A buddy with an FFL just showed me his cost on the 1500 barreled actions, and it got me back to thinking about getting my children their own hunting rifles. I figure they can learn how to whittle a piece of wood into a stock, and have a nice .308 in the process.

Thing is, I know nothing about the Howa actions, and wanted to know what their strengths and weaknesses are.

Paul,

The Howa is the Wby Vanguard with different markings. They are both made by Howa. I have put a couple of these together just this lat year for customers and they have all performed very well for big game rifles.

I put one up in a Lamtech laminated stock with a stainless barreled action in 7mm Rem Mag for my dad and he loves it. He is getting 3/4 moa groups and used it to harvest two mule deer last year, a nice 4x4 and a big doe using the 140 gr Ballsitic Tilvertip.

I personally have a heavy barreled 223 Rem that I stocked in a BR style laminated stock and it is a real shooter, averaging under 1/2 moa with the 40 gr Ballsitic Silvertip. Problem is though that it hates any bullet heavier then 40 gr.

I also owned a sporter 22-250 which was the same way, shot the 40 gr B. Tips into near 1/2" groups but hated anything heavier. I traded that one off for a Ruger M77 Stainless/Lam sporter in the same caliber.

The larger calibers have not seemed to have the bullet weight preferance like the 22 calibers do. I have purchased the barreled actions in 223, 270, 7mm Rem Mag and 300 Rem Mag and all my customer have been very happy.

The only problem I have ever found with them is that if you ever want to take the barrel off, good luck, I tried to take two 223 barrels off Howas and I have the gunsmithing vises to do it and I simple could not get them off without doign major damage to the barrels which were to be rechamebred and reused so the owners decided to do something else.

As far as finish goes theyare great. The blued rifles are nicely finished with a deep black/blue luster, the stainless are finished in a fine matte finish almost identical to Remingtons soft matte finish.

If your looking for a lower priced hunting rifle, they are pretty hard to beat.

As a gunsmith I do not like workign on them simply because the barrels are so damn tight but unless your rechamebring the factory barrel this is not a problem.

Good Shooting!!!

50

It's a push feed action, very accurate, at least the one I have is. Sako type extractor. Howa made Weatherby Mark V rifles for many years, and still produces the Weatherby Vanguard rifle. Smith & Wesson rifles were built on the Howa 1500 action to.

I think for the price, and if you understand what you are buying, that they are a very good deal. My 223 Heavy Barrel rifle is very accurate and came from the factory with a 3 lb trigger.

But, if I was going to do the same thing I'd get the Charles Daly action. You can order their action and barrel for about the same price, but its a FN 98 style action, if that makes a difference to you. You would probably have a better choice of inletted stock options for the 98 style action.

I bought a heavy barrel 223 and put it in a boyd varminter
stock. It shot like a champ. now I have a vangard in a
Boyd JRS laminated stock it is a 338 win. BTW the extractor is not Sako but the superior M16 type. The worst part is
the trigger, you can adjust it down to acceptable pull
but then the saftey will not engage. I am waiting for
the timney to come available. I think they are one of the
best buys for the buck of the factory stuff. I would say
buy one and get a Boyd stock, somthing easy for the kids
to finish. The are about 98 percent finished, a little
sanding and some finish and you have a good starter gun.
Lyle

I've rebarreled three of them. Easy to remove barrels once I removed blank scope screws

Good trigger and the M-16 style extracter. Accurately machined though I lapped lugs. Sqared bolt and receiver face. Very little needed.

Integral recoil lug with good bedding surfaces. A very good buy. Wish there was all-steel bottom metal available.

Paul,
you can get complete guns in houston, how, anycaliber you want, 299 or add 20 bucks for "magnumbs" [sic]

sweet actions.. push feed, weartherby's best action since the mausers,

i'd have one in 223, and rebarrel to 7.62x39

jeffe

I thought Howa were jap made . If you like that buy it.

I just dont like hikeing / hunting and looking down at what i am carrying to see "made in japan" ...Barf....
........UGHHHH........

I've had one in 243 now for 3 years. I've put about 2500 rounds through it and am quite impressed with it.I glass bedded the action and free floated the barrel to cure a stringing problem(any brand could get that problem) and feed it good healty reloads.The chamber seems quite good on it although the neck is large(always seem to have smoky necks no matter how hot the load is).
At the range, it will put the first 3 into .6" and the other 2 (out of 5) open the groups out to around the inch.

Yuman,

Send me your Howa 1500 action and I will tune your trigger for $30+shipping. YOu just tune the trigger to where you want it and then fit the safety after that.

Not a big deal, just a little more time involved compared to other triggers.

I agree though, if you are not going to readjust the safety, DO NOT ADJUST THE TRIGGER!

Good Shooting!!!

Kirby Allen(50)

50
Wally has a very good point. For some reason Howa drills there base holes thru the receiver and the screws if long enough will jam in the barrel thread. I have rebarreled around 20-25 of the Vanguards, S&W 1500 etc. I have never found one with a particularily tight barrel. That is after I made sure the scope base holes were clear. Cutting the
26x1.5mm thread takes a little longer because I don't have a metric thread dial on either lathe and have to keep the split nut closed and reverse the machine after each pass.
Otherwise I think it is a well made action. Jerry

Jeffe,
Where in Houston??
Thanks

K14,
Carter's Country. Big retail store here (4 stores).
-Bob F.