hey guys...trying to decide on a weatherby vangaurd in .300 win mag or a Browning A-bolt .300 WSM. I want to get the Browning, but is the Weatherby a good buy also? Any of you guys/girls have this rifle or know someone who does -- I' d love to get some real feedback from users. Thanks a lot.

I bought the synthetic Weatherby Vanguard in 300 Wby Mag about 3 years ago. This rifle is awesome and I love it. I hunted with a Sako Finnbear for 15 years before shooting my Vanguard so I' m not comparing it to a piece of junk either. The Vanguard is a very well-made rifle. The action is and feeding is smooth. The fit and finish is great and it shoots very well. The only complaint one might have is that it' s kind of heavy. That' s OK. A lot of solid, quality rifles are a little on the heavy side. Plus, I wouldn' t want to shoot an ultra-light 300 Wby Mag too much anyway. I bought the rifle at Wal-Mart and paid $388 for it. I put a Leupold 3-9 Vari-XII scope on it. I love this rifle and it' s always the first one I grab. Go for it.

The Vanguard is a very nice rifle. It' s made by Howa, and you can pick up a Howa for slightly less than the vanguard and have the same gun.

But, it' s not a Browning.

Look at Tikka also. You will be impressed with it for the money.

If I remember correctly the Vanguard is not a true Weatherby. It' s actually a Howa rifle with Weatherby markings. Howa makes a good reliable rifle for the money. So you' re paying a extra $100 over the Howa just for the Weatherby stamp. If I' m wrong I' m sure someone will correct me

I would stick with the Browning. It may cost a little more but it' s a nicer rifle.

The weatherby vanguard is actually a howa rifle with the weatherby name stamped on it.They are actually very well made rifles and the only product with the weatherby name on it that is not grossly overpriced.They are in fact a very good buy for the price.And as previous mentioned they are not a browning as they offer just as good or better quality for much less money.

I got my Vanguard for $388. If you can get a Howa 1500 for less, I would do it. Either way, you' re spending little $ and getting a lot of rifle.

When I was selling guns last winter, the Howa (blued/synthetic) was going for $349.00 with the Stainless/Synthetic for $399.00.

In my mind, the Howa, Weatherby Vangaard and the A-Bolt are roughly equivalent quality firearms......all pretty good.

If you buy the Howa you have a few bucks left over to put on a fine Leupold!