I just purchased an early 90's Weatherby Vanguard 300 win mag. It was one of the models before Howa took over the Vanguard's. Still made in Japan, but on the high quality german machinery, not the new stuff (still pretty good, don't get me wrong). It is a truly high quality gun. My wife even thinks it looks "purdy." The most perfect burled walnut stock with excellent, deep checkering and a deep blued barrel.

BUT - It just won't group. AT ALL!

I think it may be because the forend of the stock presses up against the barrel. The entire barrel is free-floated (dollar bill test) until you reach the very tip. The last 1.5" or so of the stock is tightly pressed up against the barrel. Is that the way it's designed? I know some rifles, like the Savage, use a totally free floated barrel until about 3" from the forend, then they purposely apply pressure to the barrel for whatever reason. A gunsmith explained it to me once but I don't remember why. He said: "some guns are designed to be totally free-floated and some to be mostly free-floated."

If this rifle is DESIGNED to have that pressure point on the tip I don't want to modify that. If it's not, then it shouldn't be there. I'll take it down and sand out and re-seal the barrel grove so it doesn't swell or touch at all.

If you know anything about this particular firearm, please let me know!

Thanks!

Jesse