I am going to buy a 308 Win, and want a 22" barrel. Only Howa or Savage has such a combo.
Win and Rem are all short 20" barrels

What would YOU choose?

Terry,
This is not a knock on the Howa but if it were me I would opt for the Savage. I am the rangemaster at a shooting facility and I see them all on a regular basis. The Savages are today what Remington used to be and that is the most accurate out of the box factory rifles. This doesn't mean I no longer prefer Remington because I do but I gots to callum like I seesum. Jim

Terry, have you considered the Tikka, or the SHR 970? I believe they both have the longer barrels? The Savages are super accurate, but the Tikka is a bit more aestetically pleasing. FWIW, Dutch.

Terry,

Remington offers the 700 ADL Synthetic in .308 with a 22" barrel (#7516).

Otherwise, I'd get the Savage. Add a SharpShootersSupply trigger, and you're ready to go. My wife and I have the SSS triggers in our varminters.

I buy American where I can. The Japanese continue to support global gun control, even while they sell firearms to the rest of the world (Howa, Miroku, SKB, etc.).

George

Terry, have you considered the Winchester classic featherweights? They come in a 22" barrel. I have one and really like it, nice shooter.

I'll choose which ever brand I like, if the barrel is too long I chop them down to whatever length I need.

Terry, hop over to the HA forums and look at my recent ramblings under the 'smithing forum.

Basically... "Savage."

Screw the Sharp Shooter trigger. If you don't want to adjust the "issue" trigger yourself, get the one from Rifle Basix.

Russ

For me it would be Savage. I also don't care to buy Japanese Rifle (though I have 2 of their cars).

I am left handed so it really makes the decision easy for me.

I just ordered the HOWA, with composite stock.

LIke I said, I bought the HOWA.

Checked headspace, and it is ZERO. It is so tight infact, that it will only take factory ammo into it.

I have a RCBS Small Base die, for resizing cases for a semi-auto, and I had the shell holder bottoming out on the die, and they would close with pressure in the gun.

So I surface ground a couple thousandths off the shell holder, so I could push the shell into the die a bit further, and now they will just close like factory ammo.
Maybe after shooting a bit, things will loosen up, but I sure like it this way.

Scope is ordered, ( from Bear Basin) Leupold VX II 2-7 Matte.

So in the next week or so, I'll get to the range and test it out.

I'll keep you informed.

Hmmm... Let me see..... SAVAGE!

Terry, I'm not in love with either one of these rifles, but I'd buy a Savage ever time over the Jap-built Howa. To me, bargain-basement rifles are false economy, and the hyjinks you're going through with the overly-tight chamber on the Howa rifle you purchased, for example, is proof enough of that assessment.

AD

[ 06-14-2002, 01:21: Message edited by: allen day ]

We will talk more when we see how it shoots. Personally, I LIKE that tight chamber.

I have a Howa 308, and think it is a great value. The one thing that I criticize is that the trigger guard is painted, and the paint will chip with time. But mine shoots very well, and didn't cost a ton.

A lot of folks like Savage. It appears that I will have to buy one just so I can compare, and give you a fair opinion! :-)