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Weathery Vanguard actions for semi custom builds

S

shedhunt

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2011
Messages
364
Location
Washington
Good afternoon,

While I know there are way better actions on the market, such as customs. I have factory Weatherby Vanguard in 300wsm w/upgraded timney trigger, that has been sitting in my safe for about 5 years now and never see's daylight. I've got other rifles that I use vs this one.

I've considered just selling it but wanted to ask the question regarding utilizing the action to build it into something different. So here goes!!!

How are these actions to build off of?
Are there enough upgradeable option for this action?
Am I just wasting money to go down this rabbit hole?

Anyone who has built off of this action, please feel free to pass along the pro's and con's of it before I decide which direction I decide to go.

Much appreciated!
shedhunt
 
What are you wanting to do to it? I have a few vanguards/Howa 1500s. I put a carbon barrel on my wife's vanguard (Camilla). Didn't feel the need to do anything with the trigger but a couple companies make drop-ins. Companies like LRI can flute the bolt. Couple different bottom metals available and are interchangeable with Howa 1500s. Fair amount of stocks available.

They're a decent action for the price point but in general, I've avoided putting much money into them. Mine have shot well enough in factory form that I can't justify putting "custom build" money into them.
 
Arcola said:
What are you wanting to do to it? I have a few vanguards/Howa 1500s. I put a carbon barrel on my wife's vanguard (Camilla). Didn't feel the need to do anything with the trigger but a couple companies make drop-ins. Companies like LRI can flute the bolt. Couple different bottom metals available and are interchangeable with Howa 1500s. Fair amount of stocks available.

They're a decent action for the price point but in general, I've avoided putting much money into them. Mine have shot well enough in factory form that I can't justify putting "custom build" money into them.
Click to expand...
Was thinking about rebarelling it to a 6.5prc for my son. But like I said, if it's not worth spending the money on this type of action, then I'll just try and sell it.
 
shedhunt said:
While I know there are way better actions on the market, such as customs. I have factory Weatherby Vanguard in 300wsm w/upgraded timney trigger, that has been sitting in my safe for about 5 years now and never see's daylight.
Click to expand...
Did you steal my gun. ;)

I prefer the Vanguard over the Howa.

People are building very accurate rifles on them now. I built my Vanguard same as you are starting with. Timney and added a Pac-Nor barrel. Yes, it shoots very well. It's been quite a while since she been to the range. I moved states and only just found a local place.

Go for it. 6.5 PRC would be fine choice.
 
I have a rifle based on a Howa 1500 receiver. I took it to a custom 'smith, who barreled it with a heavy Kreiger .308. I then installed a Jard trigger and dropped it all into an H-S stock. She's a solid sub MOA rifle, and I shoot 10 round groups to prove accuracy. To be sure, there isn't a large amount of support out on the open market for these rifles, such as bottom metal.
 
You may want to read this article:

rifleshooter.com

Building a custom Howa 1500 in 6.5 Creedmoor

The Howa 1500 action offers a lot of potential for the precision rifle shooter. While appearing externally similar to the Remington 700, further inspection finds many differences including a flat …
rifleshooter.com rifleshooter.com

Bill Marr is a gunsmith with extensive experience using Howa recievers.
 
Keep in mind that brownells has barreled actions in quite a few calibers. The blued models run around 400-440. I've built several rifles off these and all of them have been sub moa with reloads using the stock barrels. Several companies are making remage style barrels for them. They are becoming more popular with stock makers too. Stockys has their lightweight carbon stock for them as they are the supplier for Howa on their lightweight rifles.
 
Chokoloskee Joe said:
You may want to read this article:

rifleshooter.com

Building a custom Howa 1500 in 6.5 Creedmoor

The Howa 1500 action offers a lot of potential for the precision rifle shooter. While appearing externally similar to the Remington 700, further inspection finds many differences including a flat …
rifleshooter.com rifleshooter.com

Bill Marr is a gunsmith with extensive experience using Howa recievers.
Click to expand...
Do you have any contact info for Bill Mahr? Address, phone, email etc.
 
The Howa action feature that I've appreciated the most when putting a rifle together is that they appear to be machine finished, so the scope mounting regions are square and true. Unlike Rems or Savages that are hand finished and tend to be neither square or true (Savages more than the Rems but applies to both). Which almost requires that rails for an R or S action be bedded to the action. I've got one Savage action so far out of true that it takes some .015" thick shims on one side of the rail to get the rail to sit square and true. Bedding that rail is going to take some doing. Rails for the two Howa Mini's that I've assembled were square and true simply by installing them.
 
fseaman said:
Did you steal my gun. ;)

I prefer the Vanguard over the Howa.

People are building very accurate rifles on them now. I built my Vanguard same as you are starting with. Timney and added a Pac-Nor barrel. Yes, it shoots very well. It's been quite a while since she been to the range. I moved states and only just found a local place.

Go for it. 6.5 PRC would be fine choice.
Click to expand...
I'm interested to know the points of difference that you find between the Vanguard and the Howa.
 
I have both Vanguards and Howas…I think the only difference is the bolt shroud and that is just a cosmetic difference. I think the actions are great and I have a custom 204 Ruger on a Howa barreled action and my 300 Win Mag is a custom on a Weatherby Vanguard barreled action. Both of them shoot very well.

Just a note, the actions have metric threads, which is important if you look for replacement barrels.
 
I had a 300 win mag turned into a 7sherman max and it's awesome, also have a 28 nosler barrel I can screw on anytime. Both very reliable.
 
shedhunt said:
Was thinking about rebarelling it to a 6.5prc for my son. But like I said, if it's not worth spending the money on this type of action, then I'll just try and sell it.
Click to expand...
Look at Brownells in your country....you can buy a complete barreled action for that gun for under 500.00 and drop it right in....and probably sell yours for the same money! Hassel free...only a screwdriver 🪛
 
BigDon said:
I'm interested to know the points of difference that you find between the Vanguard and the Howa.
Click to expand...
I have my 4 Vanguards and helped with 3 Howa 1500s.

To be honest, it small things.

1) I lived very close the the Weatherby headquarters in Paso Robles. Hogue was there too. So neighbors.
2) I like the bolt and shroud setup better.
3) It just "feels" better to me.
4) I didn't get along with the Legacy Sports International guys in the 201x years.
 

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