Howa in 6.5x55

[Old 112]

My first post. I have read some of the old threads about the Howa. They generally sound positive. I have 3 very nice Swedes that are way to nice to start chopping on, so I have been looking for a new or newer shooter that I can scope. I have a possible line on a new Howa in 6.5 , and would like your comments and experiences with Howa and, if possible, in that calibre. Thanks Old 112

 

[rangerruck]

Well, I don't know jack about howa, other than they are basically a Wetherby clone, which can't be bad. They also have a nice reputation for accuracy.
As far as the 6.5 goes, if you put up a thread for best all around cartridge, it would not be surprising to find this one on top of the list. It is mild, it is zippy if you reload, it is super accurate, you can get a ton of diff bullet weights, it holds it's velocity , and thusly , energy , very well downrange. you can hunt just about anything you want with it in N. America, 'cept for maybe bears. it is easy on the rilfe, and the shooter, and barrels can last foreever, they are not considered overbore at all. I am allways on the lookout for something that catches my eye when I go to gunshows, either in 6mm remmy, or 6.5 swede.

 

[270Win]

I think it's the other way around... that Howa supplies the actions to Weatherby (the Vanguard), Mossberg (the ATR), Smith and Wesson (the M1500), and possibly others. It's only fairly recently they began selling their own rifles, also called the 1500.

I see a Howa table at every gunshow, and they have always intrigued me. The bolts are pure silk, everything seems extremely well fitted and solid, and the prices are good. A real sleeper, like CZ and Savage used to be.

 

[Jim Watson]

Howa is pretty good. You hear all the time about them selling actions to Weatherby, et al, but it is seldom mentioned that they were orginally a Sako clone. Designs get modified over time, but I think a Howa is more like a '60s Forester than what Sako is making now.

 

[Sunray]

Howa was/is the maker of Weatherby's. Vanguards, I think. Mind you, Weatherby has had several manufacturers of their over priced rifles.
The 6.5 is a dandy deer/bear/moose/elk cartridge. Howa makes a good rifle.

 

[oregonhunter]

Sunray Are you sure that a 6.5 is good for bears and moose?

 

[270Win]

Moose, absolutely - it's what the Swedes use it for very commonly. Bear, I'm not so sure.

 

[alpineRKBA]

I have a Howa in .308 and it's a laser! Very similar to a Rem 700 but with better quality. I heard that some parts will even interchange but don't know for sure. Don't have a 6.5x55 but as the ".308 of Sweden" it's got a great reputation. Is it powerful enough for bear? I'd be surprised.

 

[HorseSoldier]

Fifty years older than .308 or so. If anything, .308 is the "6.5 Swede of America."

 

[R.W.Dale]

Loaded with the very deep penatrating 160grn RN bullet a 6.5 will essentally kill anything you'ed kill with a .308.


I owned a Howa in 6.5x55SE as well as many others all were well built rifles. Unfourtuinatly the stocks were also all crap plan on replacing it.

My current howa cousin the Vanguard has been everything I could ask for in a deer rifle.

 

[hm2 clark]

I never lost an animal with a 6.5x55, including 1 Canadian Moose.

 

[Selfdfenz]

I see a Howa table at every gunshow

I wish that were the case here. The first NIB Howa I see in 6.6x55 as a show is sold.

Interesting point is that WallyWorld lists them periodically but the last time I ckecked at my local store the waiting time was 6-8 months. I'm not sure I understand why, but that was the song & dance I received.

Best
S-

 

[MrDig]

Howa is not a Weaterby Clone

Weatherby contracts Howa/Legacy Sports Intl. to manufacture the Vangaurd Rifles Marketed by Weatherby.
Buy a Howa and you are in essence buying a Weatherby Vangaurd without PAYING for the weatherby name. I'll grant you the cost of a Vanguard as opposed to a Lightening is not that great. Either way you get on sweet shooting rifle. Both are in the under 500.00 dollar range which makes them comparable to Savage and Remington on price point. Feature and Quality are another issue.
The 6.5x55 Swede is a fine caliber and quite accurate I am told.
I like the fact that the Vangaurds have 24 inch Bbl's for accuracy reasons.

 

[kjeff50cal]

Here is my Howa 1500 in .308. It is a laser.... not for sale .

 

[hankdatank1362]

When I turned 16, my dad gave me his old Howa .30-06, and he bought a new Howa 7mm Rem. Mag ... It will still outshoot the Remington 700 7mm Rem Mag I won in a raffle.

Nothing but good things to say about Howa rifles.

 

[MrDig]

Am I missing Something?

I've searched Howa, Weatherby, and Remington and am having a difficult time finding any product spec's that show rifles chambered in 6.5x55. Is there a common conversion that is the same round? ie 6.5x55=25-06 or .270 win
sorry if this seems like a newby question.

 

[rangerruck]

closest thing s out there that are similar, would be a 257 roberts or a 260 remington. But they should all have a 6.5 swede.

 

[one eye joe]

I understand that Howa no longer imports the 6.5x55. Also, from what I understand their twist rate was a little slow for heavier bullets. Might want to check on that. Had a Howa in .243. Not my favorite round, but a very nice rifle.

 

[hm2 clark]

The only company that I know of that currently sells the 6.5 Mauser in the US is CZ. The CZ 550. A superior rifle. Gun broker or Guns America has the 6.5 Mauser for sale on the Ruger 77 ( mine is very accurate after a little work) CZ 550 and frequently the Winchester 70. I haven't seen the 6.5 Swede on a Howa or Remington 700 since last fall.

 

[atomchaser]

Tikka, Sako, CZ and Steyr all sell 6.5x55 rifles is the US.

 

[JesseL]

Ruger also makes a few rifles in 6.5x55 Swede.

 

[106rr]

It looks like Ruger, Howa and others have dropped the 6.5x55. Howa has imported both a 9 inch (blue on a short action) twist and an 8 inch twist on the long action. The 8 inch is newer and was available in stainless and blue. Ruger was availble in blue only. Sako, CZ and Tikka may still make rifles.
Norma has changed the loadings availble. It appears that the 139 gr, and 140 gr are no longer available in full power loadings. The US loadings are weak. Norma still offers the 156 gr in several styles. Hornady has the 129 gr at 2770. The change in ammo seems to condemn the 6.5 user to handloading. Marketing does not like that restriction.

 

[JesseL]

Strange, Ruger still lists them on their website.

http://ruger.com/Firearms/FAProdSpecsView?model=7895

 

[106rr]

Ruger lists the 6.5x55 only in the obsolescent MkII. It is absent from caliber listings under Hawkeye. It has been dropped. They will sell any existing stocks of MkII. Remington did the same thing in the 60s with the Rem 722 in 257 bob and the 300 Sav. they had long since stopped production but sold existing stocks for years.
While you and I may think that the 6.5 Swede is the world's greatest, the public has declined to purchase. I think removal has to do only with the percentage of rifles sold in that caliber for the Ruger line. Once sales go below a certain point thay take it out of the line.