I have no experience with Howa rifles, and I am looking for some input. On the way home this evening, I stopped by a local gun shop and was looking through the rack. He has a Howa 1500 chambered in .223 Rem. It is a stainless with about a .830" barrel at the muzzle. It is in a gray laminate thumb hole stock. I can't find a mark on the rifle. He wants 375 dollars for it. I talked him into letting me bring it home and clean the barrel and scope it. It looks fine no scratches or any thing visible with a Hawkeye bore scope. Doing a cleaning rod test of the barrel twist, as best I can tell the twist is 1 in 10.5". The barrel cleaned up pretty easy and feels slick enough. Not Krieger, or Lilja slick but pretty good for a factory barrel. The crown looks OK, the locking lugs look fine as well.

Those of you that have experience with this rifle, are they solid shooters? Any fuction issues? Are the barrels hammer forged or button rifled. I am sure the twist was supposed to be a 1 in 10, but I measured it three times and it kept coming up at 1 in 10.5.

All of my rifles are built on the either the Rem. 700, Rem. 788 or the Win. 70 actions. At 375 the price seems good enough, but if they are not good solid rifles, then I am not interested. I would appreciate hearing your experiences with the Howa 1500. Thanking everyone in advance!

PaPa 260

I got my hands on one 2 years ago.It is not stainless,but it is a shooter.For the price you can't go wrongGood Luck

Pop...

I've puchased a couple as gifts for a few folks... and kids..

they are definitely shooters..

I'd jump on it...

I'd own Howa's if I didn't have such fun with Savages...

Tikka, Savages, Howas.................most overlooked shooters available today for the money! GHD

The basic Howa action has been used by Smith & Wesson and others, most notably Weatherby (for the Vanguard series).

It is a proven action. I don't care for that stock, but the deal is a good one.

I appreciate the replies gentlemen. I agree, I don't like the stock either. Thumb hole stocks just look chessy to me. But if I buy this rifle, and if it is a good shooter, I will come up with something that I like better for a stock.

I have looked around on the net and from what I have found they have a 1 in 12 twist. So I went and did the cleaning rod with a tight patch test again. And again it came in with a 1 in 10.5 twist. I got a Krieger barreled 223 out that I know has a 1 in 8 twist barrel and that is what it came in at using the same tight patch method. Maybe this is a newer rifle and they have changed the twist rate? I don't know.

One other thing I didn't mention, at 6.121" in front of the reciever there are two holes drilled, tapped and plugged with screws. I am assuming this is for a scope base for a Unertel type scope? I am certain this is a factory barrel as it has all warnings, and who imported it and the address roll stamped on the barrel.

I checked the trigger pull weight after reading your posts about triggers. It breaks at 4.25 lbs. It feels some what like a 2 stage. It freely moves a very short distance, then breaks pretty clean. I am certain it isn't but it kind of gives one that impression at first.

Again thanks for the replies! Any other information would be appreciated!

PaPa260

If you pick it up and decide to rebarrel it with the Krieger, I may have a local friend who would be interested in that take off barrel...

Those thumbhole stocks are made by Boyd's...
they have non thumbholes available also aftermarket..

for my nephew in Montana, when I got him one...his dad put a Hogue Rubber Stock on it..
that made it a real dependable field rifle..

nothing to beat up but the scope...he first put a Tasco on it.. and then later a Nikon..

All the heavy barrel Howa rifles from years past have the forward mounting holes. I have a .308 HB that I have had for years. It is a serious shooter. It shoots any weight I put down the tube very well. You will be happy w/ it.

I have a Howa 1500 Varminter Supreme, 223 with the Boyds stock. Mine is in blue, it also has the forward screw holes. Mine is not the thumbhole stock. When I bought it they had one with the thumbhole and one with the palm swell. I didn't care for the thumbhole either so don't feel bad. They are definitely shooters. I bought some of the 45 gr white box winchesters when the were like $12 for a box of 40 at Walmart, bought up several hundred rounds and still have about a hundred left, shoots in 3/4" all day long. When I'm done with those I'll start handloading for it, probably 50 gr Ballistic Tips or Vmax's. I have gotten excellent accuracy from both out of my 223 AI.
Had a guy and his son making fun me and my Jap gun at the range a couple years back, me with my Howa and them with there 22-250 Remingtons. It really shut them up when I challenged them to a contest of 10 chickens each at 300 yds, I knocked down all ten in ten shots they got 7 and 8

I have a Weatherby Vanguard in 223; same rifle as the HOWA. That rifle is very accurate after finding a good load for it. 3 shots at 100 yards measure 3/8", using a 20x scope I use for load development work.
From what I have gathered, from guys owing HOWA's and Vanguards, they are the best kept secret for accuracy. Never read one bad word about either the HOWA, or the Vanguard.
Based on the excellent accuracy my rifle shoots, I bought another Vanguard in 25-06; it shoots great groups just like the other one.

Just because the advertised twist is 1-12 does not mean that is what it is. Many guns are not exactly the same twist as advertised. The gun will love 60 grain V-Max and 60 grain HP bullets.

My Smith & Wesson 1500 (bought in '81 from J&G Rifle Ranch, clearly made by Howa) has been a keeper. It has consistently shot 5/8" groups with Sierra 55 gr. Blitz/25 gr. H335.

The trigger was easily adjusted to 2 lb. pull. The closest I can come to a complaint is that the point of aim tends to wander from season to season. It definitely needs to be pillar bedded and the barrel free floated.

It's been a great rifle. NO regrets.

Update on the Howa 1500, it is a shooter. It is shooting the 50 gr bullets using N133 sub .5 MOA with the smallest group going .288". Those are 5 shot groups at 100 yds. I played with the 60 gr. VMax and Win. 748 testing loads. At 25.3 gr. it shot three consecutive 5 shot groups with the largest being .409" and smallest at .324". I can live with that! I am done with load development. Sure didn't take long.

I am really surprised how this rifle shoots. And maybe this rifle is just a fluke. All I know is it does shoot very well. I would try one in 260 if they offered one. I am thinking a stainless one in a good composite stalk with a varmint taper 1 in 8 twist barrel. Although I know it is made in Japan, at least it doesn't say it on the barrel.

The trigger does need some work, but it is shooting so good right now, I am not messing with anything. I appreicate every ones replies.

PaPa 260

Popa,

You have that rifle dialed in perfectly!!!
Great shooting, for sure.

Don

Yes the rifle is dialed in for sure. When they get the crops out of the fields, I am going to do some coyote calling with it. See if I can blood the rifle. I will keep this rifle for a while.

I shoot from a very solid bench using a Caldwell "The Rock" rest that I have had for years. I use a Protector rabbitt ear rear bag. This rifle rides the rest and rear bag as well as any I have. A very solid, steady platform to shoot from.

PaPa 260

they made them in 6.5x55...you may be able to find one

I am not one for kicking turd when a gun is shooting right, but I have a 1500 in .243. I didn't like the heavy factory trigger and with a little adjustment I flat out love this trigger now. Try it. You will like the gun even more I think.