Three popular hunting rifles by Remington, Savage, and Weatherby, all less than $750, were put to accuracy and handling tests to find what we would call a “good shooter.”
Hunting rifles fall into an interesting category among the firearms crowd, with more shooters having more opinions about the long guns than any other smoke pole. The likes and dislikes range from composite versus wood; short barrel versus long barrel; and don't even try to argue about the perfect caliber.
We selected three top-selling models for a test of good hunting tools and settled on what the late Jack O'Connor considered the perfect caliber for North American game. In his classic The Rifle Book, he states: "Hunters using the .270 discovered that with it they could hit game at longer ranges than with anything else, and Being able to produce the best three-shot group at 100 yards with factory ammo was the key separator in our test of hunting rifles, with the $673 Weatherby Vanguard, top, coming in as the most accurate .270 in our trio, despite a 3.75-pound trigger pull. It really liked Remington’s Express Core-Lokt SP 150-grain rounds, shooting 0.8-inch groups. We considered its five-round magazine and Accubrake recoil reducer to be bonuses. Below the Weatherby is the Remington Model 700 SPS, $620, and the $731 Savage Model 114 Classic, bottom, both of which managed best three-shot groups of 1.6 inches. that when they hit they…
i can agree with you on the weatherby vanguard 270, i just bought one with the tan/black spider webbing stock the test target that came with the gun had a 3 shot group all in one hole and when i took and shot the gun it proved it with the 115 grain remington managed recoill ammo
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My Vanguard was produced before the started stamping the MOA's it holds a 1/2 group at 150yds. I put a Boyd's 99% inleted walnut and rosewood stock on it, and scoped it with a Nikon Buckmasters 3X9X40. I love it, the best rife I've ever owned.
i own a vanguard in a .223rem and i shot .5moa at 100metres using federal power shok ammo. i love that gun i fitted it with a nikko stirling platnum nighteater on it and it hasnt let me down once
I have no doubts in my mind that the Weatherby Vanguards are very accurate rifles, I have owned a few of them, as well as several Howa Model 1500's, and to me, they are hard to beat for the money.
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I own a Howa 1500 Ultimate Varmiter in 223, which is the same rifle as the Weatherby Vanguard. I shoot it regularly at 300 yards with handloads. I don't think you can buy a better "out of the box" rifle for accuracy. On a still day, it will consistently shoot 1 inch groups at 300 yards. What more can you ask for. The action is tighter than an remington that I have seen. The only drawback with my rifle was the trigger, and I think that I just got a bad one, it was inconsistent and had a lot of creep. I replaced it with a Timney trigger and have never looked back. I just wish they would offer some different twist rates on the barrels.
I just bought a weatherby vanguard 223, 3-9x42 Bushnell scope. I pick it up next week. After reading this thread I feel good about buying a weatherby, looking forward to getting it. I will keep you posted how it shoots.
that when they hit they…
the best rife I've ever owned.
