Howa rifles

The Howa barrels are less than what i desire,they copper foul pretty bad and some shoot good but go with something else,Mossberg,Savage or a Stevens.
 
From everything I have read, Howas are forged, then machined. NOT cast.

Most have nothing bad to say about them!
One piece bolt! Not brased or welded on bolt handle!
Better machined, integral recoil lug, better ejector then Remingtons, good bottom metall, though I feel it looks ugly.

I would purchase it above any Remington or Savage rifles..
 
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I've got several rifles built on trued Remington actions that I mostly reserve for the range.

There's so many aftermarket parts and my gunsmith has the tools to true them.

But I've bought three Howa barreled actions for hunting rifles and they're great value for money.

I don't know if Howa were manufacturing rifles in WWII, but Roy Weatherby found that the Arisaka Type 38 was the toughest of the surplus rifles to blow up.

There's no doubting the Howa 1500 is a sound design and a quality Japanese product.

Ben
 
I know nothing about the Howa. I recently bought a Remington 5R (5R barrel, 1-9, 24 inch Rem 700) in .223. This model is also available in .308. It comes from the Remington custom shop with pillar bedding. You might want to consider one.

The average dealer won't be able to find this rifle. I bought mine via gunbroker.com from a large dealer in Austin, TX. He had .308s still but his .223 rifles are gone. You might try to do a search on "Remington 5R" if you're interested. Just remember to avoid the 20 inch "tactical" models. I realize you wouldn't want one of these most likely but mention this only as a caution. The same dealer was out of the .223 as I got his last one and he said no more would be available for about a year but as noted he did still have the rifle in .308.

Just did a search on gunbroker.com using "Remington 5R" as criteria. I notice there were several .308s although I didn't check the barrel length. I was also surprised to see a few .223s there. Again be careful not to get the 20 inch barrel model. They also come in 24 inch. The 20 inch barrels are apparently popular with the "tactical rife" group hence the short barrel that they can add a suppressor to.

The prices on gunbroker.com seem to run about $1100. for the few new I checked. There were also a few used models which I didn't look at. You can't get these rifles from the average local gun shop as they're a special order model and the large dealer I bought from in Texas is into long range rifles.
 
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Hi,
Here is what I know about howas:
They are made by the Japs.
If you take a look at a sako L571 action, you will notice that the howa is the exact copy, except for the dimensions, the howa is a bit bigger and the extractor in an m16 style while the sako, well is sako and the ejector is a plunger as the sako has a slot in the left lug to have a controled ejection "a la mauser".
I find them way better finished than the latest remington productions for the price.
After market triggers are available from Timney and Jard at least.
Regarding the one piece base, check out warne and Ken Farrell, I believe they still make one for the short action.
Other wise any two piece base for a remington 700 will work on it.
I believe that you can get barrelled action from legacy sport (through your gun dealer I guess) and choose any aftermarket stock to fit the action into.
I own a Tactical style stock from Bell and Carlson for the howa. it still needed a bedding to shoot better.The aluminium block inside the stock is "Wide".
The barrels are usually shooting moa groups or under, specially after bedding, proper cleaning/breaking and a bit of trigger adjustments, and yes some of them do get copper fouling pretty quickly.
I would buy an howa over a remington any day (I own 2 and worked on half a dozen for hunting and shooting buddys).
An howa action properly blue printed is a perfect platform for a switch barrel set up.
My 2 cents.
Nic
 
bjld said:
I've got several rifles built on trued Remington actions that I mostly reserve for the range.

There's so many aftermarket parts and my gunsmith has the tools to true them.

But I've bought three Howa barreled actions for hunting rifles and they're great value for money.

I don't know if Howa were manufacturing rifles in WWII, but Roy Weatherby found that the Arisaka Type 38 was the toughest of the surplus rifles to blow up.
There's no doubting the Howa 1500 is a sound design and a quality Japanese product.

Ben
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Hi Ben,
Never heard that, are you thinking of P.O. Ackley?
 
Oops! You're right - PO Ackley.
I'm guessing my confusion kicked in because Weatherby sells Howas as Vanguards.
 
Here is a gunsmith's comparison of the Howa, M70, and 700.

My link didn't work, so just go to Http://www.firearmstalk.com , forums, rifle discussion then sticky for best actions.
 
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Hello to all! I thought I would use this thread as my opening post,as I do know a little about Howa's,even though the op was back in Sept. I have a Howa 1500 w/axiom stock in Desert King Camo,from Legacy Interational.The caliber is .223.It did indeed need a trigger.My gunsmith said he could make the stock trigger "crisp & clean" at 2 1/2 lbs.I instead chose a Rifle Basix at 1lb.The chamber was ruff, which resulted in an ejection problem on 3rd or more fired shells.Polished it out,problem solved.You can get a 1 piece scope mount,as I have one from DNZ, which works well.With Lapua brass, 25.5 gr of 8208 I am getting consistantly 1/4" to 3/8" 5 shot groups @ 100 yds,occasionally a little better. I am just over 1000 rounds and I will have to say this gun is very reliable,and a pleasure to own.

Daniel Stumpf
Oregon
 
Nothing wrong with Howa's at all. Don't be afraid of the trigger either. I bought one used that the owner, not a GS but a tinkerer, had down to 1lb . Best factory trigger I have ever pulled. It can be done. I've talked to 2 different GS about them and they both admit they are straighter than Rem700 actions, but both said they would rather work on Rem700 actions...why? because that's what they're used to....just because something is popular, doesn't mean it's better. A trued, lapped, squared Rem700 is within 200$ of a premium action. I'll just spend the extra 200$ and have something that will hold it's value. If I was gonna buy a rifle to hunt with, bone stock, Rem would be down the list a ways..behind Howa anyway. JMO
 
I just bought my second Vanguard in 223. This was the low dollar variety. $350 at Sportsmans Warehouse. It was thier last one, and a counter gun, you know the one they jack the bolt and hand to you to look at ? Sure the bolt showed some wear, but boy does she shoot !
I put on a secondhand VariX IIc in 4x12 with AO. Oh and I put it in a Howa plastic heavy barrel stock. It's got about a 1/4" clearance.

I fell in love with my first one when I bought it with a 3/8" test target from walmart. It put all my Rems to shame. This one is no different.
I'm a Vanguard fan for sure !
Jim
 
The main reason is that Howa who also make the Weatherby Vanguard use German made hammer forging machines to make their barrels . I shoot a Howa ( Mountaineer , 1 of 500 celerbration rifle ) in 223 over crops and it is a very accurate gun .
Savage are also a very accurate gun but I like the Howa made actions better .
 
My 'smiths list of what he'll build off of is...any custom action, Rem, ruger, win, large ring mauser and howa.
 
The latest issue of American Rifleman has a recall for Howa rifles. Model 1500, Stainless Steel, made between Nov. 2009 and Sept. 2011. To check your serial number for recall go to www.regcen.com/m1500ss or call Howa Registration Center at 1-888-770-7031
 
I will go in a completely different direction and make a suggestion for the Tikka Varmint Stainless in .22-250. Tikka's are made by Sako, and have the best factory barrels I have ever seen. The trigger works very well, and that model has the option of a single-set trigger. You can easily add weight to the stock, and Lapua makes brass for the .22-250 now, so there's no reason to shy away from it. Bullet selection is very good also.
 
I also think tikka is another good alternative. There bolts feel pretty darn smooth as well. the only thing i dont like about the tikka, is there recoil lug system. Kinda cheap i think! Lee
 
I have looked at the Howa's a couple of times, especially when they were on close-out for around $350, but I don't like the shape of the bolt handle, which offends my sense of aesthetics. But the real reason that I haven't bought one is that I will not buy a rifle manufactured in a country that will not allow its citizens to own any sort of a firearm. Call it petty, or a hang-up on my part but it is just my way of protesting. If it were made in a country that allowed its citizens greater the freedom to own firearms (even with restrictions or some sort) I would buy one and overlook the ugly bolt handle.

But thats just me!

drover
 
drover said:
I have looked at the Howa's a couple of times, especially when they were on close-out for around $350, but I don't like the shape of the bolt handle, which offends my sense of aesthetics. But the real reason that I haven't bought one is that I will not buy a rifle manufactured in a country that will not allow its citizens to own any sort of a firearm. Call it petty, or a hang-up on my part but it is just my way of protesting. If it were made in a country that allowed its citizens greater the freedom to own firearms (even with restrictions or some sort) I would buy one and overlook the ugly bolt handle.

But thats just me!

drover
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You do know the reason behind them not being allowed to own firearms is because the good old USA won WWII and made it so.
 
YOOO VINNY said:
You do know the reason behind them not being allowed to own firearms is because the good old USA won WWII and made it so.
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Kinda - Sorta true. The surrender treaty set limits on the military, to the best of my knowledge it never addressed individual firearm ownership. But before we get into a mulit-page spitting contest on this and hi-jack the thread let me retract my original statement and rephrase it.

I don't like Howa rifles because the action is heavy, the bolt handle is ugly IMO, there is a definite lack of aftermarket accessories, and some smiths will not work on them because of the metric threads. There how is that - it should either settle any controversy or start one.

drover
 
drover said:
Kinda - Sorta true. The surrender treaty set limits on the military, to the best of my knowledge it never addressed individual firearm ownership. But before we get into a mulit-page spitting contest on this and hi-jack the thread let me retract my original statement and rephrase it.

I don't like Howa rifles because the action is heavy, the bolt handle is ugly IMO, there is a definite lack of aftermarket accessories, and some smiths will not work on them because of the metric threads. There how is that - it should either settle any controversy or start one.

drover
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Not looking for a spitting contest brother, just saying :)

I like Howas, basically an improved Remmy to my thinking and lower price.
Has a real recoil lug, instead of a seperate piece between action and barrel, like an afterthought.
Has a better extractor, something people pay extra to have custom installed on Remmys.
Dont know what the weight difference is, but it cant be much, IIRC their the same diameter and take the same bases as 700's.
Triggers were lacking, but their supost to have a new adjustable one, which I'll reserve comment on untill I aquire one.
Barrels are excellent and just as good as any production Remmy I've had.
They are metric threaded, which gives some people fits when it comes to rebarreling, but isent as issue for me, just takes a few seconds longer.
I actually like the bolt handle and find it easier to use in prone and on the bench than the stock 700.

Different strokes for different folks ;)
Cheers, YV
 
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