New Rifle Choice

D

dts686

New member
I've decided that my first rifle will be a Weatherby Vanguard Sporter but I haven't decided on the caliber yet.

I was wondering if anyone had any data, information, or experience that would warn me off my choice of the Weatherby Vanguard.

Let me thank you in advance for sharing your wisdom and knowledge! :)

David
 
Lots of good calibers out there, but yes, the "06" will do it for just about everything!

Hard to mess with almost a hundred years of solid proof!

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
 
I am of the opinion that a rifle is a tool.

It can be no more effect than you the user of that tool..

It is up to you to master it it and become an effective killer with it.

A master can use any tool I as was told as a young man...

My rifle is a Mini 14. I chose it because of it its incredible reliability. It will never fail.

It is up to me to master this Rifle and become the best killing machine possible.

Make no mistakes about it. I aim to fight my way to safety during an WROL event. Anyone comes my way thinking they can take my stuff or harm my family and I will end them.

We are 5 strong, me my wife and boys. We have a Mini 14, a M16 22, a Ruger P89, a Kel tec 380, and Mossberg 12 ga. Shoot gun.
 
I have one in 7mm rem mag, but that 06' would be good also.. I love my rifle as it is an accurate one. It's going to be my Elk, Moose, Caribou, etc.."Go To" rifle.

I didn't like the factory trigger, so I put a Timney on it, it has a three position safety, which is totally cool dude,I have mine set right at 2.5 lbs and it is incredible!!:)

I mounted a Leupold VXII 4x12x40 AO, in leupold rings and bases, it's cool.

Mine likes the Hornady Custom ammo in the 139 grn BTSP's, but I have handloaded some 150 grn stuff that it shoots well, but I'm still working it up so to speak.

Bottom line is I love mine, you will love yours too!!!!;)



and lighten up a bit there maddog, the op just wanted toknow about the Vandguard for christ sakes!!!:rolleyes:
 
the weatherby is a good choice as is the 06, take a look at the 300 wm as well if you are looking at that caliber of rifle. It does everything the 06 does just a little bit better. I personally do not have a problem with the recoil of the 300 which is not much worse than the 06.

Sorry did not notice your statement of it being your first rifle. I withdraw my vote for the 300 wm, it is not a just starting out rifle. A 308 based cartridge would be best as your first thunderstick, and if you are not using it for big game a 223 would be hard to beat.
 
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I would recommend the 7mm-08 . Since it's your first rifle , you might want a little less recoil than the 06 , which is borderline for many shooters ! The .308 Win. is a good choice too , or any member of that family , .243 win , 260 Rem. . They'll all get it done !
 
^^^^ THis.

What are you using it for? What distances will you be shooting? All those factor in but 90% of people have zero need or use for a bigger Magnum nor the ability to shoot it well. The 7mm08 is the finest deer cartridge out there IMO.
 
I am of the opinion that a rifle is a tool.

It can be no more effect than you the user of that tool..

It is up to you to master it it and become an effective killer with it.

A master can use any tool I as was told as a young man...

My rifle is a Mini 14. I chose it because of it its incredible reliability. It will never fail.

It is up to me to master this Rifle and become the best killing machine possible.

Make no mistakes about it. I aim to fight my way to safety during an WROL event. Anyone comes my way thinking they can take my stuff or harm my family and I will end them.

We are 5 strong, me my wife and boys. We have a Mini 14, a M16 22, a Ruger P89, a Kel tec 380, and Mossberg 12 ga. Shoot gun.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how this whole rant has anything to so with selecting a bolt-action hunting rifle.

Might want to ease up on the tinfoil hats.
 
The Vanguard is definately a serviceable rifle. Be cautious of a "accuracy guarentee" though. Ex: The Thompson Center Venture, I got one a few months back and have not been able to get the promised accuracy out of it yet. Im sure it will do it, but the trick is finding the ammo that they tested it with. That would be nice. My brother has a Vanguard Sporter in .270 and that rifle shoots almost anything inside 1.5 inches. I would also look at the Tikka T3. Savage is decent, and great if you get one with the accustock/trigger combo. Without those features I wouldnt get one.
 
To me, the question is, what are you buying it for? Target shooting, get a 308, cheapest ammo. Hunting deer and the occasional elk, 270 Win, good round, acceptable recoil; elk as main target, 30-06 to get some heavier bullet choices.
 
Well the Ol'Coot would still come down with the "06".

You need to get an careful and experienced reloader/shooter to mentor you in the shooting and possibly reloading.

If that happens, you can load the 30/06 to about any level you desire from light "banger" reduced loads right up to the big ones.

Now, if you don't fall into the group with the rest of us, meaning new additions to the gun rack come slowly, there is a big world of calibers and firearms out there.

However, for the one rifle shooter, the "06" will get er done!

AND FOR "hooligan1", the 160gr Nosler Partition is about as good as it gets in the 7mm mag.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
 
David, congrats on the decision to purchase your first rifle. Obviously there are a lot of folks willing to give you advice, and there are plenty of calibers to recommend. As 2 others correctly pointed out, we need some kind of measurement tool to ensure the advice provided is tailored to best suit your needs.

What do you intend with this rifle? Are you hunting deer, hogs, elk, goats, prarie dogs, coyotes...? That will greatly affect the recommendations.

Also, what ranges are you intending to shoot? If you're not wholly sure becasue you're just getting started, that's OK, just let us know.

What shooting experience do you have thus far? What kinds of calibers on your family's/friends' firearms do you have experience with? Were there any you were adverse to (recoil, cost of ammo, etc)?
 
.30-06 is a good all around cartridge, my personal favorite is the .270 because I don't like to waste meat. And YES it WILL drop elk,I've killed plenty elk with .270
 
Seriously don't get an 30-06, this forum seems to a broken record when it comes to that cartridge, and it's certainly not ideal for a first rifle. However, the Weatherby Vangurd is an excellent choice. I have 2, both in .243 Winchester. One is a standard model and the other stainless sub-moa model, both easily shoot sub moa with handloads, very good rifles for the money.

On that note I would recommend a 243 Win, it's just as at home wacking prairie dogs all day as it is taking a large deer, with proper bullet selection of course. Plenty of factory ammo selection for all ranges of small to medium game and availabilty is not an issue.

This being your first rifle I'd imagine you might want to punch some paper and get a feel for it, starting with a light recoiling rifle will make your experience much better and pay dividends when you get something bigger. I find the smaller cartridges like 243 and even the 22-250 very capable, once you learn your rifle you shouldn't feel under gunned with either of them.
 
I have been a .243 lover for years, since about 1958 or so when a friend handed me his model 70 and a bag of 243 ammo. Talk about a way to impress a young feller.

I have a very good shooting .243 RUGER "flat bolt" sitting in the rack right now, so in no way can anyone say I am against that caliber.

Been there and done that and have a number of deer, Mule and whitetail, taken with the .243.

Favorite "hunting" bullet being the 100gr Nosler Partition.

Great rifle, easy on the shoulder etc. etc. love it!

However, without knowing more info from the origional poster, and just going by what they said, I'd still come down solidly with the "06".

It is a rifle with a much broader ability then sub .30 caliber rifles.

Lots of great calibers out there, but if I could have only one it would need to be the one that opens the greatest number of doors.

30/06, 100 or 110gr. varmit bullets all the way up to the 220grain big boys.

.243, very fast varmit bullets of 55gr, up through varmit bullets in the 70 - 80 grain range and respectable hunting bullets in the 90 - 105gr range.

While some have taken elk sized critters with the .243 and some practiced marksman, who carefully PICK their shots, have done it many times, few would call it an "elk rifle", even as good as it is.

Yes, I like the .243, but if anything bigger then deer was in the future and I must remain a one rifle hunter, sorry, it should be something bigger.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
 
More info on how you handle recoil, do you hike hunt or stand hunt, and what animals you'll be hunting would really help the suggestions.

Nothing bigger than elk and handloader, then 30-06.
Nothing bigger than elk and DON'T handload, then 308 Win.
More bigger game and NOT recoil shy, then 300 WSM.
Recoil sensitive, then 7-08 Rem.
 
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