Post by: atomicjoe23 on January 16, 2009, 12:04:18 PM
. . .and I want to do some minor upgrades to personalize the rifle, but I don't know a whole lot about the Weatherby Vanguards. . .
. . .I would like to change the bolt handle to one of the aftermarket ones. . .will all bolt handles fit on most rifles. . .i.e. can I use one for a Rem 700???
. . .things I'm considering:
-free floating the barrel. . .maybe changing the stock at the same time???
-when/if I free float the barrel/change stocks I will definitely be painting the stock and I'm gonna use Brownell's AlumaHyde II to paint the barrel in a matte color to match the stock. . .I'm thinking of using one of the 3 "peel-n-stick" digital camo spray patterns that Brownell's carries (Lauer's, Bulldog, and one other) to paint the stock in a 3 or 5 color digital pattern. . .I will paint the barrel to match in either one color or go the whole 9 yards and digital out the barrel as well. . .
-changing the bolt handle
Thanks for letting me know what you've done, what will work, what won't work, and generally helping me out!!!
Post by: mossback91 on January 16, 2009, 12:06:23 PM
Post by: atomicjoe23 on January 16, 2009, 12:17:08 PM
I may start out with just glass bedding the action/free floating the barrel in the stock that it came with and painting the stock/barrel at the same time while I have it apart. . .
. . .painting it will go a LONG way to personalizing the it and it would be a relatively cheap route as well. . .
. . .the bolt handles are only like $40 so that's not bad either. . .
. . .first things first is I have to get a scope, base, and rings though. . .
. . .I'm not positive yet, but if I change out the stock I will probably go with an A5 style stock or with the Knoxx Axiom stock. . .I can get the Axiom stock for under $300 but it would definitely need painted. . .if I got a regular synthetic stock from someone like McMillan, HS Precision, or Manners the stock would already be painted for me. . .
. . .I looked at a .308 Savage LE model at the same time that I got my Weatherby and it had an HS Precision stock that was REALLY nice. . .that palm swell on the stock is absolutely amazing at how comfortable it is. . .I haven't ever held a rifle with a palm swell before but I have to tell you I'm sold on it now!!!
Post by: demontang on January 16, 2009, 01:40:30 PM
Post by: FrankDown on January 16, 2009, 01:52:39 PM
Ive done nothing to my Vanguard but reload for it lol. At 60 dollars for 20 rounds of ammo I HAD to start reloading for it.
Ive thought about doing things to it but havent done anything. It seems to shoot fine for what Im using it for.
Post by: jackelope on January 16, 2009, 02:10:49 PM
bolt handles are application specific.
before you buy a stock, you're gonna need a scope. IMO concentrate on making it functional before you worry about making it pretty.
trigger upgrade is something i would do 1st and foremost after the scope.
timney, rifle basix, you have options.
Post by: FrankDown on January 16, 2009, 02:20:50 PM
Post by: satchel3006 on January 16, 2009, 03:15:05 PM
Post by: FrankDown on January 16, 2009, 03:39:41 PM
I think the Vanguards are a good rifle for the money and are fairly accurate for the money. It doesnt to me make much sense to spend another 1000 dollars on it to have a Vanguard still. Id rather just buy a 1500 dollar rifle to start with. That said, Im happy with my vanguard, what I paid for it, and how it shoots.
I have a heavy barrel 10/22 that Im thinking about glass bedding and free floating better because I have nothing better to do with it than to try to shoot cheap 22 ammo in the same hole at 100 yards. If thats what you want to I say do it. I dont hunt with it much because it weighs as much as my Vanguard and two Beretta autoloaders combined almost lol.
Some rifles, even within the same manufacturer and model, will like one bullet better than the other. Although Bob might get 5/8 inch groups with SuperDuper 55 grain, you migh not get 2 inches out of it, but will with Superduper 60 grains and 45 grains. It depends on the particular harmonics of the barrel.
I have a good feeling that you will be more than happy with the paper holes being close together once you get teh scope on it. What did the paper target that came with it look like? I looked through three boxes and picked the best paper target grouping in the box and chose that rifle.
Post by: bobcat on January 16, 2009, 04:00:00 PM
Post by: FrankDown on January 16, 2009, 04:27:34 PM
Post by: demontang on January 16, 2009, 07:11:56 PM
This is kind of what my groups look like
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imt.net%2F%7Emele%2Fimages%2Fhowa-group2.jpg&hash=8d12efd362fb2808df962b963565eaee748b6e7d)
Post by: atomicjoe23 on January 17, 2009, 09:08:46 AM
I have a 300 weatherby mag and I can touch the holes on the bench with it out the box at 100 yards. Thats good enough for me. If I get them all through the same hole I may start to think Im missing the target altogether.
If i can consistently touch holes I will be VERY happy and will leave the stock as is with regards to free floating the barrel and glass bedding the action. . .
At 60 dollars for 20 rounds of ammo I HAD to start reloading for it.
What ammo are you shooting. . .I checked Sportsman's and the most expensive box of .22-250 that I saw was $23.96 for the Hornady Moly Coated bullets. . .
Post by: atomicjoe23 on January 17, 2009, 09:12:08 AM
does the barrel need to be floated? it probably already is...have you checked?.
Yes I checked. . .the barrel is not free floated
bolt handles are application specific..
That's what I figured. . .but I didn't see any listed for Howa or Weatherby or Browning. . .just for Savage and Remington. . .
before you buy a stock, you're gonna need a scope. IMO concentrate on making it functional before you worry about making it pretty..
I agree 100%. . .just thinking ahead is all. . .I'm a little excited to have a new rifle. . .this is the first new that I have ever owned. . .a new shotgun and a new rifle all in one year. . .yippee!!!
trigger upgrade is something i would do 1st and foremost after the scope.
timney, rifle basix, you have options.
I thought about that, but that is something that I'm definitely going to shoot for a little bit first to see how I like it before replacing the trigger. . .especially since the stock trigger is supposed to be adjustable. . .
Post by: atomicjoe23 on January 17, 2009, 09:12:36 AM
I dont want something thats gonna go off when I stick a gloved finger in there anyway.
+1 on that. . .
Post by: atomicjoe23 on January 17, 2009, 09:15:56 AM
Mine like I said was fine out the box. I would shoot it a while and see how it works out. Work on your techniques, grip, trigger pull, etc.
That's the plan for sure. . .
I have a heavy barrel 10/22 that Im thinking about glass bedding and free floating better because I have nothing better to do with it than to try to shoot cheap 22 ammo in the same hole at 100 yards.
I've got a 10/22 that I've had since the 8th grade that I'm gonna start upgrading before I start on the Weatherby but after I get a scope for it. . .
Post by: FrankDown on January 17, 2009, 08:24:30 PM
I like plinking with my ruger. Its cheap, it shoots what it likes, and it dont like Federal in teh 550 count box. About every third clip it will hang one of those federals. Its heavy as crap though for hiking around all day. I still have the factory parts for it. Th eoriginal barrel wasnt shot that much to begin with. I picked up a barrel and a stock that was mispriced for some reason. It was cheap. They wanted to argue about it, but ther sticker was there on both parts, from their store, with the wrong price on it.
Post by: smdave on January 18, 2009, 08:41:01 PM
Dave
Post by: ivarhusa on January 18, 2009, 10:21:58 PM
I had the same concern, and bought a $10 pair of light work gloves from Harbor Freight that had a thin leather palm-side surface, leather all the way out to the finger tips. I took a sharp pair of scissors and snipped a slit close to the first knuckle on the trigger finger. Now, when close to shooting I can pull the finger out from the glove, leaving me a sensitive touch on the trigger. (The Savage Accu-trigger, which I like very much).
Ivar
Post by: FrankDown on January 19, 2009, 11:52:48 AM
I had a friend that had a pistol. We went to shoot it. I loaded it and pointed it at the target. When I put my bare finger in the trigger guard and placed my finger on the trigger I moved my finger back and forth across the trigger to get my "spot" on the trigger. The thing went off from just sliding my finger back and forth across the trigger. I unloaded it and put it down and told him not to shoot it or carry it near me again.
I dont particularly like a very light trigger for hunting. At the bench yeah, it helps a lot. Walking through the woods with a 2 1/2 pound trigger for me is not to my liking. Everyones different though. Im sure you understand the jest of the comment. Not trying to be a butthole or anyhting.