Weatherby Vanguard receiver question/build help

[jeremiahgus]

I am looking to have a 375 Ruger or 375 RUM built. I was initially just going to have it built on a Rem 700 but came across a Weatherby Vanguard in 300 Win Mag at a fairly good deal. I like the action of the Weatherby but am not very familiar with them. Ive heard that the Mark V builds but not much on the Vanguard. Can I just have the Weatherby rebarreled with a 375 RU or will there be issues with the length of either of those cartridges and the bottom metal length? If there are no issues I will be using this stock or something similar: Bell & Carlson Medalist Weatherby Style.

I am looking to just use this short range on grizzlies as a brush gun so I don't need a super accurate with a Timney trigger and a custom receiver or anything like that, just mostly factory with a different stock.
I'm not interested in a H&H, I just want something different.

If there will be too much gunsmithing to do working with that Vanguard then I am just going to go the route of getting a new Remington receiver and having it built on that.

Any advice will be welcome, thanks.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

I have 4 Vanguards and an undisclosed number of Mark Vs.

One of my Vanguards is a 300 Weatherby. With the COAL as long or longer than the 375 RUM there is plenty of room for either a 375 Ruger or 375 RUM. Mine is going to become a 50 WSM someday. Just because I can.

In my experience the Vanguard is a stronger action. This is not intended as a slight against any other actions. Smiths seem to dislike working on them because of the metric 26mm x 1.5mm threads (I hope I remember that correctly). Very close to the 1.065 x 16, 18 that is the US made standard. There is a fix for the metric thread issue. Prefit barrels from Pac-Nor are only $125 more than the plain. Then all that's needed is to head space it with a finish reamer.

I believe it would make a very good gun for the purposes you intend.

375 Ruger, Pac-Nor prefit, "Red Dot" or a Leupold VX-R 1.25-4, 20" barrel. Standard Stock. B&C or Hoage overmolded.

Nothing changes if you decide to go 375 RUM except I would make it a 22 to 24" barrel you will have to order/get a the mag box and follower for the 300 Weatherby. It should feed perfect.

 

[B23]

The Vanguard is basicly a Howa with a nicer stock but a Howa nonetheless. Being a Howa certainly doesn't make it a bad thing as I have a 6.5-06AI built on a Howa that shoots as well as any in my safe. Even though the Howa built semi-custom I have shoots extremely well I'd opt for using a Rem 700 instead. Every gunsmith in the world will work/build on a Rem 700 and if you ever need part and pieces, the Rem 700 is equal to the small block chevy of the automotive world, everyone makes/has parts for them or can and will work on them. The same can't be said about a Howa/Vanguard.

You used to be able to pick up a Howa/Vanguard really cheap, I paid $275 for the donor I bought for my 6.5-06AI build, but the price has seemed to have gone up on them and they cost about the same as a Rem 700 now so unless you get one for a smoking deal, I'd go Rem 700. Here is a pretty good price on a brand new Rem 700 that would suit your needs and you can always pick up HS Precision stocks from the classified section here for around $225ish and B&C stocks usually for a little less.
Remington Remington 700 Long Action 300 Remington Ultra Magnum

 

[Deleted member 46119]

Yes a R700 based build will do it.

That action is a good price.

I live in Paso Robles and can see the Weatherby Factory from my house.

I liked Weatherby's before moving here.

The Vanguard and Howa 1500 are the same forging. There are dimensional differences. Some parts are not interchangeable. The machining is different.

I'm not sure what could "break" once the rifle is built. I admit I've never been tromping around in brown bear land.

 

[B23]

The Vanguard and Howa 1500 are the same forging. There are dimensional differences. Some parts are not interchangeable. The machining is different.

Really, I've never heard that before. What dimensions, parts, and machining is/are different about the Weatherby Vanguard and Howa 1500???

 

[Deleted member 46119]

Really, I've never heard that before. What dimensions, parts, and machining is/are different about the Weatherby Vanguard and Howa 1500???

Triggers are different. Not interchangeable. Timney machines both screw holes Vanguard and Howa but you can't take a Howa Trigger out and put it in a Vanguard.

As I understand it, bolts are not interchangeable. Though I was told it will work one way but not the other. Which I do not know. Vanguard uses Weatherby style 3 vent holes for blow out safety holes.

Barrel tenon seems to be the same. But this bolt working in one and not the other makes me wonder. Since I don't have a Howa to try all the mix and match.

The receiver machining of the ports and non-functional surfaces is all different. I had my Vanguard side by side to a Howa. Not the same machining at all. Hole spacing for scope mounts is the same.

They are not the same even though many people say they are the same. Yes some aftermarket parts can interchange. Barrels from one might fit in the other. Bolts from one might fit in the other.

Saying they are the same is like saying a R700 is the same as a R783 because the trigger guard screws are the same.

 

[Hired Gun]

For bear work the Vanguard has the superior extractor. The have many advantages over a 700 except for the availability of a Jewel trigger. Any smith not capable of working on one should probably retire.

 

[jeremiahgus]

I appreciate the responses, it was more info than I was expecting on the question and I welcome it greatly. I will post back in this thread what I end up completing. Pac Nor barrel may be a good idea, I had not even considered that. I'm going with a 1-4x scope for it, probably just go with a Nightforce nxs/1-4x24 or a Vortex.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

For bear work the Vanguard has the superior extractor. The have many advantages over a 700 except for the availability of a Jewel trigger. Any smith not capable of working on one should probably retire.

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[ANARCHIST]

For bear work the Vanguard has the superior extractor. The have many advantages over a 700 except for the availability of a Jewel trigger. Any smith not capable of working on one should probably retire.

Yep IMO the rem 700 really is "over done" the extractor of the Win70 / Mauser 98 CRF is the only way to go if building a DGR - the vanguard & howa are ok actions.

You can buy a interarms (mauser 98) 375 H&H for around $700 or the CZ 550 in various cal for a bit more - I have both and can say they are decent.