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Weatherby Vanguard #5406143 11/08/14 03:39 AM
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SkiBuck Offline OP
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Thinking about getting one in .308. What are yall's opinions?

Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5406164 11/08/14 03:52 AM
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jhenderson Offline
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Got one and its for sale actually. Great gun. Very accurate. Have had the trigger worked over and it's pretty good now.

Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5406165 11/08/14 03:53 AM
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jhenderson Offline
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Smooth action. Not the best to customize but I don't have to change everything to make it look cool. It's about function.

Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5406293 11/08/14 07:49 AM
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Toxarch Offline
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I've got a Weatherby Vanguard Sub MOA in .308 and I love it. I'm thinking about having it threaded for a suppressor.


It is far more important to be able to hit the target than it is to haggle over who makes a weapon or who pulls a trigger.

� Dwight D. Eisenhower
Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5406327 11/08/14 11:11 AM
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davvy Offline
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Have a first Gen in 300win mag that's for sale cuz I tried out the second Gen. Same basic functions but they truly turned it into a great camp gun with just a few small upgrades.

Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5406410 11/08/14 01:12 PM
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WileyCoyote Offline
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Ya'll school me here ....I'm looking to get into a single brand with enough caliber selection to make it interesting...and BOBO's been beating the attributes of the 257Wby loud & long enough to make me wanna stop and think about one.

Whats the difference in real world usable upgrades between the original post VGX/VGS/VG? series x's the recent S1 2 position safety model, and the new S2 Series with a 3 position safety? Is the S2's new trigger that much better than the S1's?

I do like the 3 position safety, that has become important to me as my geezerhood is showing up more as fumblitis sets in when buck fever hits me, that locks the trigger but allows the bolt to be opened ala current Ruger 77 Hawkeye's & Winchester M70's - which is my only real gritch against Tikka T3's in the lack of a lockable trigger but with access to open the bolt & why SAKO A7's and M85's and above now use a different system.

I know these have been made by Howa for a waaay long time & had a couple of the even older Smith & Wesson 1500's "back in the day" that were decent shooters about like the average out of the box Ruger 77's of the day, but were just unexciting to me at the time, and had no aftermarket upgrades available back then.
Ron


It is TIME for Term Limits, cause Politicians are like childrens diapers and for the same reasons...Robin Williams

"These are the times that try men's soul's"...Thomas Paine

"Those who fail to learn from History are doomed to repeat it" ....Santayana
Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5406517 11/08/14 02:20 PM
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Buzzsaw Offline
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Skibuck. I shot next to a guy yesterday, he had one in .270 and one in '06. Both shot great, the .270 shot a bit tighter group. I think Timney makes a replacement trigger. That's all I would change. OH and get a GREAT scope!!! They already have great barrels


SPACE FOR RENT


Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5406554 11/08/14 02:41 PM
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WBYHunter Offline
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I have a 308 vanguard and it shoots sub MOA with the cheap Federal Power Shok 150gr SP. Trigger from the factory is 3 lbs on my trigger scale. For the money it's very hard to beat.


God
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Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5406566 11/08/14 02:49 PM
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Bullfrog Offline
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If you get the 257, do yourself a favor and find the right ammo for the gun. I personally wouldn't do factory ammo for that caliber if I get another. Too many variables that shot different. Hand load and be done with it once you get the data. I wish I would have kept mine and I WILL have another one day.


[Linked Image]
Originally Posted by machinist
Man if I knew what Oxner knows I could throw away what I know
Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5406604 11/08/14 03:10 PM
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The Tomcat 210 Offline
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Have Vanguards in .300WBY Magnum and .270WIN. I bought and use them as my mountain guns because they were cheap and thought if they got messed up I wouldn't feel so bad. Hunt elk/mulies in Colorado every year and needed something accurate and light. These two rifles have been put through the ringer on 4wheelers, in the back of trucks, mud, rain, snow, salt etc. and come out shooting great every time. I have very good optics on them which makes the difference on any gun. I even use the factory stocks and have no problems at all. Had the triggers worked on a little and I take them and all my other rifles in to the gunsmith every year for a "tune up" but that's it. Oh yeah and I replaced the butt pads to limbsavers. Very necessary on the .300!

In my opinion these are solid rifles that can be used by any hunter in any situation.

Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5406631 11/08/14 03:23 PM
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chital_shikari Offline
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Our S1s shoot great-(22-250 & 30-06)
Solid rifles, good triggers. Idk about the S1. Definitely worth buying.

Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5406823 11/08/14 05:27 PM
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Toxarch Offline
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Isn't the S1 a reworked Howa 1500? Same action at least, different trigger and shorter barrel I think. That would be a good option if you plan to replace the stock and trigger later. Not sure if they use the Howa for the S2.


It is far more important to be able to hit the target than it is to haggle over who makes a weapon or who pulls a trigger.

� Dwight D. Eisenhower
Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5406928 11/08/14 07:00 PM
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WBYHunter Offline
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Yes the S1 is basically a Howa 1500. I believe the action and barrel are made in Japan and it's assembled here.


God
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Hunting
Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5407103 11/08/14 09:18 PM
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- And the Howa, in turn, is a knock-off of an older Sako design from what I understand.

The Weatherby Vanguard is one of the best rifle deals around. You get a lot for your money.


Last edited by charlesb; 11/08/14 09:19 PM.

Kind regards, charlesb


Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5407106 11/08/14 09:21 PM
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SkiBuck Offline OP
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Well here she is. If it shoots half as good as it looks, I'll be tickled. Cabelas makes it way too easy to spend money.




Last edited by SkiBuck; 11/08/14 11:34 PM.
Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5407122 11/08/14 09:32 PM
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Bullfrog Offline
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I love it


[Linked Image]
Originally Posted by machinist
Man if I knew what Oxner knows I could throw away what I know
Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5407206 11/08/14 10:35 PM
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WileyCoyote Offline
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Reason I'm asking is that the October issue of Ourdoor Life ranks the S2 Vanguard @ $799 in a Sporter grade semi gloss finish in wood & blue in their annual 10 best deer rifles, along with the $1465 Remmy Sendero SF II, the SAKO Finnlite @ $1699, the Nosler Patriot @ $1695 & the Ruger American @ $499, and some other non bolt action shooters.

IDK anything about a Remmy, and have no interest in learning, it's an old issue with me, nor would I buy a Ruger American when I could buy IMO a light years better gun in a T/C Venture at close to the same MSRP of $538 x's $499 last time I looked. Never saw a Nosler Patriot but would feel comfortable with it or the Finnlite if I was in the market to spend past $2k scope and all for a rifle...but I'm not....and that leaves the Weatherby Vanguard S2 competing with Tikka, Savage, Browning A & X bolts, Ruger 77's & Winchester M70's in the couple 2-3 hunnert bux below $1k +/- median MSRP price point is where Kimber, Montana Rifle Co and mebbe some others that don't stand out to me right now live.

So let me re frame the question this way, I'm seeing left over disc'd blue/syn base NIB Vanguard S1's at $500'ish+ and S2's with an impressive list of upgrades shown in the Website for +$150/$250 grade for grade...ARE the S2's a better gun from personal experience than the other guys in the same price point ABOVE the Ruger American and BELOW the Kimber & MRC base line guns @ $1,000/$1300 MSRP's???
Ron

Last edited by WileyCoyote; 11/08/14 10:45 PM.

It is TIME for Term Limits, cause Politicians are like childrens diapers and for the same reasons...Robin Williams

"These are the times that try men's soul's"...Thomas Paine

"Those who fail to learn from History are doomed to repeat it" ....Santayana
Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5407391 11/09/14 12:25 AM
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JRJ6 Offline
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Awesome rifle

Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5407730 11/09/14 03:31 AM
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LandPirate Offline
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Really beautiful wood on your rifle. I bought the same rifle in 257 wby mag. I haven't scoped it yet, therefore haven't shot it yet.


Mike
Buda, Tx
Hunt near Freer
Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5407739 11/09/14 03:34 AM
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505ed Offline
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Good ol Howa 1500s..solid gun!

Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5407763 11/09/14 03:45 AM
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Wiley
Buy the S2. Yes the price difference is worth it. Try the new 2 stage trigger before you do anything with it. They are all set at between 3.25 and 3 lbs. If you get a .257 WBY, which I would, you won't need to reload. I have shot basically all of the factory loads 100 grains and up and all of them shot Sub moa. The one I'm shooting currently like the 110 accubond a lot. Average groups are 5/8".

Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5407811 11/09/14 04:21 AM
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Bullfrog Offline
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Hunt west you're probably right about the S2. Mine was a 1 and it just wouldn't ever group with factory stuff. Once I'd get it dialed in with one box, the next box would be off by a few, if not more inches than I was comfy hunting with. I will say this, nobody out there will say weatherby isn't a great value for what ya get. I dream to have a higher end wood stocked one in 257 one day.


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Originally Posted by machinist
Man if I knew what Oxner knows I could throw away what I know
Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5407982 11/09/14 07:56 AM
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The Tomcat 210 Offline
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Wow that's a nice stock! Never seen a Lazermark in person.

Last edited by The Tomcat 210; 11/09/14 08:00 AM.
Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5408029 11/09/14 12:34 PM
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have a s1 in in 257 with the pencil thin 26 barrel first 2 shots are alway right on and tight together when i do my part, 3 as barrel heats up move about 1/2 ". i love the thing enough that i bought a heavy barrel s2 in 22-250 that is a dream. now i want a lazermark in257

Re: Weatherby Vanguard [Re: SkiBuck] #5408309 11/09/14 04:11 PM
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WileyCoyote Offline
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Is There Anywhere in DFW North that has a sizeable inventory of S2's to put hands on?

Cabella's in Allen had a super skinny 1/2 dozen in all models On Hand last time I was down 3 weeks ago, but is the closest Big Box Store @ 75 miles away. Downside of living at the Lake is adding an hour+ to any destination in North Dallas to Grapevine to shop for anything you've never seen before and have to hunt the usual players store's for, so it's not exactly like running to the local grocery store.

The Lazermark is a nioe upgrade both in the Grade of wood and in the design of the "checkering". The design is a copy of the SAKO Anniversary Gun's 3 dimensional hand carved Oak Leaf scroll I saw being done in '84 by the Mgr of the SAKO Plant's wood shop...and took him a week per stock to carve freehand while sitting at his office desk, with only a 100 produced at that time.
Ron


It is TIME for Term Limits, cause Politicians are like childrens diapers and for the same reasons...Robin Williams

"These are the times that try men's soul's"...Thomas Paine

"Those who fail to learn from History are doomed to repeat it" ....Santayana
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