Weatherby 257mag. Vanguard or Mark V

Rg176bnc

New member
I have been mulling this over for quit sometime. After watching my nephew shoot his grandfathers Mark V and wacking a truck load of deer with it theirs really not much not to love about the caliber other than the cost of shell, and Im not going to let that determine weather I buy one or not.

Theirs a heck of a diff in price in the Vanguard and the Mark V. About $1400. I was hoping to get a Weatherby mans opinion on this. I cant shoot the gun now, his grandfather has long since passed and gun headed to parts unknown. He would say get the Mark V and dont look back son.

Is the Mark V inherintly more accurate and why? To complicate it even more I see Reminton has one now for between 7-800 bucks. I dont know what to make of the barrel on that thing yet lol.
 
6 of One, Half Dozen of another.

The Mark V is nice but it a heavier action if your going to carry it. Weatherby offering the 257Wby in the Vanguard model is a new variation on their theme, and it's real popular right now. They both should have really nice wood and the Weatherby look, and both either are or can be made to be more accurate. All new Weatherby's always have a factory test target attached so that you can see the accuracy of the gun before you buy.

Flip a coin? Your choice. My son bought the Howe-made Vanguard in 243 and it a right nice rifle, and I won't sell my 30 year old XXII Weatherby in 22lr. But then again I don't think I'd trade my 25-06 for a 257 Weatherby either. But a 25 caliber rifle throwing 100 to 120 grain slugs that fast is flat shooting and a real deer getter.
 
I personally think the mk 5 is a joke, the action isn't anything to get excited about, you only get a 1.5 moa guarantee for all that money you pay, sako offers a better gun with a better accuracy guarantee. for $1400 I can look around and find a donor action (remington) sell off the barrel and the stock and have a custom done up on the cheap for less than what a mk 5 costs. mk v's are for people who think the more you pay for something the better it is. I think the vanguard is way more value for the money, I also think the action is a better action than the mk 5, kinda the opposite that most would think uhhh, get a vanguard if you feel like you just gotta have one. BTW resale value on mk 5's is horrible, so if you buy one and its a dud, plan on throwing away 40% of what you paid
 
I have two Mark V rifles and both will shoot under an 1 inch. If the money is tight go with the Vanguard.

You can purchase a Vanguard SUB-MOA in the 257 and have enough left over to buy dies, brass, bullets, powder. etc. The Vanguard will be a 24 inch #2 contour barrel. Check their web site for specs and pricing.
 
Remington makes the cdl sf in 257 Weatherby. Don't know if thats an option for you but never been a Weatherby fan myself. Been eyeing the Remington in Weatherby for a while now, will probably be my next rifle
 
I agree w/ what has been said...get a Vanguard and be done with it...that is if you have to have the .257 weatherby.

Personally I'd get a 25-06 or a .270win in the Howa version of that great action and even put a little more into a good scope.

I like the ballistics of the .257 weatherby, but the cost to shoot is more, brass cost more if reloading, etc. Deer won't know the difference between a 25-06 and the weatherby.
 
Take a look at the sporter or the deluxe. There a lot cheaper then the mark v but look just the same as the mark v. You will save 500 to 700 going this way and still have the mark v look if you go with the deluxe just a lot less money. The vanguard is a darn good gun as well. And you will not go wrong with the 257 weatherby cal. My brother has the 257 and loves the way it preforms. Just keep that baby clean i have read they burn barrels if you let them get dirty. Hope this helps
 
I think all the views above are good, however I have a difficult time with any thing Steve Garret said. The Mark 5 is the cream of the rifle world imho. My father has 2 Mark 5s. One in .257 Weatherby magnum and one in .300 Weatherby magnum. Both have been treated severly bad by my father. Both are 30 year old plus rifles that have been hunted with all over North America. Both are so beat they look like tent pegs. I have never seen my father clean either. Both are the only true one hole shooting guns at 100 yards I have ever shot. He has around 50 guns and god forbid when he passes his .257 is the only thing I really want. Also at least here in Las Vegas Weatherby mark 5 resale is very high, so I don't know what that is about.

That being said I think the Vangaurd is a good gun as well. O and the .257 Weatherby Cal is also my favorite cal.
 
Part of the pleasure of owning a .257 Weatherby to me is the pride of owning the real thing. I used to say the same things about the cost and performance of the Mark 5 rifles but once I owned my first one I just can't get enough of them. I now own 2 Accumarks in 257Wby, 1 in 300Wby, a Deluxe in 300Wby and now a Mark XXII 17HMR. Every one of them is a sub MOA peformer by a wide margin. The barrels are easy to clean, every Mark 5 trigger adjusted right down to 15 ounces right out of the box. If you want to save a buck, watch Gunbroker for a nice used low milage unit. I see used Accumarks sell for $850 - $1150 all the time and even the used ones come with the factory warranty. If your are shopping for a synthetic you can get a Mark 5 much cheaper. I'm not rich but I know quality when I see it. I bought mine all used. Life is to short to compromise. Do grandfather and yourself proud. Buy the real thing.

If you don't care about any of that stuff then the Vangards are an excellent value. Just be prepared to loose a fair amount of velocity with the 24" barrel. My 26" barrels shoot 100 grain bullets out at 3700fps pretty easy.
 
I dont know that I agree with what has been said about mark 5 actions are not much better. I have a Howa I just bought last year and it's a great gun for the money, but there is really no comparison to my Mark 5. Smooth bolt, 54 degree bolt throw, ss heavy Kreiger fluted barrel and what a shooter. Thought the action would be my favorite part but it's the barrel. Bolt is actually the worst thing about the Vanguard. I don't like the throw on it because the scope interferes especially if you have big hands. Not real sloppy but nowhere nearly put together as well as the Mark V. This is kind of like comparing a Kia to a Lexus. You could buy the Kia and be fine but wouldn't you rather have the Lexus if you could afford it?
 
My dad handed down to me his Mark V deluxe.....it shoulders and balances like a dream. The Vanguards IMO do not balance nearly as well.

A gun that you love is a lifetime investment, so pay a little more now, that would be my advise.

The Mark V seems to be one of the items that people like to bash on the internet, but if you are one of the people that have used one, you kind of just chuckle as you read it.

Good Luck
 
I've just finished working on a 257 Vanguard for a friend, glassbed, float, adjust trigger, & lap the bolt. It now puts 117 grainers a little less than MOA... Plenty good for a bargin deer rifle! The bore is a little rough but should smooth out with use. It's true that the Mark V's are not bench guns, in my opinion, they are a GREAT hunting rifle!
 
I dont know a whole lot about the vanguards, but I think I remeber being told they are made by someone else? Maybe Howa? Im not sure.

Anyways, I have a Mark V Deluxe (circa 1972) and its a really nice accurate rifle. Its truely a work of craftsmanship and its a pleasure to hunt with and is plenty accurate in factory configuration to take game out past reasonable distances. However I cringe every time I take it out, for fear of scratching it. If this gun hadnt fallen into my lap, I might have done it differently. Possibly a Stevens 200, or Savage 110 in 25-06 might be just as pleasing at a fraction of the cost.

If ya wanted to get real crazy, get the Stevens 200 and buy a SSS 27 inch barrel in 25-06 AI. Cheaper brass and ballistics that would mirror each other.

YMMV, its just my humble opinion.
 
I am a long time Remington fan but 3 years ago in a moment of weekness I strayed. I traded a 700 in 308 that was seldom shot for a sweet 257WBY stainless Mark V. I had always been interested in the caliber and having owned several 25-06's but none at that moment the time was right.
It is my first and only Mark V at this time but I would NEVER hesitate to buy another one based on this one.
The trigger is a bit stiff but adjusted down nicely, I like the short bolt lift, and the barrel cleans like your best custom rifle......3 too 5 patches and your done.
Things that are not that great.....ammo is pricey but 100 empty brass should last several years depending on how much you shoot. The rifle can only be unloaded AFTER taking it OFF saftey ( like the old 60's Remingtons ). The older ones are stamped Made in Japan.....sorry I dont like that. The newer ones are stamped Made In USA......now we're talkin.
How does it shoot.....well it shoot's Gggrrreat !!!!
I have tried 3 differant factory loads 85, 100, and 115 grain all grouped very well with the 115 the best. The rifle regularly shoots 1 inch to 1.5 inch groups at 200 yards from the bench. My handloads do just as good or better but I suspect a bit slower....sorry no chrono.
I have shot several coyote's and 2 deer with it now and I love it. Lite recoil, not loud, not heavy, smokin fast and pure poison to Texas deer.
Before I owned one I thought they were pretty boy rifles, guns for folks with too much money, a pure waste of hard earned cash. Today I know they are more than some sort of status symbol. They are accurate, dependable, and truely solid firearms.
Buy what ever rifle you can afford that you like but don't shy away from the Mark V in 257WBY......just try it I think you'll like it.
 
Quote:

A gun that you love is a lifetime investment, so pay a little more now, that would be my advise.


The Mark V seems to be one of the items that people like to bash on the internet, but if you are one of the people that have used one, you kind of just chuckle as you read it.

Good Luck



Ditto /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
I recently got the Vanguard synthetic/stainless in 257 Roy. I used 3 rounds to sight it in and the next 3 shot group went inside an inch. ( I had already laser bore sighted it at 200 yards, which helped) The rifle is about the correct weight and the trigger is actually very nice on mine. I have a Busnell 4200 3/9 mounted on top. Given the rainguard on the scope and syn/stainless rifle it will get a lot of all weather use. I have a bunch of rifles but this could well become a favourite. I would never have considered this caliber if I didn't reload though.
 
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