Greybeard and others. 257 Weatherby

[Buckfever]

How do you like the Vanguard version of the 257 Weatherby Magnum?  Is the trigger adjustable?  I am really concerned about it's accuracy compared to the Ultra Lightweight and the Sub-MOA.  Looking for a long range logging road stand set up.  How about wind drift with ammo like the 100gr. TSX or the 115 Partition?  Is the 257 Weatherby Magnum in a 24" barrel that much more FPS compared to a 25-06 in a 24" barrel.  Sorry for all the questions but I am thinking that one of these is in my future.
Buckfever

[nomosendero]

The Vanguard is a good rifle by factory rifle standards. The std. plastic
stock has some flex, but some shoot good anyway & some people do fine without touching them. If I bought the standard version, I would definately
have it bedded so that it would be consistant no matter how I held it or
whether or not I used a bi-pod for Western hunting/longer range Varmits.

You mention the Ultra Lightweight & the Sub-MOA, do you know that you can get a Vanguard in MOA version as well? If you do not like to tinker with factory guns or have a gunsmith do so, then it is worth a look. It is
still alot less expensive than all of the Mk V versions. If cost wasn't an issue, the Accumark or MOA version of it if still available has the best features to match the caliber in question.

Concerning your question, will a 24" 257 still outperform (velocity) a 24"
25-06, yes it will. Generally speaking you are looking at about 200 FPS
difference between the 2 rounds with the same length barrels. Both rounds benefit with 26" barrels, esp. the Wea.  This is one of the reasons
I decided not to buy the Van. for 1 of my boys. I called Wea. & asked them why the Van. in this one cal. did not have a 26" tube, & the Wea.
rep. acknowledged that the 26" made since, but Howa did not want to
bother with it & that was pretty much the end of it.

That being said, everything is not cut and dried. If you look at the new
Shooting Times Mag. you will see an article on the 257 Wea. by Layne
Simpson. The Vanguard that he tested was actually faster than a 26"
MKV that he also shot. This shows you what can happen with testing a
few rifles, some will have fast barrels & some will have slow barrels, it
happens. However, I have an article one of the Varmit Hunter Mags &
the article in there by Ralph Leymayer (spelling wrong) shows just the
opposite, with a MKV beating a Van. big time. But if you research extensively, you will find that the 25-06 will be 70-100FPS faster & the
Wea. round will be 80-125FPS faster with 26", but again these are general rules.

Also, keep this in mind. If you buy a Savage in the heavy barrel version
or a used Sendero in 25-06, you will be getting 26" barrels & with good
& safe reloads you could be within 100-125FPS of a 257Vanguard. These
rifles have an inherent accuracy edge over the std. Vanguard if you don't
mind the weight & for stand hunting it should not be an issue at all, I carry
my Sendero all day out West, no biggie. That is why that I went to 25-06AI
in my Sendero, I am within 75FPS of a 257Wea. in 26", not enough diff. to
think about, but fireforming is not for most people, but not an issue for me.

The 2 bullets that you mentioned are very good. The 100TSX retains velocity well for a light bullet & the 115 (I like the 120) are great. I use
a 125 Wildcat & it beats them all at long range.
 
There, a nice short answer like allways.  

Good Shooting

[Graybeard]

Just to make visible again. Will reply to question later when I have more time.

[Graybeard]

I've been exposed to a few Vanguard rifles. They look nice and appear well made but I've not found one yet that shot to my expectations. I've been involved in working up loads for a few for myself and others and they just don't seem to be as accurate as the Remington guns I'm used to working with.

I bought a Vanguard SS rifle in .257 Whby. Magnum and worked with it a good bit. I came to the conclusion that they do one of two things both of which in my opinion are both illegal and unethical if I'm correct.

Either they do not shoot the rifle they ship the target with or they shoot it without the stock on it. I say this because the one I had showed a super tight group not much over 1/2" for three shots at 100 yards with all three shots touching.

I wasn't able to get a single group very close to MOA from it and all groups had one thing in common, that was two nearly touching and a third way out from the rest. This is a classic indication of a bedding problem and this rifle definitely had one.

There is no way that rifle with that stock on it shot the group on the target that came with it. I do feel the rifle could have been made to shoot nicely by fixing the bedding problem and I'm sure I could have done that and perhaps Weatherby would have if I'd returned it and given them a chance. I did not tho because I felt they had already been dishonest with me once because that group could not have come from that rifle with that stock mated to it. So the rifle as a rifle didn't shoot the group. That's just plain dishonest in my book. I'll spend no more money on their guns.

Yes the .257 Mag is a considerable step up from the .25-06. It's quite noticeable.

[rltaylor]

I have a 257 Wby. Vanguard and the only way I would get rid of it is when I die.  I have made a couple of modifications, like a Timney trigger and a Weatherby upgrade stock.  Before I made those upgrade the rifle was shooting the Accubonds at about a 1/2" group and afterwards it's shooting a consistent 1/4" grouping.  And that's without any tweaking of the load.  I've put my other rifles into retirement since I bought the 257, it's a fun gun to shoot.

[rltaylor]

I have a 257 Wby. Vanguard and the only way I would get rid of it is when I die.  I have made a couple of modifications, like a Timney trigger and a Weatherby upgrade stock.  Before I made those upgrade the rifle was shooting the Accubonds at about a 1/2" group and afterwards it's shooting a consistent 1/4" grouping.  And that's without any tweaking of the load.  I've put my other rifles into retirement since I bought the 257, it's a fun gun to shoot.

[nomosendero]

Graybeard
I know that you are not the only one who has had this bedding problem,
that is why I mentioned that I would bed the factory stock as they are too
flexable.

rltaylor, I am glad your rifle worked out, I have heard of that too, but I
feel you are quite fortunate.

[Buckfever]

OK, I like the Ultra Lightweight Mark V in the 257 Weatherby Mag.  I don't like the price and the real expensive ammo.  If I got a 25-06 would it make any difference in the abilty to dispatch Mule deer out to 300yds or maybe a bit further?  Thoughts?   I don't know even with practice if I would feel good enough about shooting any further.  Just me!  Buckfever

[muzzleblast525]

I recently sold a Weatherby SUB-MOA in .257 Mag.  It was a shooter, but I was wanting to buy the Mathews SB and had to get rid of something, and it was the logical choice at the time.

[Ahab]

Greybeard, those Vanguards are shot in a machine rest. The barreled action is then sent to California and assembled. Weatherby makes no bones about it.

[Graybeard]

That being the case then to say the "rifle" is  capable of shooting any set size group is false advertising pure and simple. They should say that the action in a vise is not the rifle. The rifle consists of action in the stock and Weatherby Vanguards in the stock DO NOT shoot well in my experience.

[Mac11700]

I had a 270 Weatherby Vangaurd last year..it tirned out to be one of those diamonds in the rough so-to-speak and became a great one... once I replaced the stock with a Weatherby Accugard stock and put in a Timmney trigger..it came with a real nice target with it showing way less than a 1" group..that was shot with some Federal Classic ammo I called them and they told me the same thing..it's shot froma different stock....it did ok for me..but didn't shoot as good as the target with that ammo..it was however a very accurate rifle with many other brands.I also had a very nice stainless fluted 257 Weatherby Mark5..it shot the factory ammo very well too..If it were me..I'd go for the MOA rifle..with it you get a much nicer stock and floor plate..and these will shoot under 1" ...if top velocity is what your after..then go for the Weatherby magnum..it will still be faster than the 25-06 with the same lenght barrel..factory ammo will cost more..a-lot more..and won't be nearly available as the standard 25-06..

Mac

[BlackWolf]

I'm going to start by quantifying my post in that I myself am very interested in the .257 weatherby in a SUB-MOA Vanguard Stainless.  

I really can't imagine that you could go very wrong with choosing any cartridge in a Vanguard, especially the MOA model.  I might be missing something but it seems to me that the Vanguard's are a whole lot more gun per dollar than a remington or browning or any other manufacturer.  I know its hard for me to plop down $1,000 dollars for a new rifle (probably due to life experiences, 25 years old - getting married this summer and just bought a sports car) so when I do spend the money, I want to be sure that the rifle I get is a shooter and not gamble on getting a good piece of weaponry.  If I want to do that I'll hop up to Niagara Falls and make a donation.  Just my 2 cents and my opinions are based soley on research and not at all on personal experiences.  If any of ya'll have either a vanguard in any caliber or a .257 Weatherby in any type of gun, I'd be interested in hearing opinions on both from the owners.  Thanks!

BW

[jro45]

Just yesterday I was shooting my 257 WM mark 5   26" barrel at 200 yds and my 3 shot group was 1MOA. It was in a triangle. This isn't the Vangard
But I've heard good things about the 257 Vangard. I guess you'll have to make up your own mind.

[fatercat]

i have a new ultra lite. has anyone worked on a load using 115 triple shocks yet?