257 Weatherby Vanguard ?

[stealheadwilly]

My Father inlaw won a Weatherby Vanguard in 257 Weatherby, after he priced ammo he gave it to me. It is a S1 with two position safety and black synthetic stock. I have no experience with Weatherbys and very little in building a rifle. My question is, is this rifle worth building into a some what light weight shooter. I think it would need restocked, new trigger and possible a new barrel in 280 ankle improved. I was just going to shoot it and see how it shoots, but after pricing dies wondering if I should just make this into something that I would actually use. Ive wanted a gun that would shoot out to 800, 900yds and still packable.

 

[MudRunner2005]

.280 Ackley Improved is going to require you to buy a new bolt, new magazine follower, and a new barrel.

The .280 AI is based off the .270 Win/.280 Rem/.30-06 family of cartridges. The .257 Weatherby is a belted magnum cartridge that is based off a shortened and necked-down .300 H&H. It uses a magnum bolt face and magnum magazine follower, and the cartridge falls into the same category (cartridge size-wise) as the 7mm RemMag/.270 Weatherby Mag/7mm Weatherby Mag.

Here's a comparison picture I found on google... Notice how much larger the .257 Wby case head and diameter is.

Left - .257 Weatherby
Right - .25-06

 

[MudRunner2005]

Now, that being said, you could always build a 7mm RemMag and you would only have to change the barrel.

You could always see how it shoots in .257 Wby. It's a fun cartridge. I shot one from 2008-2014, until I built my .25-06 AI, then I traded my .257 Wby off for something else, because it was a pile of crap (LONG LONG story that had to do with the rifle being a factory defective lemon, nothing to do with the cartridge it was chambered for). I still like the .257 Wby, and I plan on getting/building another one someday. I still have all my .257 Wby stuff, and my factory ammo, brass, and dies...Even some old handloads I made for it instead of selling it, because I plan on having another one someday.

 

[stealheadwilly]

I'll look for some dies and maybe try it out. I think I still will order a trigger and need to get some rings for it, and see if it shoots. The stock is not very impressive, but if it shoots good might be worth having another 25 caliber. The trigger is absolute junk and not finding any good info on trigger work for it and installed a Timney trigger in my 06 and love it.

 

[TH]

Shoot the 257 Weatherby great cartridge you will love it!

 

[stealheadwilly]

Has any one tried these
VANGUARD® LIGHTWEIGHT SCOPE MOUNTS
priced right and not finding a lot of options. I am thinking the medium hight. My father inlay also won a Lucid 6x24x50 scope I might try it on the rifle.

 

[Dosh]

s, you will like the Vanguard. The Timney is very easy to install, 1 screw. I've bedded three .257wby Vanguards in B&C stocks. They all shoot very well with 115 Bergers. Your scope mount link didn't work. Sounds like you're referring to the Talley sold by Weatherby, but can't tell.

 

[stealheadwilly]

This are the ones I am looking at
Weatherby | Vanguard Lightweight Scope Mounts

 

[Dosh]

Yes, those are made by Talley and stamped Weatherby to be sold on Weatherby's site. They actually cost less from Weatherby. I use the Talley lightweights on several rifles, they are nice mounts.