I intend to buy a new .338 WM. The Weatherby Vanguard Sub-MOA in stainless/synthetic looks interesting.

Anyone have any experience with these? Any other recommendations?

Your input is graetly appreciated.

The Weatherby vanguard is a Howa (Japanese) rifle. If you want a good Japanese rifle (not that there's anything wrong with a Howa), get a Browning A-Bolt. I love the 60 degree bolt lift and 3 locking lugs, as well as the tang mounted safety. My .338 Mag A-Bolt shot my first attempt at a handload for it into under 3/4". My Browning with its 26" barrel shoots 210 Nosler Partitions at 3050 fps with .75 MOA accuracy all day long !!!

There have been many a custom rifle made with the Howa actions... The Vanguard in Sub MOA is an excellent buy for the money...

The A-Bolt does have the advantage of the 60 degree bolt lift however...

It will be a rough choice because I was going through this same thing when I was looking for a 338 caliber rifle... Long story short, I settled for a Weatherby Accumark in 338-378... Just love shooting this rifle... Hopefully get drawn for elk this year so I can break her in properly ..

You may want to check out www.weatherby.dk as there are many people on that forum with direct hands on knowledge of the Vanguards...

Ken....

The vanguard/howa 1500 is a fine action. I would rather have it than a browning A-Bolt, but I have never warmed to the A-bolt. I would take the a vanguard or the howa, as they are generally pretty accurate out of the box.

Weatherby Vanguard is a fine gun...go for it!

toadhead wrote:

quote:

I intend to buy a new .338 WM. The Weatherby Vanguard Sub-MOA in stainless/synthetic looks interesting.

Anyone have any experience with these? Any other recommendations?

Years ago, I booked an elk hunt (which I had to cancel for family reasons), and bought a super plain-Jane Ruger Mod 77 MKII, stainless/synthetic (as in the old canoe paddle stock) in anticipation of it.

I love accurate rifles to death, but figured that I wouldn't need great accuracy to hit anything I'd shoot at with a .338 (I was thinking elk), at least out to 300 yards or so. And I wanted something rock solid, and something that I wouldn't lose sleep over if it got drenched or if I banged the stock against a sharp rock.

But I did want a good scope for it, so got a Leupold VX-III 2.5 - 8, which to my mind is the perfect scope for big game hunting (I figured I could live with a crude rifle, but not with a fragile or imprecise scope).

In short, I wanted solid performance in the rifle without worrying about it, and without spending a fortune to get it. But I did want the very best glass I could afford, figuring that if I ever sold the rifle, I'd keep the Leupold.

Imagine my delight when that Ruger turned out to shoot every bullet well, and several bullets better than 1 MOA (225 Hornady Spire Point, 225 Nosler Partition, 250 Sierra GK). I think I could work up MOA loads for other bullets as well, but just haven't done so.

A shooting buddy has 2 Rugers, one in .243 and on in .30-06, and both of them are very accurate, too.

I think you should consider Ruger.

How about a Sako m75 or m85 SS or Greywolf in 338WM, or the Tikka T3 in the LS model.

The Vanguard/Howa is the best bang for the buck on the market IMO. Do a search and youll find a boatloat of positive reports on them. I had one in 7mm Mag and it was a great shooter.

8x68S

And I´m not trolling!

Get the Vanguard. From a quality perspective, it's one of the best buys out there for the money. The Brownings cost more, have a very complicated bolt design and detachable magazines I think are a hindrance. I also don't care for the quality of the bottom metal Browning uses, way to brittle in my experience. The 338's a great cartridge and available worl-wide pretty much. jorge

I bought a Ruger stainless lam Ruger .338 and am happy.

I have a Weatherby Vanguard in .308 Win, very nice gun. Real good deal too.

For the 338 WM i like the new Ruger M77 hawkeye in the all weather model.

I go with CEWE, the 8x68S-bore is a great cartridge.

That said, I would scout for a Ruger tang-safety, with it's adjustable trigger.

Rich
DRSS

Can't believe no one has suggested the Kimber. I have two Kimbers, a Montana and a Classic with a beautiful french walnut stock. With little load development I found a MOA load for the .300WSM. With much load development I found a .75MOA load for the .243 Montana. IMO they are the new "riflemans' rifle".

I have two Model 70 classics (one blue and one stainless) in .338 WM and like both of them.
I would look for an early one with a serial number below G300,000, or find an action with a serial # below G300,000 and have somebody like IT&D screw a Douglas or better on it in .338 WM, and then I would put the whole thing into a McMilliam Supergrade Stock and have it painted dark green.

You can't go wrong with a Sako. They flat out shoot!

I have a couple of bill rugers rifles , and they are shooters. I am trying to fine one of the new hawkeyes with real nice wood, in I don't care what caliber. the hawkeyes look great !
...tj3006

i am a huge ruger fan and have always ben able to get mine to shoot well out of the box. usually less than 1/2 moa. but tikka and sako are worth the money as well

I would choose a Ruger m77 stainless over a weatherby vangard.My boltstop on my 30-06 vangard broke before I ever shot it.I have shot 3/4" groups at 200 yards with my ruger stainless 338 win mag with Remington 225 gr factory ammo.It outshot my winchester stainles with a boss on it.The Ruger has the right weight barrel for the 338.It kicks up way less and is very accurate.The 338 stainless Ruger is one of the toughest guns you will ever buy.Its my favorite when I go on extended trips where I count on my rifle with my life.

quote:

Originally posted by LJS:
You can't go wrong with a Sako. They flat out shoot!

I like the sako rifles!

But they do not make a 8x68S so i can not shoot a sako...

I have a Remington 700 BDL and a Sako AV in .338 WM that both shoot well.

My wife picked up the Vanguard Sub MOA in 338 win mag. I must say that the stock is much better than the regular vanguard. Accuracy is 1/2 MOA. Trigger is the down point, a little creepy. Feed rails on the magazine are the best feeling on any gun I have handled. Overall, not a bad gun, she loves it better than her others.

John

I agree with Clawmute, rifle and choice of scope. I have a Ruger M77 mk1 which is now 21 years old. It has survived all sorts of hunting conditions, and a few falls and never given me any trouble. Typically shoots under 1.5 MOA. It is currently with the gunsmith having a new barrel fitter after I wore out the original having fired somewhere between 5000 and 6000 rounds. Mine wears a 2 x 7 Leupold, but only because the 2.5 x 8 wasn't available in 1986. Yesterday I had a close look at one of the new Ruger Hawkeyes, and it is slightly lighter, has a nicer feel to the fore end, and looks better than my old one did originally. I have been very happy with my Ruger, and I am sure you will not be dissapoiinted with the new Hawkeye if you decide to get one. 338 Win Mag is also a great caliber.

I tried several versions in .338, and decided the plain old .338 Win. was the best balanced round in existence, all things considered..Mine is a Jack Hogue custom, and is probably the best rifle I have ever owned. I have shot everthing from African Duiker to Cape Buffalo with it, and it always worked..I load it with a 210 Nosler at 3005 FPS and with that load sighted in 3" high at 100, the 250 Nosler at 2700 FPS is 2" high and the 300 gr. Woodliegh at 2500 FPS is dead on...Just can't get any better than that....It' one of a kind.