Howa rifles?

[Taurus 617 CCW]

I built a Howa 1500 .30-06 with a Shilen barrel. I hand lapped the bolt lugs and free floated/pillar bedded the action. I used a #4 contour barrel that I trimmed at 22”. It is not the lightest rifle I own but boy does it shoot! It is way more accurate than I could ever hope to be. The action feeds really smooth from the box magazine and I have never had any feeding malfunctions. I took my deer last year with it. When did my post shoot inspection I found that the bullet hit exactly where I aimed. I topped my Howa with a Leupold VX-1 3-9x40mm scope. A great combination that has never let me down. I can’t recommend Howa rifles enough.

 

[stiab]

I don't like it when a manufacturer uses the long action for short action calibers (.308, .243, etc.) just to save money. I would rather pay a little more and get the true short action. That probably doesn't matter to everybody else.

 

[natman]

I don't like it when a manufacturer uses the long action for short action calibers (.308, .243, etc.) just to save money. I would rather pay a little more and get the true short action. That probably doesn't matter to everybody else.

It matters to me too, but I don't know what this has to do with Howa because they offer three action lengths, Mini (223 length), Short (308 length) and Long (30-06 length).

 

[trentcwwilson]

Choose. Remington 700, tikka, or Howa.

 

[stiab]

It matters to me too, but I don't know what this has to do with Howa because they offer three action lengths...

Link to Howa made 'one size fits all' action length...click the spec tab...Howa makes these for their joint parent company...

http://legacysports.com/empire-rifle

Edited to add: These Howa aka Empire are nice looking rifles. I held one in .270 the other day, nice wood, seemed a bit heavy, but I would not mind owning one in .30-06.

 

[cdb1]

The only thing Vanguards share with the 1500 is the receiver, everything else is different. Don't own a Howa but would. Own several Vanguard S2's and find them to be outstanding. They are heavy but since I have bad shoulder that's okay by me.

 

[Hokkmike]

Had a Smith & Wesson 1500 in .243. It was a good rifle in all respects.

 

[natman]

Link to Howa made 'one size fits all' action length...click the spec tab...Howa makes these for their joint parent company...

http://legacysports.com/empire-rifle

Let's see if we can straighten this out.

Howa makes rifles in three action lengths as I stated and sells them as Howas:

http://legacysports.com/barreled-actions

Somebody has bought the naming rights to Webley & Scott and is producing rifles that appear from the spec sheet to use one action length for all cartridges. They have contracted with Howa to provide the barreled actions (perhaps the entire rifle) for these. If it's not a mistake on the spec sheet, the complaint about using one action length should be placed on "Webley & Scott", not Howa.

Legacy Sports is the American distributor of Howa, "Webley & Scott" and several other companies, not their parent company.

 

[natman]

The only thing Vanguards share with the 1500 is the receiver, everything else is different.

While the Vanguard uses a different stock than the Howa 1500 and a few cosmetic changes are made to make it resemble a Mark V, I am of the opinion that Howa makes the entire Vanguard. At least they did back in the day when they were selling for $400 at Walmart.

However, I'm willing to be convinced otherwise. Which begs the following questions:

If Howa doesn't make the barrels for Vanguards, who does? Who makes the stocks? Where are they assembled?

 

[DPris]

Howa does make the entire Vanguard, at least the metalwork, to the best of my knowledge.

Weatherby creates the specs, Howa creates the guns.
Denis

 

[ifit]

Decided to purchase the Howa for $650, i think it's a really good deal considering what came with the rifle. Did some research on the 1500/.243 was surprised how accurate these are at really long distances.

Barrel break in procedures can be found on Legacys website
Scope used here is the one it came with Nikko Stirling 4-16x44 "Nighteater" duplex reticle. ammo is Winchester hunting rounds 80gr/SP

My 2nd shot group at 100y, adjusted scope wrong way....oops
I will be handloading for this rifle soon

 

[stiab]

Somebody has bought the naming rights to Webley & Scott...

Somebody = Legacy Sports, according to the link.

They have contracted with Howa to provide the barreled actions (perhaps the entire rifle)...

It's a Howa made rifle, according to the link. I would not mind having one, just not in a short action caliber.

 

[natman]

It's a Howa made rifle, according to the link. I would not mind having one, just not in a short action caliber.

OK, one last try. It would appear from the spec sheet that the "Webley & Scott" Empire rifle does use a long action for both long and short action cartridges. This rifle is indeed made by Howa. If the "one size fits all" is not a misprint on the spec sheet, I suspect that somebody decided it would be too expensive to make the walnut stocks in both long and short action versions. I agree that using a long action for a short action cartridge is a turn off.

However, this applies only to that one particular rifle. Howa does make three different action lengths for rifles sold as Howas that match the cartridges used nicely.

 

[zb338]

My youngest son has a Weatherby Vanguard in .300 Weatherby Mag.
It shoots inch groups at 100 yards all the time. If it strays is isn't by
much.

Zeke

 

[stiab]

I suspect that somebody decided it would be too expensive to make the walnut stocks in both long and short action versions.

You're probably right, I had not though of that as a reason. Even tho the MSRP is $956, the one I held was only $700 something.

 

[cdb1]

While the Vanguard uses a different stock than the Howa 1500 and a few cosmetic changes are made to make it resemble a Mark V, I am of the opinion that Howa makes the entire Vanguard. At least they did back in the day when they were selling for $400 at Walmart.

However, I'm willing to be convinced otherwise. Which begs the following questions:

If Howa doesn't make the barrels for Vanguards, who does? Who makes the stocks? Where are they assembled?

Weatherby told me a couple of years ago. Didn't say Howa doesn't make the Vanguard barrel, just that it is different than the 1500. I've compared a S2 and a 1500 side by side. The stock, trigger and bolt were different for sure and the barrels looked different.

 

[ifit]

Update on my Howa .243, hand loaded some Berger 90gr BT Target bullets, scope is an old swfa/ss
5shot/50y group

Then 100y

Pretty happy with the Howa

 

[HexHead]

Howa made all Weatherby rifles including the Mark V when they were made in Japan.

Not true at all. From 1973-1995, Weatherby Mark V rifles were made in Japan at the Miruko factory, not Howa. That's the same factory Browning has always used to make their Citori shotguns and their rifles not made in Belgium. Later A5 shotguns and BT-22 rifles were made there too. Most current Browning rifles and Winchester rifles come out of there too. They produce first class firearms.

Howa is a fine manufacturer, dating back to making Type 99 rifles in WWII. I've had four Weatherby Vanguard Series 2 rifles, the workmanship on the receivers, bolts and match grade 2-stage trigger is second to none.