chaim
Member
OK, the thread I started asking about Howa rifles pretty much confirmed most of what I already suspected. They sound like a great deal. So in my search for my first commercial centerfire bolt-rifle (I'll probably buy it by summer, I may buy a mil-surplus a month or so earlier) I want to throw my other options out there too.
I was thinking mainly about a CZ or a Howa.
I love my CZ pistols and their rifles seem to have at least as good a reputation. They have some good looking guns and some interesting bolt rifles. Their prices are quite nice for what you seem to get.
I am really impressed by the apparent quality and price of Howa. It also helps that S&W, Mossberg and Weatherby trusted them enough to use the exact action that is the Howa 1500 and put their own names on it at one point or another in the past. The accuracy seems incredible.
Well, I thought it was between those two but while looking around at a sporting goods chain (Sports Authority) the clerk put a Browning A-bolt in my hands and now I feel I need to consider that as well. The gun just seemed to fit me very well, the bolt was incredibly smooth and the throw (could be incorrect terminology, the amount of movement needed to open the bolt) was very short and fast. Even the polymer stock seemed quite nice (unlike so many polymer bolt-rifle stocks that usually seem to cheapen the rifle). The only problem is that it is fairly expensive for a first bolt-rifle and quite a bit more than the other options (over $550 plus scope).
So, my questions are:
-Price independent, what are the plusses and minuses of the various options?
-Price dependent, is the Browning really worth that much more than the CZs and Howas ($50-150 depending upon exact model)?
-If the A-bolt actually is a better gun, I could get one at Walmart. How much do you lose (if anything) with the Walmart models? I'll check to see how much less it costs there (I don't remember off hand since I wasn't really considering it at the time).
I was thinking mainly about a CZ or a Howa.
I love my CZ pistols and their rifles seem to have at least as good a reputation. They have some good looking guns and some interesting bolt rifles. Their prices are quite nice for what you seem to get.
I am really impressed by the apparent quality and price of Howa. It also helps that S&W, Mossberg and Weatherby trusted them enough to use the exact action that is the Howa 1500 and put their own names on it at one point or another in the past. The accuracy seems incredible.
Well, I thought it was between those two but while looking around at a sporting goods chain (Sports Authority) the clerk put a Browning A-bolt in my hands and now I feel I need to consider that as well. The gun just seemed to fit me very well, the bolt was incredibly smooth and the throw (could be incorrect terminology, the amount of movement needed to open the bolt) was very short and fast. Even the polymer stock seemed quite nice (unlike so many polymer bolt-rifle stocks that usually seem to cheapen the rifle). The only problem is that it is fairly expensive for a first bolt-rifle and quite a bit more than the other options (over $550 plus scope).
So, my questions are:
-Price independent, what are the plusses and minuses of the various options?
-Price dependent, is the Browning really worth that much more than the CZs and Howas ($50-150 depending upon exact model)?
-If the A-bolt actually is a better gun, I could get one at Walmart. How much do you lose (if anything) with the Walmart models? I'll check to see how much less it costs there (I don't remember off hand since I wasn't really considering it at the time).
