Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Weatherby Vanguard vs Mark V action

If you were going to use one for a custom Magnum Rifle, are the Mark V actions that much better than the Vanguards or is it the Gun as a whole?
Vanguards seem to be quite a bit cheaper to acquire.

Personally I like the Vanguards a LOT better, a WHOLE LOT better...

Do the vanguards have the short angle bolt throw?

I like that 53 degree crank on the MkV.

Though I have nothing against the Vanguard, the term "custom" depicts something other than standard, so, under those terms, the Mk V action would be the better choice. Although you could have a custom Vanguard, they just wouldn't offer the resale value the MK V custom would.

Unless you were selling to me or ingwe or a whole bunch of my pards.

I'm in the business of building not selling so it wouldn't matter one way or the other to me.

I've never sold a gun in my life, (I'll let the heirs worry about that.)
I'm more interested in the quality of the action.
for some reason, I'm hung up on the 300 H&H.
I've got all the parts coming to convert a Stevens 200 to 300 H&H, but if I really like the cartridge, I'm thinking of getting something a little more "sheik"
thought Converting a 300 Wby Mag to 300 H&H would be nice.

FWIW, the Howa 1500 action is the Vanguard action with minor differences. I'd get a Howa or vanguard used and go from there. Or get a new one here: Howa

I know some may not want it with a barrel, but I'd mount it and see if it shoots, if it does (as many have that I've heard of) great! If not, sell the barrel and go from there.

FWIW a number of custom shops use the 1500 actions. Christensen Arms comes to mind...

Considered them, but I looked at one in Billings and thought it was too short for the 300 H&H?
I'd go that way, if I saw it in person before I bought it.
Only reason going to the 300 Wby would be then I'd know for sure it was long enough.

They are just way different. If one likes the short bolt lift, the MkV is the choice. If one favors the rugged simplicity of a two lug action, the Vanguard is the answer. I like two lug actions for a hunting rifle so my choice would be the Vanguard. To me the Vanguard (Howa) is just a solid, no frills, action and that's not bad. GD

Well I just spoke for a Vanguard in 7MM Mag.
Prob shoot it like that till I decided if I want to convert to an H&H

My vote would be for the vanguard, from what I have read, the MKV is difficult to square all those lugs, but that is just what I have read. The Howa is cheaper, and you can get just a barreled action, new. Trash the barrel,send it off for the barrel you want, order stock, trigger, scope and your all set.

http://www.weatherby.com/

Go to products click on Vanguard or Mark V click on FAQ 4th FAQ down tells you the difference between the two. Looked at the Vanguard Sporter the other day at BassPro very nice rifle for $619. The synthetic is $499 there.

Hi, I have several MK5 rifles and a couple of them are customs. I also have 3 Vanguards that have been re barreled. My 7mm Mashburn was built on a Vanguard in 300 Wby. This is the only Vanguard that has a 3.580 long mag box to handle the 300 round. A gun smith can open up a std mag Vanguard like Wby did by milling out the feed ramp and front of the mag well to fit the 300 box. The only real hassle with the Vanguards is the metric barrel threads, I had to wait a little longer for the gun smith to do the barrel set up. Good luck. Randy

Thanks for all the info.
I have a Vanguard in 7mm rem mag coming. I'll have to see what it measures. Its so nice looking I may not want to chop it up.
Plenty of cheap 300's with plastic stocks available to chop up.

Which model did you get? I'm getting real partial to the Sporter.

An early "Deluxe" if that makes any sense. 24" barrel

Nice gun good luck.

The worst part, is it looks too good. Probably won't be able to rebarrel it. Now I hafta get some 7RM dies, Brass n bullets. for it and start looking again for another gun to convert.
Woe is me