Need help picking a budget action

kykamo

kykamo

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Hey guys,

i thought i knew which budget rifle i wanted, but then a decent deal came about that is making me second guess my convictions...does anyone here know what that feels like???;)

Originally i was going to get a marlin x7. i was always interested in a savage 10, 11, etc., or the weatherby vanguard s2 but they were usually around $600-700 and is hard to find a savage without a dbm. So since x7's price was super cheap at 420 out the door and has decent features like no dbm and is basically a copy of a savage model 10 (cant go wrong right?). my plan was to buy really cheap and put a bodys stock on it and have a $620 rifle that shoots just as well as any $600 rifle but have a nicer stock. then i could go off sailing into the sunset with a decent rifle that i could learn to out shoot one day and plink at 1000 yards. :cool:

But now a vanguard s2 has popped up for $550 (not including shipping)...so my question is, is the vanguard s2 worth the extra $150?? primarily the action and barrel. the barrel is 2" longer, thats cool, but not necessary for a 7mm08. so is the action design $150 better than a marlin x7 with a boyd stock? i know its more robust and has a integral recoil lug/nut or whatever, which i assume is the best part about it. but is it that much better than the marlin? what, in the real world, can it deliver that the marlin couldnt?

i could easily justify the cost if i didnt want to buy a bodys stock for it....but i do. do you think it would actually help that rifle? like as much as it would for the marlin?

edit: oh and how easy is it to change the barrel on the vanguard? could i do it my self as easily as one with a savage nut?

thanks guys, i need your technically expertise here and experience.
 
The weatherby and savage are both better than the marlin, for more reasons that the stock alone. I believe that model is made by HOWA, they're good. The savage might be a little easier for the budget minded person to tinker with. I haven't owned a x7 to really give it a fair opinion, but I'm not willing to waste the money to try one out after looking at one.

A savage model 10 action and a good HS Precision stock should be a good start.
 
You'll have more stock and parts option with the savage and remington actions than with the Marlin. My experience has been with the Savage actions and they are great actions to tinker with. Both my Fclass rifles have been Savage/stevens action and they have perform without much issue in the wet and in dust. Not the smoothest action but when paired with a quality match barrel and trigger you can easily shoot in the .5 MOA. There are a few barreled action remingtons and savage on the EE that would make a great project rifle for a low budget precision.
 
A Mauser 96 or 98 would give you lot's of options. Lot's of parts around and also inexpensive. Can't really go wrong with a Mauser...IMO
 
So the seller brought the down the price for the weatherby. its now $500 including shipping. sounds like a good deal.

So is a vanguard 2 at 500 a better buy? would you guys go for it? no one has really commented on any of my first posts weatherby questions yet
 
I would get the savage.

Try googling aftermarket parts for the weatherby. Then try savage. You'll see why people are saying savage. I mentioned the weatherby, it's a howa. Marketed by weatherby.
 
Sorry, my first reply was abrupt. The SW1500/Howa1500/Weatherby Vanguard are nice rifles and a good choice for a hunting rifle. Few (if any) build upon them. The Savage are great out of the box and many on here and elsewhere have made fine, very fine, shooters off Savage ( and for that matter Stevens ) actions. My personal recommendation however is to buy a Remington SPS. The Remington will likely shoot well out of the box and is endlessly upgradeable - every 'smith on the planet can and will work on them - and can be turned into a really sweet toy.

Here is my often used picture of Mrs Tomochan's .223 that started out life as a SPS that I share to show what, for example, can be done.

 
I think the Weatherby S2 has a 90 deg. bolt through similar to the Mausers with a good adjustable two stage trigger. Not sure about the Savages...
 
The Weatherby S2 would be a fine hunting rifle. but if you're looking for something for long range as well. steer clear! it'll be like shooting yourself in both feet, unless of course your budget is of no concern, but if that was the case, you likely would be building a full custom. Get a savage or like Tomochan says, a Remington. both of those are exactly what you're looking for. There are pros and cons to both of them. you decide what is more important to you.

I've been in your shoes before.
 
7mm-08 is not a cartridge of amazing performance either. Why would you want to use that anyway? Maybe get a Mossberg 500 and you are done!
 
riversrest said:
7mm-08 is not a cartridge of amazing performance either. Why would you want to use that anyway? Maybe get a Mossberg 500 and you are done!
Click to expand...

Huh? That makes zero sense to me?? 7mm-08 is a fantastic cartridge that now has lapua brass available for it, it has a great selection of high BC bullets, and should have a very respectable barrel life.

Also, why would a mossberg 500 be mentioned in the precision rifle forum?
 
OP wants an inexpensive action for a precision rifle in 7mm with a parent cartridge & talks about low cost Weatherby, Marlin & Savage. You may as well place Mossberg 500 in slug config there as!
 
If I were the OP I would keep looking in the EE. You have to wade through the odd ad where a person is trying to sell a used rifle for the same or more than new, but there are deals to be had.

I have a Savage 114 American Classic with a Criterion barrel that has been bedded, arma-coated and has a walnut stock much nicer than what boyds is offering and I would probably sell it for the same money you were originally referring to. Just keep your eyes open and you will find something.

What is your issue with a DBM? I think the system Savage has (the metal mag configuration) is a great set up.
 
I wouldn't count out the Vanguard for a precision rifle build. I built this one ( My gunsmith chambered the Gaillard barrel) a few years ago, my buddy has it now and it still shoots under .5moa with ease. That is the rifle that I shot my smallest group ever with actually. Finding a stock is the biggest challenge unless you can make your own. Triggers can be reworked...
 
why I dont like dbm? typical reasons. One more thing that can break, something to lose, not necessary.

Hey timmy, what base is that? If I get this vanguard I need to know what 1 piece bases work for them

Thanks
 
If you want to see what kind of options you can get for that weatherby, check out sniper central and see what kind of options they offer on their HOWA 1500 Entry level sniper package. You will likely be able to find stocks, triggers, rails...etc.
 
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