Weatherby Vanguard Series 2

J

Joe Chicago

New member
Has anyone here fired one of the new Weatherby Vanguard Series 2 with the two-stage trigger (or corresponding Howa with the two-stage trigger)? I handled one at Cabelas and loved the trigger, but then, I am one of those nuts who likes some creep before the trigger breaks.

After deer season I shall probably get rid of my Remington Model Seven and replace it with one of the following:
Tikka T3 Lite (smooth action, great trigger, great fit and finish, detachable mag, maybe a tad too light)
TC Venture (smooth action, good trigger, good fit and finish, detachable mag, made in the US, a bit ugly)
Weatherby Venture Series 2 (smooth action, wonderful trigger, good fit and finish, no detachable mag but there are after market kits)
All three manufacturers claim one MOA accuracy.
 
What caliber do you have and what caliber are you wanting to get?

I would narrow it down to option 1 and 3. And then choose option 1. But, I also have a couple Tikkas and no Wearherbys.
 
I have not shot one but like you I handled one yesterday and can't get it out of my mind. The trigger was set at 3 lbs, being a two stage it did have that creep but once you hit the second stage it broke like glass. The overall workmanship of the gun was outstanding considering the price and like you said they are sub MOA warrantied. I was looking for a Remington but I'm thinking the Vanguard is the way to go now.
 
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Have the T3 Lite in .308 - smooth as butter and man is it accurate. yes it is pretty light, hence the name. I'd buy her all over again.

Have handled the Venture. It just did not feel right to me. I really wanted to like it.

I have not had a chance to look at the new Vanguards, but I have a Vanguard Sporter in 30-06. Great shooting rifle. The Monte Carlo wood stock is not only good looking but functional. If the new Series Two are anything like their predecessors, they are going to be tough, reliable and accurate.
 
I would'nt get rid of he Seven, just add the VANGUARD, not the Venture. Those Tikka's are nice but still not as good as that Seven dude.. The Weatherby is the heaviest of those you mentioned and they are accurate.
Why not Savage? It's probably better than all those mentioned, just my opine!:)
 
I bought the T3 in 308 stainless this hunting season, and really liked it. The weight is a good compromise between light enough to carry and acceptable recoil from the bench during sight-in. I have a couple Vanguards, great shooters, but for hunting I prefer the removable magazine of the T3 since it allows for easier unloading during hikes. I always found the Weatherby a bit tight fit to fill the magazine, especially with a low scope mount.
 
Hooligan, I am getting rid of the Seven because it has had some problems. I had to send it back to the factory due to head space issues. It still has trouble feeding from the magazine and there is so much play in the bolt that it can bind if you are not careful when you cycle it. Sadly, I think Big Green has let their quality decline (I had another new Remington product fail after three rounds this year).
 
TC just announced a recall on Ventures due to trigger sear issues, which does not inspire confidence. I really like the T3 and would like a detachable magazine. My reservation with the T3 is that it may be too light. It is also $100 more than the Vanguard. Howa also offers an after market magazine kit that supposedly fits Vanguards, should I want to make the change in the future.

Viking, in answer to your question I would probably get the new rifle in .308 because it is ubiquitous and relatively inexpensive. Only after getting my Seven in 7mm-08 did I realize that many stores did not have any ammunition for it, and when in stock it was expensive. I love the way 7MM-08 shoots, but I do not shoot enough to reload and availability of ammunition is a real concern.
 
Joe if I was you I'd sell Seven,(although I don't like the thought of getting rid of rifles) and purchase the Savage Model 110, or the 111, or the 116. There are, as we speak no recalls, or shinanegins going on with Savage. And the .308 is a good all-around cartridge.;) check out their website.
 
If you really like the 7-08

it is time to get into reloading!!!!!!!!! It doesn't cost that much for basic equipment and it is a lot of fun to see how much better a round you can manufacture than the factories do.

As to your rifle choices:

I have a Venture (purchased last year so no recall worries) and I love it. It shoots 1 moa with multiple factory loads and less than 3/4 inch with my handloads.

I have a Vanguard (older series) and accuracy wise it is equal to the Venture.
I did change out my Vanguard trigger for a Timney because I didn't like the creep in the factory trigger. After reading this post, perhaps it was a 2 stage trigger and the creep belonged but I just didn't like it.

I have also tried the Savage Accu triggers and feel the same way. To me, they just feel like they have a lot of creep before you get to the "real" trigger. JMHO.
 
If the Tikka T3 (synthetic stock) is too light find somewhere that sells the Tikka T3 "Hunter" (wood stock). It is going to be my next rifle.
 
issue encountered.

I did lots of research before buying my vanguard S2 in 30-06 caliber. Everything I read praised the gun and nothing I read bashed it, which is unusual as there are some people who just love one type of gun and always post negativity on other brands just out of ignorance. So I bought my rifle and went to take it to sight it in. I noticed right away the safety was hard to set on occasion and other times it worked smoothly. I had the gun chambered and in the 2nd safety position in which the bolt and the trigger are locked out. When I went to place the gun into the fire position, it was sticking again. When I finally got it into the fire position, the gun went off and my hand was NOWHERE near the trigger. Needless to say I was quite upset. Not sure what to make of it and right about now I am regretting making this purchase. Any advice on what could be wrong would be appreciated. The factory wants me to send it in but I have a hunt coming up in 3 weeks. Thanks for any info provided.
 
Sorry to hear about your predicament! Check the warranty information to ensure that if you let someone else work on it you won't void the warranty, if that's important to you.

Either way, don't take it in the condition it's in for your hunt!
 
My recommendation is the Vanguard. Great trigger, great accuracy, built well and priced right. Not much to not like besides you can get the Howa version for cheaper when available.

A Tikka is a great choice also but I don't see the weight reduction worth $100 for me.
 
Either way, don't take it in the condition it's in for your hunt!
Click to expand...

I certainly agree with this sentiment! Borrow or buy another rifle for the hunt but don't take chances on a rifle that has fired without you touching the trigger.
 
I replaced the factory trigger with the Timney, now what I have is a super accurate "slightly massaged" Vanguard, in 7mm rem mag, that'll shoot three (so far) different bullet weights into less than 3/4's of an inch at 100 yds! Not to bad for a $350.00 gun from wallyworlt.

P.S. Aarond, clean that mechanism out with white gas or Coleman lantern fuel, and then lube the trigger and safety with Lighter fluid,,, or Naphta for short, this should make the safety and trigger mech, function better.
 
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