Weatherby Vanguard

[Ol' Red]

Red, you hunt prairie doge with .338? I see red mist.

I usually use a .223, but also take one of the big game rifles along for a few fun shots. I can add a little fun and is good practice for deer or elk season.

 

[Backcountry sports]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this.
Why is there no love for Weatherby Vanguards?
Everybody always talks about Remington actions or Tikkas and Savages and a lot of other rifles.
I don't understand why people don't talk about Vanguards. I have 18 firearms. My most accurate is a whetherby Vanguard 2 .243. it seems the machining on them is really good. The triggers on the 2s are decent. The actions are solid. You can get them and buy decent stalks.
Just curious of people's opinions

I know Howa makes them and it's the same action. I don't have a Howa so not sure if everything like trigger and barrel are the same

There barrels are to tight against the stock

 

[Scammie77]

I have both a Howa and a Vanguard and they are great rifles. Never thought to use them for builds. May have to look into that.

 

[just_jon]

Can't speak to the current vanguards, but my 1993 deluxe in 7 STW (formerly 7RM) is one of the best shooting rifles I own. I've also owned its cousin (S&W 1500 deluxe) around the same time frame. Wish I still had it.

 

[Backcountry sports]

Can't speak to the current vanguards, but my 1993 deluxe in 7 STW (formerly 7RM) is one of the best shooting rifles I own. I've also owned its cousin (S&W 1500 deluxe) around the same time frame. Wish I still had it.

Meat eater and vanguard's stock against the barrel why did they do that

 

[carpetman2]

This is my Vanguard series 2 in a Stocky's thumb hole laminate with a 26" Brux and muscle brake In 270wsm. It shoots .5 most days and is deadly to 800 yards with 165 gr. Matrix vld's. I love it.

 

[Deleted member 8840]

I'm shooting half inch groups at 300 yards with my 6.5 300 weatherby Vanguard Accuguard. Weatherby said they were not making them anymore. They may be losing to many sales on the Mark 5 to this model of Vanguard. I wish I had this rifle years ago. One of the best rifles I've ever owned. It is a hunting rifle and not a plicker. You will have to have good glass on it to shoot real accurate 300 yards.

 

[kevinmorgan]

I did not like the first vanguards. They felt cheap and the stock flexed too much. I have a Vanguard 2 in .338 Win Mag, just haven't had much chance to shoot it. It has a decent trigger. Good enough for prairie dogs next summer.

.338 Win Mag for PD's?

 

[Fedwell]

There barrels are to tight against the stock

That is easy to remedy ....BTW my 6.5-300 is NOT

 

[foxtrotter]

I have been looking at the vanguard for a month or 2 now. Seems to be one of the only factory guns that's chambered in 25-06 that has a 24" barrel on it. I owned one of the first vanguard back in the 90s. I didn't have any issues with it other than it was a 30-06. Ever since I changed my 25-06 to a 280ai I've had the itch for another and I think the vanguard may scratch that itch!

I have one of these. I bought it instead of the Howa because of the increased barrel length. I doesn't hurt that the stock has a higher cheek rest too.

 

[Ol' Red]

.338 Win Mag for PD's?

Not yet, next summer. You don't shoot large rifles all day or near hunting season. My main rifle is a .223, but it's good to take a couple of your hunting rifles also. A target that is alive and moves is always better than paper if not working up a load. I have used .243 through .300 Win Mag and magnum pistols. It is good practice and no worries about meat damage.

 

[ndking1126]

I don't like their stocks so I wont buy one to shoot as is. If talking about buying an action to build off of, it's cheaper and you have more flexibility if you start with a Savage. That's why for me, but I cant speak for anyone else. Seems like really well built rifles though.

 

[RMorris]

I had a Howa 7 mag when they first came out and it was a dog. I spent money on a stock and a trigger trying to get it a little better. It never shot more than 1.5 MOA groups, and they were usually much worse with hunting ammo. Hours, and a small fortune spent hand loading, and I decided to cut my losses.

The reticle in the scope looked like it fit a .270 130 grain ballistic curve just about perfectly. I came across a vanguard in .270 at a pawn shop and it looked new. I swapped out the barreled actions, dropping the .270 in a B&C with Timney trigger and sold the 7 mag for a profit.

My .270 is a MOA gun and that reticle is close enough to keep it on a 10 in gong at 600.
I don't load for it much. It shoots whatever 130 gr junk is on the shelf to about the same POA. It has become the gun I loan to people or a back up for casual hunting. I just don't have to think about it.
It is the epitome of practical...and that is why I don't like it at all!

My Tikkas an 700s have been better shooters overall, but I like the Vanguard's action.
Someday it will be a .338-06.
Who is everyone using to work on these? I didn't think many smiths wanted to bother with them.

 

[1maxhunter]

Only issue with a build on these is metric threads on the barrel. My lathes aren't set up to cut metric. I'v been told it can be done but i dont know how to do that. The bottom metal screws are metric also.