|
Weatherby Vanguard – The Camilla Model by Mary and Dr. Jim Clary
The accuracy of Weatherby rifles is legendary in the industry. They guarantee that their rifles (Mk V and Vanguard models) “are guaranteed to shoot a 3-shot group of .99” or less at 100 yards (SUB-MOA) from a cold barrel when used with Weatherby® factory or premium ammunition within Two-Years of Verified Purchase Date to Original Purchaser.” It is also agreed by most folks that Weatherby stocks are among the finest designed American walnut in the industry. So, what is so different and unique about the Camilla model? To our knowledge, it is the only major manufacturer producing a rifle designed by women for women. You read correctly. This gun is designed for the subtle differences in anatomy between males and females. No more will women have to struggle with the improper fit of a rifle that was designed for men. They can now opt for the Camilla that fits perfectly. The buttstock is angled away from the body, which is a better fit for the female anatomy and nestles easily into the shoulder. The 13-inch length of pull (LOP) and slender fore-end reduce overall weight and length without compromising feel and balance. A combination that makes this a super-fast-handling rifle that is also easy to carry.” In addition, the grip angle has been slimmed down and a trigger finger guide groove was added to improve the ergonomics. The higher comb helps to properly align the shooters' eye with whatever optics are installed. Yet, with all these changes, the signature design of the Weatherby stock remains intact. Our Camilla was ordered in 6.5 Creedmoor caliber for long range shooting, both target and hunting. We mounted an Meopta Optika6 3-18 x 50 scope on the gun. The Optika6 is one of the best, if not the best, tactical scopes on the market (for the money). The windage/elevation turrets of the Optika6 provide a tactile "feedback" when you adjust them. You can actually feel the adjustments. No more straining to hear the clicks or wondering if you got it right. And, they have a 90 MOA adjustment range. OK, you expect that level of performance in quality riflescopes, so What Else is special about the Optika6? The What Else is the “measurement” value of the Optika6 click adjustments.... this is a TRUE MOA/Mils scope, where MOA at 100 yards is 1.047 inches and Mil is equal to 0.36 inches at 100 yards. This translates to more accurate calculations for long-distance shooting when compared to “cheaper” scopes whose MOA adjustments are 1.00 inches at 100 yards (often called Shooter's MOA because it is a rounded estimate of the true value). If you expect accurate results in long range shooting, it is essential that you have a TRUE MOA/Mil scope, NOT a SMOA scope. The above are just two of the reasons we selected the Meopta Optika6 for our Camilla. We loaded 50 rounds of Hornady143 grain ELD bullets into new Lapua small-primer brass to test the Camilla for accuracy and consistency. We fired multiple three-shot groups at 100 yards using a Caldwell Rock BR Front Shooting Rest and rear bag, like we do in competition shooting. The velocity (f.p.s.) of our loads were determined with the Caldwell G2 Precision Chronograph while the energy (ft. lbs.) and elevation drop (inches) was calculated using the EXBAL ballistic program. The following are the results from the range: 40.6 gr. of H4350, 143 grain Hornady ELD (OAL – 2.66”): Smallest group 0.25”; largest group 0.75”; average group size 0.50”
The specifications of the Weatherby Vanguard Camilla are:
Caliber:
6.25
Creedmoor (also in .243Win, .308 Win., 7mm08)
Turkish
Walnut Stock: |
