Weatherby bolt rifles love them or hate them?

[Linkerman]

Of the two variations of Weatherby rifles; Mark V and Vanguard. Which is your favorite, which is your least favorite and why? Understanding that they are two very different actions and both offered in Weatherby Magnum rounds and standard caliber rounds.

 

[Corylax18]

I just purchased a Vanguard Talon in .270, I should have it my hands early next week. It will mostly be a Pronghorn and Mule Deer gun. After my M70 .300WM tore up an entire mule deer quarter a couple years ago, I decided to take a couple steps down.

I finally gave up on the Browning X bolt in .270 I had patiently been working with for the last 4 years or so. After two trips back to browning it still wouldn't group any better than about 6" at 100 with any ammo. I finally bought a bore scope after the 2nd return and the lands are way off square. I could have it re barreled, but honestly, I'm just over it at this point.

 

[Tbitty]

One of my favorite rifles is a (now discontinued) Vanguard Varmint Special in .223. Bought it cheap when I was in college and wanted to go shoot some Prairie Dogs, but it's proved to be ridiculously accurate, especially for the money.

I regularly do a search for a used one to have another, I enjoy it that much. Haven't ever shot a Mark V, but wouldnt hesitate to buy any Weatherby rifle should the right opportunity arise.

 

[JimP]

I also have a Mark V and a Vanguard. The Mark V is a 340 stainless with the glass stock. It's also one of the first made when Weatherby brought manufacturing back to the US.

The Vanguard is a 25-06, two totally different rifles but both are great performers with fantastic accuracy .

I used the 340 on both of my South African hunts and use the 25-06 on mule deer and pronghorn here in the US.

 

[BryceM]

I like them. They're...... different. Not everyone's cup of tea. I like the strength of the action, short bolt throw, the quality of the walnut, the Mk V stock design, and they're usually pretty accurate. If the bullets of the day been up to par with the original chamberings, they'd have been even more popular.

I have several Mk Vs. Two Vanguards, one Mk XXII.

Reloading them is a bit different. Besides needing a scoop shovel to measure the powder, the freebore is insane. One of my Mk V rifles is set back 0.125" from the lands...... that's 1/8 of an inch for anyone following along. Still shoots just over 1/2 MOA, so it seems to work.

What I don't like? The sharp recoil that accompanies high velocity projectiles. I can shoot a .300 well. The .257 is perfectly married to modern monolithics, (but it's insanely LOUD). The .340 gets old pretty quick. I have no interest in the .378, .416, or .460. The 6.5-.300 is a bit interesting, and I'm considering having the .340 rechambered to that. Barrel life probably isn't great. Probably most people don't shoot them well. I didn't, for many years.

 

[samson7x]

Never have been interested in one until the Capra announced this year. May give one of those a try.

 

[Corylax18]

Never have been interested in one until the Capra announced this year. May give one of those a try.

Yes, the Capra looks like a very interesting rifle. In .280 AI, I couldn't imagine a much better setup for deep backcountry Elk, Mule Deer, Sheep, Etc.

 

[Mizzou100]

I love the new 307 (remington 700 style) action it is very well done, I have the 307 Adventure (walnut) SD in 7mm BC and a 20 inch barrel, i have ordered a Banish Backcountry for it. The first 3 shot group at 100 yards was 1/2 inch (the wind was gusting to 23mph), and every group I have shot has been well under moa. I also like wood and the rifle is stunning, I sincerely feel like the value is high, its nicer than some of the $3k semi custom rifles I have shot.

I love what Adam Weatherby is doing with the company, and if you ever need customer support it is next level.

I also have a 1974 Japanese made Mark V Deluxe in 300 WBY,,, the fit and finish is spectacular.

I also love Ruger M77's and Winchester Model 70's, so I am not a fan boy, just really appreciate the current Weatherby's as well.

Just my thoughts,

Mike

 

[Twraska]

Son has several WBY, 300, 338-378, two 460’s. Daughter in law shoots a WBY 300 and granddaughter (16) shoots a WBY 257. The girls are fairly short armed and had to have custom stocks made, but Bell and Carlson fixed them up.

As to recoil, I’ve never had an opportunity to shoot either 460, the others ain’t bad. But,,, I grew up shooting 12 gauge magnums at geese, sandhill cranes and ducks.

As to the post about the 257 being loud, yes, it is and with some powders, makes a quite spectacular fireball!

Lastly, to the post about powder usage,,,,, well,,,,, it’s like driving a sports car. You don’t expect it to be efficient.

 

[Safari Dave]

I Love Weatherby's

Mark V or Vanguards, it doesn't matter to me.

I once bought a .300 WBY Mag Mark V Euromark with the barrel shot out (even though it looked brand new), spent stupid $ on trying to make it shoot right, then finally had it rebarreled to .257 WBY mag.


It now shoots perfectly.

Weatherby lover here!

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

Weatherby now offers several models which I was able to handle at a recent Weatherby exhibit. Of the two actions you mention my experience is with the Mark V. The Mark V is available in a nice big action which I like. I think the .340 Wby and .460 Wby are very useful and the .375 Wby is a dandy. George Hoffman developed his .416 Hoffman on a Mark V action.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Love "Uncle Roy's" creations! 'Have Mk Vs in .257 and 6.5-300, and have shot friends' in 7 300 and 340. Phenomenally accurate (and it's due in part that that HUGE action w/ 9 lugs!) They can be heavy, but worth the extra heft. The 6.5-300 is all carbon (excepting the action and inner bbl.) 1-hole groups!!! *You have to be mindful of the lengthy bbls in some calibers, when scaling cliffs, brush and/or low-hanging branches, stand rails and doorways (incl. vehicles when you reach in for something!) They are cannons that work well!!! After awhile, with the .257, every single deer shot was DRT. It started to get a little boring. lol

The Vanguard. Friend has one in .257. Shorter bbl, much smaller 6-lug action. It's not as "Interesting." Read into that. It's a means for someone to own a Wby but not have to pay full price for a V. That said, I have an ultralightweight, weatherproof Wby w/ the Mg receiver and 6-lug bolt (they call it Mk V but clearly it's a Vanguard-style action) but it's ok with an '06 case heavily handloaded. <1" groups. It's lighter, less costly. Just limit your shot distances a bit (as compared to the V's potential). The 338-06 A-sq one was more costly than a Vanguard. I like it-it's my combo deer/bear gun and I once took an elk with it in a blizzard. Come to think of it now, I sold it to a friend and it just sat in his basement for years, so I bought it back when he moved!

Go Mark V. Choose the options that fit your hunting style/territory/quarry-for they are myriad over the years! And, although they come in many popular chamberings, go Wby, the only exception to that I'd say is .460 as the entire body under my head says "NO." LOL *I also don't own a lead sled.

 

[baxterb]

Many moons ago we had a vanguard through the store I worked at. The customer returned it saying he could not chamber a round. Sure enough, we grabbed a flashlight and voila! - the chamber was never cut.

The included test target was excellent though.

All the other ones we sold were popular and never had issues.

 

[analog_peninsula]

My .257 Terramark RC is every bit as promised. Not a lightweight rifle, but I knew that when I bought it. No regrets.

 

[Corylax18]

Since my first post, I've added a Mark V Deluxe in 30-06 to the collection as well. I should have it and the Vanguard in my hands by the end of the week. I cant wait to get them scoped and dialed in!

 

[45-70guy]

My first hunting rifle I purchased with my own money and it was a wealthy vanguard 30-06. I still have it today, 20 years later, it was an awesome shooter with favtory and handloads. Took my first black bear with it. (435 pounds ) i thought it was the only rifle I needed up until I had money to buy more rifles

 

[Rifleman97]

I Love Weatherby's

Mark V or Vanguards, it doesn't matter to me.

I once bought a .300 WBY Mag Mark V Euromark with the barrel shot out (even though it looked brand new), spent stupid $ on trying to make it shoot right, then finally had it rebarreled to .257 WBY mag.


It now shoots perfectly.

Weatherby lover here!

I love 257 wby, here’s my vanguard in 257 wby. I can’t stand the stock though, too flimsy and too low of cheek rest. I’m okay with adding a bit of weight so I filled the entire barrel channel cutout area with epoxy to stiffen it up so it’s less prone to POI shift from different positions and holds. But I realized it’s never gonna be what I want, so I have started making a new stock for it out of curly maple. It should be done by now but life keeps happening every single time I try and do more on it.

 

[txtrout75218]

I like both. I think the Vanguards are an outstanding value. I normally put mine in nice wood stacks though.

 

[Edward Wright]

I don’t own a Mark V , but bought a Vangard 300. I truly love that caliber, and appreciate Weatherby dedication to accuracy. I have gotten 0.42 groups with 150gr Barnes, with only a little hand loader tweaks. The Vangard line is probably the best value in low cost accuracy there is. It was held by Savage for decades, but they have priced themselves out of the arena , on cost effective quality. I would not hesitate to buy a Mark V , I just don’t need anything above 300 in a Weatherby. It’s not cost , just caliber in WBY are often pressure not needed in some cases

 

[50Gunner]

Like 'em, as a young single man working my tail off they were the first and nicest rifles I had ever purchased, 378 and 460 Magnums cured a lot of ails and wonderment in the early days LOL.

Then saw some poor kid carrying around a 20 inch barreled 460 Magnum at the Tulsa Gun Show, his right arm was in a sling, you can't make that up, people were avoiding him like he was sweating leprosy ; ]

I walked up, hey young man, what are you going to do with that shoulder pounder? sell it, how much? 600 bucks, I paid the kid and left, sold the blonde with dark chocolate streaks stock in a gun paper and got my money back, gave the barrel to my 'Smith, he made it fit a Ruger #3 for a camp fun gun, he is a sick and brutal man ; ]

Ordered a 10 twist 28" stainless Shilen barrel, and a Pacific Research stock, that was my first big 338 wildcat, it still resides here today, although on it's second 10 twist Shilen barrel, fun times.