Thread: Shout out for Howa

I do a bit of accurizing and load development for our local outfitting shop.
I often get a call that such and such brand new rifle won't shoot or it has some other issue.
I also get some outrageous claims and wants. Bit of entertainment that's for sure.
I make a bit of beer and pocket money out of it and it keeps me occupied.

Anyway, lately I have been getting a lot of Howa rifles for a look over and test fire.

The last 4 or 5 have been the 1500?
Green heavy stock and shitty trigger.

I generally go over everything and adjust triggers to customer needs.
(Howa could improve their triggers markedly imo.)
Then I test fire and provide chrono results and targets.
Sometimes the customer even comes up for a shot.

I have to say that these Howas shoot.
I am quite impressed with the accuracy of the rifles I have played with so far.

I also test mainly with factory ammo supplied by the shop and it goes over a radar.
Fair to say while generally accurate, out of all different brands of factory ammo I have shot lately, 150-250fps slower than the box states, is the norm. Even taking barrel length into consideration.



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Do you play with the bedding, or leave it factory ?

Howa make a good boomstick.

remember with howa you just have to engrave "wetherby" on the side and charge an extra few 100 for them

Originally Posted by Ground Control

Do you play with the bedding, or leave it factory ?

I haven't had to bed one yet. But would suggest and do it if it would improve any issues.
So far they have all shot well with factory and I reckon would do better with load development.

Small sample size but I think they do well in the barrel department.
I have a Howa barrel on my K Hornet.
Only found that out recently.
It shoots extremely well.

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I have a howa 1500 2 actually one in 6.5 creedmoor and one mini action on Grendel (for sale)
Both are sub half moa guns
Both have had trigger jobs and are awesome triggers

The creedmoor is a heavy barrel one I have had it glass and pillar beeded into a walnut stock
Trigger job Obviously barrel shortened to 20 and suppressed
I have had the mag extended also as the factory howa was way too short in the mag combined with a long Throat
The factory mag takes 2.850 max
The modified mag takes 2.930

It fair shoots
there’s.5gn powder Difference between those 2 groups the better group being the slightly hotter charge

The Grendel is only a factory sporter plastic stock
Has had trigger job and barrel shortened to 20 and suppressed
Not quite what the creedmoor is but it’s shooting.3-.5” consistency
So it’s awesome for a sporter

Just for interest sake. Last Howa I played with shooting federal 150gr SP
Not sure on the any other specs but box says 2850 mv I assume thru a 24"

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Im in the market for a another Rifle and the choice is between the Howa and a Tikka T3x .
Im leaning towards the Tikka because of weight and aftermarket options , if it was purely a money factor that influenced the purchase then the Howa would win no question .
I must admit I’ve never actually shot a Howa but I have played with Tikka’s a little so that is also a contributing factor .
Claims of velocity from ammo manufacturers are very difficult to sift through because of different testing procedures, barrels and obviously barrel lenght .
Ive never worried about chasing the last few feet per second in factory ammo , consistency and group size has always been my go to .
Can I say great thread and real world findings are always more informative than advertising blurbs and fanboy accounts of brilliance.


Ken

I've also found the howas to be pretty accurate out of the box my old 7mmrem mag was great so was a mates 7mm08. Also found factory velocities to be overstated.

There's nothing wrong with them. I've recommended or bought them for four friends and all have been great shooters and 100% practical for their purpose. Calibers .223, .243 and .308.

Originally Posted by Ground Control

Im in the market for a another Rifle and the choice is between the Howa and a Tikka T3x .
Im leaning towards the Tikka because of weight and aftermarket options , if it was purely a money factor that influenced the purchase then the Howa would win no question .
I must admit I’ve never actually shot a Howa but I have played with Tikka’s a little so that is also a contributing factor .
Claims of velocity from ammo manufacturers are very difficult to sift through because of different testing procedures, barrels and obviously barrel lenght .
Ive never worried about chasing the last few feet per second in factory ammo , consistency and group size has always been my go to .
Can I say great thread and real world findings are always more informative than advertising blurbs and fanboy accounts of brilliance.


Ken

I don't think you can go wrong with either of your choices to be fair.
I play with a few Tikkas as well and they all just shoot.

Never will be a Howa or any other pedestrian, turnbolt, fan boy. I was always of the opinion that Howa's were a cheap entry type rifle and couldn't possibly be as accurate as I have found them to be. I was way off the mark there.

Besides I have spent far too much on getting my blaser where I want it and can honestly say for the first time since I have been spending my dollars on rifles, I am totally satisfied.

I would happily recommend a Howa to someone looking for a reasonably priced accurate rifle.








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I agree tikka and howa are on par quality/accuracy wise but howas are cheaper the tikka is a entry plus Rifle at a high end price tbh I think they are way overpriced for what they are... and the howa are a proper short action not a long action with a shorter bolt stop if you’re buying a 308/7mm08 size rifle that is
The howa is the better buy in my mind leaves more for a better optic
The tikka triggers are better from the box but howa triggers are easily modified

I would however stay away from houge stocks in the howas they can Cause issues with harmonics leading to accuracy issues ive fouo

The Howa design with the action screw going in to the bottom of the recoil lug benefit from having some of the barrel bedded as well. From memory the Hogue stocks don't have any support in front of the recoil lug.

I dont suppose you have chronied any hornady a superformance in .308? Believe they state something like 3000fps for this load? Thought I had my handloads going okay but velocities like that make me feel inadequate

Originally Posted by Link

I dont suppose you have chronied any hornady a superformance in .308? Believe they state something like 3000fps for this load? Thought I had my handloads going okay but velocities like that make me feel inadequate

No sorry, I haven't. What weight projectile do they claim that velocity with? 130?

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