Vanguard Scope Bases

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SteelChickenShooter

New member
Anyone have experience with poor results sighting in a scope on a Weatherby Vanguard 30-06? With mechanical centered bases and an optically zeroed scope, my hits are off a country mile. I can also verify that when bore sighting after poor results after firing. I learned of Talley designed scope bases / rings for this rifle at the Weatherby Vanguard website. I presently have Leupold bases in place and intend to replace them if I can find and buy the Vanguard brand bases at one of my nearby sporting goods stores. The front Leupold base is clearly too high using my alignment tools. I would not be comfortable adjusting the scope dials to fix the amount of error I see. I'm certain the Leupold scope bases I have just don't quite fit this particular rifle. Anyone else out there with experience on this line?
 
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jmr40

New member
Is this what you're talking about.

http://www.weatherby.com/product/accessories/shootersaccessory/40457

If so I highly recommend them. They are Talley Lightweight mounts and all I use. The Leupold mounts with dovetails and windage adjustments are the last mount I'd ever use and only if I had no other choice.

But you should be able to zero your rifle with them. They are just heavy, overly complex, and much harder to get your rifle zeroed. In rare cases the holes drilled in the receiver for scope mounting do not align with the barrel. This was far more common 50-70 years ago than today and these mounts were designed to correct this problem. This is almost unherad of with modern rifles. If your rifle is built right there is no need for them. If I had a rifle that needed them, I'd return the rifle to the manufacturer as defective.
 
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hooligan1

New member
I use strictly Leupold bases and rings and Never have any problems ever.
The reason is that I properly mount my bases and rings. There's an off chance that your rifle might have been drilled wrong, but those bases and rings are rarely out of kelter... Have a proffesional mount the scope, and I'm not talkin about that pimply gun geek down to the walmart.. Talley rings are nice, but those leupold parts are bullet proof when mounted Correctly.;)
 
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dgludwig

New member
I also have Talley lightweight bases and rings mounted to my Weatherby Vanguard and like them. But, no matter the brand (if they're made to fit your action), if the bases and rings are mounted correctly (screwed on by alternately turning each screw uniformally until all are tight; it'd be hard to install them "wrong"), it would seem that your zero and sighting-in problem would lie elsewhere. The scope would be my first suspect (the last thing you probably want to hear).
 
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AllenJ

New member
I have a Vanguard S2 and used Weaver Grand Slam rings and mounts on it. I got them because Midway was out of stock of the Leupold bases at the time. I am very satisfied with the Grand Slams, they have done well on both my S2 and my son's 700 7mm Rem Mag. Neither gun has had any issues after many uses, both range and hunting. That being said prior to these two rifles I have never used anything other than Leupold mounts and rings, and have never had an issue with them. It sounds to me that either you have the wrong mounts or they are not mounted correctly. I would contact Leupold and speak to them about it.
 
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steveNChunter

New member
If you are having trouble finding bases that say they are made for the Vanguard, look for bases that fit a Remington model 700 long action as they will also fit. I have a Howa 1500 (same action as your Vanguard) in .25-06 and I'm using Weaver bases made for a Rem 700 long action and they work fine. Talley mounts are a great product as others have said, but nothing wrong with the good ole cheap Weavers either. I dont care for the Leupold design myself.
 
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jaysouth

New member
My Vanguard S-2 is fitted with the Talley mount purchased from Weatherby. I smeared a lot of thread locker on the mounts and action, then tightened carefully to get a good seat. I am using Weaver Quad rings on a Leupold V2 with good results.

However I noted that groups toward the end of the range session got larger and more erratic. It dawned on me that the action screws were backing out a turn or two from shooting. I am not at the point where I want to use thread locker on the screws, but tighten them with an allen wrench every 10 rounds or so.

When I have developed THE load, I will apply thread locker and tighten with a torque wrench to get a replicable fit.

Check your action screws, this is the first time this ever happened to me also.
 
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SteelChickenShooter

New member
Thank you all for the advice and replies. I took the rifle to a pro and had him install different Leupold bases and rings with the exact same error as a result.
When bore sighting with an optically zeroed scope, the crosshairs were way too high and left. We then went to Weaver bases and rings. At his shop it looked like the right solution, so I bought the parts. However, when I installed them with proper fitting and torque, once again my bore sight was not good. Crosshairs still too high and left. Not as much, but still not so great.
I replaced the rifle with a Ruger American in 30-06. Just moments ago at this writing I installed Burris brand and Leupold brand rings to compare on the Ruger factory installed bases. Bore sighting is spot on in both cases.
I agree no doubt I would be fine with the Talley designed base / rings. My dealer did not have them. I'll try to find and buy the Talley / Weatherby hardware as a back burner project. But for right now, I have very good results with the hardware installed on the Ruger rifle. I'll take this to the range for a re-shoot and I am very certain my hits will be right in there with very minimal scope adjustment needed.
 
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SteelChickenShooter

New member
Comparison Result

My hardware installed on the Ruger American was spot on at the range this morning. I did find the source of my Vanguard problem. As another previous post suggests: shimming is required and I don't care to do that. I'm too far off in two directions. And I know this would be a good case where the Burris rings come into play using the plastic inserts. They really do work very well. I don't care to fuss with this particular rifle project. I'm inside a one inch black dot down range using the simple normal hardware installed on the Ruger with no added parts or fussing needed.
 
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Mobuck

Moderator
I've mounted 5 scopes on Vanguards using Weaver bases(same as Rem 700) w/o a hitch.
Optically centered scope means nothing. That's what the adjustments are for. Crank on the windage and elevation screws until the crosshairs match the boreline. You don't expect the "optically centered scope" to be perfectly aligned with the bore(that does happen but not often).
Either I'm not reading your description correctly or you don't know how to sight in a scope.
 
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steveNChunter

New member
I did find the source of my Vanguard problem. As another previous post suggests: shimming is required and I don't care to do that.
Click to expand...

It sounds like Weatherby is to blame and in that case I'd be calling Weatherby and sending that rifle back to them and demanding one with a level, trued action.
 
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