Weatherby is known the world around as a maker of extremely fine firearms, especially of the hunting variety. But those firearms are generally pretty expensive, so Weatherby came out with their “Vanguard” line of rifles not too long ago priced to meet the demand of the shooter on a budget. The problem is that their first attempt sucked (relative to what they were capable of doing — I still gave it four stars). Enter the Series 2, the next incarnation of the Vanguard that supposedly fixes all the problems. But does it?
There were three main problems with the original Vanguard rifle: the trigger was creepier than Uncle Joey, the stock looked and felt like it was designed by Kia (i.e. terrible and cheap), and the accuracy was more or less “meh.” It was a budget rifle all right, but Weatherby had sacrificed almost everything that makes their guns great to get down to the right price point.
The series 2 is somewhere around $100 – $150 more than its older brother, but that money appears to be money well spent. Even just looking at it, it appears to be made of higher quality stuff.
For comparison, here’s what the old version looked like. The stock is a single piece of injection molded polymer (plastic) that warped and bent with every movement. The new stock is a two-tone affair, the main chassis being a more durable polymer with the areas one would normally grip a firearm covered in a softer and more grippy material. It looks nicer, feels better, and doesn’t warp as much.
There is, however, a problem. One of the main complaints I had with the stock on the original version was that it wasn’t “free floating.” That is, the stock contacted the barrel. This becomes a problem when you’re trying to make precision shots, as it usually has an adverse effect on the barrel harmonics and can apply pressure on the barrel moving it slightly off center. In other words, bad mojo. The Series 2 fixed a number of issues with the stock, but it still isn’t free floating.
This rifle also falls into line with another pet peeve among the writers here. The comb of the stock appears to be designed to line your eyes up with the top of the barrel, but the observant reader will note that there are no iron sights. This rifle was designed to be fired using a scope, but the way the stock is designed means you either need to be happy with an inadequate cheek weld or get yourself a cheek riser to get your eye on the right level. I don’t get why companies can’t just make the comb of the stocks a little bit higher so I don’t need the riser. I’m starting to think they’re colluding with the accessory companies to drive sales of risers…
Moving on, the trigger is also completely redesigned. On the original you had a single stage trigger, but the Series 2 sports a rather snappy two stage affair. The vast majority of the creep has been removed, leaving behind what feels on the range like a very crisp break. Sitting here on my couch I can still feel a tiny bit of creep, but not nearly as much as there was in the original. In short, check the box next to “fix the trigger.”
Which just leaves the accuracy. Weatherby used to break out their Vanguard line into the standard affairs and their “Sub-MOA” offerings that guaranteed 3 rounds in less than a 1 inch circle at 100 yards. Their regular line could do the job as well but thanks to the remarkably crappy stocks, they didn’t guarantee it. The new Vanguard Series 2 rifles, on the other hand, are all guaranteed to be 1 MoA or better out of the box.
On the range, the claim seems about right. I was able to score two rounds touching, then one low but still within an inch before the rounds started drifting. Sorry about the crappy picture — when the range time is free you don’t complain about the inability to retrieve your targets. (Special thanks to Bracken Range in San Antonio, TX for the range time!)
So, it looks like this is indeed a good improvement over the previous design. In addition to the above changes, they also moved away from the high gloss blued finish of the old version towards a bead-blasted matte blue finish on the new gun, reducing the visibility of the firearm and also (in my opinion) making it look a lot slicker.
There is one thing I didn’t like: the safety. The previous incarnation had a standard two position safety, but this version has three — fire, safe with the ability to work the action, and safe with the action locked. It’s a little complex for my taste, and the slightly more flimsy design of the safety selector lever leaves me pining for the older design.
All in all, what we have here is a definite improvement over the original Vanguard. With a better trigger, a better stock and guaranteed accuracy out of the box, this really does make it THE rifle for the shooter on a budget. MSRP is still a tad high compared to some of the other offerings, but its right about on par with the Remington 700 and just feels like the quality is much higher than its Freedom Group-owned counterpart.
Weatherby Vanguard Series 2 Carbine
Specifications
Caliber: .308 Winchester (7.62×51 NATO)
Barrel: 20″, 1:12 twist
Size: 40″ overall length
Weight: 7 lbs.
Operation: Bolt action
Finish: Matte blue
(Rifle DOES NOT come with bipod, scope or mounts)
Capacity: 5+1
MSRP: $599
Ratings (Out of Five Stars)
Remember: ratings are based on the merits of the firearm compared to other similarly priced and marketed firearms. So five stars here is nowhere near five stars on an Accuracy International.
Accuracy: * * * * *
Guaranteed 1 MoA accuracy is nothing to sneeze at. And if you get a better stock the sky is the limit.
Ergonomics: * * * *
An improvement over the previous version for sure. The action and trigger are (as usual) impeccable, but now the stock is right up there too. This would have been five stars if they had raised the comb a little bit.
Ergonomics Firing: * * * *
Everything feels right. The trigger feels great, the stock is all grippy and stuff, and the safety (while flimsy looking) feels pretty solid. Again, the comb of the stock is the main issue with the remaining star.
Reliability: * * * * *
There aren’t many things to go wrong with a bolt action.
Customization: * * * * *
Swivel studs are nice and in place, there are TONS of aftermarket stocks, and the receiver is drilled for scope mounts.
Overall Rating: * * * * 1/2
Raise the comb of the stock and free float that puppy and you have yourself a five star gun. But, until then, you’re going to have to be happy with four point five stars. Threading the barrel for a silencer wouldn’t hurt, either. Something to improve for the next SHOT show, perhaps?
“Listen, Nimrod. I can fetch a ball. I can fetch a stick. But even Lassie can’t fetch a freakin’ bullet.”
I’m fairly certain that SB 937, that was passed in North Carolina (my state!), made pistol purchase permit and CHP information proprietary to law enforcement only. Even if they published this database, it’s already out-of-date and cannot and will not be updated at any point in the future.
Considering we have People’s Republiks bordering us to the north, south and east we are “lucky” here in PA. Not only are we the only state (a Commonwealth, actually) to be referred to by its initials, CCW licenses are accessible and there are no magazine capacity/feature restrictions on Modern Sporting Rifles. NFA firearms can also be owned by citizens. (PA does not allow semi-autos for big game hunting-no problem as far as I’m concerned.)
I didn’t want to read all the stuff so to see how that pile of compost site was rating exactly what was good/bad for 2A for WA was I just compared the results of the green and red on the right to CA, NY, CT, MD etc. and I decided that WA is doing alright.
Are there after-market stocks available? Sounds like the rifle could be fixed all the way by just dropping it into new furniture. Of course, I suppose you should just buy a 700 at that point… oh well.
New stocks are available, and relatively cheap.
Do you know if the current line of Boyd’s stocks still fit the new vanguard?
Looking for a Walnut Monte Carlo stock for my S2.
You got rid of your first vanguard because the barrel was too thin to be threaded, so what’s your plan for tho sone?
Nick just a note, as someone who reviews cars as part of their job, Kia’s are no longer crappy cars. In fact anything that has come out in the last 18-24 months is not only outstanding, but near the top of it’s class in terms of build quality and quality of materials.
kia(hyundai) = hi point
To insult Kia is to say you have never driven a Ford Dodge or Chevy.
A word to rifle manufacturers: WOOD. Look it up.
@ Ralph, Vanguard has a Sporter in wood (grade A) and the Deluxe (grade AA)(looks like the Mark V’s) and a special note to author Nick Leghorn : Not all rifles increase accuracy with full floating. The Vanguard is designed to have pressure on front just like Mosin-Nagant. Adding or reducing this pressure can make tighter groupings. Ask someone who’s done Vanguard’s, they will say to try with AND without front pressure.
I have a Stevens 200 and an old Savage 110 both with plastic stocks. The stocks are terrible, especialy the Stevens gray plastic. If you over tighten the action screws it pulls the stock down too tight and the plastic triggerguard interfers with the trigger sear! I had to file away portions of the trigger guard interior to fix the problem, but I digress, even with the Cruppy stocks both rifles print sub-MOA groups w/Factory ammo, so the Weatherby’s performance does not impress me at all.
The Stevens and Savage guns can punch the holes just as well, but the Weatherby is the complete package. Stevens’ offering just feels… Cheap. Like the current incarnation of the Rem 700. The same way you can tell the quality of an automobile by closing the car door you can tell the quality of a firearm by working the bolt. And the Weatherby is remarkably solid.
Not saying the Stevens or the Savage are bad guns, they just don’t do it for me. Also, not a fan of the tang safety.
What do you have against tang safeties?!
I’ll give you that the Stevens stock flexes waaay too much and that the Savage stocks flex *a little*, but the best of the four (I have tried) is the Ruger M77 MkII stocks, not the paddle stock (which is cool in its own way).
News Flash ::: Ford put weights in my Lincoln Continental doors to make them sound and feel solid. They weren’t, just sounded and felt that way!!!
A 40″ long boltie! What will they think of next? Perhaps they should offer a Brown Bess reproduction with a polymer stock…
Injection molded shloud be solid, but if you have a recoil pad on the back you might take a look under it and see if a hollow channel is down the center of the stock. Next being a Weatherby I’m thinking these had steel bars running under the composite for added strength. This feature may have been done away with when synthetic stock became common. I’ll say this, It’s your rifle. If you think you have the skills necessary to do this work and it works for you, go for it, but you might want to think about either starting with a replacement stock, or just simply shop around for a stock that fits you better that you like.References :
I see no sign that “gun violence” prevention is a top priority in this country. The War on Drugs continues apace, as does the militarization of the police. What I see instead is a bizarre obsession with making arbitrary rules concerning cosmetic features and magazine round-count.
So New York State wants to eliminate “assault weapon” murders……in New York, but it’s business as usual and fire up the meat grinder so long as the weapons are exported to other states and the murders committed there? When did New York State get into the death merchant business? Lecturing us from on high, with faux moral authority, Cuomo dares lay blame at our law-abiding feet for criminal-committed gun violence, while his state is the source of the gunmen’s murder machines? His vaulting ambition o’erleaps itself and lands face first on asinine hypocrisy.
What brand cheek riser did you use on this rifle? I have recently purchased this rifle and the comb height is my biggest and only complaint.
Chadd,
I have the S2 in 7mm Rem Mag with a SWFA 10x scope. I ended up using pieces of foam from some copper tube insulation then threw some tape over it. Just to make it less shiny to match the other black rubber pieces I scuffed it up with some sand paper. I’m very happy with the cheek height now. Eventually I’ll get a better riser, but, this works for now.
You mention in your last paragraph to free float “that puppy”.
Weatherby does not free-float their #2 barrels [found on most their more affordable rifles, including the VS2] and advises owners not to free-float them. The way the rifle is designed, its Sub-MOA guarantee will only be affective, if upward pressure from the end of the forearm stock is kept in place. Free-floating MAY cause accuracy issues.
It’s too bad that the three position safety is “a little complex for my taste”. What is so hard about forward and backward? I can only imagine the struggle with a Model 70 safety. As far as threading the barrel for a silencer goes, that’s just dumb. Name another hunting rifle in this price class with a threaded barrel. Many things you missed or chose to overlook: The bolt and handle are ONE piece forged steel. The bottom metal is one piece with floorplate. The receiver is forged and machined with integral recoil lug. I suspect that with any other name on it you wouldn’t be so quick to nitpick.
Lee Miller, my thoughts mirror yours!
I would imagine that there is a long list of model 70 owners that could tell you what happens to a Winchester when you remove the pressure point from the stock on “The Rifleman’s Rifle”. Free floating is not the cure all to accuracy!
I have 3 of the S2’s and like em all. My favorite started life as a carbine 243 but was sent to Jess Ocumpaugh and has been rebored to 358 Winchester. The other two are a 24 inch 243 and a 22 inch 223 and after developing hand loads they all three shoot 1/2 moa!
I wish I had a nickel for every extractor that I have replaced in Remington”s 3 rings of steel bolt! Many guys upgrade their Remington 700 and install a robust extractor such as the S2 series sports right out of the box.
I will take a Roy S2 over a Remington every time!
I got a V2 Hog Reaper in 7mm08 last year for my son to hunt with..
It’s essentially the same rifle, 20″ barrel, etc. but with some hog skulls added to the stock..
kind of goofy but he likes it…
I questioned the non free floating stock but after a discussion with Weatherby I decided to shoot it and see how it grouped.
I was getting .3″ center to center groups with Barnes 120g TTSX out of the first box.
So, the gun is a shooter…
I am testing a 20″ Carbine in 308 that they cut down to 16″ and threaded as a test for the suppressor ready market. It’s a nice little rifle. It is a 1/10 twist and ran subsonic 308 ammo very well.
I am going to test for various standard 308 ammo soon.
I don’t like two stage triggers typically but once you get to the second stage it breaks clean and fairly light. Not a Jewell but not crap either. Will be testing a Timney in it soon.
Nice little rifles
I have a Vanguard Series 2 in .308 which says use .308 only on the barrel. Can I use
Federal XM80CL 7.62 X 51 149 grain FMJ or American Eagle 7.62 x 51 168 grain OTM, the box says For M1A, in this Rifle ? Thank You
Russell, I would highly recommend that you contact Weatherby directly and ask them.
They should know better than anyone if it is safe for you to use the ammunition you mention. Yes, I believe the ammunition you mentioned should chamber and I also believe it generates lower chamber pressures; HOWEVER this does NOT mean it should or can be safely used.
If by ” not too long ago” the Vanguard was introduced you mean over 40 years ago then yes, it was introduced not too long ago. Been around longer than most of the rifles out there today. Also read the Weatherby FAQs before giving commentary and you might learn a lot.
With the XM2010 I can hit a still target 1100 yards out and 970 yards on a moving target, this baby is a mean bitch…
this writer needs a lesson from chuck hawks or david petzal….those 2 guys know how to write a reveiw..as soon as i got to the part of the article that he mentioned the rifle needs to be free floated,showed me,he doesn’t know rifles or how to write an informative article…
Not too impressed with my 7mm08 vanguard S2 Sporter 1 3/4 ” group at 100 yds is the best it could do. That is with Hornady whitetail ammo but still? Been debating whether to try free floating the barrel or not? First I try to work up a handload for it and see if that helps.
Andd these stores will be able to provde you with the rings att the best prices due to their low
overheads.Platinum is quite popular option for rings but it
is quite expensive metal. You newed to be sure that the ring you are buying
newed to be certified. https://0i0.us/3l
Sorry Remington …. that gun is about 20-30 years too late!! I’m liking my Springfield XD 45 Tactical too much!
from the comments, put a little up pressure on the barrel first, the slim barrel needs it to calm down the harmonics.
It’s time to buy a new 270 rifle for hunting deer out west, MT and WY. I am looking for a gun with extreme accuracy and tight groupings. When I google the guns that come up the most are the Savage, Remington, Wheatherby, Tyka and sometimes Browning and Ruger. What do you recommend?