Weatherby Vangaurd
 

What are some pros and cons on a Weatherby Vangaurd?

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

Good value for the price,made in Japan by Howa.

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

Generally, they are very good shooters. On the negative side, I always thought they were heavy and not very "refined". Just my $.02.

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

What does bugsNbows mean by ''refined''.I dont care where their made,if they are good rifles I want one!

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

To me their fit and finish wasn't great. They just seemed clumsy and "rough", but still shot well though.

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

What are you talking about, the vanguard with a plastic stock ? because the one with a wood stock are just beautifull, I wouldn't traded for any other gun.

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

You can almost look at this gun in relation to a car.
This would be a honda civic a reliable car but fit and finish not top notch.
If you would want say a fully loaded honda you would pay more.
My Vangaurd is a awesome gun for the money. Mine is a 300mag that i paid $399
Trigger reworked to 3.5lbs thats all i did. Put a VXIII 4.5x14x50 and the gun is all I need for my out west trips. Now friends have the top $ guns and when you compare them side by side you will notice stock finish... bolt action smoothness. But at the range its who's shooting and the Vanguard holds her own even against guns costing over $1500.
Its the best in the price range under 500 that i have shot.

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

Would u prefer the vangaurd over the 700?

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

I have a Rem 700 mountain rifle in 30-06.......looks go to 700...range time they both shoot great. I bought the Vangaurd because of the value and going out west on elk hunt I needed all funds for trip and the 30-06 wouldn't cut it out there IMO. Wanted 300mag.

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

IMO Wby Vanguards are the best rifle for the money on the market. I've got a 257 and 300Roy and with handloads, groups from both land sub-moa as far out as I care to shoot.

The only drawback I see is the cheap tupperware stock.....easily fixed by a DIY paint job.

Brett

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

ive got 2 vg's. ones got a 26 inch broughton 9 5c barrel and a lone wolf howler stock, 6.5-270wsm chamber, need i say more? the other is just a plain jane 270 wsm. i have killed deer at 515 (according to a lieca 1500) with the 6.5, my buddy has killed a deer at 513 with the 270 wsm(according to my bushnell yp 800 which i know cant read properly past 450) and i can hit milk jugs out 800 yards with the 6.5 oven on the worst of days

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

I prefer the actual Howa to the Vanguard. I'm not a fan of the finishes and the plastic stock Weatherby uses. I bought the Howa with the Hogue overmolded rubber stock in stainless and love it. It's light (being a 300WSM), and easy to handle. The rubber stock grips great in wet, cold weather. It doesn't get cold like plastic or wood does either. I've taken 2 deer at 330 yards in the past couple seasons and it's a real shooter. I hand load and got it shooting .7" groups with 165 gr Sierras.

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

I have only shot and handled one in 7mm-08. It was very accurate with 139 grain BTSP and seems to be built like a tank. Nice gun for the money.

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

I bought a Wal-Mart Wby Vanguard in 300Wby a few years ago. I think they were on special for $378 if I remember right. 3X9 Leupy VXII and factory ammo gave me a little inside the 1.5" accuracy guarantee out of the box. Not the prettiest girl at the dance, but it dances OK... as has been stated before, good value for the money I think.....

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

From what i'v heard,the vangaurd is a good gun,what about the ones with a wood stock?

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

I think they look just fine;)
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn9/hunter5325/IMGP1646.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn9/hunter5325/IMGP1648.jpg
Don't shoot bad either...
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn9/hunter5325/IMGP1320-1.jpg

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

All of you guys talking about them not being the prettiest guns on the market do know that they have other models that what Walmart carries.

They have the sporter and stainless sporter with a satin finished walnut stock and rosewood fore end cap.
They have the "back country" with a stainless fluted barrel and a "spider web" finished synthetic stock.
They have the deluxe with high polished steel and a high gloss walnut stock with rosewood fore end cap.

And a whold bunch of other models as well.

They are one of the best values in bolt action rifles and the Howa action is probably the strongest bolt action receiver on the market.

RE: Weatherby Vangaurd
 

+1

The weatherby are good guns, I own one in a 7mm-08 Rem, and it shoots really good too. The vanguard styles are a good fitting gun. For me I 5' 11'' and I couldn't ask for a better fitting gun.

The weatherby are good guns, I own one in a 7mm-08 Rem, and it shoots really good too. The vanguard styles are a good fitting gun. For me I'm 5' 11'' and I couldn't ask for a better fitting gun.

Excellent shooter and price, negative, synthetic stock.

I would buy a Howa from Legacy Sports- I like the features better that Weatherby-Howa has some different cal. that Weatherbyu

I own one in 30-06 bought from Wally World. I shoot dime groups at 100 yards with my hand loads. Great gun for the dough. The only downside is the weight, tooooooo heavy.

Spudrow from Mo

Too dnmn Heavy--otherwise, great groups.

I had two and sold one. They are heavy and triggers have a lot of creep. The Timney replacement is a big improvement. I am a Remington 700 fan and just can't warm up to the Vanguard mainly due to the weight.

For $200 some odd dollars you can drop your Weatherby Vanguard, Howa into a Bell and Carlson Medalist with a full aluminum bed.

I put mine on an axiom stock, it has aluminum pillars.
Its in 7-08 an is probably the most accurate gun I have owned in 30 years. The one thing I dont like is the 2 position safety, I wish it was a 3 position. The trigger came very nice with no creep and I adjusted it down some. The trigger is easier to adjust than the remingtons. Just one screw vs 3 on the rem..

I wonder what makes them on the heavy side though.

heres a pic.

I have one in 300wthby. I purchased a laminate stock from boyd brothers.com, I bedded it and FF'd the barrel and I like the gun a lot better now.

Couple things through my experience.

I cannot shoot the gun multiple times in a row quickly when testing reloads. I have to shoot let the gun cool and shoot again a about 5 mins later otherwise I get a string group. The shots will go in a line usually each shot about 1" higher then the last.

The triggers can be adjusted but still aren't that great. They feel a bit "gritty" not sure how else to explain the feel of it. Also I could not get all of the creep out of mine and its prob close to 4lbs which is a bit high for my tastes. I think a replacement trigger would be the way to go here.

When I removed the original stock there was glue on the barrel. It took some work to get it to come off but you just don't see this on higher end guns.

I prob wouldn't buy another WTHBY caliber with a 24" barrel. I really think you need a 26" to get the true velocity out of these calibers. If I had it to do again I would have bought a standard caliber.

I purchased mine the 1st year they were available at Walmart and if I remember correctly they were only available in 270, 30-06 and 300wthby(could be wrong here though)

Overall for a <$400 rifle they are hard to beat. I think a stock upgrade and a replacement trigger would be great additions to the gun.

X2 - I was going to buy a W Vangard Sub MOA. After holding it, shouldering it, and working the action, I bought a Model 700 Mountain Stainless instead. Glad I did

I got Vanguard with wooden stock in .30/06. It is 4 for 4 with one shot kills. We loaded some handloads today and after we found the powder it likes with a 5 shot group at 100 yards every hole was touching. I won the gun in raffle but I really like it.

im betting a savage will bbe around with parts and such for a long time.bless all you americans

I enjoyed reading all the comments.


I think I can count on one hand (with a few fingers left) the negitives points.


Price value is what it's all about, no matter how much money you end up spending.


Beauty is in the eye of the beholder !!!

one thing about the vanguard is it has a pressure point on the barrel up at the front of the stock
weatherby gives a 1 1/2" group guarrantee, but I would remove that pressure point to float the barrell.
My vanguard with a floated barrell will do under an inch off a cold bore every single time.
for instance last time at the range off a just cleaned barrel I put 4 in an inch in the bull and left, killed 3 hogs at the ranch with head shots, back to the range to check velocities as I got my new chrony, put 3 in the bull (.67 ) through the chrony off a cold bore.
Thats 7 consecutive bulls eyes under an inch on different days, and 3 head shot hogs.
This thing amazes me.

I agree JDHOGG - GO American made!!!

not my best group, just one I was able to retrieve.

I'm not sure why just can't warm up to the Howa action or the Vangaurd.

It's more a looks thing never shot one. Only fondled a few.

Tom

is it the action you dont like to look at or the gun as a whole, because the gun utself isnt very apealing I have to agree.
But I went with the vanguard with intentions of putting on a nice stock.

Well the stock is the major culprit, no doubt. But to me even the bolt body, the bolt shroud and the bolt handle just don't do it for me either.

I'm a pretty die hard Winchester fan but I'm willing to shoot other rifles. Heck on a rare occasion I've actually wanted to shoot a few Rem 700's I've seen. LOL.

Like I said, just can't warm up to the Howa action/Weatherby Vanguard. Heck even the Nosler Custom kind of turned me off when I first saw it.

Tom

If you have a budget and want to stick to it, and your budget is a vanguard then there you have it. I had a blued/synthetic in 30-06. It shot under 1 1/2 MOA out of the box. They are good rifles, just not my cup of tea. A little to heavy, 24in barrel not good for eastern whitetail hunting and I found it a little heavy. But they are a good rifle. And I am a Remington fan.

Mine is the same except blued instead of stainless.....I really like the overmolded rubber. Mine is a .223 and shoots fine, carrys fine and just plain works.....prairie dogs hate it!