As the number of female hunters continues to grow, so too does the list of rifles and shotguns built with specifically sportswomen in mind. Some of these guns, however, are simply chopped-down versions of standard production guns. The Weatherby Mark V Camilla line—named in honor of company founder Roy Weatherby’s wife and designed by women for women—is different.
Yes, the rifles do have a shortened length of pull (13 inches in the case of the Ultra Lightweight), but its overall stock geometry has been completely redesigned to fit women more comfortably. For starters, the recoil pad has been canted to seat properly on a women’s shoulder, and the forearm and pistol grip have been slimmed-down and redesigned with input from female hunters.
The Mark V Camilla Ultra Lightweight utilizes the six-lug Mark V action, which is lighter and shorter than the nine-lug version found on their magnum rifles. Overall weight of the Camilla is just 5 ¾ pounds, which makes it ideally suited for hunting in steep, high terrain. The six-lug bolt also keeps bolt lift to a minimum—just 54 degrees—so the action can be quickly cycled for fast follow-ups.
Like all Mark V rifles, the Camilla Ultra Lightweight comes with a tall rocker-type two-position safety and a long list of added safety features, including a fully-enclosed bolt shroud and gas vents in the bolt body that channel escaping gasses away from the shooter’s face. Weatherby’s Mark V rifles are backed by a sub-MOA accuracy promise and company’s crisp, wide LXX trigger is among the best you’ll find in a production rifle.
The Mark V Camilla Ultra Lightweight has an MSRP of $2,300, but the build quality of this rifle is second-to-none. The Mark V action is smooth, the metalwork is expertly machined and the Camilla’s hand-laid green composite stock features a Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad and a raised Monte Carlo cheekpiece that suits women’s naturally longer necks for proper eye to scope alignment.
All Mark V Camilla Ultra Lightweight rifles come with a 24-inch, #1 contour stainless fluted barrel, and chambering options include .240 Weatherby Magnum, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Winchester, .308 Winchester, and .30-06 Springfield.
For more information, visit weatherby.com.
