Weatherby Rifles
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loadedround
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I have owned 4 Weatherby's over the years and sold all of them. They were all fine rifles and shot extremly well. However, with their bright blued finish and glossy lacquered stock, I was always afraid to take them out hunting and ruining or scratching their finish. Just three months ago I decided I wanted another one and I ordered a Mark V in 300 WM from the Weatherby custom shop. This rifle was ordered with matte bluing and a oil finished Claro Walnut stock. It turned out to be one beautiful rifle with "to kill for" grained wood.This rifle will be taken to the field and if scratched anyway, can be touched up easily. There is just something about a Weatherby rifle.
birdbustr
Member
If you don't like the fact that you must take off the safety to cycle the bolt then Weatherby is not for you. The Remingtons did away with that years ago. That was my deciding factor for going to a Remington.
I think they are very overpriced for what you get. I think the Vanguards are a better value, and maybe they don't have safety-bolt feature.
I think they are very overpriced for what you get. I think the Vanguards are a better value, and maybe they don't have safety-bolt feature.
LTR shooter
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Not a varmint model but I picked up a Weatherby Vanguard Deluxe .30-06 earlier this year. I am really impressed with the package as a whole. I won it on gunbroker NIB for $655 , with shipment and transfer still under $700.
The fit , finish and visual appeal was far and away better than any other rifle I had seen in this price range. Was still supplied with test target too. While some might not consider the Vanguard to be a true Weatherby like the Mark V series , saving $1000 going with the Vanguard made more sense for me.
The fit , finish and visual appeal was far and away better than any other rifle I had seen in this price range. Was still supplied with test target too. While some might not consider the Vanguard to be a true Weatherby like the Mark V series , saving $1000 going with the Vanguard made more sense for me.
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eaglesnester
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any one own a weatherby
I own three. 22/250 Super varmint master, 300 Lazermark. and a 338/378.
I have not shot the 338/378 yet as its winter here in Northern B.C. Canada and I cant get into my range. The 22/250 out of the box shoots dime size groups at 200. The 300 Lazermark shoots .5inch groups (constantly) at 100 meters and 3 inch groups at 400 meters out of the box. What's not to like about Weatherbys? I can walk out my front door and with carefully prepared ammunition , I am confident that I can hit and kill anything that walks on planet earth at any reasonable range. The fit and finish on Weatherby rifles is superb, they shoot like a house afire. Go get one, you will not be disappointed. The individuals that knock Weatherby rifles have either been unlucky in their purchase in regards to quality control or they do not have a clue what they are talking about and just like to flap their yap. As far as Weatherbys being shiney in the woods, who gives a ****. there are ways of dealing with that and not all Weatherby models are bright and shiney. my 338/378 Vanguard for example has a dull stainless fluted barrel and a black park mar synthetic stock with a full length CNC machined bedding block to add stiffness and improve bedding and accuracy. I just love my shiney Lazermark and I am proud to carry it in the bush and I have never ever tried to hide the shine and I have never scared an animal yet. The last bear I killed I stalked to within 5 feet or so. I could of touched him with my muzzle. He sure were one suprised bear I can tell you that for sure.
Cheers & Tighter Groups: Eaglesnester
I own three. 22/250 Super varmint master, 300 Lazermark. and a 338/378.
I have not shot the 338/378 yet as its winter here in Northern B.C. Canada and I cant get into my range. The 22/250 out of the box shoots dime size groups at 200. The 300 Lazermark shoots .5inch groups (constantly) at 100 meters and 3 inch groups at 400 meters out of the box. What's not to like about Weatherbys? I can walk out my front door and with carefully prepared ammunition , I am confident that I can hit and kill anything that walks on planet earth at any reasonable range. The fit and finish on Weatherby rifles is superb, they shoot like a house afire. Go get one, you will not be disappointed. The individuals that knock Weatherby rifles have either been unlucky in their purchase in regards to quality control or they do not have a clue what they are talking about and just like to flap their yap. As far as Weatherbys being shiney in the woods, who gives a ****. there are ways of dealing with that and not all Weatherby models are bright and shiney. my 338/378 Vanguard for example has a dull stainless fluted barrel and a black park mar synthetic stock with a full length CNC machined bedding block to add stiffness and improve bedding and accuracy. I just love my shiney Lazermark and I am proud to carry it in the bush and I have never ever tried to hide the shine and I have never scared an animal yet. The last bear I killed I stalked to within 5 feet or so. I could of touched him with my muzzle. He sure were one suprised bear I can tell you that for sure.
Cheers & Tighter Groups: Eaglesnester
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SwampWolf
Member
Vanguards do have the two-position safety that must be unloaded while the safety is in the "fire" position (though, interestingly, the earliest ones did not and came with the safety that had the unloading with the unlocked bolt while in the "safe" position abomination) .Unlike yourself, if a rifle is equipped with a two-position safety, I much prefer the variant that has a safety where the bolt is locked while on "safe". Rifles have been made this way for decades and they are not inherently unsafe if you use your head and adhere to fundamental safety protocol rules while unloading one. You simply dump the rounds in the magazine by disengaging the floor plate catch; point the rifle in a safe direction and, while keeping your finger off the trigger, open the bolt and extract the cartridge in the chamber.
Rifles that have the trial lawyer inspired, two-position safeties where the bolt can be operated with the safety "on" (i.e., as found on Remington Model 700s made in the past few decades-but not originally), can easily have the bolt handle inadvertently dislodged while hunting, rendering the rifle unfireable when you might need it most.
Three-position safeties, as found on Winchester Model 70s, Savage Model 110s and Ruger MK IIs, are probably the best types to have.
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Don't worry about that Vanguard being "not a real Weatherby" Mark V's were made in Japan too for many years. Who cares if it was made in the Howa plant or the Miroku plant or whatever? Japan is Japan. To me my Vanguard is a Weatherby. It shoots darned good. I think the newer Vanguards have a better trigger than the older ones. My new one has a very nice trigger the older one not so much. New one is sub moa but was not one of the select models. I like Weatherby now, might get a Mark V someday, might not.
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I agree. The Weatherby safety is much better. Remington only changed theirs to cut down on accidental discharges that happened when the safety was moved to the fire position when users tried to unload their gun. Newer Remingtons no longer lock down the bolt when on SAFE. I much prefer the older Remington style or the Weatherby.
Which Weatherby are you considering, the Vanguard or MK-5. My only experience is with the Vanguard. They are very good rifles. A little heavier than most others if that is a concern.
About the barrel length. All the standard rifles have 24", not 22" barrels. They do offer a carbine and youth gun with 20" barrels, but I'm not aware of a Weatherby with a 22" barrel.
The Howa rifles are made form the same action as the Vanguard and are very similar. They however do come with 22" barrels on most standard calibers, 24" on magnums. The Howa safety is a bit different and I really prefer it to the Weatherby. The Howa uses the same safety position, but it is a 3 position safety allowing you to lock down the bolt and with a middle position to allow you to open the bolt with the safety still on.
Which Weatherby are you considering, the Vanguard or MK-5. My only experience is with the Vanguard. They are very good rifles. A little heavier than most others if that is a concern.
About the barrel length. All the standard rifles have 24", not 22" barrels. They do offer a carbine and youth gun with 20" barrels, but I'm not aware of a Weatherby with a 22" barrel.
The Howa rifles are made form the same action as the Vanguard and are very similar. They however do come with 22" barrels on most standard calibers, 24" on magnums. The Howa safety is a bit different and I really prefer it to the Weatherby. The Howa uses the same safety position, but it is a 3 position safety allowing you to lock down the bolt and with a middle position to allow you to open the bolt with the safety still on.
I have a Vanguard Varmint Special chambered in .223 Rem. I installed a Timney 1.5 Lb trigger, with a 3-position safety. It is a very accurate rifle. The factory target measures about 0.25". It fires both 45 grain HPs and 55 grain ballistic tip projectiles equally accurately. If you do purchase one, know up front that they use the Howa 1500 bases.
Geno
Geno
aka108
Member
You can save a few bucks and buy a Howa 1500. Same as the Vanguards.
Miroku had nothing to do with it. When Weatherbys were made in Japan, they were all made by Howa. Weatherby has since contracted to have the Mark V made in the US, but the Vanguards are still made by Howa.
Japan is Japan? I guess that means there's no difference between a Jennings and a Colt Python, since the US is the US.
At the Shootersstation in Conroe, Texas, they have plenty of Howa M 1500s on the rack. I picked and checked each one and i notice the trigger feel has a lot of creep , sluggish and not crisp let off. The Remington XMark Pro on the other hand is much better which sat beside.
GURU1911
Member
Howa manufacturing
The vanguard, mossberg 1500, smith & wesson model 1500, & the colt 1500 bolt action rifles are all the same model---they are howa model 1500 rifles marked by the factory in japan to whom the factory is contracted to produce them for.
Many years ago, i was working with a fellow, who was always running his pie-hole about all the $$$$$ he spent on his new "weatherby vanguard .270 win"---when i told him it was made in japan by howa heavy industries, he called me some really ugly names in the presence of other staff members. They all laughed & joined in on the incident, cause he was the boss !!!! At the next staff meeting, i handed him an article from the "american rifleman" & the look on his face was priceless to say the least---he was so ashamed of what he said to me. He brought the rifle over to my home that evening & i removed the stock. Under the name "weatherby" were those dreaded words covered by the top edge of the stock---"made in japan"----he was so angry, cause the salesman at the gun store told him "all weatherby's are made in the usa"----i assured him he had purchased a high quality rifle & he could have saved about $200 if he had bought the howa 1500 instead of the weatherby vanguard. From that point for the next 10 years, i was his "go-to-guy" for anything firearms related !!!!
Howa 1500 rifles are my next favorite behind the early model rem 721, 722, & 700 series.
The vanguard, mossberg 1500, smith & wesson model 1500, & the colt 1500 bolt action rifles are all the same model---they are howa model 1500 rifles marked by the factory in japan to whom the factory is contracted to produce them for.
Many years ago, i was working with a fellow, who was always running his pie-hole about all the $$$$$ he spent on his new "weatherby vanguard .270 win"---when i told him it was made in japan by howa heavy industries, he called me some really ugly names in the presence of other staff members. They all laughed & joined in on the incident, cause he was the boss !!!! At the next staff meeting, i handed him an article from the "american rifleman" & the look on his face was priceless to say the least---he was so ashamed of what he said to me. He brought the rifle over to my home that evening & i removed the stock. Under the name "weatherby" were those dreaded words covered by the top edge of the stock---"made in japan"----he was so angry, cause the salesman at the gun store told him "all weatherby's are made in the usa"----i assured him he had purchased a high quality rifle & he could have saved about $200 if he had bought the howa 1500 instead of the weatherby vanguard. From that point for the next 10 years, i was his "go-to-guy" for anything firearms related !!!!
Howa 1500 rifles are my next favorite behind the early model rem 721, 722, & 700 series.
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