Trying to decide if I want to buy the Vanguard with the 24" barrel or hold off and buy the 26" Mark V.

Does it make that much difference?

What would be the velocity loss?

I see some here in the Forum and it makes no difference.

Thanks for the consideration

Theoretically the 26" barrel should be at least 50fps faster and with certain powders and the heavy for caliber bullets maybe even a little more. The wild card is the barrel, some are faster/slower than the average. For me the decision is based more on what/how I am using the rifle. You have to decide if the extra two inches and weight work better/worse for the purpose you are buying the rifle.

I had a custom 257 WBY made and had the barrel cut at 27".
I would get the 26". The purpose of the 257 wby is speed, so why give up part of that for more muzzle flash and report?

I would agree with DF06. There are some fast 24 inch barrels that will keep up or get close to a 26, but odds are you will see better velocity from a 26. As far as portability, if you are hunting the woods and the barrel is causing a headache, you could probably get by with a 308. Another thought, a slow 24 can make your 257 look a lot like a 25-06.

26 and don't look back

I prefer 26 inch barrels as a general rule, regarding it as free horsepower.However there's more to consider with the two Weatherby lines than 2 inches of barrel. I've got 3 mark Vs and 8 Vanguards at the moment. Even if there wasnt a difference in the price, I'd still prefer the extractor on the Vanguard, the lighter weight and it hasn't escaped my notice that my Vanguards out shoot my Mark Vs. Fact is, two out three of my mark vs aren't wearing their original barrels, and two needed the extractor changed. The third has it worked on. All three have been bedded because they needed it.

Contrast that with the Vanguards. Every one of mine shot right out of the box, even the El Cheapo Tupperware stocked ones. When I restocked them with Boyd's laminates and do it yourself bedding they still shot. Free floated now though. Triggers on the old style all need a date with a stone. The two I have in Laserguard guise show every bit as good a finish as the mark V deluxe and easily met the 1" accuracy guarantee with the cheapest Weatherby factory ammo. They remain two of the only rifles that I own that have had exactly nothing done to them. The missing 2 inches of barrel is a downside but I can live with it. Besides, I get 3950 fps out of a 80'grain TTSX. How much speed do you need?

Thanks for all the viewpoints and opinions.

Could be trading in a 270 win for the 257 - so just trying to make sense of it all.

Regards !

I have a Vanguard with the 24" barrel. I get 3500 fps with factory and handloaded 100 gr. bullets. I put it in a high tech stock and couldn't be happier.

My Vanguard deluxe also wears a Bansner Hi-tech stock, and I installed a timney trigger. The Bansner takes about a pound off the rifle and the Timney breaks like glass at 40 ounces. I don't even bother reloading for this rifle, since Weatherby factory ammo averages well under minute of angle.

I have one in an Accumark...26 inch tube..shoots very well good velocity too. My wife has a Blaser it has a 25.5 inch barrel, the velocity between the two is no different. I am building one on a LH hawkeye with a Mike Rock barrel it will wear a 27 inch tube...I'll tell you when I shoot it! I will tell you--you would be very happy with an Accumark...

Ed

It would be very interesting to chamber a 28" barrel in 257 Wby and shoot it for velocity. Then, cut it to 26 inches and retest, then to 24 to see how much velocity was lost, and how much muzzle flash/blast increased.

If I owned one, it would have the 26" barrel...

For sure a 28 inch barrel on a single shot action like a Browning 1885 or Ruger #1. Depending on the Overall length, maybe longer. Definitely a 28. There were several of us that worked together that talked about doing the deal with #1 actions a few years ago, but it just didn't happen for whatever reason. I'd still like to do it.

Ruger's website shows a #1 with a 28"

Beautiful!

I have a Vanguard with a 24" barrel in .257 that is a real shooter. I wish it had two more inches of barrel but it is such an accurate rifle I will have to do with a little less velocity. It loves those 100gr. factory Norma bullets. I have not chronographed them but they shoot so well I may not matter.