I own a weatherby vanguard. Picked it up used, cheap. 243 Winchester bought it for the kids when they were young. A friend owns one (not a vanguard) in 270 weatherby Nice accurate guns. But for the excessive weight not for me (or my kids). Living in the NE my .35 Rem marlin 336 is short, easy to maneuver and great for anything in the NE. Ps. The weatherby is way too glossy for a hunting rifle.
You made a good choice, I hunt on the Great Plains and am not worried about hitting our tree with a long 24” barrel. It’s a good tree.