.300 Wby taken to next level?

[Sako7STW]

I am looking for a new rifle. I am seeing some really good deals on the WBY Vangurads in .300 Wby Mag. Thing is I am looking for more performance than the standard .300 WBY. Something more along the lime of a .30-378 WBY, 300 Tejas, 300 Rum, Lazz Warbird.

Are any of these possible to be made out of a .300 WBY vanguard without a new bbl?

I just like how many aftermarket stocks there are for this rifle like the Blackhawk Axiom thumbhole stocks.

 

[backwoods83]

The only one you list that will fit the bolt face is the 300rum, and in a 24" barrel there is nothing to be gained, if anything the wby has the advantage in a 24" barrel and with a lot less powder. I just worked up a load for a vanguard 300wby shooting the 208 amax at 2966fps avg with H1000, also rum brass isn't the greatest. Get a vanguard in 300wby, add a blackhawk or bell and carlson stock, a timney trigger, and a muzzle break and commence to burning the barrel off!

 

[LongRangeMike]

The .300 Wby is an excellent round. I've got the .30-378 but in the Mark V. The ballistics of the .300 Wby are not that much different at 0 - 500 yards, and the cost difference in ammunition and hand loading is significant. Plenty of custom aftermarket add-ons for either but you'll like the trigger action and consistency of the Weatherby and the reloading is in your price point if your on budget for a Vanguard.

 

[Sako7STW]

I am very familiar with the Weatherby's as my bro shoots a .300 Roy in a Mark V Syn. and my Dad shoots a .257 Roy in Mark V Deluxe. I really like the .300 but it doesn't offer much over my 7STW. Then again not much really does till I get out past 1000 yards but that's not the purpose of this rifle. I have rarely had any shots present themselves that I can take advantage of long range shooting. WHere we hunt the elk are much more mobile that high mountain elk. Usually when we find elk they are on the run and there is never time to properly set up a long range shot. In 8 years now I can think of only 2 situations that MAYBE a true long range shot could have been made. Anything else has been 500 and under. So with this gun I am thinking shorter range with thumb hole type stock as I love how they feel and I think offer better abilities offhand/quick target acquisition shooting.

I can afford whatever gun I want but in my experiences I dont think spending huge money is really necessary. I have heard some great reports on the Vanguards and figure if I was to save some money on the rifle I can put way better glass on it. My biggest concern is the trigger actually as I like a light crisp trigger. I had forgot about the vanguard's having the shorter BBL and so backwoods is right, a bigger case isn't going to be effective for me.

 

[backwoods83]

The trigger can be replaced in 20 minutes or if you have the experience and patience the factory trigger can be tuned to 20-22oz in a few hours. Also I'm not saying this to be rude but if you launch a 208 amax or 210 berger at 2950+ and lose an elk at 500yrds, you don't need a bigger cartridge, you need more practice.

 

[Trickymissfit]

the .300 WBY mag dosn't really come into it's own till you move up to 200+ grain bullets. Lighter bullets, and you might as well shoot a .300 Win mag. A .300 mag with a 220 grain bullet will do 2900fps, and you ain't gonna ever come close to that with the smaller calibers. Using the 200 grain bullets at 3000 fps verses the 175 grain bullets at 3000fps; the difference is 500ft. lb. of energy at 500 yards, and the .300 mag.
gary

 

[Riverman]

I've shot a custom built 300 Weatherby for the last 10 seasons. Now my rifle is ready for a new barrel. The original Kreiger barrel's throat is shot after less than 1000 rounds. When it gets re-barreled next month it is also getting re-chambered to .300 Win Mag. This rifle has accounted for 9 bull elk, 3 mule deer and an antelope. All of these shots could have been made just as well with a .300 Win. Mag. and maybe I would not be needing a new barrel ? I think the difference in performance is so insignificant that I will never notice the difference.

So my version of a .300 Wby to the next level is to crank it down a notch.

 

[Trickymissfit]

I've shot a custom built 300 Weatherby for the last 10 seasons. Now my rifle is ready for a new barrel. The original Kreiger barrel's throat is shot after less than 1000 rounds. When it gets re-barreled next month it is also getting re-chambered to .300 Win Mag. This rifle has accounted for 9 bull elk, 3 mule deer and an antelope. All of these shots could have been made just as well with a .300 Win. Mag. and maybe I would not be needing a new barrel ? I think the difference in performance is so insignificant that I will never notice the difference.

So my version of a .300 Wby to the next level is to crank it down a notch.

actually the .300 WBY mag has a better chamber design (even though it is overbore) than the .300 Winchester. I personally have always liked the .308 Norma mag better than either of the other two. But as i said it the WBY mag dosn't do much the other won't till you get heavier than 200 grain bullets. With the Krieger barrel, I think I'd just do a half inch barrel setback and see what happens
gary

 

[backwoods83]

I'm with Gary on this one, the weatherby is easier on throats due to case design when loaded to the same pressure as the win mag. I have also seen 1k bench guns in 300wby go 22-2500 rounds in lilja, kreiger, bartlein, and benchmark barrels as I'm sure other brands will as well. Oh, and the advantage goes to the wby by 200+fps with 190-240grn pills when both are run to full potential.

 

[Cornfield Flats]

If you are not going to rebarrel, I'd stick with the 300 Weatherby and develop a good load for it. I have 3 300 Weatherbys. One of them is a Vanguard. 3200 fps is attainable with the stock Vanguard shooting 180 grain bullets. That's pretty damned formidable. A good 200 grain bullet is a step up if your rifle shoots them accurately.

I had a Remington 700 built in 300 Weatherby several years ago with a 30" Lilja barrel. That one shoots 200 grain Sierras at 3200 fps with accuracy that is something to behold. The 300 Weatherby is a fantastic cartridge.

 

[Trickymissfit]

If you are not going to rebarrel, I'd stick with the 300 Weatherby and develop a good load for it. I have 3 300 Weatherbys. One of them is a Vanguard. 3200 fps is attainable with the stock Vanguard shooting 180 grain bullets. That's pretty damned formidable. A good 200 grain bullet is a step up if your rifle shoots them accurately.

I had a Remington 700 built in 300 Weatherby several years ago with a 30" Lilja barrel. That one shoots 200 grain Sierras at 3200 fps with accuracy that is something to behold. The 300 Weatherby is a fantastic cartridge.

that's smoken' hot! I well remember the old Weatherby add (when Roy was still with us) saying that you could shoot anything with a .300 Weatherby including elephant in a pinch! (I know that's way over the top, but has been done). I almost bought a .300 chambered in a Colt Saur about 35 years ago, and I've whined and cried for not doing this many times over. But didn't have the $665 in my pockets at the time (saw it at the NRA convention).
gary

 

[Sako7STW]

I've shot a custom built 300 Weatherby for the last 10 seasons. Now my rifle is ready for a new barrel. The original Kreiger barrel's throat is shot after less than 1000 rounds. When it gets re-barreled next month it is also getting re-chambered to .300 Win Mag. This rifle has accounted for 9 bull elk, 3 mule deer and an antelope. All of these shots could have been made just as well with a .300 Win. Mag. and maybe I would not be needing a new barrel ? I think the difference in performance is so insignificant that I will never notice the difference.

So my version of a .300 Wby to the next level is to crank it down a notch.

There is no way in you know where that I would step down to a .300 Win mag. i hate that round almost as bad as I hate the .338 Winbag. I agree with the others, set the bbl back and keep shooting. You have had a ton of success with the Roy, you know it, your comfortable with it, you will hate yourself for moving down to a MUCH lessor round. Why hit and Elk with a rubber mallet when you can hit it with a sledgehammer?

 

[Riverman]

OK, I'm convinced. Sometimes my brain falls out. You are correct, I have had a ton of success with the
300 Weatherby. I actually refer to that particular rifle as "Big Medicine." 180 gr. Swift A-Frames behind a load of IMR-7828 is pretty amazing on a big bull elk.

 

[Trickymissfit]

Look, you got a great barrel on the rifle already, but it's tired. Do a 1/2" barrel setback and see what you get. Worst case is that the barrel is completely shot out and you loose $150, but on the otherhand you may get another 1000 rounds thru the barrel for $150. You obviously have the cases and dies on hand, so your ahead in that point
gary