Does anyone here have experience owning/hunting with Mark Thompson's 1000 yard rifle? Interested in on-the-ground, actual notes/commentary from users/owners.

Thanks

Never heard of Thompson, but there are many, many smiths out there who build long range rifles, they are working hard to become known, and do excellent work for less than the big name smiths, as they gain notoriety they're prices go way up, most of the smiths who have done work for me in the past are now out of my financial reach do to being in high demand.

In 2006 a young man named Kirby Allen built a rifle for me, a cartridge of his design that ran circles around any other 7mm rifle before, he built it for 2300.00, in 2008 I took a deer with it at 1,350 yards, his rifles now go for 8 grand
RR

A few thoughts after visiting the Thompson website...

$4000 will build you a proper custom rifle. The website doesn't have any info as to what has been done to these weatherby rifles to accurize them. If it's a bone stock factory rifle/barrel, or just a trigger and bedding job, I'd pass without a second look. Considering they are in-stock with a 10day guarantee, I'm prone to believe they haven't done anything significant to it. Nothing against Weatherby's barrels, but they sure aren't winning any long range matches on factory barrels.

I wouldn't want the Leupold 4.5-14x40mm scope on a 1,000yrd rifle, especially without adjustable turrets. (Made me giggle a little that they misspelled turret on their site also). Some guys like hold over scopes (fixed reticle hunting), I don't. Not at that range.

I've never seen a Weatherby on a 600m or 1000yrd firing line. I'm prone to believe there's a reason for that. Not saying they aren't accurate rifles, but for that $4000 price tag, you'll get more out of a precision action than a weatherby.

So for my money, I'd build a proper custom rifle, get better results, and spend less.

I lust after Kirby's XP hunting pistols like no other. Would LOVE to get one in 6.5-284.

Never put two and two together, but are Kirby and Boyd related?

You can get a weatherby Mark v accumark in 30/378 for $2k at cabelas. The mark v my dad has in 257 wby will put 3 in the same hole at 100 yard. And my vanguard in 300 wby is 1 moa. So weatherby rifles are great rifles and are accurate in my mind for what I seen. I think you would want a bigger scope for 1000 yards then a 4.5-14. But that's my opinion. Also the scope can be had at cabelas for $550 . So for $2550 you can get the stock rifle and scope. I didn't see on the webpage what was done to the rifle also.

$4000 for a Weatherby 30-378? No way jose! Get a .338 RUM or Edge built. I know of a custom .338 RUM with a McMillan A3 and a Nightforce for less then that Weatherby...

I just watched the video on their site. It's a bone stock out of the box Weatherby that you actually put the scope on yourself when you're at their shooting school. Not worth $4000.

It's interesting that they have a video comparing their school to the Gunwerks school. Interesting in the fact that they both sell WAY overpriced rifles and promise 1,000yrd accuracy. I do believe the Gunwerks rifle IS actually an accurized rifle, but the same problem still applies: it's WAY more expensive than it should be, a guy can buy a custom rifle of better quality and accuracy, for less.

Have no idea, I do know Kirby is to me just a kid, but one of the knowledgeable and talented smiths in the country, and he ain,t a bad shot either. He documented taking a 1/2 grown chuck at 2270 yards.
RR

I've emailed back and forth with Kirby a bit regarding his bolt action pistols and bolt pistols in general. As accurate as his bolt pistols are, I can only imagine his rifles are disgustingly straight shooting.

Boyd Allen has been a very helpful fellow in my pursuit to learn this thing they call long range precision shooting. He gave me his number via 6mmbr.com a few years back, been a great resource for different projects, identifying smiths/gunbuilders or vendors for custom dies/reamers, etc. I suppose "Allen" is a common enough name that it might be coincidental, but two guys playing at their level of long range shooting, I'd expect they're more likely related than not. But that's purely speculative. Might just be two dudes last-named "Allen".

But back on topic - Custom hunting rifle vs. the extremely overpriced Weatherby Thompson:

Custom Precision action: $1000, give or take
Shilen or Krieger select grade barrel: $280-350
Jewel trigger (if the action didn't come with a trigger): ~$200
Rifle stock: $200-500
Proper Scope: Leupold VX-3 LRT 6.5-20x50mm $1000
Rings & bases: $100-200
Smithing to put it all together: ~$500

Puts you right around $3500, to have a FAR better scope, far better barrel, and better action, let alone the difference in a hand built custom rifle with a high attention to detail, rather than a bone stock over-priced rifle with a fancy "W" stamped on it. You can build one cheaper, but can also spend a lot more.

If you're remotely mechanically inclined: Buy a Savage rifle, sell the barrel and stock, buy a Savage barrel nut wrench for $75, or borrow one, buy a go and no-go gauge set, then build it yourself. Custom stock for a Savage at $400, buy a Savage 12 used for around $500 net after you sell the take-off barrel and stock, bed it yourself. Screw on a Shilen drop in for ~$300, maybe spend $100 for smithing on the trigger if you can't do it yourself. Have a semi-custom rifle that will potentially put up 1/4MOA for around $1000, put a Leupy on top for $1000 = $2000 total investment, and it'll shoot straighter than that Weatherby.

If my old eyes were better, and I didn't drink, or use smokeless, I would have an Allen XP100 in 6.5 shamwow, but the way things are my days of ultra long range are coming to an end, so I'll stick to 800 to 1000 that will see my days out.
RR