HOWA 1500

[Ackley Improved]

Who has had experience with these rifles are what have you found so far in regards to user friendly and accuracy?

Only reason I ask, I've heard a few stories on the accuracy being good, but today at the range I saw myself the potential.

Rifle was a stainless sporter, bipod, Hogue stock, Zeiss Conquest 3-9... Federal packet ammo.......

Helping the guy get it sighted in, nice enough bloke too, but watched as the 338WM put down 2 3 shot groups around the 0.5-0.6". It was a eye openner!!!

I know there are a few aftermarket goodies for these things... could a nice cheap way into a varminter!!!

CHeers

[WhiteMeat]

A mate at work bought one in .243, bolt throw was much more slick then I was expecting, trigger seemed good (but I know sfa about triggers to be honest) accuracy - only really saw it shine @ 50m, but my mate does basic handloads and made a one hole three shot group with it (big hole though )

The list of go-fast bits is growing, only downside is that there aren't as many aftermarket stocks for them versus a Rem 700 footprint. The McM A5 can be done for it though as far as I'm aware and Manners does the T4 for it (though, saw your post re Manners and molded in colours)

I'm thinking that my next rifle will be a heavy barrel howa in .308 to get going into F-Class (at least i'll be able to shoot more often past 50m that way ) just gotta save for the gun, the scope, the bipod, pod lock, etc...

What have you got going through your mind re the Howas mate?

[doidge5781]

I owned a HB .223 with laminate thumb hole stock action was good better than my rem 700 fed reliable and shot like a house on fire with Win USA 45gr jhp only reason i sold it was the stock was two low for me had to lift my head off the stock to use the scope properly if i knew i could get another stock for it b4 i sold it i wouldn't have. Barreled action into a manners or micmillian would be the way to go id reckon

[Thomo]

Lot of people getting onto the Howa actions as the starting point for a Custom. The Metal is said to be of a much higher quality than the Rem's as the Howa is Jap steel, weather there is any truth to this i dont know?

But on the + side for the howa they can be found very cheap 2nd hand and a good starting point for a budget custom.

But yep the triggers are pretty crap from factory, mine needed to be hooked up to a toyota and snatch em strap to get it to go off it was that bad, after tweaking it had about 2mtr off creep. then when you get rid of that the safety wont work. Easier to go aftermarket trigger straight up.

[Brad Y]

Howa 1500 SA (ex 22-250) Chambered in 22BR 1:7 twist trueflight palma contour. I use it for F class with 90gr bergers. Still load testing but its starting to shoot 58's. Put a T24 on it now as well.

Same rifle but screwed in the varmint barrel- a 1:10 lilja in 22BRX 69gr nosler custom competition projies will make groups like this all day long.


As a previous 22-250, had no problems doing this...


I rate the howa rifles, same principle as remingtons, timney and rifle basix triggers available and you can now get AI mag kits for them.

[wadcutter]

Helping the guy get it sighted in, nice enough bloke too, but watched as the 338WM put down 2 3 shot groups around the 0.5-0.6". It was a eye openner!!!

That's why I love the .338WM.
My Sako and my son's Tikka T3 in .338WM can both put em into about 3/4". Even my old Browning BAR .338WM that the Government chopped up, would put 3 rounds under 1". It is just such an inherently accurate calibre, if there is such a thing.
I have heard lots of good things about the Howa. Nothing ever real bad that couldn't be easily fixed with a bit of tinkering. Not sure about the stocks they come with though, anyone know much about the Howa stocks?

[Thomo]

The howa stocks,

Well.... They have the Varmint Laminated thumhole which is a boyds, then they have all those crazy looking axiom and the new ones they are saying you can build your custom with. You would wana hope they work as the have to have somethig going for em as IMO they are the reulst of a ice addict with a pentograph.

There is a fair few after market stocks for the Howa now, i reckon the Wild dog thumhole Tactical for the Howa is a great bit of gear but a little scary in the price 1K +. A look on US Ebay will bring up some cheap 2nd hand stocks for the Howa.

Manners do a few stocks now for the Howa aswell.

IM building a LR 7mmwsm on a Howa, It will be a LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time getting it togeher. but will be good when its done.

[Plowboy]

But yep the triggers are pretty crap from factory, mine needed to be hooked up to a toyota and snatch em strap to get it to go off it was that bad, after tweaking it had about 2mtr off creep. then when you get rid of that the safety wont work. Easier to go aftermarket trigger straight up.

Funny I shot a friends one in .223 and could not really tell the diff to the trigger on my tikka(which I love and have been told are pretty good for factory triggers). Could they be inconsistant with trigger weight coming from the factory?

Hey btw what is the difference in the actions between the howa and rem700? I want to build a tubegun and they are only available for rems

[BIG E]

I have a howa 1500 in 223.Have it for awhile now and am quite happy with it.Howa is now doing a dream it build series check out the latest guns and game mag they have a choice of seven stocks available for this build up in any your chosen caliber.You should b able 2 get a rifle and scope package for under $900

[Dave.223]

I think I would buy one over a Rem nowadays. Do they have the same hole pattern for scope bases as the Rem 700? Then I could put my Nightforce bases and scope on!

Dave

[Brad Y]

I think I would buy one over a Rem nowadays. Do they have the same hole pattern for scope bases as the Rem 700? Then I could put my Nightforce bases and scope on!

Dave

No they dont mate, I had to get a SA howa rail 0MOA for mine then go the burris signature Zee rings to get my 20MOA. The rails are a bit harder to find unless your happy with a 0MOA one.

[Ackley Improved]

two piece rem700 bases go straight on from what I hear

EGW and Ken Farrell make rails.

CHeers

[trevort]

just bought one, unfired, not as slick an action as a Tikka but servicable. For the price, if it shoots I'll be rapt. Now dont go building your dream gun on one untill you do some research. Someone asked Shane what he thought of them in his section, that might be a good starting point

[WhiteMeat]

For the price, if it shoots I'll be rapt.

I think you've hit the nail on the head right there mate, for a sub $1k rifle, they shoot quite well considering the cost compared to say a Remchester / Savage HB or Tikka HB, as an option, one can even just go for a barrelled action and get an aftermarket stock, etc to build up a factory-custom

Bad, bad thoughts are running around for me atm with a HB .308 for basic F-Class and a .20 VT based off the HB .204 with AICS .223 polymags and CDi bottom metal... Way too many thought and much too little money (i.e. non-existent gun fun fund atm )

AI - What weird & wonderful things are you thinking about re the Howa 1500's ?

[Ackley Improved]

AI - What weird & wonderful things are you thinking about re the Howa 1500's ?

Really curious about the accuracy these things are getting. As said previously, heard many a story about how good they shoot, but take most with a grain of salt cause you really dont know the true accuracy.

After seeing the 338WM shoot, I have no doubt it is a very accurate rifle for what it is.... sporter weight 3-9 scope..... mind got thinking to what a 223 in varmint would be capable of..

Who knows, Wild dog varmint stock, stainless barreled action, rifle basix trigger... there would be $1400 odd... another $850 could have a custom barrel screwed on, then your only at or below the new factory rifle prices of remington VSSF's and Sako 85's, even the Savage LRPV's.

Could be good value in the long run!!

Cheers