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  #31  
Old 06-08-2018, 10:26 AM
rembo rembo is online now
 
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Originally Posted by Big Sky View Post
I'm a regular shooter at my range and I don't remember ever seeing a rifle built off of a Howa or Vanguard action. I do see lots of rebarreled and restocked Remingtons.
Just how common are custom Howa's?
Anyone on here with a custom Howa or Vanguard?
I've rebarreled three of them over the years.
2 with Remington barrels and one with a CM A&B or a McGowan...can't remember.

They are simple to work on.
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  #32  
Old 06-08-2018, 10:39 AM
mattthegorby mattthegorby is offline
 
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Really enjoying the replies and discussion on this. I just bought a Vangaurd and one of the reasons I went this direction is that I have heard they are popular for custom projects and I want to keep my options open down the road.
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  #33  
Old 06-08-2018, 10:41 AM
Stinky Coyote Stinky Coyote is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Sky View Post
I'm a regular shooter at my range and I don't remember ever seeing a rifle built off of a Howa or Vanguard action. I do see lots of rebarreled and restocked Remingtons.
Just how common are custom Howa's?
Anyone on here with a custom Howa or Vanguard?
I find with our smaller localized forum that Albertans can get behind a little on the times. Ie; getting everyone caught up on the 6.5 data, the 'precision rifle' trend and what it means now, so i knew a lot here might be missing out on a great action also and it was time to spread the word.

In that if you google rem 700 action vs howa 1500 and variations of that search you will see some fantastic tear down comparisons, videos and articles, they are very compelling to show many reasons or advantages to choosing the howa action over the rem 700 action going forward. When you see those things and that you can order these barreled actions readily (not sure if just actions only?, brownells now has the contract i understand) but the chassis manufacturers are inletting for them for awhile now etc., then it's compelling. Or even buy a used vanguard or howa rifle just as many do for the actions only on a 700.

It's sort of a modern take on the rem 700, i think an improved one also.

Sorry to the guys here already on it, but you're welcome to those who this information can benefit. Peace
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  #34  
Old 06-08-2018, 10:44 AM
Stinky Coyote Stinky Coyote is offline
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Originally Posted by mattthegorby View Post
Really enjoying the replies and discussion on this. I just bought a Vangaurd and one of the reasons I went this direction is that I have heard they are popular for custom projects and I want to keep my options open down the road.
Great choice, like buying a rem 700 leading up to these times as you knew you had an action you could keep and do anything with.

I'll be eyeballing a used stainless short action vanguard for a project at some point no doubt.

i'm sure demand for more stainless options will eventually happen but really cerekote is a fine option too
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  #35  
Old 06-08-2018, 11:10 AM
rembo rembo is online now
 
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Contrary to popular belief there are stainless Vanguards being made.
Some models are Ceracoated but the "Stainless Synthetic" is 400 series stainless with a matte beadblasted finish.

http://www.weatherby.com/products/ri...synthetic.html
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  #36  
Old 06-08-2018, 11:22 AM
mattthegorby mattthegorby is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Stinky Coyote View Post
Great choice, like buying a rem 700 leading up to these times as you knew you had an action you could keep and do anything with.

I'll be eyeballing a used stainless short action vanguard for a project at some point no doubt.

i'm sure demand for more stainless options will eventually happen but really cerekote is a fine option too
I wanted the short action stainless, but couldn't find it in the chambering I wanted.
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  #37  
Old 06-08-2018, 11:31 AM
rembo rembo is online now
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mattthegorby View Post
I wanted the short action stainless, but couldn't find it in the chambering I wanted.
I see they only offer 3 short action chamberings in the Stainless Synthetic.

I'd search out older stainless Vanguards just to avoid the god awful two stage trigger. The first version is workable but the S2 requires a replacement.
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  #38  
Old 06-08-2018, 01:56 PM
Stinky Coyote Stinky Coyote is offline
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Originally Posted by rembo View Post
I see they only offer 3 short action chamberings in the Stainless Synthetic.

I'd search out older stainless Vanguards just to avoid the god awful two stage trigger. The first version is workable but the S2 requires a replacement.
I've never fired a timney trigger but see it's often preferred, is this what you replace to when you ditch the two stage?

I understand you lose one of the 3 positions on the safety going to the timney so you can't unload a rifle while on safe but that's a personal thing. I think i'd prefer a two position safety to have a decent single stage trigger myself.
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  #39  
Old 06-08-2018, 02:00 PM
Stinky Coyote Stinky Coyote is offline
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Originally Posted by mattthegorby View Post
I wanted the short action stainless, but couldn't find it in the chambering I wanted.
lol i know right? i'm sure if you could pick up stainless barreled actions in 6.5 CM with 22" #2 contours they'd be back ordered for quite some time, so would mcmillan stocks haha

i'll get over the stainless thing myself, you can buy grey cerekote barreled actions if black too boring

but getting a new stainless vanguard over to 6.5 cm will require a rebarrel and in that case i'd have a smith work his magic on the action too, trueing, maybe even skeletonize it while being worked on, timney at 2 lbs sounds right, then off to cerekote?
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  #40  
Old 06-08-2018, 02:53 PM
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Big Sky Big Sky is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stinky Coyote View Post
.... i knew a lot here might be missing out on a great action also and it was time to spread the word.
Lotta people, myself included, have Vanguards and Howa's, so I'm sure many are familiar with the action.

So, what did you build? Who did the build? What were the results?

For me, when it comes to a build, hearing the experiences of guys on here or at my range carries way more weight than some anonymous person from Poduck, USA.

I like to work with local smiths for a variety of reasons. Hearing about/from them is important to me.
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  #41  
Old 06-08-2018, 03:07 PM
ROA ROA is offline
 
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Originally Posted by David Henry View Post
Thanks Double Gun for the pictures, I learned something new today. D.H.
Ha ha ha I was just going to post the same thing. Thought I had a good understanding of the rem 700. I was wrong.
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  #42  
Old 06-08-2018, 03:16 PM
ROA ROA is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Sky View Post
I'm a regular shooter at my range and I don't remember ever seeing a rifle built off of a Howa or Vanguard action. I do see lots of rebarreled and restocked Remingtons.
Just how common are custom Howa's?
Anyone on here with a custom Howa or Vanguard?
I put a 338-06 together with a buddy for a case of beer (which we promptly drank after). It was a great afternoon, I used standard threads and lapped them in a bit for good measure although it was not needed. The next day we shot it and even though it was bolted into the standard S2 stock it shot so well that we changed nothing and the rifle hunts like that to this day. I had the opportunity to take her for a rip this spring and it still shoots Moa out to 500.
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  #43  
Old 06-08-2018, 03:21 PM
Stinky Coyote Stinky Coyote is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Sky View Post
Lotta people, myself included, have Vanguards and Howa's, so I'm sure many are familiar with the action.

So, what did you build? Who did the build? What were the results?

For me, when it comes to a build, hearing the experiences of guys on here or at my range carries way more weight than some anonymous person from Poduck, USA.

I like to work with local smiths for a variety of reasons. Hearing about/from them is important to me.
i have a barreled action and a rifle both howa 1500 mini, both living in mdt lss chassis now, no smithing yet

lusting after a 1500 in a mcmillan sako classic stock in 6.5 cm and likely Henry Rempel will be my go to on the project
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  #44  
Old 06-08-2018, 07:04 PM
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Big Sky Big Sky is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stinky Coyote View Post
.....lusting after a 1500 in a mcmillan sako classic stock in 6.5 cm and likely Henry Rempel will be my go to on the project
Sounds like it will be a nice rig.

Rembo, ROA: Thanks for the feedback. A few years ago, WSS was selling off Vanguard S2's for less than $400. They were too good of a bargain to pass up. I've been toying with the idea of doing a build using the Vanguard action and the itch is starting to get pretty strong.

Anyone else do a build off of a Vanguard/Howa action?
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  #45  
Old 06-08-2018, 07:22 PM
WeatherbyFan65 WeatherbyFan65 is offline
 
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Originally Posted by brno284 View Post
The Howa is a superior action in my mind. 1 pc forced bolt not 4 pieces brazed together. Superior extraction system, still encloses the the cartridge with 3 rings less the extractor cut, easy twist and turn no tool firing pin removal, integral recoil lug, Fast lock time. Triggers are marginal and Remington tuned has them beat, not slagging the Remingtons or clones as I am a big fan but $ for $ you can give me a Howa anyday. The stainless ones are becoming scarce and I would snap them up any chance I get. The bottom metal is also much heavier than Remington so unless you blind box the Remington will save you ounces there. Not crazy about the metric threads on Howa but I usually recut the action screws to 28 TPI and the action threads to 16TPI when I true them.

I regularily slab the Howas so weights for a build are similar, less the bottom metal of course.

As far as a comparison to the Sako they are better in most ways, superior extractor, integral recoil lug, no guide rib which does nothing. It is a simple, strong action that is very well made with sound metalurgy and design! Whats not to like. I would give you more for a Howa anyday for a custom build, its great that folks are in the dark about them as it keeps the prices down!!

Just my 2 bits FWIW
Your the 3rd Gunsmith that has said the Vanguard action is a better or superior action to the Rem 700, and any online stuff I have read about both confirms this, one nice thing about a Remington 700 is available aftermarket parts on every corner !
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  #46  
Old 06-08-2018, 08:24 PM
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brno284 brno284 is offline
 
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Default Metric Threads

Many lathes are not equipped to cut metric threads as ready as standard/Imperial. I think this is a bigger limiting factor than the gunsmith not wanting to. You can do them on most lathes but you cannot lose track of the revolutions on your thread engagement dial. Its easy enough to do but I prefer cutting standard threads for this reason with my current lathe. For me I have to change my gears as well so when 95% of the work is standard threads its easy to turn away 5% of business.

If I am accurizing a Metric threaded receiver I will set up on the mill and sometimes re-cut the threads to standard 1-16 TPI but this starts getting time consuming/costly.

Last edited by brno284; 06-08-2018 at 08:33 PM.
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  #47  
Old 06-09-2018, 08:17 AM
cody j cody j is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Stinky Coyote View Post
I've never fired a timney trigger but see it's often preferred, is this what you replace to when you ditch the two stage?

I understand you lose one of the 3 positions on the safety going to the timney so you can't unload a rifle while on safe but that's a personal thing. I think i'd prefer a two position safety to have a decent single stage trigger myself.
I have a vanguard with the 2 stage trigger and I really like it, everyone has their own preference though.
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