Vanguard Safety Notice IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE VANGUARD® BY WEATHERBY RIFLE Weatherby, Inc. Of Paso Robles, California, is performing a safety upgrade on all Vanguard® by Weatherby brand rifles manufactured between the years 1970 to 1993. The affected rifles bear serial numbers from one of the following series on the receiver: 00001 through 03810; V00001 through V80966; VX00001 through VX44065; VS00001 through VS23699; VL00001 through VL46984; W0001 through W0099; NV0001 through NV0099.
The safety upgrade will replace the bolt sleeve to prevent misassembly of the bolt, which might occur on the affected rifles. Such misassembly might result into a hazardous condition in which the rifle can be accidentally discharged without the bolt being fully engaged, causing severe injury. WARNING: If you own a Vanguard® by Weatherby rifle with a serial number from one of the serial number series referred to above: USE OF YOUR RIFLE MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT AND SEVERE INJURY. STOP USING YOUR RIFLE IMMEDIATELY and click on this link to receive a Bolt Return Kit. Only the bolt sleeve is being upgraded.
Your bolt will be returned to you after the upgrade. If you do not have web access, call Weatherby at (307) 675-7840 to receive a Bolt Return Kit. NO OTHER WEATHERBY RIFLES ARE AFFECTED. CHECK YOUR SERIAL NUMBER. The affected rifles were originally sold through licensed gun dealers nationwide, and some of them may have been resold by the original owners through retail gun dealers, trade shows or privately. If you have sold, traded or given away an affected Vanguard® by Weatherby rifle, it is important for you to forward this Safety Notice to the current owner. Weatherby apologizes for any inconvenience to its customers resulting from this safety upgrade program, but it is important that owners of affected rifles take advantage of this free upgrade program and do not use an affected rifle before it has been upgraded.
All work will be done at the factory at no charge. Return the bolt only, not the entire rifle. Please do not return your Vanguard® by Weatherby bolt to the factory before contacting us at either or (307) 675-7840 for your Bolt Return Kit. Return To Safety Center.
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My dad gave me a 30-06 vangurd the summer I turned 11. I worked my butt off for him to prove I deserved it.
For over ten years it was the only high powered rifel I owned. Ive never had a bit of problems with it even after treating it to the worst Alaska has to offer. The wood stock is a little beaten but thats not the guns fault. It is a little, I mean a lot heavy though for packing in the mountains.
I can know carry five days more food since I switched to something lighter anything. Weight is the only downside of this gun to me. Otherwise it preforms flawlessly still have it and will pass it on to my kids. I have a Vanguard, it is a solid, well built rifle.
Leupold VIII 3X9, Warne Mounts and Rings. It is a tack driver. The only issue was setting up the scope initially. Leupold bases and rings would not work with the rifle.
Ordered the correct Warne setup, and no more problem. I think they are well worth the money.I bought one last Spring in 22-250. I too had a problem with the Leupold rings but my dealer helped me find ones (Leupold) that worked. We just kept trying different sized until the scope zero out with a bore sight. Other than that I love it. And never had a malfunction yet. And very accurate at that.
If shopping for a Vanguard, and would like to pay even a bit less, take a look at the Howa. Howa's been making the Vanguard to Weatherby specs since what, 1970? You canget the Weatherby cartridges in the Howa, but not much more than a 22 or 24 inch barrel, but the guts are the same. The same basic rifle has also been the S&W 1500 and a Mossberg.
A recent trip through the trap line locally found two.243 Howa barreled actions at $250 apiece asking price, new in the box. Thread attached is a pretty good discussion about them. I own and have owned Weatherby Vanguards in 30-06.338-06 and 300wby mag for years. The Vanguard line is manufactured by Howa MFG. These rifles are precision instruments and will stand up to the task at hand.
They are well built and a great bang for the buck. The 338 win mag is a great selection as that rifle will hold value for years to come. Aftermarket parts are spendy if you want to upgrade the stock rifle. I found that Redfield and Burris scope bases really work well on that action. They are smooth actions and load well. A assume you are looking at a stainless steel/synthetic model?
The actions on these rifles are smooth and fast. They are based on a Mauser action (my personal favorite action.) As Cadillac is to Chevy the Vanguard is to the Mossberg 1500, Smith & Wesson 1500, Howa Lightning and the newest name to the same rifle, the Legacy Sports M-1500 which is optionally loaded up with Hogue rubber stocks, carbon fiber barrels, Knoxx recoil systems, and Nikko Stirling Optics. The same rifle with many names but all the same quality. You can score a Howa Lightning or M-1500 for around 500.00 new or a Vanguard in the same caliber for around 800.00 new.
Vanguard rifles manufactured between 1970 and 1993 however has a pending recall posted last year. You can return them to the factory for a safety upgrade. This is for the bolt only and actually it's only the bolt sleeve.
Some bolt sleeves came loose on a few rifles, so Howa is replacing the safety. The rifles involved in the recall bear serial numbers form the following series on the receiver: 0, V00001-V80966, VX00001-VX44065, VS0001-VS23699, VL00001-VL46984, W0001-W0099 and NV0001-NV0099. Call before sending the bolt for repair at (800) 227-2018, ext. 999 or online. I bought a Vanguard Compact in 7mm08 for my son (10 yo) this past Christmas. It came with both a youth stock and an adult-sized stock. Kind of like 2 guns for the price of 1.
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The trigger is not the best, but it is adjustable and could be smoothed up even more by a smith if need be. Accuracy is pretty good out of the box and we'll be working more on that with handloads when it gets a little warmer. We scoped it with a Burris FFII and Talley Lightweight's. The Talley's fit just fine. We find it to be a reasonably priced, well functioning and fitting rifle that can grow with him.
Be sure to check out the trigger of the gun you are going to buy. Most of them have absolutely hideous triggers. I'm sure they can be worked on by a qualified gunsmith, but I'd find out about that before I bought it. Does anyone else have any experience 'crisping' a current Vanguard trigger? Seriously, off the shelf most of them have the worst triggers I have ever encountered. FYI, they take the same bases as a Remington model 700.
I'd also agree that it's tough to beat Warne for the money.I adjusted mine down to a couple of pounds but it still needs improvement. I found an after market trigger that'll work in the Vanguard made by Basix, it costs approx. My Dad bought me this Vanguard a few years ago chambered in.300 Wthby Mag and it's seen a lot of action! It kills everything that I point it at and is my 'go to' gun! The first thing that I did when I got it was have it parkerized and I spray painted the boreing synthetic stock OD green.
I like it as it reminds me a lot of my Remington 700's with the safety & ergonomics being very similar. Are you referring to the Warne 'weaver style' mounts? Which Warne model exactly? I checked out their web page, but wasn't too impressed. Maybe I am missing something.Yes, I was refering to their 'Weaver style' cross lock style mount. They aren't sleek and pretty, but they're as strong as just about anything out there and beat the panties off Leupold's standard and even dual dovetail designs in the strength department. If you're looking at a hard kicking gun (.300 mag +) they're worth looking.
They have twice the number of screws in the rings, much more gripping surface, and they cost the same as the Leupolds. They're solid steel unlike the Weaver, plus the look better than the Weavers. I own a Howa and Vanguard is built by Howa in Japan. I have checked out the Vanguard and it is solidly built with a good reputation for accuracy.
Idm Serial Numbers
I read several reviews in gun rags where the Vanguard action was rated highly. Howa is a manufacturer that has been around for a long time. The old Smith and Wesson model 1500 rifle is basically the Howa 1500 of today.
In truth, the Howa and Vanguard actions differ mainly in esthetics. They are essentially the same product. Excellent rifle, great price, good choice, buy one or you will regret it when the price increases after everyone else catches on.
Weatherby Vanguard Rifles By Chuck Hawks Weatherby Vanguard Stainless. Illustration courtesy of Weatherby, Inc. The Weatherby Vanguard bolt action rifle was introduced in the late 1960's as a Weatherby rifle for non-Weatherby calibers. The line was revitalized in 2003 and is now the heart of the Weatherby line. Sales of Vanguards far outnumbers Mark V sales. The original Weatherby Vanguard and the subsequent VGD and VGX Deluxe models looked almost identical to the Mark V Deluxe rifle, and sported a very similar walnut stock, right down to the checkering, forearm tips, grip caps, line spacers, and recoil pads.
The stock finish was high gloss and the metal finish was the renowned Weatherby high luster blue. These deluxe models were discontinued in the early 1990s. Between 1994 and 2002 Weatherby Vanguards were offered only through Wal-Mart stores. These were Weatherguard models with a synthetic stock and a choice of blue or stainless steel barreled actions in most of the old Vanguard calibers. There was also a Deluxe model with a checkered walnut stock and contrasting forearm tip in.300 Weatherby Magnum caliber. This rifle had a satin blue metal finish and lacked the contrasting line spacers at grip cap and forend tip of the new 2006 Vanguard Deluxe. In 2003 Weatherby reintroduced the Vanguard as a regular catalog item.
Weatherby Vanguard Rifle Serial Numbers
New Vanguard Stainless and Vanguard Synthetic models were again available from all Weatherby distributers and dealers. The Synthetic comes with a matte black carbon steel barreled action, and the Stainless comes with a matte silver stainless steel barreled action. Both models come with 24' barrels, are 44.5' in overall length, and weigh 7.75 pounds. Calibers range from.223 Remington to.338 Win. Weatherby Vanguard Synthetic.
Illustration courtesy of Weatherby, Inc. The new Vanguard synthetic models use a black synthetic stock in the typical Weatherby 'California' style. This injection-molded composite stock is checkered, has comfotable lines, and comes with a recoil pad. In 2004 the Vanguard Sporter was introduced.
This was essentially the new version of the Wal-Mart Deluxe model, what I think of as a semi-deluxe Vanguard. In 2005 a stainless steel action was made available with the walnut stock as the Sporter SS.
2005 also saw the introduction of the Vanguard Compact-Youth. This blued/synthetic model comes with a shortened stock and a full size stock. Bigger news in 2005 was the introduction of the Vanguard SUB-MOA models; more about these shortly. For 2006 the Vanguard Deluxe has been re-introduced as the top of the Vanguard line. And once again the Vanguard Deluxe is the spittin' image of a Mark V Deluxe. Also in 2006, a Varmint Special took its place in the Vanguard line.
This comes with a blued, heavy #3 coutour 22' barrel and a varmint stock. The 2006 Vanguard line is the most complete in history, and custom Vanguard models are available through the Weatherby Custom Shop.
Stb erom upgrade tool 2018. Special stocks, fluted barrels, and AccuBrake muzzle brakes are among the available Custom Shop extras. All Vanguards are based on an action using a one-piece forged and machined, flat bottomed receiver and a machined steel bolt with dual opposed locking lugs.
This modified Mauser action is built to Weatherby specifications by Howa in Tokyo, Japan. The Howa bolt action is a good one, and the version produced for the Vanguard incorporates many of the features of the Mark V. The cartridge head is contained within Weatherby's famous three rings of steel. The one-piece bolt body is fluted, there are three gas escape ports in the side of the bolt and a streamlined bolt sleeve shrouds the rear of the bolt. Also similar to the Mark V is the flush mounted claw extractor at the front of the bolt and the plunger ejector in the recessed bolt face. The two position Vanguard safety locks the bolt closed in the 'safe' position, just like a Mark V safety, but it is not as quiet in operation and is shaped differently. There is also a Mark V type cocking indicator for added safety.
The magazine floorplate is hinged, and the release is in the front of the trigger guard. The bolt lift is 90 degrees, not 54 degrees like the Mark V. The barrel is cold hammer forged. The trigger is not externally adjustable, but the two adjustment screws (secured by small lock nuts) on the front and rear of the trigger assembly can be accessed by removing the stock. All Weatherby rifles, Vanguard and Mark V alike, come with a 1.5' MOA accuracy guarantee specifying a 1.5' or smaller 3-shot group at 100 yards from a cold barrel when used with Weatherby or premium factory loaded ammunition, and they are supplied with a test target to prove it.
Often Vanguard rifles will shoot considerably smaller groups right out of the box. Weatherby Vanguard SUB-MOA Stainless. Illustration courtesy of Weatherby, Inc. This did not escape the notice of the Weatherby testers, and it led to the introduction of the premium Vanguard SUB-MOA models. These are hand picked Vanguards, pillar bedded in upgraded Fiberguard composite stocks with non-slip black or gray spiderwebbing. Both matte blued and stainless steel barreled actions are available as SUB-MOA models in all standard Vanguard calibers.
There is also a Vanguard SUB-MOA Varmint model that comes with a special beavertail varmint stock with ventilation slots in the forend Weatherby Vanguard SUB-MOA Varmint. Illustration courtesy of Weatherby, Inc. The question always arises: since it is not based on the Mark V action, is the Vanguard a true Weatherby? And the answer is unequivocally 'yes.' Weatherby puts their name and reputation on the line with the Vanguard, and if they say it is a Weatherby rifle, then I will take their word for it. The Vanguard is no longer the poor stepchild in the Weatherby line. As mentioned in the opening paragraph, it is now the heart of the Weatherby line.
The following specifications pertain specifically to the 2006 Vanguard Deluxe, Other Vanguard models are functionally similar. The Deluxe (product code VGX) has a 24 inch barrel and is 44.5 inches in overall length. The catalog weight is 7.75 pounds. Length of pull is 13.5'. The cartridge capacity is 5+1 in standard calibers and 3+1 in magnum calibers.
2006 MSRP is $865. Weatherby Vanguard Deluxe. Illustration courtesy of Weatherby, Inc.
Weatherby Vanguard Rifles Calibers
In appearance the new 2006 Deluxe is almost identical to a Mark V Deluxe and also to the earlier Vanguard VGX Deluxe, with a high luster blue finish on barrel and receiver, and a nicely figured claro walnut Monte Carlo stock with cut checkering and a rosewood forearm tip and pistol grip cap set off by maplewood line spacers. There is a traditional Weatherby diamond inlay in the pistol grip cap. In summation, the Weatherby Vanguard line for 2006 is pretty much complete.
Vanguards range from basic blued/synthetic models to the ultra-accurate SUB-MOA models and Deluxe models stocked in beautifully finished claro walnut. Many knowledgeable gun dealers and hunters alike consider the Weatherby Vanguard to be the best value available in a centerfire hunting rifle today. Note: Complete reviews of the Vanguard Deluxe, Vanguard Sporter, Vanguard Varmint Special and Vanguard SUB-MOA rifles can be found on the page.
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