Weatherby vanguard camilla

[willfrye027]

My wife is looking to buy her first rifle. Went to the local shop today and she really liked the feel of the Weatherby. The tikka t3x compact was a close contender but I think the stock of the Weatherby fits her face better. Does anybody have personal experience with this gun? Average accuracy? I’m a huge tikka fan but if she likes the Weatherby we will probably go with it unless anybody has a better idea or bad experience.

 

[Ryan Avery]

I have never shot one or even seen one in action. But every time I see that stock I think RECOIL and harsh muzzle jump. It would be hard but if my wife wanted one I would try to shoot before I buy.

 

[willfrye027]

I have never shot one or even seen one in action. But every time I see that stock I think RECOIL and harsh muzzle jump. It would be hard but if my wife wanted one I would try to shoot before I buy.

Interesting, what about it makes you think that? It seemed to fit her frame a little better than the other “compact” offerings which would make me think less recoil issues. But I am a pretty simple one rifle guy, and when she used mine last fall it gave her a nasty scope bite (still feeling guilty about that one). I was looking at either .243, 6.5cm, or 7mm08 if that makes much difference.

 

[Ryan Avery]

The top of the recoil pad is so far below the line of the bore the recoil is directed at your face instead of you're shoulder.

 

[sndmn11]

We have one in 7-08 and it is a shooter, both of our Vanguards are actually. I had a T3 since 2013 and it never stood out as anything special to me, it now is my stepdads. My wife's experience with center fire rifles is on dynamic training ranges with 5.56 and she had never been on a bench or looked through a magnified optic. She has 100% of the time placed her bullets within 2" of a paper bullseye out to 400 yds, and has not missed steel out to 550yds. I have shot it a bit as well, and typical 5 shot groups are similar to the smallest I shot with the Tikka. The recoil lug is glass bedded, and both of our rifles came in 2-4 ounces less than stated on paper. She did get the Weatherby brake on it, and to be frank, it has not been shot without it, so I couldn't say if recoil or muzzle rise would be perceived more due to the drop at the heel/comb. I would buy another Vanguard in a heartbeat if I had the need. Her log book shows 203 times it has been fired since it arrived in early April of 2018.

 

[doverpack12]

I’m interested. Took my mom to all the gun stores around and tried everything they had as a replacement for a Winchester model 70 featherweight in 30-06 with a cut down stock she bought around 2000. Ended up with the tikka t3x lite compact in 7mm-08 but she wants me to see if I can modify the stock to fit like the weather has Camilla because she said it just fit. In the end I trusted the tikka to shoot more and it was a little lighter and she liked the action feel more than the Camilla. If anyone has ideas on how to create that drop I’m listening. I have my own plan but thought I would see what else was out there. The tikka 7mm-08 shoots great out to 300 which she will never shoot that far but it’s 1.5” there and only improves as I shoot closer.

 

[BigHink66]

Trade the tikka on the weatherby. That’s likely your cheapest and easiest solution of how to make it the rifle that she wanted.

 

[EcoastDG]

My wife shot both and settled on the Tikka T3x stainless in 7-08. Her best friend has the Camilla in 6.5 creedmoor. She did switch out the Camilla’s trigger for a Timney.

 

[willfrye027]

Thanks for the info guys. She seems pretty set on the Camilla, probably gonna go with .243 to mitigate any recoil concerns as she is probably not going to be shooting elk. I can’t imagine her wanting to shoot past 400 at game and having an easy to shoot rifle is a high priority.

 

[howl]

There are several 120gr 6.5CM loads available. 20 grains of bullet doesn't affect recoil much, but on game performance is another matter.

 

[willfrye027]

There are several 120gr 6.5CM loads available. 20 grains of bullet doesn't affect recoil much, but on game performance is another matter.

Yeah we’re still mulling it over. Neither of us have shot a 6.5cm and ive Only shot a .243 a few times 15 years ago or so. So we don’t really know what the recoil difference is like. I also would hate to own a 6.5cm that ends up going out of style 15 years from now.

 

[TwoTikkas]

My 21 year old daughter shoots a Camelia in six five creed. That thing flat loved cheap American Whitetail 129 grain. She is maybe 120 lb and has no complaints with the rifle or round.

 

[willfrye027]

Thanks for the info guys. We’re pretty sold, just need to decide on a caliber now.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I’m looking to get my wife her first rifle and thinking about a vanguard Camilla, she held one a few months back and really loved it.

 

[willfrye027]

They’re a very nice looking rifle and sounds like they shoot too

 

[sndmn11]

These might be helpful for an idea of velocity loss.
https://rifleshooter.com/2016/04/243-winchester-effect-of-barrel-length-on-velocity/
https://rifleshooter.com/2019/03/6-5-creedmoor-effects-of-barrel-length-on-velocity-2019/
https://rifleshooter.com/2014/12/30...ato-barrel-length-versus-velocity-28-to-16-5/

 

[251JDG]

In my experience the recoil on my 6.5 is not much worse than my .243

 

[willfrye027]

My 21 year old daughter shoots a Camelia in six five creed. That thing flat loved cheap American Whitetail 129 grain. She is maybe 120 lb and has no complaints with the rifle or round.

What scope rings/mount would you recommend? Was looking at the lightweight talleys, but not sure whether to get low, medium etc. would be mounting a vortex 3-9x40 diamondback.

 

[TwoTikkas]

Hers is a VX2 4-12 AO Leopold mounted on Burris Signature rings. Medium. On Warne steel two piece bases. I believe.

 

[Wilderlife]

Only advice I can give is to make sure your wife loves the feel of the rifle. My partner recently got into hunting and did a lot of her own research about which rifle she wanted. At the time, lightweight was one of her most important criteria, and a synthetic stock was also very important. She wanted to look at Tikka T3, Kimber Hunter, some sort of Savage, and I also suggested the Weatherby Camilla might be worth a look.

We went into a shop and had a heap of rifles thrown at us, including all of the above, and a couple of Howas and Brownings. She ended up going with a Mauser M18, purely because in her hands and on her shoulder, it felt better than any other rifle they let her try. This was interesting for me to observe as the things she liked about the feel weren't things I would normally think about, but being far smaller/weaker than me, she valued things like how easy the bolt was to lift, and how easy the magazine was to use.

She loves her M18 (in .243) and has killed 2 nice fallow bucks with it so far. No regrets from us.

Bottom line (as I mentioned before) is just make sure your wife is comfortable physically with whatever she buys.