Weatherby VG 2, pressure point or free float??

r.fallon

r.fallon

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Hi Guys had my new Weatherby Vanguard 2 in 270 win out today. Sighting in at 100y using 130gr Fed Power Points, I had a hard time to get it on the paper after bore sighting. Once I got on paper the the rounds where all over without any constancy over a 6 inch area. I check all the usual culprits scope, mounts, action screws but everything was as normal
The rifle is has a 24 inch pencile barrel with a muzzle break and is in the regular plastic stock.


Here is my question, being new to the Weatherby/Howa platform I've noticed that there is hard contact at the end of the stock and the barrel for most of the barrel channel. Is this a pressure point or is this my problem? Should I try another brand of ammo before I relieve the barrel channel and free float the barrel? Is the muzzle break messing with the natural barrel resonance? Any other ideas would be helpful.

Cheers
Rf
 
I did check the scope and mounts and they were solid. I was going to try it with the brake off but I ran out of time today. Back at it tomorrow, hopefully something happens besides spraying the rounds all over the paper
 
I have had numerous Vanguard 2 some with a pressure point ,they have all shot well.
If the break is aftermarket I suspect that is the problem.
 
Have you considered the action screws ??
Tighten to what ever the consensus is for the correct inch pound torque.
Pencil thin barrels get warm fast, had a Remington 700 Mountain in 270 and after a few (4 shots) the bullets walked all over the target.
Eventually found that 140's worked well after letting the barrel cool down down.
Tight Groups,
Rob
 
Take the brake off. Take your front mount off and see in one screw is bottoming on the barrel threads before tightening the mount down solidly. Try a different scope, whether it's new or not.

If anew Vanguard is shooting 6" there's a big problem. That doesn't mean it's a complicated or expensive one.
 
I've been shooting a Vanguard for about 20 years or so now, the factory stock definitely had a pressure point. But I ditched it years ago for a B&C stock. They come from the factory with a pressure point as well, I spent some time at the range trying different torque values on the action screws and firing a group, then adjusting and repeating. Eventually I just removed the pressure point altogether and it shoots consistently well with everything now, instead of being either pretty average or ultra-accurate. It's a lot less picky.
 
r.fallon said:
Hi Guys had my new Weatherby Vanguard 2 in 270 win out today. Sighting in at 100y using 130gr Fed Power Points, I had a hard time to get it on the paper after bore sighting. Once I got on paper the the rounds where all over without any constancy over a 6 inch area. I check all the usual culprits scope, mounts, action screws but everything was as normal
The rifle is has a 24 inch pencile barrel with a muzzle break and is in the regular plastic stock.


Here is my question, being new to the Weatherby/Howa platform I've noticed that there is hard contact at the end of the stock and the barrel for most of the barrel channel. Is this a pressure point or is this my problem? Should I try another brand of ammo before I relieve the barrel channel and free float the barrel? Is the muzzle break messing with the natural barrel resonance? Any other ideas would be helpful.

Cheers
Rf
Click to expand...

A couple pointers here:
First of all you have a hunting rifle and not a match gun. So shooting all those bullets you will get the results your have - the barrel will heat up. I have a 240 Weatherby and it's all stock - I can put three shots within two inches at 200 yards. I let the barrel cool down for about 10-12 minutes between shots. This is how our rifles were designed the pressure point provides a crucial part to it's accuracy guarantee. My scope rings are Talleys and my scope is a cheap Sig Sauer whisky 3.

I did follow the break in procedure that Weatherby recommended - this took a few hours to accomplish - I started sighting in the scope with the last four rounds. Then on a second range trip a few weeks later I shot at 200 yards and achieved Weatherby's accuracy guarantee. Todate I've only shot the rifle 23 times - plan is to take it to the range next weekend to make sure that it still shoots as accurate at 200 yards. It will take me about 1/2 to shoot three rounds - this is what makes Weatherby an excellent hunting rifle - you know it's accurate and is perfect for hunting.
 
Some of the vanguards are very picky about torquing sequence of action screws. I would pull the stock out, sand out the pressure point. Put the stock back on and put in the front action screw to a slight bit more than hand tight. Put in reac action screw to similar torque. Then tighten the front to a reasonable amount, then torque rear.
 
My Howa is free floated if I remember correctly, it’s a heavy barrel though and not a pencil barrel. Are you letting the barrel cool fully between shots? That’s been the case with what I thought was accuracy issues with a new to me rifle, good known scope, pic rail and rings as well as action screws all torqued to spec. Barrel free floated, first two shots were almost touching the next 3 ended up with a 4-6” groups at 100y. Different ammo didn’t change groupings, once I started letting the barrel fully cool it started shooting 3/4”-1” 5 shot 100y groups. Which is what I was expecting from all the feedback others have said theirs was capable of with factory hunting ammo, guess I’ve gotten used to heavy barrels lol.

My Howa in .308 shoots moa or better if I do my part, Vanguard’s and Howa’s are generally accurate rifles.
 
Well it turns out it was an ammo issue with my Weatherby. Yesterday I shot both Fed PP 130gr and Fed Berger Hybrib 140gr. The results were 2.5moa for the PP And .75moa for the Hybrib. So that is a relief that it wasn't a mechanical issue.

My next question, are long thin barrels fussy? Do they like stuff on the heavy side?

Cheers
Rf
 
I bedded and floated a Vanguard MOA that I owned, and the groups opened up to around 1-1/4". I replaced the pressure point, and the groups shrunk back to 3/4". I set up a friends new Vanguard Meat Eater in 7mmremmag a few months ago, and the first three loads we tried were over 2" at 100m. I made up a fourth load, and it put five in 1". Those pencil barrels can be very fussy.
 
Pencil barrel/sporter barrerls are designed for light weight carry - you take your shot and you tag out. If you want something can shoot a 5 or 10 shot string then you would need a heavy barrel. I love my pencil barrel weatherby and savage axis
 
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