How are the Howa rifles for quality and accuracy? I have not seen any in our local shops.

Quality and accuracy in my opinion are excellent.

These Japanese made rifles have been sold in the U.S. under several trademarks including the Weatherby Vanguard series of rifles (which may have been the best finished of the lot).

They are certainly as good as any Remington 700 (I�m sure I�ve got rounds incoming now) and are very similar in design to the Rem. The Howa however is at an advantage due to it�s one piece bolt/handle and a much larger Sako style extractor.

This is exciting as I have been looking for a good, non-custom stainless 6.5x55 offering as this is my favorite caliber. I would rather have a Tikka T3, but I don�t think the 6.5x55 stainless offerings are being imported to the U.S.

It certainly is regretable that the tube is only 22 inches.

Wes

Hot puppies!

Thanks for the heads up. Sounds like a great deal. Congrats to all still in the market. It's too late for me now though. It will take me a while to justify another purchase. There's just not much room in my gun safe, pocket book or hunting arsenal for a 6.5x55 to go next to my .270 and 7mm 08. I prefer 24" barrels too, but I don't think there's much practical ballistic justification for my preference. 22" would be fine for my uses for a 6.5x55.
Thanks SeafireB-17g! BTW: Griffin or Merlin?

It's a shame that if we want a decent 6.5x55 we have to go to Howa or CZ. I guess our U.S. manufacturers think the 6.5x55 is merely a figment of our imagination and will go away. Sure it will. It's only been around for 108 years now. Remington made an excellent 6.5x55 but only made it for one year as a Classic model. I have one and love it. I got my moose with it last year. It's very accurate and the recoil doesn't leave me a spastic cripple. I hope everyone doesn't rush out and buy one. We'll keep it our little secret. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Winchester and Ruger list 6.5x55 in their catalogs. Just not in stainless but then neither is the CZ.

The printed 2004 Ruger catalog that I have at home doesn't have the 6.5x55 listed any longer for the M77. Also the 7x57 is gone in the M77 (still listed for the No. 1A). Ruger's web site still lists these calibers but I think their web site has just not been updated. A FFL friend of mine checked his wholesale supplier catalogs and the M77s in 6.5x55 and 7x57 were listed under "limited availablity / while supplies last".

-Bob F.