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Author Topic: Howa Quality and Accuracy?  (Read 4207 times)

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Offline Dinny

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Howa Quality and Accuracy?
« on: May 14, 2011, 07:57:36 PM »
I'm kinda a rifle snob and have looked down at Savage, Mossberg, Stevens and Howa rifles. ::)  Of course, I absolutely adore the Win M70!!  ;D Not that's outta my system, I am considering a Howa 1500 for one reason. I can't find a more affordable 6.5x55 modern, commercial rifle. How is the quality of these rifles? I'm being led to believe the factory triggers are adjustable. Can anyone confirm that? The one I'm looking at has a green Hogue Overmolded stock. I have come to like these stocks and find that, if needed, they can be easily glass or pillar bedded for better consistency. Barrels are 22" long, twist rate is 1:8" and stainless steel is a plus in my book. What are your thoughts?

Can anyone with Howa 6.5x55 experience tell me how long the throats are? Are they short like some of the other commercial actions or long like the military actions?

Thanks, Dinny


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Handi Family: 357 Max, 45 LC, 45-70, 300 BLK, 50 cal Huntsman, and 348 Win.

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Offline troy1_4

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Re: Howa Quality and Accuracy?
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2011, 03:53:37 PM »
I have 2 howas, a 308 ranchland light weight and a 22-250 axiom.Both are great rifles the 308 has the green overmould stock.It is a very comfortable gun to shoot. With handloads it shoots better than i can.The axiom is the most accurate gun i own. I would not trade either one.Sorry cant say any thing about the 6.5 have not messed with one yet,but it is on the list to buy.I have not regretted buying the howas.I think they are just as good or better than anything else in there price range.Hope this helps you out.
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Offline Dinny

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Re: Howa Quality and Accuracy?
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2011, 05:33:20 PM »
Troy,
  Thanks for the info. I'm keepng my eyes open for a good used one. For some odd reason, there just doesn't appear to be many folks willing to sell them. ;)

Thanks, Dinny


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Handi Family: 357 Max, 45 LC, 45-70, 300 BLK, 50 cal Huntsman, and 348 Win.

"If there must be trouble, let it be in my day that my child may have peace"
Thomas Paine

Offline SteveHawaii

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Re: Howa Quality and Accuracy?
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2011, 06:03:38 PM »
No complaints so far with my Weatherby Vanguard in .243.  The trigger has a little creep in it but can be adjusted.  I haven't tried that yet.  It shot sub-moa out of the box using factory ammo.  I'm still tinkering with loads, but it's a shooter.
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Offline gr8ful

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Re: Howa Quality and Accuracy?
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2011, 06:28:17 PM »
I have had two Howa 1500's and both were sub MOA out of the box.
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Offline charles p

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Re: Howa Quality and Accuracy?
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2011, 04:44:12 PM »
I have a Vangard 7mm Rem mag made in the mid 70's.  The bolt is the smoothest of all the rifles I own.  Shoots good also.  A little heavy to carry but I bet the newer models are lighter.  Never had a problem with the rife.
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Offline 2ndtimer

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Re: Howa Quality and Accuracy?
« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2011, 08:07:49 PM »
I have a Howa 1500 in 6.5x55 and it is long throated, and I mean long.  I load to an OAL of 3.15 inches, and still don't touch the lands.  Its' accuracy is okay, but not the tack driver I had hoped for.  I even ordered a Boyd's laminated wood stock and glass bedded the action to try to improve the accuracy with lighter bullets to no avail with the bullets under 120 gr.  Accuracy with 120 gr bullets isn't very consistent either, but moving up to the 129 gr Hornady it gets very acceptable.  The 140 gr Hornady SP also shoots very well.  The 160 gr Sierra round nose shoots well, too.  The other disappointment I had was the velocities obtained.  I haven't been able to get the 120gr bullet to 2800 fps, the 129 to 2700 or the 140 gr over 2600.  Granted, the 140 at 2500 is still plenty potent out to 300 yards or so, but I was expecting more from the 22" barrel.  I have yet to take game with it, but I am sure it will work fine for deer or antelope.
I do appreciate the mild recoil, and the action is quite smooth.  It is a little heavier than my other rifles, but balances well off hand.  I hope they consider throating the future barrels shorter so they handle the lighter bullets better, or maybe mine is the odd duck.
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Offline Dinny

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Re: Howa Quality and Accuracy?
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2011, 08:19:59 PM »
That's the info I needed! That's unfortunate about the long throat...I guess I will keep looking. :(


Thanks, Dinny


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Handi Family: 357 Max, 45 LC, 45-70, 300 BLK, 50 cal Huntsman, and 348 Win.

"If there must be trouble, let it be in my day that my child may have peace"
Thomas Paine

Online gypsyman

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Re: Howa Quality and Accuracy?
« Reply #8 on: June 04, 2011, 04:55:22 AM »
I had a S&W rifle in .223, which was built by Howa. Sorry I ever got rid of it. It was a sub moa rifle with any kind of ammo I shot thru it. My handloads, mil-surplus ball, factory.Whatever. Find one at a good price and you wont be sorry. gypsyman
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Offline parkergunshop

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Re: Howa Quality and Accuracy?
« Reply #9 on: June 04, 2011, 05:25:57 AM »
I put together a 6.5X55 on a VZ24 Action using a glas bedded wood stock and a Shaw medium sporter barrel.

It shot every load I tried, ten different loads into less than 1 inch with the best group being .284 inch using xx grains of H380 and the 140 Grain Sierra.
The high velocity load with the 140 grain was 2672 FPS with the 140 grain Speer using xx grains of H4350.

Per the Hogdon website the loads above are right at 47,000 CUP and safe for any modern action, but maybe a little hot for the 94-96 series Mausers.

I used the 120 and 140 grain bullets, no 160's were used.  I did get the 120 grain bullets up to 2850 FPS using H380.  The pressure for this load should be around 47,000 CUP per the Hogson load data.

Someone offered me too much and now the rifle is gone, but it was fun to play with.
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Offline geezerbiker

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Re: Howa Quality and Accuracy?
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2011, 07:13:14 AM »
I picked up a Howa 1500 .223 bull barreled rifle with a laminated varmint stock.  I got it for what I think was a killer deal but I didn't really know that much about them.  I'm pleased to hear that others are finding them a good shooting rifle and I hope to be able to say the same by next week...

Tony
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