oldelkhunter

Oh Heck hunting seasons are almost over in most places and I have to stir the pot a little since things seem to be slowing down here a bit

I have owned just a few MK V's and was never really really satisfied with them. For a number of reasons I just will not buy one anymore. I think they are incredibly overpriced . I have owned 2 Vanguards ..one about 15 years ago called the fiberguard(Mcmillan Stock) Vanguard action and a new Vanguard in 300 wsm. Both guns shoot better then any MK V I have owned. Why do MK V shooters and others look down on these Rifles? I have heard fit and finish is better on the MK V's but I will disagree on that as well because I haven't found that out to be true either.

speedgator

Most if not all that buy the Weatherby brand are hung up on the name. I have a friend that spent a lot of $ on an Accumark topped with Swarovski glass. Is it a good setup? I suppose, but when I hold the rifle I don't get the impression that it's worth what it cost. May be just me. I'm sure you can get equal or better shooters for much less money with equal or better fit and finish. I would get a Sako over a Weatherby in that price range, personally, and would also have to look at Kimber.
The Vanguard has received a lot of bad word of mouth apparently from years past. Also, Weatherby made what I think to be is a bad decision in pulling that line out of all other shops and only selling thru WalMart. Some of my local shops were even surprised when I went in and asked about the Vanguard stating it was discontinued only to find out that it's just sold at WalMart. Most if not all also know that it's not made by Weatherby themselves so they immediately are turned off, without giving it a chance or bothering to research. Howa is now making the Vanguard series, as far as I know, and seem to be doing a decent job of it too. Don't know who made it way back when but it has left people with a bad impression of Vanguard's so they are still mostly ignored nowadays.
Talk of yesteryear affects a lot. To most, for example, if it isn't a Remington or Winchester it's not a rifle. When I first started researching and asked questions on the Tikka's I got all sorts of crap answers but no real reasons as to why they wouldn't be a good rifle. Same with Savage, except recently they seem to be turning it around. The old school hunters that are friends of mine though won't look twice at Savage, harkening back to the old days when apparently they built crap. Too bad for them as now they have good products.
Just my opinions and observations, do with them what you will.

By the way, it's "comparison". ;-)

oldelkhunter

No Howa has been making Vanguards forever. I actually bought both of my Vanguards at gunshops. Walmart is my ammunition source only except for 2 rifles I have purchased there in the last 35 years. The price at the gunshop on the latest one was lower then Wally Worlds making it a real sweet deal. Sub 1" groups with factory ammo and a 376 dollar rifle that next to a Ruger 77 may be the most rugged rifle one can own. It doesn't get any better then that. I laugh at Weatherby MK V owners in hunting camp anyway so I might as well continue throwing gasoline on the fire

ELKINMTCWB

Plastic guns hehe I am not enpressed, in all the new guns. I do not have any mark5s nor have I.I do have older 77s and 700 and allso some savages.I am looking for a high gloss wood gun ,they cost a ton more than the plastic guns of any brand.
I beleave that you can get a good gun any any brand and to say one brand is junk is nuts.

MY best gun is a smith and weson 1500 in 223. It shoots well under 1 in at 100 yards ever time.

If you can kill with it ANY gun is good.:}

oldelkhunter

Not calling the brand junk just overpriced . BTW that Smith and Wesson you own is a Howa

bigbulls

Vanguards and Howas are probably one of the most underrated rifles on the markert right now. I would put them up against any of the big three (Rem, Win, Ruger).

They have made quality rifles for a long time and for a few other companies including Weatherby, Mossberg, Smith and Wesson and Howas own line. They are all the same basic rifle with only minor differences.

stubblejumper

I will not own another mark V as they are just too overpriced.The vanguard however is a good value for the price.

RedAllison

Vanguards are NOT built by Howa anymore. In the late 90s Ed Weatherby decided to move the production of these rifles back too American shores. (One of the few decisions I agree with him on since his fathers passing in 88!) The name escapes me right now, but I believe the Vanguards are built by a firm in Mass.

Originally the Mark Vs were built first by JP Sauer and Sons in Germany and then production was moved too Japan in the late 60s when a cheap Yen and a then small economy made it feasible to do so. If memory serves me correct (which it seldom does) the firm was not Howa however. I believe it was Miruko or something similar. Eventually in the 80s the production of Mark Vs was moved too our own shores.

I aint nockin the Howa built guns as they are GREAT guns and my old 25/06 Vanguard was a GOOD ONE until some lowlife decided to borrow it without asking. They are great guns and even a better gun for the price. I just think that Roy Weatherby is rolling in his grave right now since his son has "sold his soul too the devil" and gotten chummy with Wal-Mart. Perhaps from a business standpoint it was the right deal, their sales were softening for many reasons. But only time will tell I suppose.

The Mark V was Mr. Roy's baby. It made his company what it was and at a time when nothing else out there was quite as elaborate. I think to fully appreciate them I think you have to remember when "their time" was in hunting history. The Mark V was debuted in 1957 and held its esteemed position until well into the late 80s. Thats really an interesting time for big game hunting, especially in the realm of alot of the type hunters who used them. I know when I was a kid (I was born in 71) a 300 Wby Mag Mk V Deluxe was IT!!! You was SUMPIN and you didn't have to hold your head down for anything. Paying $1k for a rifle and $30-$50 for a box of shells meant that the price of admission wasn't a concern of yours. You had "arrived" lol.

Like I said, yeah they were more mystique and glam than anything physically superior. I would put my Sako up against anything that ever came out of South Gate, CA. But I give Roy Weatherby one thing that even John Moses Browning didn't have. A genius for marketing. THE greatest design in the world still isn't anything if it's not sold and marketed properly.

I'll ask you guys this, sure the Mark V might not be what it once was, but would you decline the offer if someone was willing to give you one for free tonight?
RA

speedgator

RA, I could only find something on Miruku rifles, but not much, just obscure references. As for the Vanguard line, I think you may be right since I just received their catalog and they even have a sub-moa "model" now that is guaranteed to shoot as the name suggests sub-moa (duh). I doubt they would do that on something that someone else builds, but who knows nowadays. Marketing promises and engineering has to deliver.

stubblejumper

The production of mark V's was moved back to the states and unless the situation has changed very recently,they are being built by a contractor named SACO located in Maine.The vanguard is still made by howa as is stated below


The above quote was taken from an article found at the link below

http://www.chuckhawks.com/wby_vanguard_syn.htm



Weatherby does not manufacture their own rifles and that includes the mark V.