Upgrades for new Weatherby Vanguard Varmint Special???

[atomicjoe23]

I  just bought a new Weatherby Vanguard Varmint Special in .22-250 with a 22" #3 contour heavy barrel for coyote/varmint hunting. . .I like the rifle (that's why I bought it) and the price couldn't be beat (it was on sale) but I am not at all familiar with what can be done to these rifles to improve them. . .I know there is nearly a limitless amount that you can do to a Remington 700, but I don't know about the Weatherby Vanguard. . .

I know the action is based on the Howa 1500 action and is built for Weatherby by Howa to Weatherby standards. . .

I also know that my barrel is not free floated. . .boo!!!

I know that I can get an aftermarket stock for my new rifle. . .and I'm not talking about optics or bypods either. . .

One thing that I would like to do is replace the bolt handle with one from Tac-Op's. . .I don't know if all bolt handles are the same TPI or size or not though. . .

Anyone that can point me off in the right direction to start doing some minor upgrades to my toy it would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks!!!

[Bofire]

Maybe you ought to shoot it before you improve it. LOL You aint a little bit excited are ya?? LOL You are gonna be a great hunter/shooter!
Carl

[demontang]

The action is weatherby's and howa built them for weatherby for a few years now someone else does. Try and bed the stock and free float the barrel, then go from there. If your looking at stocks check out the boyd's stocks at DM performance rifles.

[jeepasaurusrex]

Check out the Axiom stock by Blackhawk
http://www.blackhawk.com/product/Axiom-UL-Rifle-Stock,220,166.htm

[demontang]

Boyd stock

[atomicjoe23]

Check out the Axiom stock by Blackhawk
http://www.blackhawk.com/product/Axiom-UL-Rifle-Stock,220,166.htm

This is one of 3 stocks I'm considering. . .the others are the A5 style from either McMillan or Manners. . .but if I get the Axiom it will definitely need a paint job!!!

[atomicjoe23]

Maybe you ought to shoot it before you improve it.

I agree 100%. . .I'm just thinking ahead becasue I know that I cant' leave anything alone for very long. . .

LOL You aint a little bit excited are ya??

YES. . .I am a LITTLE excited!!!

[FrankDown]

Im the same way Atomic.  I always have to mod stuff too, or upgrade.

I like the idea of that Axiom stock.  I have a 300 weatherby, the recoil is a bit heavy but it doesnt bother me.  I assume the butt acts like a shock absorber?  Looks like theres too much stuff to get hung up on for using that stock to hunt with though.  You could solve your free floating the barrel and stock issues with one fell swoop though.

[huntnphool]

This is the one I'm doing for my daughter.

http://www.rifle-stocks.com/wildcatthumbhole.htm

[FrankDown]

I looked through their site.  I like some of them they have.  If I were going with a stock like that from laminates or wood I think Id free float the barrel.  Composites dont absorb moisture per se as wood stocks do.  For hunting it wouldnt matter all that much, but Id do it anyway with a wood stock.

[fishseeker]

Looked at those Phool. Those a some cool stocks. Just got out bid on Ebay on a factory composite takeoff oh well got a while. Think I'll find one. Want to camo one and take my deluxe off. Just found there's a recall on mine for the bolt(Pior to 2000)Mines a 69or70. Looks like it just left the dealer. Maybe 3 boxs through it!

[demontang]

Water really doesn't effect laminate stocks if its a quality laminate. Now wood is another story.

[atomicjoe23]

I like the idea of that Axiom stock.  I have a 300 weatherby, the recoil is a bit heavy but it doesnt bother me.  I assume the butt acts like a shock absorber? 

Check out this video of the Axiom being fired in .300 Remington Ultra Mag!!!

http://www.knoxx.com/action_videos/Knoxx_Videos.php

[jeepasaurusrex]

I made the decision to buy that stock after firing 150 round of handloads in one day... my shoulder was hurting! 

[FrankDown]

heavy grain loads behing 180 grain bullets will do that out of those kinds of things.  Most people see the recoil and dont want to shoot it.  Ive never hit my face with the scope.  Standing its quite okay, but sitting on a bench or prone it feels worse, as you dont move much at all.

My friend came back from the Marines and we went to the range to learn me better techniques so I took it along.  It jumps a bit especially when standing but you move along with it.  I dont shoot more than 20 rounds a day out of it, usually only 5 rounds at a time so it doesnt bother me too much.  Im a plus size anyway, so I have some mass and weight to absorb the recoil.  Id like to try the stock out and see what its like.  I wonder if it affects accuracy or fps by moving back further.  The moving back is actually what gets to me, I dont want the scope cracking me in the forehead or eye lol.  Often it adjusts my hat for me.

[atomicjoe23]

I made the decision to buy that stock after firing 150 round of handloads in one day... my shoulder was hurting! 

What did/do you think of the stock???

Let us know because I may be considering it. . .

[jeepasaurusrex]

Haven't got it yet.. but will do!

[atomicjoe23]

Thanks. . .I REALLY liked the Howas/Knoxx Axiom in the prairie ghost camo and .243 and the 20" heavy barrel, but the price was too much and no one carried them locally. . .this way I get a rifle for half the price and I can still buy the stock and still have spent $300 less than I would have on the Axiom (if I buy the lightweight version of the stock with the aluminum forend and not the version with the polymer forend). . .of course I will have to camo it myself, but that's no biggy. . .so I may potentially be getting this stock also

[FrankDown]

I dont imagine youd need the recoil reducer on anything small.  The magnums could use it for some people.  Maybe also if you were shooting all day long bigger bore rifles.

[atomicjoe23]

I dont imagine youd need the recoil reducer on anything small.  The magnums could use it for some people.  Maybe also if you were shooting all day long bigger bore rifles.

True. . .I wouldn't necessarily "need" the recoil reducer, but one of the biggest things that I have heard people "brag" about with the .204 Ruger is that your sight picture doesn't move when you fire the rifle. . .now I don't know how much a .22-250 jumps when you shoot it, but I would imagine it's not a lot, but with the Axiom stock maybe my sight picture won't move and I can watch the hit along with the .204 Ruger shooters. . .

. . .also I generally just like the stock. . .it looks VERY good when it (and the rest of the rifle) are camo'd. . .and it definitely makes free floating the barrel a VERY easy affair. . .the action would be VERY solidly bedded as well. . .

. . .in theory it sounds like a winning combination to me. . .

[FrankDown]

Thats something I didnt think about too much.  I cant see crap but the top of the scope when I shoot.