Weatherby Vanguard .300WSM

Australian Long Range Shooter Magazine

The online magazine for the precision rifle shooting enthusiast

For information and advertising Contact wadcutter@optusnet.com.au

Weatherby Vanguard .300WSM

Today's test rifle was a Weatherby Vanguard Blue steel version in .300 WSM calibre. This is a useful hunting calibre and is well suited to hunting a variety of large game.
The test ammo was 150 grain Remington PSP Cor-Lokt with an advertised muzzle velocity of 3320 fps.

Scope consisted of a Bushnell Elite 3200 with basic turrets and Duplex reticle.

The stock was a bit crappy in my opinion. It had a slippery feel to it and I dont think that the impressed checkering would do much to help with gripping the rifle once the rifle got wet while hunting in the rain.

The 3-9 Bushnell 3200 scope that was provided with the rifle is fast becoming a standard on basic Aussie hunting rifles.
These scopes are reliable and provide good value for money as an entry level scope. They are not the best scopes in the market place but they get the job done!

Sighting in the rifle was easy with the 1/4 ? clicks adjusting the reticle consistently and without any hang ups. Finger tip knobs help with adjustment without the need for a coin or screwdriver.

Solid steel mounts were provided which was a pleasant surprise and should give good service.

The action on this rifle is a machined casting and as such the .300WSM cartridge is at about the limit at what this action is good for. I would not over stress this action with hot hand loads.
The bolt is a two lug design with side fluting and Sako type extractor system. There are side ports drilled into the bolt to let gas escape away from the shooters face should a case rupture occur.

I found that the Remington cases were hard to extract and left plunger marks on the base of the brass. The bolt still removed them OK though.

Accuracy of the test rifle was about average for today's modern production rifles. If you wait for the barrel to cool completely between each shot some reasonable 3 shot groups can be shot given a solid rest to support the light weight rifle.
After a few shots to foul the bore and get the bullets landing near the centre of the target. I fired a three shot group.

This landed about an inch to the right and an inch high. Size was just over the inch. I then adjusted the Bushnell 3200 scope a few clicks to the left to centre the group and waited for the barrel to cool.

The next 3 shot group put the first two shots about 1/2 an inch above the aiming mark for a 150 yards zero. The third from a warm barrel landed a bit higher to make a group right on one inch in size.

This is more than enough accuracy for a light weight walk about hunting rifle.