Weatherby Vanguard "Select" - Any good?

It's a decent action at a decent price, but to my thinking would only be interesting if your intention was to replace or highly modify the stock. I would expect decent groups but poor positional stability in factory trim. Otherwise it's yet another decent push feed hunting action.

gunsrfun1 said:

Thanks Llama, but can you explain a bit more what you mean about the stock's "positional stability"? I think you're saying it's a basic plastic stock that isn't all that useful. (I wouldn't buy it if I am going to have to replace the stock.)

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Yes, that's what I'm saying. Rifles with basic plastic or wood stocks without bedding and possibly rigidity work will experience shifts when shot from field positions. You sight it in on the bench, and then shoot it from slung prone or over a log or sitting, and it shoots say 1.5 MOA different point of impact from where it shot on the bench.

The issue of course is that there are very few if any rifles in that price range that have don't have this problem. They know very few people actually get their rifle to the field, let alone do accuracy testing there. So that's where they cut the cost, while making sure the bench groups are MOAish.

Any Vanguard or Howa for that matter is a good rifle, not my favorite, but not a bad choice. I've found the plastic stocks to shoot just fine, in fact as a rule they are more accurate than the wood stocked versions. The biggest real issue is that the fore end on some of the plastic stocks may be flexible and can contact the barrel negatively effecting accuracy. That is easily addressed by removing enough stock material so that the barrel has a generous free float.

I have some high end synthetic stocks from McMillan and others on several of my nicer rifles. These don't shoot any better than the plastic factory stock I took off. You don't take an inaccurate rifle and throw a $600 stock on it hoping it will shoot better. Once the rifle proves it will shoot, then I might invest the money in a better stock. Not to be more accurate, but because I like the looks, it cuts weight over factory synthetic stocks, and I just like them better. I also have several "budget" guns with floppy factory synthetic stocks that shoot just as well and I ain't changing a thing.

The only negative on the Vanguard/Howas for me is the weight. They are about the heaviest rifles out there. They shoot great and are reliable, but once scoped most of them are in the 9 lb+ range You'd have to choose your optics and mounts very carefully to keep one under 9 lbs. Most of my other rifles come in at 6-8 lbs scoped.

But then a lot of other guys prefer a heavier rifle, and in the harder kicking cartridges that isn't always bad.

The purpose of a rigid and bedded stock is not generally to improve group size, although it can help with that. The purpose is to have a stable stock, so that when you shoot from a field or "jackass" position your average point of impact remains at point of aim. The typical plastic stock on a $450 rifle most definitely does NOT achieve that goal.

bed the action with a pillar bedding kit and relieve the barrel channel and replace the trigger assy. if you want and they are great !

Yep, Japan made, just like about 95 % of Walmart, made overseas.
I had the last - not really- American made Weatherby ever & finally sold it some time back because
it was too much power for anything local, in 270 wthy mag. It was a great rifle in mk5.
With reloads it could shoot sub 2" groups at 280 yards.
Neighbor got a regular Vanguard in Wthy 300 mag & we never did get in less than 2" at 100 yards.
Be warned, if you get a Wthy caliber the ammo will burn your wallet unless yo reload, then the cases
alone are high.

I bought a Howa-made Vanguard chambered in .257 Weatherby Magnum a few years back, mostly because it was on sale for a good price. The rifle has a decent trigger, is reliable, well-made and plenty accurate with pricey factory ammunition. Like most, my Vanguard was made in Japan but I find it interesting to note that the 2017 issue of the Gun Digest reported that the latest Vanguards are made in America.

I have bought 2 Vanguards in the last year or so, first was a 257 Wby Mag, and just bought a weatherguard in 300 Wby Mag. Both are Vanguard Series 2, both made in Japan.
I'm pretty sure all Vanguards are still made in Japan by Howa.

If I'm not mistaken the only difference between the series 2 and the select model is the select model doesn't have the griptonite inserts in the palm swell and forend of the stock.
Barrel, trigger, bolt, are all the same. Stock is the same minus the inserts.

As was mentioned before the only downside to these rifles is the weight. I'm one of the ones that don't mind a slightly heavier rifle so it doesn't bother me. These rifles are built every bit as solid as a Rem 700 with a synthetic stock, maybe more so. I get between .5"-1" groups with the 257. Only had the 300 for about a month, best group so far with it is .8". The Vanguards and the Howas are both known to be pretty accurate rifles.

I haven't found a need to free float the barrels but I've heard of people doing it with good results.

So I don't have experience with the select model specifically but it's practically the same as my S2 rifles. See if Wally World will let you handle one, if you're good with the weight I think you'll be very pleased with the performance.

$450 is a good price. I'm seeing them between $430 and $530 on gunbroker.

Vanguards receivers and actions are made in Japan by Howa, final assembly may be here, hence the statement in Gun Digest.

The Vanguard Select has the pre S2 stock. When Weatherby brought out the S2 there were two major improvements over the previous model; the stock and the trigger.

We have one of the pre S2 models in the family and three S2’s. To me it is well worth the extra cost to get a Vanguard Synthetic instead of a Select, strictly because of the stock. I just checked the price difference between the two on Grabagun for a .243, it is $32.00, well worth it IMO.

Vanguards are heavy as mentioned by jmr40. For me it’s a good thing since I’ve got a really bad shoulder. The ones we have live up to the accuracy guarantee with the right ammo.

Should you get a Select and decide later you want the nicer stock they are 139.00 from Weatherby. My SIL’s pre S2 now wears an S2 stock.

SwampWolf said:

I bought a Howa-made Vanguard chambered in .257 Weatherby Magnum a few years back, mostly because it was on sale for a good price. The rifle has a decent trigger, is reliable, well-made and plenty accurate with pricey factory ammunition. Like most, my Vanguard was made in Japan but I find it interesting to note that the 2017 issue of the Gun Digest reported that the latest Vanguards are made in America.

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I wonder about that myself, because it is profitable for any mfg to say MADE IN THE USA & then find out
it is assembled in the USA or distributed in the USA with just a little twist. Ask Detroit what the difference is.
I may be wrong , which I usually am, but I saw something on a hunting channel about some rifle mfg going
from Calif to Colorado. It may have been Weatherby.

From David Petzal: “The Series 2 barreled action is made in Japan by Howa, as it always has been, but the stock is now made in the United States, and the rifles are assembled here.”

From Wiki: “The Mark V barreled action is manufactured by ATEK in Brainerd, MN while the barrel and action for the Vanguard are still manufactured by Howa in Japan. Final assembly of the Mark V and Vanguard is performed at Weatherby's company headquarters in Paso Robles.”

I guess it depends on your definition of “Made in the USA”.

The Vanguard Select with black plastic stock is on sale at Wal-Mart for $350 which is a great deal. The Howa 1500 action is solid, reliable, and accurate. Yes, they are a bit heavier than many 'budget' rifles but that's the price you pay for a solid bolt, metal trigger guard and bottom metal (which I find preferable in most cases to a plastic magazine on a hunting rifle, YMMV.)

Buy it for $350, snag a Bansner stock of Ebay for $200 while they last (same stock used on the Howa Alpine and LAW rifles) and you have a wonderful rifle at a great price. You'll need to inlet the barrel channel as the Bansner stock for the Howa was made to be used with a #1 contour and the Weatherby Vanguard select uses a #2 contour. An hour of work with some rough sandpaper and you'll have it fitted, then paint/reseal. IMO you'll have a better rifle than the majority of the budget offerings.

I bought a used GPO Passion 4-12X40 because I was curios about them. It weighs 14.4 ounces. Mounted it in Talley lightweights, low height. The final weight is acceptable for a hunting rifle in .308.

Llama Bob said:

It's a decent action at a decent price, but to my thinking would only be interesting if your intention was to replace or highly modify the stock. I would expect decent groups but poor positional stability in factory trim. Otherwise it's yet another decent push feed hunting action.

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I had to use 8oz of JB Weld on the forearm to stiffen my 240wby. After that it shoots both factory and handloads under 3/4 inch for 3 shots.
I love the trigger and the stock fits me very well.

My Vanguard I got cheap unfired but pre owned in .22-250 with a Score High pillarbed system and Timney trigger = 1/2 MOA rifle with some factory loads.
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...finished-and-sighted-in.836385/#post-10828483