Olevern
03-01-2013, 10:24 PM
Got up this morning took the Mrs. on a road trip. We do this one about every three or four months, to a town about 100 miles away which has two nice gun shops, both large but one really big. My wife likes to go to the mall there, and to the Ollies (for anyone who knows what that is), so I drop her off at the mall and then take my leisure visiting the gun shops.
We usually then (after I pick her up from the mall) go out for a nice lunch, stop off at the super Walmart to stock up on some things, then head home.
This trip was special, 'cause I went with some mad money to purchase a brand new Weatherby Vanguard II in .257 Weatherby Magnum, which the larger of the two gun shops had made a large purchase on and was offering for $495.00.
I have been planning for this purchase for some time, already had a large stash of jacketed bullets (probably 25-26 hundred, including some barnes TSX that shoots like a house afire in my .25-06. I recently picked up some used brass here on the forum, and bought two boxes (40 pieces) of new brass from Midway.
Everything went according to plan; arrived in town, dropped my wife off at the mall, headed over to the big gun shop to make my purchase. Before I went to the counter to look at the new guns, I decided to look thru the used ones out on the floor, just in case I might find a Mk5 used in the desired caliber that I could afford. Well, they had about fifteen used Weatherby's but the only used .257 they had was an older Vanguard. It had a nice wood stock and a Nikon 3X9 scope and was priced at $695.00. They had eleven used Weatherby's Mk5's in various calibers, but, again, none in the desired caliber. I did look very carefully at a Vanguard in 7mm-08, very slick action and a tasteful green stock (don't know why, but I liked this one).
Proceeded to the counter and asked to see one of the Vanguard II's on sale (in .257 Wby) Salesman brought me one and I looked it over. He also brought me a new Vanguard in the caliber to compare with. He told me that the Vanguard II had a safety feature (bolt will open with safety) and the stock had been upgraded from plain black synthetic to a nicer, dual tone grey one. While he went off to call another customer's purchase in, I spent some quality time comparing the two. Interesting thing, the now discontinued Vanguard (I guess we could now call it the Vanguard I?) was priced considerably over the on sale new model. When the salesman came back, I questioned him about this; his response was that they bought such a quantity of the new ones so that they would be able to offer the special sale price, but agreed with me that the two Vanguard I's they had left, inasmuch as they were now discontinued, probably should be priced under the new Vanguard II's. He went away to consult with a boss.
Now, I actually liked the original Vanguard better than the Vanguard II; at least the two samples I had in front of me. For one thing, in operating the bolts, the Vanguard I was slicker of the two; not by much, but noticeable. Also, the safety lever on the Vanguard I was more substantial than that of the II; it looked like when they revamped the Vanguard, they cheapened at least that part so that it now is just a bent piece of metal.
Well, salesman came back and stated that he was re-pricing the two remaining Vanguard's (original models) at $379.00.
So....I divided the money I had brought to purchase one rifle and put half down on the Vanguard I at $379.00 and half down on the used one out on the rack in 7mm-08 (which was priced at $495.00)
Wandered over to the reloading counter to see what they might have that I could use, they had a two box (of 100) limit on primers but had plenty; a one box of bullets limit (good selection) and a one pound limit on powder (also good selection) I picked up a lb. of 2400 as I am getting low.
Never really looked over a Vanguard (had several MK5's in the past and own two now and love them). I guess I just always dismissed them as a Weatherby wanna be, but, now that I have looked them over carefully I find that I may just have been missing a really nice rifle. I have also owned a Howa rifle and it shot very well, and these are nothing more than a Howa marketed by Weatherby....made in Japan and quality.
Hope these rifles live up to my expectations....when I am able to pick up the lay-aways I will begin load work-up.
I plan on making the .257 Wby. a "sendaro" rifle for long distance deer in Pa.....now before ya start, I know we got no sendaros in Pa., but we do have cleared gas pipelines, which allow much the same kinds of long distance shots as the sendaros.
Well, to get back to the day out with the wife, nothing much different than planned; we ate out at the Mrs.' favorite restaurant (the seafood place) and did some staples shopping at the Walmart, then headed home to arrive at about 7:30 p.m.
I explained to the Mrs. what a smoking deal I got and I think I heard a yawn as we headed into the restaurant. Don't think she was impressed past reminding me to enter them into the log with actual market values when I got home so that she could get the maximum amount of money for them in the event of my untimely demise (she is planning an extended trip to Hawaii with the gun money if I pre-disease her) Whenever I bring a new (to me) gun into the house, the Mrs. says to me "more money for my Hawaii trip?" I don't know about you, but that sounds a bit cold to me (but it's all in good fun).
Anyway, great day.
I also picked up a box of Nozler 30 cal. 125 grain ballistic tips at the Walmart.
We usually then (after I pick her up from the mall) go out for a nice lunch, stop off at the super Walmart to stock up on some things, then head home.
This trip was special, 'cause I went with some mad money to purchase a brand new Weatherby Vanguard II in .257 Weatherby Magnum, which the larger of the two gun shops had made a large purchase on and was offering for $495.00.
I have been planning for this purchase for some time, already had a large stash of jacketed bullets (probably 25-26 hundred, including some barnes TSX that shoots like a house afire in my .25-06. I recently picked up some used brass here on the forum, and bought two boxes (40 pieces) of new brass from Midway.
Everything went according to plan; arrived in town, dropped my wife off at the mall, headed over to the big gun shop to make my purchase. Before I went to the counter to look at the new guns, I decided to look thru the used ones out on the floor, just in case I might find a Mk5 used in the desired caliber that I could afford. Well, they had about fifteen used Weatherby's but the only used .257 they had was an older Vanguard. It had a nice wood stock and a Nikon 3X9 scope and was priced at $695.00. They had eleven used Weatherby's Mk5's in various calibers, but, again, none in the desired caliber. I did look very carefully at a Vanguard in 7mm-08, very slick action and a tasteful green stock (don't know why, but I liked this one).
Proceeded to the counter and asked to see one of the Vanguard II's on sale (in .257 Wby) Salesman brought me one and I looked it over. He also brought me a new Vanguard in the caliber to compare with. He told me that the Vanguard II had a safety feature (bolt will open with safety) and the stock had been upgraded from plain black synthetic to a nicer, dual tone grey one. While he went off to call another customer's purchase in, I spent some quality time comparing the two. Interesting thing, the now discontinued Vanguard (I guess we could now call it the Vanguard I?) was priced considerably over the on sale new model. When the salesman came back, I questioned him about this; his response was that they bought such a quantity of the new ones so that they would be able to offer the special sale price, but agreed with me that the two Vanguard I's they had left, inasmuch as they were now discontinued, probably should be priced under the new Vanguard II's. He went away to consult with a boss.
Now, I actually liked the original Vanguard better than the Vanguard II; at least the two samples I had in front of me. For one thing, in operating the bolts, the Vanguard I was slicker of the two; not by much, but noticeable. Also, the safety lever on the Vanguard I was more substantial than that of the II; it looked like when they revamped the Vanguard, they cheapened at least that part so that it now is just a bent piece of metal.
Well, salesman came back and stated that he was re-pricing the two remaining Vanguard's (original models) at $379.00.
So....I divided the money I had brought to purchase one rifle and put half down on the Vanguard I at $379.00 and half down on the used one out on the rack in 7mm-08 (which was priced at $495.00)
Wandered over to the reloading counter to see what they might have that I could use, they had a two box (of 100) limit on primers but had plenty; a one box of bullets limit (good selection) and a one pound limit on powder (also good selection) I picked up a lb. of 2400 as I am getting low.
Never really looked over a Vanguard (had several MK5's in the past and own two now and love them). I guess I just always dismissed them as a Weatherby wanna be, but, now that I have looked them over carefully I find that I may just have been missing a really nice rifle. I have also owned a Howa rifle and it shot very well, and these are nothing more than a Howa marketed by Weatherby....made in Japan and quality.
Hope these rifles live up to my expectations....when I am able to pick up the lay-aways I will begin load work-up.
I plan on making the .257 Wby. a "sendaro" rifle for long distance deer in Pa.....now before ya start, I know we got no sendaros in Pa., but we do have cleared gas pipelines, which allow much the same kinds of long distance shots as the sendaros.
Well, to get back to the day out with the wife, nothing much different than planned; we ate out at the Mrs.' favorite restaurant (the seafood place) and did some staples shopping at the Walmart, then headed home to arrive at about 7:30 p.m.
I explained to the Mrs. what a smoking deal I got and I think I heard a yawn as we headed into the restaurant. Don't think she was impressed past reminding me to enter them into the log with actual market values when I got home so that she could get the maximum amount of money for them in the event of my untimely demise (she is planning an extended trip to Hawaii with the gun money if I pre-disease her) Whenever I bring a new (to me) gun into the house, the Mrs. says to me "more money for my Hawaii trip?" I don't know about you, but that sounds a bit cold to me (but it's all in good fun).
Anyway, great day.
I also picked up a box of Nozler 30 cal. 125 grain ballistic tips at the Walmart.