Howa

[sandersj89]

Does any one have personal experiance of Howa rifles?

 

I am think if getting a .243 and heard good things about them in terms of price, build and accuracy.

 

Many thanks

 

Jerry

[magman]

Pm Danger mouse he has one in .223

[dunganick]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

 

have i said enough?

 

buy a tikka

[Baldrick]

How about a Browning A-Bolt? Like Howa, also made in Japan, but better. There's a review of the (heavyweight) Eclipse version in this week's Shooting Times (http://www.shootingtimes.co.uk/guns/170015/Browning_Eclipse_ABolt_rifle_review.html).

 

Or you could follow the herd and get a Tikka T3. The worlds's your oyster with a .243 though - there's 293 guns in that calibre to choose from on GT at the moment.....

[mel b3]

Does any one have personal experiance of Howa rifles?

 

I am think if getting a .243 and heard good things about them in terms of price, build and accuracy.

 

Many thanks

 

Jerry

i have a howa 1500 sporter in .243 , i love it to bits

please feel free to come over and put a few through it , you'll then be able to make up your own mind

i could probably get my mate to bring his sako 75 along and you could do a side by side comparison

[kdubya]

I have a howa 1500 .243 I was initially concerned at the inconsistency of it, played about, changed the scope and proved it to be very fussy on ammo,it hated federals? now stick with hornady 75 grain v max and am more than happy.

cheers KW

[Oly]

Most seem to be fussy with ammo, and some need all sorts of fettling to get right, but generally when they are sorted people love them.

[sandersj89]

Does any one have personal experiance of Howa rifles?

 

I am think if getting a .243 and heard good things about them in terms of price, build and accuracy.

 

Many thanks

 

Jerry

i have a howa 1500 sporter in .243 , i love it to bits

please feel free to come over and put a few through it , you'll then be able to make up your own mind

i could probably get my mate to bring his sako 75 along and you could do a side by side comparison

 

Thanks, I would love too but it may be a bit far from Sussex!

 

What do you feed yours on?

 

Jerry

[sandersj89]

Most seem to be fussy with ammo, and some need all sorts of fettling to get right, but generally when they are sorted people love them.

 

I hear people talking about the trigger a little, what other things are there to look out for other than being fussy with ammo?

 

I am also considering the Remington 700, Browning and Tikka.

 

Jerry

[Oly]

I think my views on Tikka's are well known on here! You won't go far wrong with either of the others you've mentioned - what models are you thinking about?

[sandersj89]

I think my views on Tikka's are well known on here! You won't go far wrong with either of the others you've mentioned - what models are you thinking about?

 

Browning A Bolt Composite Stalker

Remington 700 of some sort

 

I need to go and look at all three in the flesh to see how comfortable each are yet so very early days.

[Oly]

Browning A Bolt Composite Stalker

Remington 700 of some sort

 

I need to go and look at all three in the flesh to see how comfortable each are yet so very early days.

 

I know your a man who likes good build quality, so I'll be interested to hear what you have to say about the Tikka, but my money would be on either of the others. Good choice of calibre too, fox & a spot of deer I'm presuming? I take it you like the lighter barrel of the composite stalker too, rather than the heavier varmint version?

[sandersj89]

I know your a man who likes good build quality, so I'll be interested to hear what you have to say about the Tikka, but my money would be on either of the others. Good choice of calibre too, fox & a spot of deer I'm presuming? I take it you like the lighter barrel of the composite stalker too, rather than the heavier varmint version?

 

Yes, mainly fox and the odd deer, roe and fallow in the main.

 

And not too heavy as I will be on foot a lot of the time so not wanting to lug around a huge lump.

 

Planning a trip to either Andersons or Chris Potter early in the new year to actually handle some.

[Oly]

And not too heavy as I will be on foot a lot of the time so not wanting to lug around a huge lump.

 

I know what you mean, but it all depends on what you shoot best with really...can't get on with the lighter barrels myself, so end up lugging the heavy ones around!

 

Planning a trip to either Andersons or Chris Potter early in the new year to actually handle some.

 

Sounds like a fun trip!

[red_stag88]

I bought myself a Howa 1500 in .308 when I lived in New Zealand. It cost me a little under $1500 - about 500 rats - with a leupold variable scope on it. I kicked the **** out of it in the bush, getting it ****** wet through, it got knocked around in the back of a landy and helecopter and thrown around the high country for 9 months and she still looks as good as new. Shoots preatty damn well too. I used it to shot Tahr and red deer when I worked on a sheep station. Although I dont condone it, I've shot tahr out to about 250yrds with it. Before anyone reads me the riot act, which we've all seen many times here on PW, the situation called for it and in my judgement the shot was ok to take, I had plenty of things going for me. As it was i dropped it where it stood.

 

But any way, back to the point...

 

In my humble, howa make a fine rifle for the price. I have some issued with hand loaded ammo which is at full length, and i think you probably get a better stock quality with a remmy, ruger or tikka - but then you do have to shell out big money. If you are botherd by asthetics (which I most certainly not) you can buy other stocks. Having said that I really wouldn't bother. For a workhorse rifle that i'll shoot where you point it - howa will do you fine. Don't forget that they are infact a jap made weatherby - and the japs dont get engeneering wrong.

 

What ever you buy - get the best quality scope you can afford, as there is no point in having a scope let your rifle down.

[red_stag88]

Oh and nice quad trak baldrick

[sandersj89]

I bought myself a Howa 1500 in .308 when I lived in New Zealand. It cost me a little under $1500 - about 500 rats - with a leupold variable scope on it. I kicked the **** out of it in the bush, getting it ****** wet through, it got knocked around in the back of a landy and helecopter and thrown around the high country for 9 months and she still looks as good as new. Shoots preatty damn well too. I used it to shot Tahr and red deer when I worked on a sheep station. Although I dont condone it, I've shot tahr out to about 250yrds with it. Before anyone reads me the riot act, which we've all seen many times here on PW, the situation called for it and in my judgement the shot was ok to take, I had plenty of things going for me. As it was i dropped it where it stood.

 

But any way, back to the point...

 

In my humble, howa make a fine rifle for the price. I have some issued with hand loaded ammo which is at full length, and i think you probably get a better stock quality with a remmy, ruger or tikka - but then you do have to shell out big money. If you are botherd by asthetics (which I most certainly not) you can buy other stocks. Having said that I really wouldn't bother. For a workhorse rifle that i'll shoot where you point it - howa will do you fine. Don't forget that they are infact a jap made weatherby - and the japs dont get engeneering wrong.

 

What ever you buy - get the best quality scope you can afford, as there is no point in having a scope let your rifle down.

 

Many thanks indeed.

 

Not even thought about scopes yet but do like the look of the swaro stuff......another question another day!

[red_stag88]

You cant go wrong with either a Schmit and Bender, Swivosky, Ziess or a Leupold (Ignore the spellings lol) Some people dont rate the leupold because it is from the US, but that is no real reason. They are still a bloody good scope. I have a variable scope, but it is left on 6x as most of my stalking is woodland. It only get cranked up on the hill, and that is rarely too.

 

What ever you get, enjoy it!

[mel b3]

You cant go wrong with either a Schmit and Bender, Swivosky, Ziess or a Leupold (Ignore the spellings lol) Some people dont rate the leupold because it is from the US, but that is no real reason. They are still a bloody good scope. I have a variable scope, but it is left on 6x as most of my stalking is woodland. It only get cranked up on the hill, and that is rarely too.

 

What ever you get, enjoy it!

 

nice to see you knocking about again red

 

i bought the best scope i could afford , it's a brian fox(the guy that was importing howas) 8 x 56 chinese jobby, it cost me £50.00 including the postage :o .

 

the story goes like this.

i had a slot for a .243(i didn't want it , my feo talked me into it)

i didn't want to lose the slot so i was looking for some old piece of tat with a burnt out barrel(just to fill the slot).

i saw one advertised by a student that needed the money to go travelling , it was three months old and in respectable condition.

the cost was.

 

howa 1500 sport .243 £150

 

t8 moderator £50

 

fox 8x56 scope £50

 

harris bipod £30

 

sling (gift from pw member) £0

 

trigger job £30

 

he gave me some homeloads that would easily do 1/2 inch at 100yrds.

i'm now using factory ammo that will do 1inch at 100yrds.

the first thing i shot after its first zeroing session was a 300yrd rook B)

with me shooting , it's just as accurate as my mates sako 75(much to his disgust B) ) with a £1,500 piece of glass.

when i first had it , the trigger was awfull , half an hour with richard from swift presicion rifles and it was just lovely.

i don't use it as much as i should really , but , given decent conditions , i'd quite take foxes out to 300yrds.

[red_stag88]

The they may have improved the trigger, as I dont find this one too rough. It's actually quite light for a factory trigger designed for the yanks. It could do with a bit of tarting up if you were really penikity, but other than that it'll do the job.

[Oly]

i saw one advertised by a student that needed the money to go travelling , it was three months old and in respectable condition.

the cost was.

 

howa 1500 sport .243 £150

 

t8 moderator £50

 

fox 8x56 scope £50

 

harris bipod £30

 

sling (gift from pw member) £0

 

trigger job £30

 

he gave me some homeloads that would easily do 1/2 inch at 100yrds.

i'm now using factory ammo that will do 1inch at 100yrds.

the first thing i shot after its first zeroing session was a 300yrd rook

with me shooting , it's just as accurate as my mates sako 75(much to his disgust ) with a £1,500 piece of glass.

when i first had it , the trigger was awfull , half an hour with richard from swift presicion rifles and it was just lovely.

i don't use it as much as i should really , but , given decent conditions , i'd quite take foxes out to 300yrds.

 

Great write up that Mel b3 - it's great to hear when people manage to get a great shooting rifle for as little as you have...all it takes is a little balls, time and patience and it all comes together nicely. Really well done mate!

[sandersj89]

In the real world we need to do a survey, and find out the accuracy of a gun as a percentage of them shot. i.e., I have shot 8 remingtons in various calibres and they were all easy 1" or better guns. I have shot 5 Sakos and all were easy 1" or better, same for tikka, 4 guns shot. Browning A-bolt, 1 shot, very good sub inch gun easy. Howa, 4 shot, 3 bad 1 ok. Manlicher, 3 shot, 2 ok, around the inch(good gun, bad stock)

 

My opinions are based on 3 shot groups form light barreled stalking rifles and 5 shot groups from Heavy barrels using the owners(or my own, in the case of my guns) favored ammo, these were shot by me at varous times and also based on opinion from the owners about long term results.

 

So, in my experience, of guns I HAVE PERSONALLY SHOT;

 

Remington, Sako, Tikka, Browning, 100%

Howa, 25% (and the owner had had it tweaked and re crowned)

Manlicher, 66%

 

My no.1 choices for guns are;

 

Light, cheap throw around foxing or stalking rifle, light barrel, Remington SPS

Heavier, good accuracy, a bit more refined, Tikka T3 Varmint

Something a bit nicer still, Sako although im not sure about the lack of recoil lug on the new 85(same applies for T3 actually)(Im quite sure they wont churn out ****e)

Something that can be made to do anything, and to start semi customising and adding all sorts of go faster bits to, target use(mainly due to stock choices), Remington

 

From personal experience, If it aint reasonable straight out of the box, no amout of load development and tweaking will make it any better. And as a word of warning, dont buy a gun on the thought that they will improve from tweaking as If it doesent, you have voided your warranty and cant take it back.

 

Just my 2p

 

Thanks Fister

 

This moring I handled a Howa and a Tikka T3. The T3 wins on how it feels though I want to look at the Rem and Browning next.

 

Jerry

[Baldrick]

Oh and nice quad trak baldrick

 

It's a beaut, isn't it. Sadly it's not my £250k tractor, it's our contractor's. But it makes for a nice photo!

 

Jerry, if your budget allows, why don't you take a look at the Steyr SSG P1 or P2 in .243? I don't own one (yet), but having exchanged a few PMs with Hodmedod today about his SSG, the rifle sounds tough, accurate and very satisfyingly engineered. And it is squaddie-proof, so by default it must be farmer-proof....

[sandersj89]

Jerry, if your budget allows, why don't you take a look at the Steyr SSG P1 or P2 in .243? I don't own one (yet), but having exchanged a few PMs with Hodmedod today about his SSG, the rifle sounds tough, accurate and very satisfyingly engineered. And it is squaddie-proof, so by default it must be farmer-proof....

 

You saying us farmer types are rough handed......you might be right

 

Steyr looks nice though budget might be tight as I want some nice glass on top!

[dunganick]

ignore me and fisters advice at your peril, howa's are funny rifles

 

As fister says, if it dosent shoot out the box 99% of the time the gun is going to be a pain.

 

Tikka, Sako

 

Rem. fine, but they still need work on the triggers in some models.