Weatherby Vanguard S2 Backcountry?

[GOCougs3006]

I have a series 1 (1st version with the better stock IMO) Vanguard in .30-06 that drives tacks with 165 Ballistic Tips, I recently bought a S1 (2nd version with cheaper stock that has the sharp angle at the front) in .257 Wby Mag that shoots just over MOA with limited tinkering of my handloads. and an S2 .300 Win Mag that I put in a B&C Medalist stock and bedded it myself and free floated the barrel. This rifle is shooting 1 MOA and I'm still working on getting a better load worked up. All this being said I am obviously a fan of Weatherby Vanguards. I am in the same boat as the OP and looking into the new Vanguard Backcountry.

Wilkup if you don't mind can you give us a little better idea of the price range you are talking about? I am weighing the pros and cons of getting a production rifle like the backcountry or just dropping the $$ on a custom.

 

[wilkup]

Wilkup if you don't mind can you give us a little better idea of the price range you are talking about? I am weighing the pros and cons of getting a production rifle like the backcountry or just dropping the $$ on a custom.

Right now its looking like it'll be right around $900, I'm on the fence because its a lot higher than my other options. I know cerakoting is expensive because I just spent $200 to have another rifle done and that was after extensive shopping in my area but I'm still not sure it's worth it verses my other options.
What do you think?

 

[MontanaRifleman]

You are comparing a CeraKote'd rifle to SS rifles.

The S2 Back Country has a pillar bedded B&C stock which is better than any of the other offering you are looking at.

If SS is alright for you than get a Vanguard S2 SS. Replace the factory stock with a B&C Medalist which has a full aluminum bedded block stock. That would give a better platform than the others on the list.

You could do the same with the M70.

The only 2 options on your list that I would consider are the Vanguard and M70. They have the best actions and IMO, the best overall accuracy reliability out of the box. Another option is a Howa (which makes the Vanguards) which will have some more cartridge options.

If you do some searching and reading in this forum, you will see that the happy vs unhappy ratio of owners of Vanguards (and M70's) is a good bit higher than Rems and Brownings. Savages have a lot of happy owners as well, but I'm just not a Savage guy.

the only Rem I would recommend to anyone would be a Sendero. They are good rifles but out of your price range.

 

[GOCougs3006]

About two years ago I bought a Vanguard S2 in .300 Win Mag with the idea of making some improvements and basically having 'semi' custom gun. I bedded the action in a B&C Medalist stock, free floated the barrel, and replaced the factory trigger with a Timney. After all of that I am into the rifle about $850. With the backcountry you get Cerekote coating which you know is worth some $$, you also get a fluted barrel if you are concerned about weight. Although it doesn't look like its any heavier of a contour, so you are basically getting a normal Vanguard barrel with fluting. IMO if you are looking for a rifle that is a step up from a plain old production rifle, but don't want or need a full custom outfit then the Backcountry for $900 would be a good deal. Especially since Weatherby guarantees all of their Vanguards to shoot sub-MOA.

 

[MudRunner2005]

You are comparing a CeraKote'd rifle to SS rifles.

The S2 Back Country has a pillar bedded B&C stock which is better than any of the other offering you are looking at.

If SS is alright for you than get a Vanguard S2 SS. Replace the factory stock with a B&C Medalist which has a full aluminum bedded block stock. That would give a better platform than the others on the list.

You could do the same with the M70.

The only 2 options on your list that I would consider are the Vanguard and M70. They have the best actions and IMO, the best overall accuracy reliability out of the box. Another option is a Howa (which makes the Vanguards) which will have some more cartridge options.

If you do some searching and reading in this forum, you will see that the happy vs unhappy ratio of owners of Vanguards (and M70's) is a good bit higher than Rems and Brownings. Savages have a lot of happy owners as well, but I'm just not a Savage guy.

the only Rem I would recommend to anyone would be a Sendero. They are good rifles but out of your price range.

Don't forget the 5R MilSpecs in .308 and .300 WM. They're on the same quality as the Sendero.

I don't understand how people can say they have a bad experience with a Browning A-Bolt...I've shot a ton of them over the years and they were all tack-drivers, including the 2 I've personally owned. And everyone I know who owns or has owned a Browning of any sort has been impressed with its accuracy.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

I'd buy another Vanguard in a heart beat. If I didn't have 2 Mark Vs on the way I'd get the one listed here at $350.

My V1 Vanguards (3 so far) started out ~MOA but all got the same treatment.

Boyds Featherweight Thumbhole stock.
Floated.
Fully bed the recoil lug, skim bed the rest of action.
Timney trigger.

A couple then got a QUE muzzle brake/BOSS tuner.
At that point they were sub all .5 MOA with handloads.

Original Rifle: $450ish
Stock: $100
Trigger: $109

Total less than $700, $900 with QUE/Boss and very happy except...

My reloading for the .223 was a slow start but when I found V-Max 40s came really good. This was my first load development and was a great tool for learning.

A couple have grown from there.

The .243 got a Pac-Nor barrel in 260Rem. Along with this target weight barrel it got a Thumhole Varmint stock because the Featherweight could not be opened up enough. Now the investment is closer to $1300 but A-Max 140s to 1000 yards got me 8x in a 2x20 match on my first try.

The 300WSM got a Pac-Nor barrel in 300WSM Sendoro profile. I've only shot this to 700 with A-Max 208s. It likes copper bullet factory Federal Premium.

The .223 doesn't have it's Pac-Nor barrel and it's what I use in our local 'Tactical' competition. Sometimes it's at the top sometimes not, of course it's the shooter not the rifle or ammo.

 

[wilkup]

You are comparing a CeraKote'd rifle to SS rifles.

The S2 Back Country has a pillar bedded B&C stock which is better than any of the other offering you are looking at.

You could do the same with the M70.

Supposedly, the m70 comes with the B&C stock with aluminum bedding block too.
Something else I'm considering is to get the m70 and have it cerakoted. If I did this, I'd still end up paying less than I would for the Vanguard II.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Supposedly, the m70 comes with the B&C stock with aluminum bedding block too.
Something else I'm considering is to get the m70 and have it cerakoted. If I did this, I'd still end up paying less than I would for the Vanguard II.

I didn't realize that. Sounds like a good deal. Looks like they have flutted barrels though. I have a Sako Finnlight with a flutted sporter barrel and won't get another. In fact no more fluted barrels for me period. They look nice but you will loose stiffness and in a sporter barrel I wouldn't want to loose stiffness. Same goes for the Back Country. That's another reason to go with the standard S2. And if you're going to CeraKote it, just get the standard non SS and save a few bucks.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Don't forget the 5R MilSpecs in .308 and .300 WM. They're on the same quality as the Sendero.

I don't understand how people can say they have a bad experience with a Browning A-Bolt...I've shot a ton of them over the years and they were all tack-drivers, including the 2 I've personally owned. And everyone I know who owns or has owned a Browning of any sort has been impressed with its accuracy.

I don't have any experience with the Mil Specs but hear they are also good rifles. The Varmint series are also good. But the rest are hit and miss.

I don't have any experience with Brownings, but you just don't hear a lot about them in precision rifle circles and most smiths that have worked with them give them mediocre to less than favorable marks.

You just don't see people using Browning and Ruger actions very much for builds. Part of it is because of lack of after market parts and part is because they have some issues that don't make them friendly to work on.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I don't have any experience with the Mil Specs but hear they are also good rifles. The Varmint series are also good. But the rest are hit and miss.

I don't have any experience with Brownings, but you just don't hear a lot about them in precision rifle circles and most smiths that have worked with them give them mediocre to less than favorable marks.

You just don't see people using Browning and Ruger actions very much for builds. Part of it is because of lack of after market parts and part is because they have some issues that don't make them friendly to work on.

I think you're exactly right about this! I do wish there was a bigger aftermarket support for the Brownings. My smith loves A-Bolt rifles. He says they're easy for him, because most of the time the recievers are virtually squared-up from the factory. Opening the bolt-face is as simple as swapping out the bolt head for $70. This is why I am considering my A-Bolt II 7mmRM as my .280 A.I. rifle, and keep the factory barrel and bolt head incase I want to swap it back to a magnum.

The Rugers DO have some issues that make them less-than-favorable to work on.

 

[Dr. Vette]

Supposedly, the m70 comes with the B&C stock with aluminum bedding block too.

The Winchester site doesn't specifically list the specifics of the B&C stock, so you may want to confirm before you buy. Not every B&C stock has the same amount of aluminum, if any. The one you buy from RedHawk or Stocky's has the full aluminum, while the Back Country for example only has aluminum at the "pillar" areas. It still works fine, but you should know this before you buy anything.

Other B&C stocks have no aluminum at all.

This is why the suggestion of a stainless S2 + an aftermarket B&C is likely your best and more cost efficient option.

 

[BigSky112]

I currently use a Backcountry in a 300 Win Mag, they are a great gun, sub-MOA all day long.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

With the ones you listed give me the m70 and i wouldnt have to think about it. Especially since it seems like you want a 270 wsm. Sub moa really doesn't mean anything these days, I'd be ****ed to buy a bolt action that wasn't consistently sub moa with handloads. Hell, you can spend less than $1k on full featured ARs with 3/4 moa guaranteed.

Never liked the feel of the howas or vanguards, especially in the entry level tupperware.

I'd have lots of confidence in a browning accuracy but they are a real bittch to upgrade if you so desire.