Accuracy issue, Major bolt movement when bolt closed

[huntforfood]

Hey, gotta new Weatherby Vanguard Wilderness in 308 win last year that I have been fighting with accuracy issues since I bojght new. I glass bedded bottom metal in the b&c alum chassis based factory stock and was gonna redo rear tang bed again. I just found slop in bolt after pulling off trigger off. Me thinks the bolt should be locked tight as my other guns dont have this rattling. will try to attach video. This has got to be very bad?

 

[huntforfood]

 

[huntforfood]

 

[Zen Archery]

I'd contact Weatherby and send video see what they say. My dads 1980 Savage has slop had 1.5 MOA boxed ammo. 1 MOA hand loads.

 

[huntforfood]

after doing some digging it may be that the trigger takes up some slack of a few thoisands, but it seems very wobbly. End of video is where I capture bolt movement. I mean there is lack of control in multiple directions, I just dont see how the bolt ismt shifting shot to shot. Wondering about headspace, I dont have gauges but would be my next check. will contact Weatherby

 

[Ol' Red]

I would contact Weatherby just as Zen Archery suggested. I have a Vanguard II in .338 Win Mag and I don't remember slack like that. I will check it this weekend when I get home.

 

[huntforfood]

I was getting tumbling bullets at 75 yds after putting a EC tuner brake on last time I shot it, stuff flying all over. I read about someone having similar issue questioning thread concentricity etc. with a brake and getting brake strikes. I just checked inside my ec tuner and I have strike on bottom edge about 1 inch before exit. I checked barrel with a light and I see chatter marks on last few inches at end off barrel now, as it is heavily fouled. I see jacket copper in last inch of barrel too. The more I look the worse it gets, lol. Weatherby is getting this back. Also, the B&C stock was a mess. The aluminum bedding block holes were both off center and the lug hole was not a thru hole and was threading the front screw. I bored out and improved but shouldn't be this difficult. I free floated so its a warranty void, but I could care less about stock, barrel and bolt have to be right.

 

[huntforfood]

Not sure about chatter marks after looking again, gonna clean it and see what I can find. Definitely getting brake strikes though.

 

[huntforfood]

Talked to Weatherby, gonna send in on RMA to evaluate the rifle, should know if about a month. I am estimating at least .010" play in bolt when close, that front to back, it also moves vertically. chatter marks were some weird marking in the fouling in the rifling, after I ran a wood swap edge to check for metal gauging, it was then that the mark went away, looked mechanical at first glance. They wont do an accuracy guarantee with my stock mods but will try and replicate accuracy with another stock and test shot at their range.

 

[JuddL]

If you're bullet is striking the brake, that's very likely your issue. How does it shoot without the brake?

I have an AR barrel that if I put one of my suppressors on it will shoot 7-8 MOA groups and stripe the end cap…without a suppressor it'll shoot less than 1". Crazy.

You need to have someone recut the threads and make sure they are concentric to the bore.

Good luck…tracking this stuff down can be maddening.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I have two Vanguards. They are tight . Call Weatherby. They are good people . Been to there new shop in Sheridan twice . Excellent service .

 

[Ol' Red]

Hope they get your problem resolved. I had to check my Vanguard after this thread. It's tight. I just had a muzzle brake installed by Matthew at Ridge Rifles. I will testing it tomorrow if I don't get rained out.

 

[huntforfood]

So Weatherby CSR was really understanding and sent me my RMA. I really like the rifle, i need it to shoot. I was getting some 1.5 inch group initially, but would get some random fliers that seem to get worse. I shot all sorts ofof factory ammo 150 fusions, blue box, Win PPs, 165 Fed TAs, Berger, Scirrocos,150 Horn whitetail, 178 eldx, etc. Only win pp were decwnt at 1.25 buy with fliers. Stock had issues with action acrew holes from factory and not being drilled out. I free floated barrel, bedded bottom metal and rear tang and reamed out action holes. rear tang skim bed busted out so was gonna redo, but did get ot it beforw I tried EC tuner and that is when i noticed tumbling first time. Removed brake and tried various ammo at 70 yds as I was not sure why I could not hit 100 yd targets. owas then getting massive fliers and had to crank scope all over for various loads at 70 yds. Seems like something changed from not so good to really bad.

 

[huntforfood]

Update on my Weatherby Vanguard return to Weatherby for accuracy testing, IT FAILED! Weatherby is going to replace the rifle under their accuracy warranty guarantee with a current version rifle or same MSRP amount on any rifle I choose, and I pay the difference. My Vanguard wilderness version is out of production, now to figure on what to do. But, this is awesome, I am very impressed with Weatherby and customer service is incredible. Good Friday indeed.