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You know the folks at Weatherby have been busy because they’ve recently introduced several new rifles. The latest is the Black Hills model in their well-known Vanguard line. The actions and barrels for Vanguard rifles are manufactured for Weatherby by Howa in Japan, and Weatherby completes final assembly in America. But don’t let this rifle’s offshore origin deter you. Hunters have trusted Howa-manufactured Vanguard bolt-action rifles since 1970. This new rifle is one of 16 models in the current Vanguard line, and it comes with a variety of features that should appeal to many modern big-game hunters. And in the Weatherby Vanguard tradition, it is very affordable. I just put this rifle to the test at my home range. Here’s how it fared.
Weatherby Vanguard Black Hills Specs
Length: 40 inches
Weight: 8.19 pounds
Barrel: 20 inches (#3 contour)
Action: Vanguard bolt action
Trigger: 3.5 pounds (as tested)
Capacity: 4+1
Finish: Matte blue
Stock: Black Polymer w/ green and brown paint
Available Chamberings: 22-250 Remington, 223 Remington, 243 Winchester, 25-06 Remington, 257 Weatherby Magnum, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum, 7mm Remington Magnum, 7mm-08 Remington, 7mm PRC, 30-06 Springfield, 300 Weatherby Magnum, 300 Winchester Magnum, 308 Winchester, 350 Legend
Price: $769
Related: Weatherby Model 307 Alpine CT Rifle Review
Weatherby Vanguard Black Hills Overview
Weatherby says their Vanguard Black Hills rifle was inspired by the rugged beauty of the Black Hills. The Howa barreled action is a two-lug, push-feed that incorporates a Sako-style extractor and a plunger ejector. Attached to the action is a cold-hammer-forged barrel that varies in length from 22 inches to 28 inches, depending on the chambering. The standard barrel contour is a #2, but a heavier #3 contoured barrel is an option in 223 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, 308 Winchester, and 350 Legend. Regardless the chambering or barrel contour, the Vanguard Black Hills comes with a sub-MOA accuracy guarantee, and every Vanguard Black Hills barrel comes threaded and is fitted with Weatherby’s Accubrake muzzle brake that adds two inches to the rifle’s overall length.
A two-stage match-grade trigger is standard on the Black Hills rifle. And so is a three-position safety that locks the bolt handle when it is placed in the “safe’ position. The matte-blued barreled action rests in a black polymer stock that has a hinged floorplate and a Monte Carlo comb. The stock is hand painted with tan and green accents, and it’s fitted to the barreled action in the Sheridan, Wyoming, Weatherby factory.
One of the major distinguishing features of the Vanguard Black Hills rifle are the included accessories from PEAK 44. First, there’s an optics-ready Picatinny rail for scope mounting, and, second, there’s an ARCA/Picatinny rail for bipod/tripod interface, which is located on the bottom, forward section of the stock’s forend. This underbelly rail includes a sling swivel mount at the front and rear.
Weatherby Vanguard Black Hills Test Results
Although my Vanguard Black Hills test rifle failed to meet Weatherby’s sub-MOA guarantee with two of the test loads, it was a tack-driver with the new and affordable 140-grain Tipped GameKing load now being offered in the Barnes Harvest Collection. Every five-shot group fired from the bench with that load printed a group that measured less than three-quarters of an inch. In addition to the bench rest shooting, I did a good bit of shooting using a Spartan Precision Valhalla bipod that we attached to the PEAK 44 ARCA rail, which made bipod mounting and dismounting swift and easy.
The test rifle was chambered for 6.5 Creedmoor and had the 20-inch #3 contour barrel. With a 24-ounce Swarovski riflescope attached, the rifle balanced right at the front action screw, which is what many consider an optimal compromise for ease in handling and for accurate offhand shooting. With a 7.5 ounce Banish Backcountry suppressor attached, the rifle was a tad muzzle-heavy. However, given that a hunter who chooses a 6.5 Creedmoor with the shorter and heavier contour barrel is probably planning to shoot from a bipod or tripod support, this configuration and balance was ideal.
The rifle’s two-stage trigger was reasonably crisp with no discernible creep, but it did have noticeable overtravel. The three-position safety was easy to access, required just the right amount of force to move between settings, and there was an audible click when it moved into place. The rifle feeds smoothly and efficiently from the four-round internal magazine, and there were no failures during testing. However, I did notice that when firing the Remington Core-Lokt Tipped load, bolt operation was a tad stiff.
Related: Savage 110 PPR Rifle Review
Final Thoughts on the Weatherby Vanguard Black Hills
Pros
Affordable
Bipod/Tripod compatibility
Lots of chamberings to choose from
Cons
On the heavy side
Weatherby’s choice to offer two different barrel contours in several of the chamberings is a great idea that allows hunters to semi-customize their rifle. It is also a rare feature in today’s market, especially at the Vanguard’s Black Hills price point. On average, opting for the slightly shorter #3 contour barrel will add about a half pound to the rifle’s weight, but some hunters prefer a heavier-barreled rifle. Weatherby deserves a lot of credit for including this option. But weight is the biggest negative of the Vanguard Black Hills, even with the #2 contour barrel, the rifle will tip the scales at about 7.5 pounds. If you are looking for a lightweight hunting rifle, this rifle is not for you.
However, for those who don’t mind the weight and want a bipod/tripod ready hunting rifle right out of the box, there’s little to complain about with the Vanguard Black Hills. You have 16 chamberings, from 223 Remington to 350 Legend to choose from, and the list even includes the 25-06 Remington and 257 Weatherby Magnum. As for precision, we found the rifle a bit picky when it came to loads it liked, but you should be able to find one that will meet the sub-MOA guarantee. The best feature of the Vanguard Black Hills is its price. It is a well-configured rifle for well under $800.
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