Gun Review of the Weatherby Vanguard

The Weatherby Vanguard is Weatherby's entry level rifle. The Weatherby Vanguard is much more economical than the Mark V or other Weatherby offerings. The Weatherby Vanguard is available for just under $400 in my area, which is about half of the price of the Weatherby Mark V. The Weatherby Vanguard compares in price to the Remington Model 700 and is cheaper than the Winchester Model 70. Upgrading to a walnut stock over a synthetic stock will add a hundred dollars or so the price of the Vanguard. However in true Weatherby fashion the Vanguard does not come in plain looking wood, but rather the finely finished wood that Weatherby is known for producing. The great looking wood stock makes the Vanguard a great buy for those who prefer real wood. The less expensive Vanguard Sporter provides a rosewood forend piece, while the more expensive Deluxe model provides both a rosewood forend piece and grip cap with maple spacers.

The Weatherby Vanguard is based upon a Howa action but the other parts are Weatherby. One of the best features of the Weatherby Vanguard rifle is the accuracy guarantee. Weatherby guarantees that the Vanguard rifle will shoot into less than 1 ½ inches at 100 yards. While 1 ½ inches is not great accuracy it is more than enough for hunting purposes. In any case, the handful of Weatherby Vanguard rifles that I have shot all did much better than an 1 ½ group. The Weatherby Vanguard offers a number of calibers for most hunting purposes running from the .223 Remington to the .338 Winchester Magnum. My primary complaint about the Weatherby Vanguard is that it is only offered in two Weatherby Magnum calibers: the .257 Weatherby Magnum and the .300 Weatherby Magnum. The Weatherby Vanguard weighs about 7 ½ pounds and feature 24 inch barrels. Triggers on the Weatherby Vanguard are fully adjustable and are set at the factory at about 3 pounds. A carbine version of the rifle is available with a 20 inch barrel in short action calibers which would make a great woods rifle.

Firing the Weatherby Vanguard shows the great fit and mechanics of the rifle. The action is smooth, the rifle points well, and the trigger is crisp. Handling the Weatherby Vanguard in the field is great as well. While the 24 inch barrel adds some length to the gun, it still balances and feels good in the hands.

The Weatherby Vanguard offers a high quality rifle at a reasonable price. If you are in the market for a great hunting rifle, the Weatherby Vanguard especially in the wood stock models offers a great value.