Trying to find a Vanguard S2 in 6.5 Creedmoor right now is like looking for the proverbial needle. Anyway, if you were in the market for a 6.5 Creedmoor and the choices were between a Hawkeye and a Vanguard, which would you choose and why?

I've owned and shot a bunch of Rugers over the years and several Vanguards so I am familiar with them both. I'd just like to see what you fellers think.

Hawkeye for me please...

Vangard 6.5CM

Found your needle...

I like them both. Both will be accurate. Go with the stock shape that fits you better.

Don't know much about the Ruger, other than their accuracy can be hit and miss. Vanguards on the other hand are typically always shooters and are guaranteed Sub-Moa. I've owned 3 Vanguards and the quality has been outstanding.

Neither? Sorry...I know that's not particularly helpful, but the Vanguard isn't truly a Weatherby and the Hawkeye is a better value when chambered in a DG caliber, IMO. If forced, I'd go S2 given their reputation for accuracy.

Hawkeyes are excellent rifles. The only real Weatherby to me is the Mark V.

I purchased my first Ruger Hawkeye and it won't be my last!

That being said I had to do some work to get it sub moa. It was 1.5 -2.5 groups were the norm out of the box. Usually consisting of 2 shots close by each other and then 1 shot thrown 2 inches from the other 2 previous shots?

I replaced the trigger by choice, I filed down the magazine box when I discovered it did not "move freely" in the magazine well, I opted to free float and bed the recoil lug. The rifle turned into a great shooter!! The previous accuracy was fine for hunting but I tend to be picky about accuracy. Good luck with whichever you choose.

Hawkeye.

I'd wait for the Ruger American Predator in 6.5 CD

The Rugers are made in the USA

That weatherby is likely made by the japs who started ww2.

Ruger headquarters. Southport, CT USA

+1

Savage_99, I love your thinking!!

Weatherby rifles are made in California and have been for a while now.
The cheaper Vanguards have a solid rep here for accuracy and reliability. The guy that made my last custom rifle found them excellent. I have personally seen several perform quite well.
That said, I prefer the Ruger action features. Their barrels and rifles have been as good as anyboy's for sometime now. E

Assuming your comparing to the Model 77-

I own both, and both shoot better than me. Based on my personal experience I would suggest the weatherby. Ruger Hawkeyes are mighty fine pieces of manufacturing, but they're different animals with the angled action screws and the torque recommendations. Regarding any work requiring stock removal, the Vanguard is a simpler take down/re-assemble, at least for me anyhow.

I purchased my only Model 77 Ruger recently. I'm a lefthander who had always used RH synthetic bolt guns(TC, Howa, Wthby Vanguards, Win 70). I decided for my last rifle purchase, I wanted a LH rifle with a wood stock. Based on availability in my area I went with the Ruger Hawkeye. More than a few trips to the range were required to zero this rifle. After googling for answers, a couple of modifications were required- first a scope change, then modifying the mag box to relieve stress put on action as a result of torquing the screws. By the time I finished this excercise it shot MOA and all's well.

This sounds like I'm bashing the Ruger a bit but I'm happy with my purchase. It's got a really good, crisp trigger, and is a very solid build. I'm just saying, the Vanguards didn't put me through as much to zero. Both makes shoot MOA or better.

Don, isn't about time for Dr Kevorkian to pay you a call ? How many 90+ years old work in a factory ? That "Jap" gun is made better then any US mass produced rifle and better then the Kimbers you lust after. That's a fact

I know that throughout the tang safetys and probably well into the MKIIs, the hit and miss accuracy reputation had some truth to it. I'm not so sure that is the case now. Pretty much without exception the Hawkeyes I own and have owned have been very consistent shooters. While the only Weatherby (Howa?) that I own is a Vanguard Deluxe and not an S2, I find the Hawkeye to be a much better handling rifle and out of the box accuracy is MOA and more often than not better. My current go-to rifle is an All Weather 7mm08 and I couldn't be happier with it. YMMV
John

Vanguards are and always have been, made in Japan

Vanguard s2 for sure accuracy,

I've stated it previously and I'll state it again, if senile dementia and mental retardation were currency, Savage_99/Don would be capable of paying down the national debt several hundred times over and still have plenty to share.

The only thing I have against the Howa 1500/Weatherby Vanguard is it not being made in a left-handed version.

Every model 77 I ever worked with did that. Not usually 2" though.

I hope you don't buy anything made in Germany either.

Probably hates all things Italian too.

Anyone else find the signature about slander ironic?

Pretty sure the invasion of Poland came before Pearl Harbour.

Heck he probably wouldn't want a H&H or Rigby because the Brits were impressing our sailors in 1812.

kinda what I was thinking

As a ww2 buff, I would argue that ww2 started with the Japanese invasion of Manchuria not the German invasion of Poland. Now I am the only person I know of that says this but... I like my own little world, they know me well here.

"The only thing I have against the Howa 1500/Weatherby Vanguard is it not being made in a left-handed version."


I second that emotion.

I almost said the same thing. Although I never could convince myself that it started there, and I always fall back to Sept. '39.

I'd likely go with the HowaGuard.

the s2 vanguard would be my first choice only because of their accuracy guarantee. i have a few ruger mk2s which have served me well for years. never owned a weatherby.

I own several Rugers. All are well-made, accurate rifles. In fact, my Rugers and my Pre-64 Winchesters are my favorite rifles.

I have owned a Vanguard S2 in 257Wby. It was a very good rifle, but heavy, and is now owned by a close friend. Personally, I would only purchase another Vanguard if I wanted another inexpensive rifle in a specific cartridge that other makers didn't offer.

Tikkas are as accurate(probably more accurate), lighter, and have a slicker action. They can be had at a similar price point to the Vanguard.

If you are only interested in accuracy, Marlin X rifles, Ruger Americans, and various Savages will get you there at a lower price point.

If the cartridge you want is available in the Ruger, that's the way I'd go.

My first rifle was a LH Ruger M77 Mk 2 bought new 20 yrs ago. I wanted a Weatherby then but couldn't afford it. I still hunt with it. Last fall I found a LH .257 WBY Lazermark in excellent condition and jumped on it. My Dad tells everybody "that Weatherby is so beautiful he'll never hunt with it". I beg to differ. It was built to hunt. I almost bought a new LH Accumark, but I really wanted wood. I was holding out for a Mark V deluxe and ended up with the Lazermark. I always felt like the Ruger was a perfect fit for me until I shouldered the Weatherby. Now I have a wonderful dilemma. Which rifle will be the backup? The best part of owning nice lefty rifles is nobody ever asks to use one!

Duck Butter...

I've heard through the grapevine that you two may not have much to complain about in the not super distant future...

I don't think I can justify another rifle purchase anytime soon, and at my age that may turn out to be ever.

But speaking of Howa, has anyone tried the 1500 howa hogue/Zeiss Terra combo? I saw several offered at the LGS listing at $830, I thought that was a very attractive set-up.

Still would rather have the wally world 700 with the cheap bubble pack scope and rings combo . (insert Sarcasm)

If that's true and they can come in at the same price point as their right-handed counterparts, I'll buy at least one.

I'm pretty confident the info is reliable. As far as the price, nothing was said. I'm in the same boat, if the price is same/similar my son will be getting two.

I would not buy a Hawkeye because I can't stand the safety design, although I like M70 design.

The Vanguards are my current favorite production rifle. I like the fluted bolt styling better than Howa rifles who make them.

I don't care if they are made in Japan, or if they are not "real" Weatherby because I like them better than a MkV.

Their extractors are similiar to modern military rifles, they are rugged and precision machined. Our forum's Mickey Coleman custom riflesmith remarked when he rebarrels a Vanguard they are almost already trued, better than M700's.

My Vanguard has a Timney trigger which is great. That rifle is like a Sako without the ribbed integral scope mounts.