Feedback Weatherby SUB MOA

There's absolutely no difference between a run of the mill V'guard and a subMOA other than the stamp on the bottom. Haven't seen a Vanguard yet that isn't capable of subMOA for a good handloader. Seems the W'by process is to simply grab the better shooters they test fire , call them subMOA's and crank the price up. That obviously makes little sense as even sequential numbered rifles built the same day by the same guys won't shoot the same ammo identically. Same gun, more $$$, same crap trigger - buy a regular Vanguard and stick a Timney in it and you're subMOA already. Mine came in a tan composite, rubbery black spider-webbed stock that's well bedded and it's .5" or less with my favorite 95 gr .243 bal S'Tip bullet, 3-shot groups @ 100 meters. Before the Timney it was 1.25" or so, same load.
 
I had one that would qualify for a 2MOA....a brand-new Vanguard Stainless Laminate in 257. Nothing I tried for a powder/bullet combination would even come near the inch.
Factory supplied target showed 0.980 so I phoned the factory and managed to chat with the chap who fired the target...he quickly admitted that the target was fired @ 50 yds. and not 100.
So we then bedded the rifle and put in a new Timney trigger and still no luck in breaking the inch...this after changing scopes and mounts.
Now I've been handloading since 1962 and over the years for dozens of different calibers, so I don't think I'm the reason it wouldn't shoot, especially since my brother's VZ24 Mauser in the same chambering would shoot 3/4 MOA with the same loads.
The rifle is currently in a friend's hands who also has a 257 Weatherby, his is a Mk.V, a sub-inch gun, and he can't get this thing to break the inch with any load he's made.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Vanguards aren't good rifles because they are...mine just wouldn't work for me. :(
 
Factory supplied target showed 0.980 so I phoned the factory and managed to chat with the chap who fired the target...he quickly admitted that the target was fired @ 50 yds. and not 100.
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So what happened to the Weatherby guarantee of three shots in 1-1/2" at 100 yards?
 
sbtennex said:
There's absolutely no difference between a run of the mill V'guard and a subMOA other than the stamp on the bottom. Haven't seen a Vanguard yet that isn't capable of subMOA for a good handloader. Seems the W'by process is to simply grab the better shooters they test fire , call them subMOA's and crank the price up. That obviously makes little sense as even sequential numbered rifles built the same day by the same guys won't shoot the same ammo identically. Same gun, more $$$, same crap trigger - buy a regular Vanguard and stick a Timney in it and you're subMOA already. Mine came in a tan composite, rubbery black spider-webbed stock that's well bedded and it's .5" or less with my favorite 95 gr .243 bal S'Tip bullet, 3-shot groups @ 100 meters. Before the Timney it was 1.25" or so, same load.
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The stock is a Bell and Carlson stock on the sub-moa, much different than the standard.

I also had 3 regular Vanguards, all 3 easily shot under one inch with no problem, easily meeting the 1 1/2 inch guarantee.
 
stubblejumper said:
So what happened to the Weatherby guarantee of three shots in 1-1/2" at 100 yards?
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The Weatherby technician I talked to was very good about it and offered to take the gun back providing I jumped thru all the hoops regarding paperwork etc. but he did say that circumstances prevented testing any farther at that time. I did suggest that when they test the distance fired should be recorded on the target.
I do feel this may have been an isolated case because my brother bought the cheapest Vanguard model made with a synthetic stock in 300 Weatherby and it is an awesome shooter, certainly sub-MOA with several loads.
 
Did you check to see if its free floated in the laminate stock. I believe when they test shoot them, they are not in those stocks and in a vise, no pressure points. Free floating may help.

Send me a private message if you are interested and I will send you a load for the 257 that I was able to get 5 shot , 3/4 inch groupings.
 
I have a Vanguard in 300 WSM. It is not the sub-moa model. However, with loads it likes and after a trigger "tweaking" I have shot several sub-1 inch groups at 200 yards with it. [½ moa] I just traded my synthetic stock for a Laminate with a gunnut on here. It will be interesting to see if anything has changed with the new stock. Regards, Eagleye.
 
I also have a sub-moa vanguard but mine is in 22-250. I purchased it because of the stock, not for the barrel. Figured for the difference between a normal stainless vanguard with the junk plastic stock and the sub-moa with the way nicer stock, it was worth the money. I knew the trigger was bad from day one so I put a timney in it. Even though I'm still working on load development, I'm easily putting 3 of 4 shots into 1'' at 100 yards. Most of the time 2 of the 4 are touching.
 
Mad_Mikee said:
. Even though I'm still working on load development...
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I havent even come close to working up a final load yet. Been to the range twice so far with my handloads. So far things are looking promising.
I have no doubts i'll be able to cloverleaf 3 shots once the load is worked out.
 
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