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Weatherby Vanguard |
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outdoorAg
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/16/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 65 |
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Posted: March/10/2007 at 19:35 |
After the lengthy discussion that I started in the ".270wsm or 7mm Rem Mag" thread a few weeks back, I have another topic that I would like the OT advice on. I was dead set on the beautiful wood of the A-Bolt Gold Medallion. I'm a traditional, 'the way it was' kind of guy when it comes to stocks. Thats why I tend to lean towards good looking walnut stocks. Its why I love Weatherby stocks. However, I have started to re-evaluate my choice of gun.
I do a lot of hunting in the field. Laying prone, shooting off a bipod. The gun gets put on a ATV gun rack, tossed around a bit, and exposed to the elements on the ground. I don't tend to do much stalking, but when I do, the stuff is thick. All of this combined makes me worry that I'm just going to tear scratches after scratches into that beautiful wood. No doubt each scratch is a story to tell, but no one likes to deface thier guns.
With that said, I've started to look for a solid composite stock, SS barrel combo in the same price range as the A-Bolt Gold Medallion. I've come up with the Weatherby Vanguard Stainless Sub-MOA. Does anyone here own this gun? Your experiences and the opinions of others would be helpful. Thanks guys.
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pyro6999
Optics Retard OT TITAN Joined: December/22/2006 Location: North Dakota Status: Offline Points: 22034 |
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dolphin is a weatherby fan he would be a good one to talk too, but he has a new baby at home so no telling when he's going to show up, i have thought about the sub moa as well, but after talking to dolphin i dont think i would spend the extra money for one, i reload though, so i figure i could save that extra money and buy a standard vanguard cause its a good shooter out of the box as well and spend what i saved on a good set of dies and some brass and reload some very accurate hand loads, but if your not into that the sub moa is a sharp looking tool if i have ever saw one!
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They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead" 343 we will never forget God Bless Chris Ledoux "good ride cowboy" |
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outdoorAg
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/16/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 65 |
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Pyro - one of the reasons I shy away from the standard Vanguard synthetic is because of its stock. The Sub-MOA synthetic stock is a great composition stock, where as the standard is mold synthetic that I would like to shy away from. Hopefully dolphin will get a moment or two away from the new one and grace us with his knowledge. Thanks for the info. Someday I'll pick up reloading, but as of now - I've gotta have my eye on the best out of box shooters the market offers in my budget (around 1 grand for the gun)
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pyro6999
Optics Retard OT TITAN Joined: December/22/2006 Location: North Dakota Status: Offline Points: 22034 |
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that stock on that sub moa is sweet!! i have picked a few of them up and i like the way they feel, but right now i dont have time for another gun i have been working to much and reloading and shooting to little!!
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They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead" 343 we will never forget God Bless Chris Ledoux "good ride cowboy" |
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ronnie
Optics Apprentice Joined: February/15/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 102 |
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outdoorag, this is pretty touchy subject here when choosing between wood or synthetic but in my opinion it is hard to beat wood.i have both and i personally will take a wood stock over synthetic.i promise if you go wood you will not regret it one bit.your not going to look at it some years from now and say,i should have gotten the synthetic.i look at some of my synthetic stocks and wish they were wood.wood stocks are alot tuffer than people give them credit for.i have a browning bar 270 wood stock i bought when i was 16 years old and hunted with it for 12years.this was the only gun i had during this time and believe me this rifle has been mistreated and abused .sure it has a few scraches and dents but still looks good.i like your first choice-browning with wood.either way its still going to shoot the same synthetic or wood. |
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pyro6999
Optics Retard OT TITAN Joined: December/22/2006 Location: North Dakota Status: Offline Points: 22034 |
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i dont think its a touchy subject, i love the way wood looks but i feel so guilty scratching it up that i really have a hard time buying wood although the last 3 out of 4 rifles ihave bought have been wooden stocked, on was laminated and i dont mind scratching that but a nice piece of walnut is another story. synthetic i can scratch it get it wet whatever the weather throws and i dont care. personal choice i guess.
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They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead" 343 we will never forget God Bless Chris Ledoux "good ride cowboy" |
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Bigdaddy0381
MODERATOR Georgia peach Joined: February/27/2007 Location: Georgia Status: Offline Points: 13682 |
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I think the wood stock's are very nice and pretty and all that stuff.SO i do like them.But for my personal choice i want and i have a synthetic for hunting.I carried a marlin 30/30 with a really nice wood stock on it i scratched it and everythign else you can do to one.yeah it gives the gun carecter but i would rather take a synthetic stockon a gun so if it happens again i can replace it easy and with very little miney.
but thats how i feel about it.
Like both but hunt with synthetic
Big
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outdoorAg
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/16/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 65 |
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I feel the same way many of you do. I love wooden stocks. They are warm, traditional and beautiful. But I feel the same way Pyro does- when I knock it against the stand, on the way out the truck or on a tree, those little dings drive me nuts. It is like putting an accidental scratch on your own truck. You hate it, know its there, and it always catches your eye. Now, would I rather drive a POS and scratch it all to heck? No way. So maybe I should go wood and love it and enjoy it. Ive just watched one of my hunting buddies hunt with his A-Bolt Stainless Stalker for 10 years. Still shoots great, still looks new. And he has no worries about knocking around a little. No one does it on purpose, but things happen in the moment. Decisions, decisions ...
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Bigdaddy0381
MODERATOR Georgia peach Joined: February/27/2007 Location: Georgia Status: Offline Points: 13682 |
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Outdoorag,
Ain't life simple hahaha if it was easy everyone would doit. I like synthetic becouse i know i ding mine off tree.fences and anything else i try to walk but quietly.But now to head out for the range wood works well .
Good Luck man |
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Roy Finn
MODERATOR Steiner Junkie Joined: April/05/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4856 |
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Yet another option would be to get the nicely stocked rifle and then purchase an aftermarket synthetic stock such as a Bell & Carson for $150 or so. Lots of people do just that.
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outdoorAg
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/16/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 65 |
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I like your idea Roy, just don't have the money to put together a rifle. Going to have to be out of the box.
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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OA, What Roy is suggesting is to go ahead and buy the wood stocked rifle of your choice, then later, as funds permit, buy an aftermarket synthetic stock for it. Put the synthetic stock on the action when you're on a really tough hunt or hunting in extremely inclement weather and you don't want to bang up the wood stock. The rest of the time when you're "easy hunting," it can wear the wood stock.
Maybe that's exactly the way you understood Roy's comments, but it sounded like you thought he was recommending building a rifle.
I like both wood and synthetic stocked rifles. Though synthetic stocks never have the visual appeal of a fine wood stock, I think some of the synthetic stocks available these days can be attractive. If you are just stand hunting for deer in generally good weather, a wood stocked rifle is fine. If you plan to hunt in rough, steep country, areas with lots of thick brush, or extremely wet weather will be the norm, you'll probably have a hard time keeping your wood stock from taking a beating despite your best efforts. |
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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outdoorAg
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/16/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 65 |
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Thanks Rifle Dude - that cleared things up. I did think he was talking about building a rifle from the ground up.
In general, the majority of my hunting would take place in stands, in good weather. However, once the season permits and the deer start to head out to the wheat, I love sitting outside, laying prone, or sitting up against a tree shooting from a bipod. It is these times where the gun is put on an ATV rack, thrown over my shoulder, set on the ground, and banged around a little. Probably nothing more than it can handle. |
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RifleDude
MODERATOR EVIL OPPRESSOR Joined: October/13/2006 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 16337 |
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It's a tough call, 'cause I too love pretty wood. It breaks my heart to see a beautiful wood stock get beat up, so I have and use both depending on the hunting circumstances. Sometimes durability wins out over aesthetics. However, keep in mind if you get a wood stock in a matte oil type finish, it's relatively easy to repair dents and scratches to look like new again, unlike the spray-on high gloss finishes. Just something to consider.
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Ted
Money can't buy happiness... but it's much more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle. |
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outdoorAg
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/16/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 65 |
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Something to consider indeed. The high gloss finish on that A-Bolt Gold Medallion will probably scratch like crazy!
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pyro6999
Optics Retard OT TITAN Joined: December/22/2006 Location: North Dakota Status: Offline Points: 22034 |
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another thing to think about is that just because a gun looks like crap dont mean is has to shoot like it, i have won many a beer bet shooting pdogs with a butt ugly rem 788 22-250 nothing fancy there but man will she shoot.
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They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead" 343 we will never forget God Bless Chris Ledoux "good ride cowboy" |
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Roy Finn
MODERATOR Steiner Junkie Joined: April/05/2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 4856 |
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That is exactly what I was suggesting. If you are like me, and it sounds so, the first big scratch you get in that wood will hurt more than the $150 spent to avoid it by purchasing tbanghe aftermarket stock and using it during the hunting season. You will never have to worry about babying your rifle. This way, you can select any type of wood or finish you desire. I can almost guarantee you will scratch that rifle if you hunt with it. When I bang and scratch my McMillan stocks, I break out the black "Sharpie" and it's a wrap, done deal.
Edited by Roy Finn |
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tahqua
MODERATOR Have You Driven A Ford Lately? Joined: March/27/2006 Location: Michigan, USA Status: Offline Points: 9043 |
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If you have a wood stock make sure you seal the end of the buttstock, you have to remove the recoil pad for this. Also, remove the action and seal inside the stock. I've made punky wood out of an Rem 870 because of this, though it saw extreme wet use.
That 788 you have is an excellent example of an accurate rear locking bolt action, especially in 22-250 and .222. I would take your beater on a bet any day against modern actions. |
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pyro6999
Optics Retard OT TITAN Joined: December/22/2006 Location: North Dakota Status: Offline Points: 22034 |
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i have one my brother in law has one and my father in law has one and if i run into a another for less than $500 i will probably buy another one just like it
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They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead" 343 we will never forget God Bless Chris Ledoux "good ride cowboy" |
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outdoorAg
Optics GrassHopper Joined: February/16/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 65 |
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Thanks for the info guys. Still looking for anyone who owns this gun - would love to get a review on it. Anyone know where Dolphin is ?
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