Weatherby Introduces the Vanguard Modular Chassis Rifle

When it comes to rifle design, Weatherby has stuck to the tried and true.

From the Monte Carlo stocks to the blocky butt ends of the bolt, the California manufacturer's firearms boast classic lines and features. But recently, the winds of change swept over one of the company's lines, blowing it squarely into the contemporary.

Weatherby is diving into the tactical world head first with the introduction last month of the Vanguard Modular Chassis Rifle. And it doesn't take much perusing to discover that the new bolt-action is a marked break from past iterations of the rifle.

In particular, the new Vanguard variation is outfitted with MDT's versatile and lightweight LSS Chassis, a platform that has plenty of potential to enhance the rifle. Not only does the 6061 aluminum chassis provide a ridge platform for the barrel and action, it also has a number of adjustable features that can be used to tailor the rifle to the shooter.

Along these lines, the chassis' Luth-AR Modular Buttstock might be the most weighty feature, since it allows both the length of pull and comb height to be fine tuned. The latter feature is particularly important, giving shooters the ability to ensure a tight cheekweld, thus consistent eye-to-optic alignment.

The Vanguard Modular Chassis Rifle has a number of other features that should help shooters get on target as well, including a Hogue Overmolded pistol grip and two-stage adjustable match trigger.

The new rifle – initially being offered in .223 Rem and .308 Win – also offers versatility, along with its accuracy. The forend of the Vanguard has hole spacing for Magpul MOE L5 (11 slot) and L3 (7 slot) accessory rails. In addition to this, it also boasts a stud where a bipod and/or a sling can quickly be attached.

The Vanguard Modular Chassis Rifle has an overall length of 41 ¼-42 ¼ inches in length and tips the scales at 8 ¾ pounds. The rifle accepts MDT-compatible magazines and is sold with a 10-round magazine.

Presently, Weatherby has a $1,449 MSRP on the Vanguard Modular Chassis Rifle. While the gun's price tag is a bit hefty, it is reasonable in the world of precision rifles.