A few weeks ago I was surprised with the news that I’d won a hunting rifle in a fundraising event for Hellgate Hunters and Anglers. For the cost of a raffle ticket I had a Weatherby Vanguard in 6.5 PRC on its way to me. I was thrilled—I mostly bow hunt and have never invested in a decent all-around hunting rifle.
The news sent me on a deep dive—on the rifle, cartridge, optics, the works. I became a member here. Along the way, I learned about long range shooting disciplines and how folks sometimes use the Vanguard/Howa 1500 action in chassis builds. I like tailoring stuff so a build using the raffle rifle appealed. I was told that the rifle I won would be a decent version of the Vanguard, cerakoted, but with a synthetic stock that isn’t anything special.
I figured I’d drop the action/barrel into an MDT XRS with the enclosed forend, top it with an Arken EP5, and I’d have a decent—relatively inexpensive to me thanks to the raffle—hybrid rifle I could hunt with and try out at a NRL Hunter or PRS comp. And it’d just be fun to shoot long range.
Curveball #1
Kook mistake. I learned that the Vanguard 6.5 PRC is a long action, which eliminated the XRS option and most plug and play chassis—that I could find anyway. It came down to the MDT ESS or LSS XL Gen2. And we’re off to the races budget busting. I ordered the ESS as it was the only of the two I could find that wasn’t back ordered, got an MDT buttstock and Accutac bipod from members on here, and sat back to wait on the shipped rifle and other goodies.
Curveball #2
Yesterday I got my first look at the raffle rifle at my FFL to start my CA waiting period. It sure is a Vanguard in 6.5 PRC. It sure isn’t a base model. Instead of the $830 Weatherguard Bronze I thought I was getting, it’s the $1600 Talon with the carbon stock and fluted barrel. Incredibly generous of Hellgate Hunters and Anglers and I’ve been racking my brain ever since on what to do with it.
I kinda don’t want to use it as-is. A build is just too enticing at this point.
Here’s where yall can help me out, if you’ve stuck around to this point. This is a sort of a one-rifle-to-do-it-all post with the added caveat of it being off a specific donor-rifle action.
I’m trying to hold fast to a one-rifle plan and am most interested in using it to try my hand at long distance, NRL Hunter comps, and hunting. I’m pretty sold on 6.5 PRC over 6.5 CM for hunting everything up to elk and am willing to suffer a bit more muzzle jump in Hunter comps.
Option 1
Stick with the plan. Sell the Vanguard carbon stock to help pay for the ESS and goodies. Drop the Vanguard action and barrel into the ESS and run it in the Hunter heavy class. This is the least expensive option that still involves a chassis build but is perhaps too near-sighted. Is the Vanguard action good enough to build around, especially when the factory barrel burns out? Anyone out there using this Vanguard long action in 6.5 PRC?
Option 2
Same as 1 but keep the carbon stock and retain the option to use it while backcountry hunting and in the Hunter factory or light classes. This is the mix and match option—probably the most well-rounded option but has the same longer term implications as Option 1.
Option 3
Sell the complete Vanguard Talon rifle and use the funds to buy an Origin action or something like it and a barrel that may hold up better for the above uses. This is the world—>oyster option, re-opening chassis possibilities and probably my relationship status as I’m kicked out of the house. (“Are you looking at gun stuff again?” “No, it’s…porn.” [closes Hide app] “Uh huh.” “But prefit barrels!”) This option scratches my custom build itch, but it’s also kind of a pain to sell a rifle in CA. After the FFL fees and lowering the price of the Talon enough to catch interest, maybe I won’t get enough value from selling the Talon?
Options 4-73
Everything I’m still ignorant of and haven’t considered.
Thanks for giving it some thought.
The news sent me on a deep dive—on the rifle, cartridge, optics, the works. I became a member here. Along the way, I learned about long range shooting disciplines and how folks sometimes use the Vanguard/Howa 1500 action in chassis builds. I like tailoring stuff so a build using the raffle rifle appealed. I was told that the rifle I won would be a decent version of the Vanguard, cerakoted, but with a synthetic stock that isn’t anything special.
I figured I’d drop the action/barrel into an MDT XRS with the enclosed forend, top it with an Arken EP5, and I’d have a decent—relatively inexpensive to me thanks to the raffle—hybrid rifle I could hunt with and try out at a NRL Hunter or PRS comp. And it’d just be fun to shoot long range.
Curveball #1
Kook mistake. I learned that the Vanguard 6.5 PRC is a long action, which eliminated the XRS option and most plug and play chassis—that I could find anyway. It came down to the MDT ESS or LSS XL Gen2. And we’re off to the races budget busting. I ordered the ESS as it was the only of the two I could find that wasn’t back ordered, got an MDT buttstock and Accutac bipod from members on here, and sat back to wait on the shipped rifle and other goodies.
Curveball #2
Yesterday I got my first look at the raffle rifle at my FFL to start my CA waiting period. It sure is a Vanguard in 6.5 PRC. It sure isn’t a base model. Instead of the $830 Weatherguard Bronze I thought I was getting, it’s the $1600 Talon with the carbon stock and fluted barrel. Incredibly generous of Hellgate Hunters and Anglers and I’ve been racking my brain ever since on what to do with it.
I kinda don’t want to use it as-is. A build is just too enticing at this point.
Here’s where yall can help me out, if you’ve stuck around to this point. This is a sort of a one-rifle-to-do-it-all post with the added caveat of it being off a specific donor-rifle action.
I’m trying to hold fast to a one-rifle plan and am most interested in using it to try my hand at long distance, NRL Hunter comps, and hunting. I’m pretty sold on 6.5 PRC over 6.5 CM for hunting everything up to elk and am willing to suffer a bit more muzzle jump in Hunter comps.
Option 1
Stick with the plan. Sell the Vanguard carbon stock to help pay for the ESS and goodies. Drop the Vanguard action and barrel into the ESS and run it in the Hunter heavy class. This is the least expensive option that still involves a chassis build but is perhaps too near-sighted. Is the Vanguard action good enough to build around, especially when the factory barrel burns out? Anyone out there using this Vanguard long action in 6.5 PRC?
Option 2
Same as 1 but keep the carbon stock and retain the option to use it while backcountry hunting and in the Hunter factory or light classes. This is the mix and match option—probably the most well-rounded option but has the same longer term implications as Option 1.
Option 3
Sell the complete Vanguard Talon rifle and use the funds to buy an Origin action or something like it and a barrel that may hold up better for the above uses. This is the world—>oyster option, re-opening chassis possibilities and probably my relationship status as I’m kicked out of the house. (“Are you looking at gun stuff again?” “No, it’s…porn.” [closes Hide app] “Uh huh.” “But prefit barrels!”) This option scratches my custom build itch, but it’s also kind of a pain to sell a rifle in CA. After the FFL fees and lowering the price of the Talon enough to catch interest, maybe I won’t get enough value from selling the Talon?
Options 4-73
Everything I’m still ignorant of and haven’t considered.
Thanks for giving it some thought.
