Why is there not much talk about Weatherby Rifles?

[mwkelso]

are you guys saying that Howa actually makes the Vanguards or that they are just similar?

The Weatherby Vanguard and Howa 1500 are nearly the same rifle. The stocks are interchangeable.
But yes, Howa produces the Vanguard.

 

[55stone]

Does weatherby own Howa or something like that?

 

[mwkelso]

Does weatherby own Howa or something like that?

Not that I am aware of. I'm sure there is someone that can speak more confidently to that than I can though.

 

[Hueyman]

i personally have never fired one but i know there isnt ever much talk on here about them. Is it due to not a ton of aftermarket support (im assuming that never really looked) and we all like messing with rifles lol. Are they just not a well built rifle for the price? Not accurate? Just wondering.

I have had a couple, I think that most problems that people have is that these rifles have more free bore than others, I have a .223 heavy barrel an d it has been hard to reload for, I retorqued the barrel to stock and I finally woke up, the gun did not like the bullet I was reloading, switched Bullets, and it shoots as good as any rifle that I have had, I kind of like the thing nice trigger smooth action

 

[Hueyman]

Does weatherby own Howa or something like that?

I believe that they do, as they make the vanguard

 

[YZ-80]

I'm ACTIVELY shopping for my first MarkV. I have Carbon Fiber stocks on my other custom rifles and now want a rifle with beautiful wood. I'm 68 and have loved them since I was a kid. I cant afford the $5000 price tag and year wait to have a custom wood stocked rifle built.

There's a few nice Mark Vs in .257 on Guns International at present.

 

[jarnold37]

i personally have never fired one but i know there isnt ever much talk on here about them. Is it due to not a ton of aftermarket support (im assuming that never really looked) and we all like messing with rifles lol. Are they just not a well built rifle for the price? Not accurate? Just wondering.

Weatherby rifles definitely have prettystocks and are a thing of beauty. Weatherby cartridges produce high velocity results. But two things about the cartridges and the chamberings that I wish were different. The first thing is the quarter inch jump to the riflings, freebore. It does allow for a little higher velocity as the pressure peak occurs before bullet hits rifling. Hard to get great accuracy with that big of a jump. I built a 30-378 years before they bacame a legitimate cartridge from factory, and later a 338-378. I ordered reamers with no freebore for accuracy. Secondly, the belt. I know many say that she aint a magnum unless she has a belt and many also say they have no trouble with the belt, just neck size etc. But if you have a chamber that is bigger than nominal at back, the belt will swell and you cant size it back. There are no pluses for a belt, only drawbacks. There are reamers made to cut chamber without a belt and you turn the belts off the cases, but then dies become a problem. Also, the Weatherby brass is not as durable as primer pockets will swell after just a few resizings. If only Lapua made the brass.

 

[Deleted member 103481]

Does weatherby own Howa or something like that?

Weatherby does not own howa, but howa does manufacture the vanguards for weatherby. Howa is a Japanese machine company that makes firearms, tools, all kinds of stuff.

 

[montana west]

Weatherby make a great rifle it is the Vanguard.. the Mark V is too expensive and it is over engineered and ammo is 300% more.. again the only real good weatherby round was and is the 375 weathrby and it was built on a Commerical Mauser from Europe..

 

[mwkelso]

Weatherby does not own howa, but howa does manufacture the vanguards for weatherby. Howa is a Japanese machine company that makes firearms, tools, all kinds of stuff.

Just to add a little to this from brief researching just now; Howa is "owned" by Legacy Sports International. I haven't found if LSI is a shell to Howa, or if there was a buyout at some point in the past.

 

[WYO300RUM]

To me, with Weatherby rifles it all about the nostalgia. I like the "older" ones - like you'd find at an estate sale. In this case, 1972. To me, it's really cool to take a rifle that has been packed away in an attic for 45 years and breathe life into it. Especially with your own hand loads.

I was 5 when this one came out of the Howa arsenal. Blissfully unaware, as I rode around on my Big-wheel, that I would be united with such a beauty so many years later.

View attachment 200081

Awesome wood on it !

 

[Deleted member 103481]

Just to add a little to this from brief researching just now; Howa is "owned" by Legacy Sports International. I haven't found if LSI is a shell to Howa, or if there was a buyout at some point in the past.

Starts getting really muddy here....

but I think howa machinery Ltd owns legacy sports international, as LSI is their US howa distributor/company just like Highland outdoors limited is their UK company that sells Howa rifles.

Not that it really matters lol

 

[257WTBY]

I'm a huge Weatherby fan I own lots of MKV's I have had vangards and howas. I dont know why the popularity never caught on fully. Dont get me wrong I would hunt anything that walks with my 338/378. It has a brake and is a heavy rifle. I have some fancy wooded Weatherbys mostly as collectors I hunt with the composite stocked rifles most. If I have to pick my absolute favorite weathery caliber I would say 257/340/257/340/257/340 its a toss up of those two rounds.

I know one thing my dad never hunted or owned a Weatherby just because he hated the shape of the stock. That could be one thing.

Who knows...

 

[skipglo]

i personally have never fired one but i know there isnt ever much talk on here about them. Is it due to not a ton of aftermarket support (im assuming that never really looked) and we all like messing with rifles lol. Are they just not a well built rifle for the price? Not accurate? Just wondering.

They are awesome....no two ways about it.,.years ago they were too high priced for the average one gun owner....now there are a huge variety of other manufacturers and "Custom" ha ha builders charging higher prices bringing Weatherby and competitive price market