Schlepping a hunting rifle over miles of rough terrain can be a PITA—depending on the weather, backpack, clothing, footwear, sling and the weight of the long gun in question. Weatherby aims to lighten the load for kit-humping hunters with their new $1400 Vanguard Series 2 Back Country. It’s a 6.75 lbs bolt-action rifle available in your choice of five calibers. That’s roughly two pounds less than a Remington 700. Which doesn’t sound like a lot. And probably isn’t in the grand scheme of things. Especially when you consider the fact that you can buy a Japanese-built Weatherby Series Two Synthetic that weighs the same as the less capable Remy for $600 in your choice of 16 calibers. Still, the sub-MOA Vanguard Series 2 Back Country’s got a “pillar-bedded, Monte Carlo composite stock with spiderweb accents.” Just saying that makes me see the light. [h/t thefirearmblog.com]
I can’t get excited over a a LW rifle for $1400 when my Stevens 200 will shoot MOA for a fraction of that cost, weigh Less and my old Savage will shoot sub MOA and weigh only a few ounces more
Why don’t they make hardly any bolt guns with iron sights? I hate scopes.
Check-out the Savage Pig Hunter
Front sight to fat and target too small after 500 yards, at least for me.
CZ makes bolt guns with iron sights.
I just wish they would factory chamber their 527 Carbine in 6.8 SPC II.
Two pounds can be a lot of weight to save on a twenty mile hike along with the rest of your gear that will average almost or more than one hundred pounds, I speak from experience and I am no ofwg.
No one is arguing the weight factor, just the price factor. For that kind of money I can hire someone else to pack my gear.
Heck! I could even fill the tank on my Truck-Boat-Truck!
There are an awful lot of Savages out there for under $1000 that have MOA accuracy or better; why would one pay $1400 for this Weatherby?
Ymmv, but my hunting buddy’s vanguard in 300 wby is nothing to right home about. $1400 is crazy for that. Now a Mark V may be a different story, but I’ll stick to my “less capable” sub moa 700.
Just saw one ( 3oo wby mag. ) sell on GA for $849.00 also a 30-06 listed same website, $1399.00. ( good luck with that )
Sounds like a lot of features for the money, even at the MSRP. The cerakoted barrel and action, fluted barrel, MOA accuracy, 2 stage trigger, and the bedded stock make it attractive, but my concern would be recoil. I wonder how much this would kick in .270 winchester with 130 grain ammo? Too bad they don’t offer this in 25-06.