Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Marlin XL-7 v.s. Weatherby Vanguard

In the market for a new inexpensive deer rifle for my 10 year old to get aquainted with!! I have a Vanguard in 270WSM so I know they are a quality piece for the $$$. Hows the Marlin stack up?? I really would like to add one to the safe

Anyone else have any experience with either???? Which one would you buy??

Bonz, no first hand experience with either, but the Marlin gets excellant reviews and is listed as a Best Buy. I'm pretty sure they make a youth model.

A friend bought one and is impressed with how accurate they are.I intend on buying one as a spare camp rifle.

Weatherby is most certainly a better quality rifle.

I saw where Field and Stream listed the Marlin as "sure to be one of Tommorrows Classics".

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/g...lassics?photo=8


They do have a youth model and for right around $300.00 I think I/'m gonna order one tommorrow!!

The Marlin is an excellent shooter for the money and comes in a youth version with a shorter stock a 22" tube. The Weatherby Vanguard is also a great value and shooter. Personally I would look for the Weatherby especially last years model which comes with 20" tube and 2 stocks a youth and adult. The new ones have a stock where you unscrew spacers to make shorter. Either will be a good value for junior but again I would go with the Weatherby.

Haven't seen Field & Stream quoted for awhile, thanks!


The Marlin handles well but ejection is LESS then positive, it basically just clears the ejection port no matter how hard you cycle the bolt. Two Vanguards have be more accurate then the Marlin so far and the plastic follower is a bit disconcerting but that is a personal bias.

There is certainly a price difference between the two and the Vanguard is certainly more rifle, if it's enough more for you is the question.

I have several Vanguard/Howa's. All were bought under $400. They are great for the money. I've not read anything bad about the Marlins. I think that Accademy at Joplin had the new Stevens 200 for $200. I think that they just are a Savage. Good luck.

I have an XL-7 in 30-06 and a XS-7 in 308 that I made into a carbine. Both are winners in my book.

The XL-7 will consistantly shoot 165 gr handloads into groups less than .75", and puts 180s into even smaller groups.

The XS-7 308 Carbine I have is still getting the bugs worked out of it. Today it shot a .394" group with a 150 grain bullet and a .784" with a 165 Sierra HPBT. Not bad for a 7 pound field ready gun with less than 100 rounds thru it.

Have an XL7 in 270 which may be traded tomorrow for same gun in 25-06. Accurate and cheap. Has the stupid Remmy style lug behind the Savage knurled ring. Works, but ugly. Rest of gun is pretty good for the money.
Had a Vanguard, accurate, was free to me. So I sold it. Trigger stank, was a heavy 7-stage trigger. Good if I wanted to change my mind before the bang. I see where new Vanguards have a better trigger, so I'll try again. I know, I know---you can put a Timney trigger on the old ones and make them OK. But that makes them a $500+ gun. At that money I'll take a Tikka T3 instead.

The 3 Marlins that I've worked with have ejected spent brass well clear of the action (5 feet away if you're not careful). They have also REALLY impressed me with their accuracy so far, rivaling the Tikka T3's I've seen.

Just called and ordered an XS7Y in 7MM-08 for under $300.00. Now my gunshop just has to find one!!!!

good luck. i can only say that i own a vanguard in 30-06 for the past 19 years. it was the made in japan series & assembled in stockton ca. it puts one hole in the other, no b.s.

-ken

I would have to get past that barrel nut, funny trigger and lack of bottom metal. The Vanguard is one of the finest push feed rifles made anywhere. New Vanguards have a very good trigger although a Timney would be put on any I bought.

yeah that goofy barrel nut is kinda ugly but I kinda like the trigger!! For $288 I have to get one to give it a shot

I've heard a lot of comparisons to the Rem 788's

Here are the range results (at 200 yards) from 2 different XS7 rifles. Both groups were shot with the first load tried in each rifle- the .308 was a handload, the 7mm-08 was federal blue box factory fodder.

Bonz,
Just remember, that barrel nut will allow you to change the barrel in a snap if you so desire. I heard E.R.Shaw is offereing a barrel kit for around $200-$300. Wrench, Barrel, gauge, ect.

No doubt the Vanguard.

The "goofy" barrel nut, is one of the biggest technical advances in decades. Anyone with a barrel vise, nut wrench, headspace gauge and a bit of smarts can have a switch barrel rifle that will be a bug shooter.
Did I mention that the Savage barrels also will fit the Marlin?

There is also that $100 price difference........