Weatherby or Howa

I know I'm looking at the same manufacturer of both of these firearms but would like to know everyone's experience with each of these. I've grown up thinking it's free floated barrels or nothing - can anyone provide some insight on the pillar bedding? Experience with various barrel lengths?

If I go Howa, I'm likely going with the 1500 with a lightweight 20" barrel in .308. Thoughts on blued vs Cerakote? Weatherby I'd be looking at their entry level Vanguards in .308 but with the standard 24" blued barrel.

Any and all experience/insights on this appreciated!

I have owned both but prefer my BERGARA in 06.

Barrel length would be the deciding factor for me. I just don't want a 24" barrel on a .308 that is used for hunting. Depending on budget, I'd probably get one of the cerakoted LW actions from Brownells and then find a stock that I liked for it.

Howa has an encyclopedia of feature combos.

As far as barrel length is concerned, Weatherby makes a model S2 compact 20" barrel also.

I own a Weatherby Vanguard S2 with a 24" barrel in .308, and I reload for it. In my opinion, the S2 model is one of the best value rifles on the market. I researched like crazy before buying, and my research brought me to the Weatherby VG S2. Weatherby's sub-moa guarantee is legit as it gets as long as the shooter does their part. Although the barrel is not free-floated, it doesn't seem to hurt the accuracy at all. The trigger on the S2 is 5 stars.......absolutely wonderful!!!

All in all, I don't think you could go wrong with either a Weatherby or a Howa. I have never owned a Howa, but both guns are very similiar and get good reviews. The next rifle I buy is going to be a 7mm Rem Mag in an S2.

One thing to note is that you DO NOT want to get the first Weatherby Vanguard model. Make sure you get the S2 model. The first model was more or less a test run, and then they worked out all the quirks and delivered a stud in the S2 that is almost a completely different gun.

Last, remember to budget for a high quality scope and rings. The rifle is only as good as it's weakest link. Happy shooting!!!

Here is a link to a very helpful nutnfancy review of the Weatherby Vanguard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiWhw2o8g0o

I have had 7 Howas and a few Weatherby Vanguards. If it were me I would find what ever caliber you want in a cerakote finish just because it's more forgiving if you forget to clean it after exposure to wet conditions also from my experience you don't have to worry about pitting from fingerprints if you don't wipe it down after handling. Personally my Weatherby's have been a bit more accurate and because I like the stock inserts on their series 2 Vanguard it gives you that soft grip surface. Either way you're not going to go wrong for the money. For the money I would buy either of them over most others in that price range.

Pillar bedding does not pertain to free floating the barrel. It's just pillars around the stock bolt holes. Blued or chrome moly+cerakote is a wash for me as it doesn't add any protection to the part of the barrel that is hardest to clean/maintain and is the most important, the inside. IMO/E it's not that hard to keep the outside maintained with some wax and oil. Barrel length would only matter to me in how the rifle balanced as the effects on accuracy or ballistics wouldn't be enough to fret. Pick the length that feels the best.

I own a howa 308 with 20" cerakoted lightweight barreled action. it is super accurate and I love it. someone else on the forum mentioned there is a guy selling Howa alpine mt rifle stocks on Ebay for $200. I checked it out and I'm really trying to justify buying one of those stocks and another lightweight barreled action from Howa. but I already own so someone on hear should take advantage of the deal. if I were you I'd look into that right now before they are gone. you could get a really nice semi custom rifle for a pretty good price. you wont be disappointed. that being said there are some really cool Vanguards out there. like the new first lite edition and the back country models. and go with cerakote for sure

Thanks for all the information everyone. When it comes down to it doesn't seem like I can go wrong. I need to see each of these in person it sounds. Can anyone speak to the following:

1. Quality of machine work for each
2. The rubberized Howa stock vs the Composite Weatherby

SFN2821 said:

Thanks for all the information everyone. When it comes down to it doesn't seem like I can go wrong. I need to see each of these in person it sounds. Can anyone speak to the following:

1. Quality of machine work for each
2. The rubberized Howa stock vs the Composite Weatherby

Click to expand...

I like the composite Weatherby stock. The grip inserts do just what they are supposed to, providing a slip-free hold. In addition, I think the stock is aesthetically pleasing.

Some seem to think that the composite Weatherby stock is too "grippy", meaning it grabs clothing and such, but I don't find it to be a problem.

As for the quality of machine work, everything is a tight fit on the Weatherby, polished/smooth, and overall good-looking.

Should you decide to sell the gun at some point its likely the Weatherby will sell for more. The Howa guns are typically cheaper to start with from what I have seen.

I have two of the older series Vanguards and just picked up a Howa. I think the bolt on the Weatherby looks nicer and feels a bit more slick (raw steel with black flutes and a hooded bolt shroud vs. a black coated bolt with an open bolt shroud.

Stock molding technology has come a long way and the Weatherby fit is very tight and precise all the way around (full length bedded including barrel). The older generation Weatherbys don't have the 1 MOA guarantee but mine shoot many loads just under an inch and even more from 1"-1.25". I think the full length bedding may add some POI consistency (mine shoot to the same POI, clean-cold bore, dirty-cold bore, warmed up, hot). I put my 257 WBY into B&C Medalist stock (bedded and full floated). Accuracy stayed the same (good), POI with a clean-cold bore is about an inch higher than fouled-cold bore (not a big deal), so essentially I spent $250 and didn't gain very much but a nicer looking stock. I guess the moral of this story is the grass isn't always greener on the other side... but you don't know until you try.

The Hogue stock on my Howa is free floated (barely) but the forend is flexy so it doesn't take much to make it contact the barrel. During the first range trip I was seeing some occasional fliers about 1" outside the group (.75" groups became 1.75"). This could be remedied by widening the barrel channel or full length bedding with some epoxy. I put the old factory stock from the Weatherby onto the Howa and didn't have any problems with fliers when I went back to the range shooting the same 2 loads.

Barrel length is a personal preference, I had only used long actions with 24" barrels until I got the Howa which is a long action with a 22" barrel. I imagine the short action Weatherby with a 24"barrel would be pretty close to my Howa and it seems handy to me. I don't have any experience with the shorter barrels so can't help there.

Overall I think the Weatherby looks a little nicer or more refined however I wouldn't hesitate to buy either if I came across a good deal.

Both great guns, I personally think you should just find a store or two that have one or both and see how they feel for you. Both are great companies that make quality products.

I have the latest Howa and my Cousin has the S2 my Vanguard that I use for elk is the older model. The weatherby is quite a bit nicer stock and the finish seems a hair nicer than the Howa. We put lightweight talley's on the S2 in 300 Wby a Zeiss HD5 Z800 reticle scope. I fired the 12th round out of that rifle and hit a 2" diameter branch at 490 yards, it is an unbelievable tack driver. My Howa in 25-06 took many combinations to finally shoot sub MOA but it is quite pleasant to shoot. A buddy got the Howa in 270 - immediately got great results, shot after shot in the same quarter size hole at 100. Both have the guaranteed accuracy - I'd go with the Weatherby every time.