Weatherby Vanguard Youth

[mapsjanhere]

My wife is getting into shooting more seriously recoiling guns than her usual Marlin 1894C, but she's unhappy with the LOP on most of my rifles. I was thinking of doing some chopping on a sporterized Chile Mauser when I came across the WV Youth model. It's available in 7-08 (close to the 7x57 I was looking at) and can be adjusted from 12.5" to 13.5" LOP. My question is, has anybody shot that gun, and does the LOP adjustment work in giving a solid feel even with the spacers?

 

[zeke]

Have a WBY Vangaurd youth stock in 308, but it came with an additional longer stock, not an adjustable one? Does the stock adjust through the use of spacers, or is it an actual adjustable mechianism?


Adjusting the lenght of pull can be very beneficial and especiall importnat for scope mounted rifles, for those of us with shorter arms and heavy winter clothing.

 

[big al hunter]

I have a vangaurd youth, got it for my daughter when she was 10. I also have the two stocks 1 youth 1 adult. It is chambered in 7mm-08. Recoil is significant in the lighter stock. I put a muzzlebrake on it for her. May not be needed if your wife is not recoil shy. You could also add weight to the stock. Spacer shims should not feel loose. I do have other rifles with shims. They generaly are a solid plastic strip that will stay put and not wiggle. If they are already on the stock twist it with your hands, if it dosen't move more than a slight wiggle you shouldn't notice it while shooting.

 

[scoutman]

Start her out with "managed recoil loads" and work up.

 

[PawPaw]

When are you guys going to learn?

Your wife's got a brain, and probably a pretty good one. Let her pick her rifle. Adjusting length of pull is as easy as a trip to the gunshop. Any competent rifle-smith can adjust the LOP to suit your lady.

I like a shorter length of pull than most folks. I also like a good recoil pad, either a Liimbsaver or a Pachmayr. A quick trip to the gunsmith and $60.00 later I've got it all adjusted and ready to go.

 

[mapsjanhere]

You misunderstand the concept . If I shorten one of my rifles I have a gun less. If she gets her own, she has a gun more.

 

[PawPaw]

You misunderstand the concept . If I shorten one of my rifles I have a gun less. If she gets her own, she has a gun more.

I understood it perfectly. My advice remains the same. Your wife should pick her own gun. A Weatherby might be perfect for her, but she might prefer a Savage, or a Winchester or a CZ. You get the idea. She might not like a 7mm-08, or a 7X57 (although they're both great calibers). She might prefer a .260 Remington, or a .308. Do you choose her shoes for her?

Let your lady pick her own rifle.

 

[mapsjanhere]

She picks her own rifles. Then she goes to range, and the gun isn't the right shape, kicks to much, doesn't fit in the pink gun bag whatever, and guns are usually not returnable. So I'm trying to pre-screen what she tries by now to save some money for MY next gun purchase. And from the comments I got I think I scale down to 243 Win (and yes, calibers are purely my pick, she doesn't want to have anything to do with figuring out the advantages of a 308 over a 30-06, or why the 6.5 Swede is the better hunting cartridge compared to the 260 Rem).

 

[PawPaw]

why the 6.5 Swede is the better hunting cartridge compared to the 260 Rem

So tell me again, why is the 6.5 Swede a better hunting cartridge than the .260 Remington? Looking at the ballistics tables for factory ammo, they seem to be virtually identical. Is it the availability of brass? Or will the game animal magically know that he's being shot with the Swede and just lay down and die? I seriously doubt that any game animal will know, or care, whether he's shot with one or the other.

I've got a sister in law who shoots deer with a .260 Remington. All her deer are DRT, but that has nothing to do with the cartridge. She's a helluva shot with that rifle. I bet they'd be just as dead if she shot them with a Swede.

she doesn't want to have anything to do with figuring out the advantages of a 308 over a 30-06

Heh! The .308 has advantages over the .30-06? I'll grant that the smaller .308 will fit into a short action, but other than that, what advantage does the .308 have over the -06?

 

[mapsjanhere]

see, she thinks these discussion are pointless (btw you can put 160 gr VLD bullets on a swede, usually won't fit on the 260).

 

[PawPaw]

see, she thinks these discussion are pointless

And, for her, they are. But, with great freedom comes great responsibility. If she picks out a rifle, it's hers. Whether, as you put it, the gun isn't the right shape, kicks to much, doesn't fit in the pink gun bag whatever.

The .243 isn't a bad idea. It's a good caliber, easily reloaded and capable of some amazing ballistics. I shoot 100 grain bullets from mine, easily get 3100 fps with no pressure signs, and it puts down deer sized game with authority.

One caveat, though, is that if you're going to shoot VLD bullets through it, you've got to have a fast-twist barrel, something on the order of 1:8 or 1:7. Some rifles won't stabilize VLDs without that fast twist. In my .243, a Savage 10 with a 9.25 twist, I started to get keyholes at 100 yards with 107 grain MatchKings. However, it shoots 100 grain bullets with wonderful accuracy, on the neighborhood of 1/2 inch at 100 yards. This from a bone-stock hunting rifle with a tupperware stock.

 

[mapsjanhere]

Well, after all the trying out - she went for the regular WV in 243, which they happened to have on sale for $349 at Sportsman's.

 

[PawPaw]

That's a good choice. Load some ammo for it, and teach it to shoot.