Just wondering what your thoughts are on this rifle. Weatherby vangaurd ceracoate barrel with muzzle break. 300wsm. Looking for somthing for elk and deer. I feel it may be a little pricy however im willing to pay about a hundred bucks for the “looks of the gun”. Is it worth 800.00.
Wood stock? For a Weatherby the $800 is in line, but why the break? The 300 Win shorty in a scoped gun of any brand won’t pound you to death even in an elk load. Before I laid the 8 out on a Weatherby I’d be checking around. A new Ruger American will come in about 2 bills below that and is a fine weapon so the extra 2 hundred would give you a dandy head start on a good scope.
Mr Tom is wise.
Tom is correct
The Weatherby is made by Howa, so as such I would compare prices to similar Howa rifles and decide if you’re willing to pay that price. Personally, I feel there are better rifles in that price range especially given this is used.
The Ruger American is a fine utility rifle, but it is not offered in .300 WSM. So depending on how firm you are on that cartridge choice, it may or may not be an option. The Ruger American Magnum does come in standard .300 Win Mag, but the SRP is $699 so it’s a little more expensive than standard length calibers.
For $700 and change, you can have a Tikka T3x lite, $800 will get you a stainless model. Fantastic trigger, it WILL be better than MOA, and rock solid design. Almost unbeatable IMO. I would shoot a Tikka anywhere for anything. I have 2 Tikka rifles including one from the first year they were available here in the US and there is no better value for the quality and performance.
Also worth looking at is the new JP Sauer 100. German-made quality at a breathtakingly low price. Flawless and easy on the eyes. Easily a rifle that will last generations.
Grouse
I just don’t feel that elk demand a magnum caliber anything. When deer get tossed into the equation a simple 270 or 06 is great for elk at what would be considered “normal ranges”. MOA accuracy is great on paper or if you’re into shooting streaked gophers and their kin. And for me, possibly thinking in terms of mountains and elk, I would opt for a weapon that is accurate in terms of elk and one that can take a little punishment without me having to take pills for the worry about a scratch. I still stand by my suggestion of the Ruger American.
Any time mountains, packing in or horses are mentioned along side of elk hunting, the best weapon is a “utility gun”….one that shoots accurate enough to kill an elk at normal ranges. The person behind the gun matters more than the value of the gun. I know people who own magnum caliber rifles with outstanding optics who cannot shoot a decent group at 100 yards because they are always thinking about the recoil. Magnums and testosterone enhancement should be sold off the same shelves. Get a gun you can shoot well comfortably that’s got elk collecting history [think along 270 and 06 lines], find a load for elk and get sighted for 300 yards and shoot everything in 100 yard increments from 50 yards to 400 yards using the load you settle on. Spend a lot of time on paper at those distances and get confident in the gun, its potential, and your potential.
Remember, standard caliber ammunition is way easier to locate away from home than some of the hot, wild-cat ammo crap out there and especially Weatherby rounds. There’s a good reason standard calibers still exist commonly today and others are not really user friendly. Think about it.
I just don’t feel that elk demand a magnum caliber anything. When deer get tossed into the equation a simple 270 or 06 is great for elk at what would be considered “normal ranges”. MOA accuracy is great on paper or if you’re into shooting streaked gophers and their kin. And for me, possibly thinking in terms of mountains and elk, I would opt for a weapon that is accurate in terms of elk and one that can take a little punishment without me having to take pills for the worry about a scratch. I still stand by my suggestion of the Ruger American.
Any time mountains, packing in or horses are mentioned along side of elk hunting, the best weapon is a “utility gun”….one that shoots accurate enough to kill an elk at normal ranges. The person behind the gun matters more than the value of the gun. I know people who own magnum caliber rifles with outstanding optics who cannot shoot a decent group at 100 yards because they are always thinking about the recoil. Magnums and testosterone enhancement should be sold off the same shelves. Get a gun you can shoot well comfortably that’s got elk collecting history [think along 270 and 06 lines], find a load for elk and get sighted for 300 yards and shoot everything in 100 yard increments from 50 yards to 400 yards using the load you settle on. Spend a lot of time on paper at those distances and get confident in the gun, its potential, and your potential.
Remember, standard caliber ammunition is way easier to locate away from home than some of the hot, wild-cat ammo crap out there and especially Weatherby rounds. There’s a good reason standard calibers still exist commonly today and others are not really user friendly. Think about it.
dang Tom, and hees I thought all you had knowledge about were crappies!! 
sorry didn’t mean to send this off topic. 
I’m an 06 guy myself.
Sweet rifle. My primary elk/deer rifle is a 270wsm. I have plenty of friends that shoot 7sm, 300 short, and the 270wsm. All are great calibers with plenty of punch.
We shoot a lot in the 300 to 700 meter range and these short mags have performed flawlessly for us.
oops, posted in the wrong thread.
DT
My buddy hunts elk Every year. Shot at least 50 between cows and bull over the years uses a 3006. Shots out to 500yards. Shot placement is more important. No need for a magnum cartridge for deer. A lot cheaper. I have a 300 wsm and 30-06. Deer are way to kill elk too if you hit them right. My buddy bought a 338 for elk but rather use his 30-06. Lighter etc. 7mm would be my choice if I bought better bc at long range and good deer round.
The only thing I see wrong with that rifle is the muzzle break. 300 WSM doesn’t kick enough to need one and you’ll blow anyone’s ears out standing next to you. If you like the rifle and it fits your needs I say go for it. Put A good piece of glass on top and shoot away
If you like it, get it. There’s nothing wrong with the rifle and you say you don’t mind paying a bit for looks. Are optics included with the rifle you are looking at?
I hunt elk every year out of Wyoming and take my average shot between 200-300 yards. 7mm RemMag is what I shoot, but my primary concern when selecting a round was choosing something that had relatively flat trajectory. Your concerns may vary.
Thank you all for the good advice. I was wrong in saying it was a 300wsm. I meant 300 win mag. It is a vangaurd kuiu vias only sold at sportsman warehouse. Im trying to add a pic.
weatherby_vanguard_vias_bolt_action_rifle_14804020_1-2.jpg
I did a little research on this. Find out of it has the basic synthetic stock or the B/C stock
The synthetic stock will be checkered or textured at the foregrip, The B/C stocks are smooth. From what I understood the B/C stocks come pillered and the synthetic do not
Greetings Randy,
I carried a 300 WM among others while hunting big game in Alaska. I also loaded the 300 WM for many years. I prefer stainless, and non wood stocks on all my AK rifles. Needless to say, a 300 WM is nothing more than a hopped up 30.06. Caution is advised when reloading for the 300 WM, as it can be easy to damage the neck of the casing during the reloading process. In my experience the .300 win mag was very effective on all AK big game, to include brown bear. I loaded the heaviest bullet I could find, which was the Hornady 220 gr round nose. I used IMR 4831 at 72 grns per the manual. Good luck and good hunting,
akg
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