When it came time for my son to pick out his rifle, I took him to the store and tried to stay mostly agnostic, within reason, and let him choose what he felt fit him the best. Long and short, he wanted a vanguard. Not being much of a weatherby fan, I did a lot of research and decided it was fine, so I got him one.
After shooting it a fair amount and finding it easily sub MOA with a number of factory and handloads, and realizing that it was me that was prejudiced and I actually find that shape of stock more comfortable than my own guns, I ended up selling some of my rifles and getting an Accuguard (at the time, it was a Cabelas exclusive, now it's a catalog regular item).
It too shoots submoa easily. Oddly, it is quite 'light' relatively speaking. I actually took an electronic scale with me to Cabelas before I bought it and weighed it vs a standard vanguard and vs the other rifles I was considering at the time (Sako A7 Long Range Rifle, Remington 5r, Remington LRR). According to the specs, it should be heavier than it is...but it's not and is lighter than the heavier barreled rifles mentioned above. I wonder if the intial run of these came with basically ultralight stocks, not sure.
Anyway, so we are two for two, accurate, solid, well made. No problems. That's not much of a sample, but the guns we have have been great.
I did also buy a Tikka CTR at the same time. I'll say that has been a fantastic rifle as well. And the new versions have fixed the things I don't like...in terms of the plastic shroud etc. That gun is stupid accurate, and the trigger is easily tuned down to 2lbs. Best trigger I have for sure. I did not go the Tikka route for my hunter because I wanted a 300 WM....Tikka boxes are too short for the heavier long bullets I wanted to load and the twist is wrong for that particular application. I honestly don't care for the stock it came with either, fits fine, but I just don't like it. But I am afraid to mess with it, and when I talked to my instructor about it, after a class, he told me don't touch it.
I will note, on the Vanguard, it's trigger is easily lighted too, but it only goes to 3 or maybe 3.5 lbs. At least mine feels that way. I prefer more of a 2.5lb trigger, and lighter for a bench gun like the Tikka is for me. One other note is the Accuguard I got came with the B and C stock with the bedding block. While adjusting the trigger down, I noted that weatherby had gone ahead and bedded the front lug to the bedding block, something that surprised me. They seem to really care about the details, at least on those I have examined.
Anyway, hope that helps, like I said, it's only a small sample of two, but in both cases, we have been happy with our Vanguards. I would echo the recommendation...unless you plan to change out the stock, make sure it fits you, not so much in terms of length...they are all pretty standard here, but in terms of comb height, drop at heel and toe etc. My previous guns were all a 'classic style' because I was taught that this was 'the best'...period. Then I learned from experience and got confirmation from a Barsness article.....not the case...there are different builds and so it's like boots..when it comes to stock design, there is not one best...there is only one best for you.
HTH!
After shooting it a fair amount and finding it easily sub MOA with a number of factory and handloads, and realizing that it was me that was prejudiced and I actually find that shape of stock more comfortable than my own guns, I ended up selling some of my rifles and getting an Accuguard (at the time, it was a Cabelas exclusive, now it's a catalog regular item).
It too shoots submoa easily. Oddly, it is quite 'light' relatively speaking. I actually took an electronic scale with me to Cabelas before I bought it and weighed it vs a standard vanguard and vs the other rifles I was considering at the time (Sako A7 Long Range Rifle, Remington 5r, Remington LRR). According to the specs, it should be heavier than it is...but it's not and is lighter than the heavier barreled rifles mentioned above. I wonder if the intial run of these came with basically ultralight stocks, not sure.
Anyway, so we are two for two, accurate, solid, well made. No problems. That's not much of a sample, but the guns we have have been great.
I did also buy a Tikka CTR at the same time. I'll say that has been a fantastic rifle as well. And the new versions have fixed the things I don't like...in terms of the plastic shroud etc. That gun is stupid accurate, and the trigger is easily tuned down to 2lbs. Best trigger I have for sure. I did not go the Tikka route for my hunter because I wanted a 300 WM....Tikka boxes are too short for the heavier long bullets I wanted to load and the twist is wrong for that particular application. I honestly don't care for the stock it came with either, fits fine, but I just don't like it. But I am afraid to mess with it, and when I talked to my instructor about it, after a class, he told me don't touch it.
I will note, on the Vanguard, it's trigger is easily lighted too, but it only goes to 3 or maybe 3.5 lbs. At least mine feels that way. I prefer more of a 2.5lb trigger, and lighter for a bench gun like the Tikka is for me. One other note is the Accuguard I got came with the B and C stock with the bedding block. While adjusting the trigger down, I noted that weatherby had gone ahead and bedded the front lug to the bedding block, something that surprised me. They seem to really care about the details, at least on those I have examined.
Anyway, hope that helps, like I said, it's only a small sample of two, but in both cases, we have been happy with our Vanguards. I would echo the recommendation...unless you plan to change out the stock, make sure it fits you, not so much in terms of length...they are all pretty standard here, but in terms of comb height, drop at heel and toe etc. My previous guns were all a 'classic style' because I was taught that this was 'the best'...period. Then I learned from experience and got confirmation from a Barsness article.....not the case...there are different builds and so it's like boots..when it comes to stock design, there is not one best...there is only one best for you.
HTH!
