I am going to buy a .223 Rem compact very soon. My gun shop has a Ruger Ranch in .223 rem and a Weatherby Vanguard compact. Most think the Weatherby is a better gun. Can the barrel be replaced on both? Some say they are pressed on and when the barrel is shot, that is it. I like both. Te Weatherby is $620 and the Ruger is $535. What gun is better , and why?
The Ruger Ranch is more utilitarian. Someone said they don't shoot well, that is hogwash. The majority of the RAR ranch rifles I've shot (especially recently), have shot lights out. 1/2-1" groups at 100, and around 2-3" at 400 yards. The only downfall is the RAR is going to feel a little more clunky in the hands, because of the AR mag that hangs down. The RAR also seems like a more reliable and robust system, as I've had some extraction issues with the Weatherby vanguards. The RAR is not going to feed as smoothly as the Vanguard though. It's going to boil down to what you can live with, regarding both rifles, as they are both not really my cup of tea. Like someone else said, get a Tikka, but that wasn't the question..
