Howa 1500??

[02bigdogs17]

I am looking at buying a Howa 1500 rifle in 308. This rifle comes with a 22" barrel #2 barrel, hogue stock, and a Nikko Stirling 3-10x44 scope. I have been looking at reviews on them and can't find to many people that have owned them that did not like them. I own several Savages and a couple Remington's. Just wanted to get some more opinions on this rifle. Has anyone had a Hogue stock and did you like it? Has anyone had a Nikko scope and did you like it. The gun will mainly be used for deer hunts and hogs. Thanks

 

[rule303]

Very solid rifle, but heavy compared to a lot of others on the market. If you didn't know, it is the same gun marketed by Weatherby as the Vanguard. I like Nikko Stirling scopes for the most part, I own a few. They will never be a Leupold, but they blow away the cheap Simmons, Bushnell, and Tasco scopes usually found on package guns.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I own and hunt with 2 Howa 1500 rifles, one in .223 and the other in 30-06. Mine are older so they were before the Hogue stocks were being used.

Both my rifles are sub 1/2MOA rifles @100 yards, the 30-06 being the most accurate. IMO you will be very happy with the Howa 1500 rifle.

 

[Captcurt]

Good quality for the bucks.

If you don't mind the overmolded stock there is nothing wrong with the Howas besides the weight. I personally do not care for Hogues in rifles that have much recoil and I am not recoil sensative. The only problem that I have had is the rubber finish sticks to your cheek and will abrade your skin. No big deal when firing one or two shots but if you are planning on a long range session be sure to take some talcum powder. I had a 308 Rem 700 Tactical with a Hogue and after 20 rounds I had a raspberry on my cheek.

 

[eastbank]

i have a early howa 1500 varmite rifle in .223 sold by S&W, it has a heavy parkerized barrel and action and a heavy dark oil finished checkered stock. it shoots as good as my 700 varmite VLS .223 with loads it likes. i think i paid less than 300.00 when i bought it. eastbank.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

My main deer rifle is a Weatherby Vanguard in .30-06 which is the exact same rifle and I love it. As mentioned it is a little on the heavy side, but that helps tame max loads. Also if you do a lot of stand hunting it is no big deal. If I did a lot of walking or stalk hunting I'd get something a little lighter.

Great rifle for a really good price IMO.
I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

 

[Corn-Picker]

Be aware that it has a two stage trigger. I strongly prefer a two stage trigger, but not everyone likes them.

If you're not opposed to the idea you may want to check out the Weatherby Vanguard, since they are so similar. The Weatherby has a much nicer stock, in my opinion. I strongly prefer a lot of Monte Carlo and a lot of drop at the heel -- it allows your eye to line up with the scope while the butt pad rests right in the meat of your shoulder pocket. The Howas come with the standard Mauser looking stock, which is great for open sights but not the best for scoped rifles. Fit is a pretty personal thing though, so I'd try them before I'd buy them.

One more thing, if you prefer a shorter length of pull and lighter rifle you may want to check out the youth model. It has a #1 contour 20" barrel, which saves some weight and length. That's what I went with, a Weatherby Vanguard S2 youth model in 308. Costs $480 new and it shoots as good as advertised.

 

[Jackal]

They are good rifles. However, they used to be a better deal than the high prices I see on them now. Appears they have gone up by about $250 since I purchased mine several years ago.

 

[02bigdogs17]

I am told that the Howa has a free float barrel and the Vanguard does not. Is this true?

 

[Johnny_B_Goode]

There is little or no cost difference in a howa and a weatherby. Hogue overmoulded stocks are problematic. The rubber peels off the stock in time. It is possible to drive grit and pebbles into the rubber, especially when lowering the rifle from a tree. Hogue stocks are pillar bedded. I would call Legacy (parent company of Howa) with any specific questions once you pick an exact model. I would buy a weatherby for the more user friendly stock. For around $650 you can get a Vanguard with a Walnut stock that will be around to teach future generations to use a rifle.

In this video you can see that the overmoulded stock is flimsy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKwc-rYszYw

 

[rhinoh]

At a loss to see how that video shows the stock as flimsy

My Howa 1500 Varmint in .308 is a tack driver, even with the "flimsy" Hogue stock

 

[eastbank]

when i bought my rem sps 700LH in 7mm08 about 6 years ago i was told i would have replace the syn stock as it was no good, well it has been one of my best deer rifles shooting three shot groups better than a inch at 100yrds with out any change in that time. eastbank.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I am told that the Howa has a free float barrel and the Vanguard does not. Is this true?

I cannot speak for the Howa but the Weatherby does not. Mine will put 3 in the same hole though, so I really don't care.

 

[Johnny_B_Goode]

At a loss to see how that video shows the stock as flimsy

My Howa 1500 Varmint in .308 is a tack driver, even with the "flimsy" Hogue stock

A stock that is pillar bedded is supported on aluminum, not plastic. I have a similar stock on my Marlin XT 22MR. I had to do enough fiberglass work to repair a boat to make that stock what it should be. The stock should at least have an aluminum bedding plate. There is not supposed to be a trash can under the barrel of a rifle.

 

[notaglockfanboy]

I own the rifle you are talking about, except with a 20" barrel and the Nikko Sterling 4x16x44 scope. It is a wonderful shooter, clover leaf groups with my hand loads, but the stock isn't the greatest. If all you are going to do is hunt with it, you cannot go wrong. I have bedded the stock on mine to prevent flex in the forearm and have mainly used it for paper punching. It will see some hunting next season and I would not be the least bit afraid to use it for deer at any range. It is a solid rifle, so your money will be well spent if you choose to get one.

 

[splattergun]

I have an old Mossberg 1500, which is a Howa 1500 barreled action on a nice piece of walnut. It came with a Bushnell scope. It has always shot straight, just slightly over 1 inch groups at 100 yds, until I floated the barrel and glass bedded the action. Now it's sub-moa. The factory trigger is adjustable and I have mine set to 3 1/2 lb. But if you prefer, a Timney trigger will drop right in. The Timney model for the 1500 is one of their least expensive models, BTW.

Yeah, I'd get another 1500

 

[Captcurt]

They Definitely Don't Get Enough Praise.

Howa used to make a model called the Lightening that was set in a synthetic stock. I sold 2 and one of my friends has one. His shoots 3/4" 5 shot groups with handloads. The 2 Weatherby Vanguards that I have had both shot very well.

 

[02bigdogs17]

Well I couldn't take it any longer. I ordered a new Howa Nighteater package in .308 yesterday. The rifle with the scope package was $535 out the door. That is not bad for this rifle I think. I have a Savage Axis that I have more than that in because I put a good scope on it and an aftermarket stock on it because the factory synthetic stock on those is realy flimsy but I have been really impressed with it. It is in .223 and will hold a 1/2" 5 shot group at 100yds all day. I also have a model 11 Savage in 22-250 that was a little more expensive than the Howa but again it really shoots awesome. I hope the Howa does as good as my Savages or better. Thanks for all the info I really appreciate it.

 

[rszwieg]

Serveral friends have older S&Ws, Mossbergs and newer Vanguards and Howas and thery're all really good. They're well built, machined, and finished. I like the compound cocking.

The late Frank de Haas owned and hunted with one. He thought highly of it.

I don't like the Hogue stock but they are functional. You can always replace it with something else.

 

[02bigdogs17]

Well my local gun guy called me back and said he was having trouble getting a Howa in the package that I wanted so after thinking about it for a day I decided to order a Weatherby vanguard. This rifle is a little more expensive and I'm not getting a scope with it but I think it will be worth it in the long run. Now I got to save some more money for a good scope to put on it.

 

[rhinoh]

Just remembered one thing I ran into after I bought my Howa 1500- many of the scope mount references say it takes the same mounts as the Remington 700.
Not true! Rem 700 scope mounts are all over, even WalMart had them, but I had to order one for my Howa.