Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Vanguard Accuguard in 6.5-300 Wby vs. Browning X-Bolt Western Hunter in 26 Nosler

I posted roughly the same elsewhere; I hope that’s not a crime.

Looking for feedback on a difficult choice for me.

I’m looking for an extremely flat-shooting, high-velocity long-range 6.5mm rifle for around $1,000 or less.

I’ve identified two options that, I think, would work.

(1) A Vanguard Accuguard in 6.5-300 Wby; and (2) a Browning X-Bolt Western Hunter in 26 Nosler.

Both are #3 contour free-floated 26" barrels with 1-8" twist.

I'm extremely tempted by the Accuguard in 6.5-300 Wby. I have a Mk V Accumark in .340 Wby, and, if I keep the barrel reasonably cool, I can get almost-unspeakable 3-shot one-hole groups with it at 100 yds; and the Accuguard is basically the same thing, but with a different bolt/receiver.

However, the possibly-temporary downside is that there is NO ammo available for it anywhere right now, and some 26 Nosler ammo is available. I don’t reload.

The Wby may put out around an additional 100 fps, but I guess that’s not enough to be material.

Would the X-Bolt Western Hunter would be as good or better?

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

I’d do the Vanguard every day of the week myself. Solid rifles with good triggers in them and I haven’t had a bad one or shot a bad one yet. Nothing against the Brownings but I prefer the features and future workability of the Howa. Plus if you wanted another stock McMillan and others make them in a bunch of configurations.

Thanks Devil Dog. If it weren't for the ammo unavailability, I already would have pulled the trigger on the VG AG 6.5-300 Wby. Perhaps I should just get it and be patient, or ask Superior Ammo or another to load for me.

I think that’s a good idea. Weatherby won’t let their baby flounder too much. It’ll come around if you keep looking and sign up for notifications. We had a time getting brass for my brothers then when we gave up and got loaded ammo, brass was everywhere.

Tough time to get new stuff but I’m sure if that’s what you want, you’ll like it. It is a screamer.

Thanks Beretzs. I pulled the trigger, so to speak, for $729.

The stock’s not very pretty, but that is not why I bought it.



I signed up for notifications from Midway and Ammo-Seek.

Do you have any recommendations for an FFL in or near the Fairfax/Chantilly area?

Those gray/black handles aren’t pretty, but they have good ergos. I put a lighter gauge 2nd stage spring in my VG2 and it’s now one of my favorite factory triggers.

I send all of my stuff to Old Town Firearms myself, in downtown Fredericksburg, but I live just across the river.

That’s a good looking rifle and a stock change isn’t a big deal if that’s what you ever wanna do. The base rifle is sound and like JPro mentioned, the triggers aren’t too bad either.

Thanks guys.

Probably gonna put a 30 mm Vortex Viper 6.5-20 x 50mm on it—because that’s the only scope I have laying around.

Any objections?

Vanguards are solid rifles i have the meateater vanguard in 6.5-300 and like it

I’m no help with Vortex, but if it works then it works.

I’ve had a couple Vanguards, both great!!

About eight years ago, I bought my now-16-yr-old son what they used to call a Vanguard Youth Model .243 with a shortened LOP and a 20" bbl. It was fairly cheap, but shoots most ammo under a MOA. A couple of years ago, I bought him a full-sized low-end Vanguard for about $300 at Sir Walton's Mart so that my younger son could use the Youth model. It is not as accurate, but good enough for deer/black bear hunting. I have a friend who has an old S&W Howa 1500 in 7mm RM. It is built with a #3 contour bbl, like the Accuguard and shoots under 1/2 MOA with certain ammo. I'm hoping my new VG AG will shoot somewhat like that. My .340 Wby Accumark (which has the same barrel) is the most accurate rifle I ever have shot, and it does so with a variety of loads.

Maybe I will try to free-float or bed the full-sized .243 someday. But my older son wants to move up to a bigger caliber, and he has been shooting 1/2" groups out of my 7mm MkV Ultra Lightweight 7mm Wby. It's pretty finicky with ammo, but it shoots really tight groups with discontinued 160gr CorBon TSX loads (3,240 fps MV, per Labradar). When they were on sale and about to be discontinued, I bought 800 of them. So, my son should be good for a couple of decades or so. I probably wouldn’t have bought that rifle if I had noticed that it has a 1-10” twist on it. Except for those CB loads, it only shoots well with 140gr or lighter bullets, which is not my preference. I shot some 160gr Fed. TB-Tipped, super-hot rounds (about the same as the CB), and the bullets were yawing and making oval holes at 100 yds. If it had a faster twist, I likely would have kept that for myself, given my old 700 BDL .300 WM to my son, and not bought the 6.5-300.

I’m hoping that I can get some Wby 130gr Scenar 6.5-300 loads someday, and they work well in the new rifle. I’d like to use the 142gr ABLR, but I’m not optimistic, given some reviewer’s alleged bad experiences with them out of the VG AM.

Good call on the Vanguard. Very happy with the ones in our family. One, 7-08 in the same black and grey stock needed free floating to reach its best. The others a .243 Camilla and .375 DGR shot very well as is.

I got the BadLands version. Nice rifles.

I almost bought this "Ibex" version with a 28" bbl. Would put out a little more velocity, and it's more optically pleasing. But I wanted to get the #3 contour bbl, just because, anecdotally, the Wbys I've shot with the heavier barrels seem to shoot better with a wider variety of ammo. I couldn't find anything on the Weatherby website about the model. But it's on GB for $799.

I handled the Accuguard and Ibex at Juniata Trading Post in Everett, PA and the Ibex at Sportsmans Warehouse in Cheyanne, all three solid rifles. I walked out of Juniata with andAccuguard in 270 Winchrsyter NIB for $500 because it had a small scratch in the stock, that was the last one. They had several in 6.5-300.

Not very reliable tracking. That much I can tell you. But I am sure you will upgrade later.

Thanks for the warning Fotis. I may upgrade later. For now, once I get it sighted in, I won't touch the dials. I would just use the MIL dots or whatever for holdover, but I shouldn't need that until out past 300 yds.

And, woo-whoo, I just found and bought three boxes of Wby 130gr Swift Scirocco ammo on GB. I hope those rounds shoot well out of my 1:8" twist barrel.

Lucky you!

I’d use steel Weaver-style bases or even a rail with Burris Signature rings (with inserts) on that, since it probably kicks a bit. They won’t mark your scope either.

I’m with JPro on the Griptonite stocks. Fit me very well. Solid too.

Thanks Pappy. On my favored Wbys, I have put Near Manufacturing one-piece bases on, like pictured below, but, for this one to start, I might just get some basic Rem 700 mounts. Let me know if you think that's crazy.