Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters New Rifle Choice: Weatherby Vanguard S2 Range Certified vs Browning Xbolt Medallion

I'm planning to get one of the above in 30.06, but like both but can only own one right now. I own both Weatherby's and Browning's (not RC or Medallion) and like both. Your thought's on these two and others if you think to be a better choice.

Vanguard S2

Never owned a Browning bolt action rifle so know zero about them. I do, however, have first hand experience with the new Vanguard S2. I've shot three, a .223 and two .243's all have been real shooters. I'm not wild about the shape of the stock, but they are growing on me. Don't think you can go wrong with one.

The Weatherby is sub-MOA only with the factory ammo specified and will require a trigger replacement and notching of the stock to accommodate the safety. They will shoot the factory ammo great.

The XBolt is SubMOA with virtually all Handloads and also MOA with most factory ammo. Trigger is great and no bedding required. The XBolt stock is a little slimmer and the rifle a little lighter.

Take your pick.

+2

Whoops...

Agreeing with Ingwe, again...

DF

I think you are confusing the older model Weatherby Vanguard to the new S2 model with the two stage trigger. I'm talking about the Range Certified model. It comes with a Bell and Carlson stock amongst other differences from the standard S2.

The Browning will still be the better choice

Can't speak to the Vanguard S2, but I just picked up a 1:8 .223 Browning Stalker and so far I love it.

It's showing some early promise in accuracy across several different loads, it feeds and cycles perfectly, and it just seems to "feel" right in my hands.

Trigger breaks every time at exactly 3.4 lbs without having done anything to it.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

Dave

Never owned a Browning rifle before, but I'm quickly becoming a fan.

That was true of the original Vanguard, not the S2. They finally upgraded to a decent trigger.

Yep.

V2 mo better...

DF

There are very few guns that this would be true for.

I hear that a lot from those who have never had one

Agreed.

Buy the Vanguard S2 and don't look back.....

Weatherby's suggested retail for a Vanguard RC is $1,200 and that seems a little high to me, considering that the basic Vanguard2 has a $650 suggested (Weatherby) retail.

I have three Vanguard2s, a 1-9" ROT 223 and 2 6.5 Creedmoors. I paid around $500 retail for each of them and they all have been MOA or better shooters straight from the box.

For the $550+/- difference in price between the Vanguard2 and the Vanguard2 RC, I think that I'd buy a Vanguard2 and a McM stock. If you don't want to wait for a McM, Stocky's has the B&C Medalist on sale for $270. Either way, you'd have less money into the same rifle.

Owned one, no. Guided enough guys with them to know. The Browning A-bolt is the biggest fraud in bolt rifles I have ever seen.

Agreed. The A-bort is THE biggest POS bolt action made. If it wasn't, the X-Bolt would not exist.

I have only fondled X-bolts, and not shot a single one. MOF, I had another one in hand saturday. It can't possibly be the POS the A-Bort is. But I still quesstion the metallurgy. And, the fact that Browning has yet to get bolt rifles right in it's long existence. Still not my style.

The Vanguard, however, is a well known commodity. The only one I still own has been a tackdriver for 25 years.

I agree with Jeff about which VG to buy. The RC thing is just a gimmick IME with VGs. Just about every damm one of them will shoot 1" or better groups. Whether it has the stamp on it or not, and regardless of price......

I don't see the price difference with the RC. For that money, many options open up. The S2 makes sense until the RC, then not so much...

DF

I was going to say what Jeff said, but that wasn't the question. Now that he said it though, I must concur..........

Not discussing Abolts. Talking about Xbolts. I also respectfully disagree with you about Browning Abolts. Well made, accurate shooting rifles. Just ask the 9 of 12 elk that I've killed. Since you didn't describe the reasons as to why you didn't like the Abolt, it's difficult to understand your position. We all have our personal preferences, but I'd take a Browning Abolt or Xbolt over a Remington 700 any day of the week. You don't read or hear about Browning rifles having trigger issues like you do Remingtons. Having said that, I do like 700's, just not as much.

That's what I said.
You don't really know anything about them