Actually, one of the things which I have alsways found interesting about criticisms leveled as the Wby is that most don't pick up on the real "potential" problems with Wby actions.

Here are a few of them.

1) The 54 degree bolt lift caused my the 3 rows of lugs results in primary extraction and cam forward that is only about half of a Mauser or M70 two lug action.

2) The very deep recoil lug combined with the screw going inot the recoil lug makes life a lot more difficult with a pillar being used in that part of the stock

3) Because a Wby Mark V uses a Rem 700 receiver dimension the very large diamter bolt means that the depth of the tang threads are very shallow as are the threads for the rear scope mounts. If a Wby is bedded and the tang allowed to rise a bit then the original screw will be perhaps on a turn and half engaged. I would think the large 8 X 40 scope base screws might be a problem with the thin metal forming the top of the rear receiver ring.

4) Because the recoil lug is right at the front of the action and the front screw is into the recoil lug then they are not as suitable for full barrel floating as is the case for M70 and Rem 700.

Having said all of that they do work.

For my own personal view my history is that I have been happiest when I have had Wbys. But this is more of a personality thing between myslef and the rifle. For some reasons Wbys don't seem to lead me down the rebarrel with match barrel and then the never ending chase for accurayc at the rifle range. Also (at least for me) and especially in the 378 based calibres they seem to remove everything from the main stream. By that I mean that I do not end up comparing them to something else on the basis of "should have this action or whatever"

You see this in action with the 416 bore size. The 416 Rem, 416 Rigby and 416 Taylor are the subject of endless discussions and the associated brain pain

while the 416 Wby just sits out there on its own.

Same deal with 30 calibres. While brain pain erupts with the pros and cons of WSMs, Rem Ultras, belted Vs Rimless etc. and etc. the 30/378 just sits to one side all on its own

Mike