench and shot from various field positions, including off-hand. The interface with the MagnaSwitch Spartan adapter was appreciated. In fact, I used this rifle and a Spartan Javelin bipod to take a wounded whitetail buck last year at just a tad beyond 400 yards. Suppressed, the rifle is long but the extra barrel length does allow you to extract more performance out of the several high-case-capacity rifle cartridges the rifle is chambered for. It’s also worth mentioning that I got caught out in a storm and the rifle become smothered in ice but still worked just fine
Related: The Best Lightweight Hunting Rifles for Every Budget
Final Thoughts on the Backcountry Guide Ti
Though a bit long when suppressed, this is a very lightweight rifle. Outfitted with a 7.5 ounce suppressor and the 26-ounce Swarovski rifle scope with the 2-ounce Talley rings, it tipped the scales at less than 7.5 pounds, which is not bad for a sub-MOA shooting rifle. It was the lightest rifle we’ve tested in the last 12 months, but it was also the most expensive. Not everyone can afford to spend nearly $3,800 for a rifle. On the other hand, if you are saving up for that one really good rifle, the Backcountry Guide Ti would be a great aspiration that will come with great pride of ownership.
All in all, the Weatherby Backcountry Guide Ti is a well thought out, lightweight, good-shooting rifle, and I’d be happy to hunt with it anywhere in the world. The six-lug version is offered in seven great cartridges, and the heavier nine-lug version can be had in seven more from 257 Weatherby Magnum up to 300 Weatherby Magnum. If you can afford the Backcountry Guide Ti, you will not be disappointed, and you’ll be envied by all your hunting friends.
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Editor’s Note: Richard Mann’s new book, Rifle Cartridges for the Hunter: A Hunting Journal Spanning a Half-Century details 50 rifle cartridges through real hunts, practical insight, and hard-earned lessons. It is essential reading for serious hunters and riflemen who appreciate ballistic science and authentic outdoor adventure.
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