Howa or Mossberg

[Gauge]

if I may ask between a howa 30 06 and a Remington 300 model 700? it's only for plains game hunting.

 

[Roan]

From what I have seen and heard the Howa is put together better than the Remington.

For the price I don't think you will find a more accurate rifle than the Howa.

30-06 has more than enough punch for any plains game here, use a premium quality bullet and go get'em.

Cheers,

 

[lcq]

Remington quality today with the 700 is hit and miss. I bought one and had to lap the lugs because only one was touching then pitched the stock and bedded it before it would shoot. The remington 783 on the other hand is a cheap but tough gun that always seems to shoot, barrels are a bit rough so you'll be cleaning it more often but they work. Howa is just a much better gun

 

[Shawn.54]

I have a Mossberg Patriot in .375 Ruger with synthetic stock and the first load I tried was sub moa with some groups of three that would fit underneath a dime I know that Mossberg is not taken very seriously in the rifle world but I either got lucky or they are on to something. And they have a wood stock option that looks good.
Just my .02 but I know many rifles that cost twice as much that can't group as tight.
Shawn

 

[Shawn.54]

Mossberg made some non-firing firearms designed to be used for demonstration in hunter education classes. I've used seven of these "guns" in teaching the course. In fairness, we didn't get a bolt action centerfire in the package (lever action centerfire, bolt action rimfire, pump, semi-auto & over/under shotguns were used). I don't know if the "demo" guns were made to a lower level of quality than the firing guns, but all of the seven that we used had real problem. Before I bought a Mossberg I would want to hold it first and be able to check it's functioning.

You have posted this twice in response to Mossberg quality how can you compare a non firing classroom aid that was probably supplied at little to no cost to firing rifles.
I have only been around two of these rifles my .375 and the other a 7mm-08 and they both function as they should and they also both print cloverleaf groups with out a lot of tweaking.
If given $1000 to spend I would get another Mossberg and spend the other $625 on reloading supplies.
Shawn

 

[Ray B]

Shawn.54 You are wrong on your guess that the guns were supplied "at little or no cost". Each set of five cost the state over $1800. Hardly little or no cost. In appearance they were just like a firing model except that each had no firing pin and had "non-firing" etched on the action. Each could have been made to fire by simply inserting a firing pin. However, since they were made as non-firing there may be differences in heat treating and strength. The metal finishing was rough at best. In order to get the Over/Under to open without breaking it over my knee required applications of pumice paste and over several weeks opening/closing the action over 1,000 counted times- and it is still not easily opened. Both the pump and semi-auto shotguns rarely make it through a class without jamming to the extent that they must be disassembled to clear. the lever action had similar problems resulting from both design and material shortcomings.

As noted, a centerfire bolt action is not included in the factory packages, and my comments are not directed at those models. The main issue that I have with Mossberg is that of apparent corporate mindset. they are supplying "guns" that will be the first encounter several of the students have with holding and operating a firearm. I think that if Mossberg cared about their product and their reputation they would take it into consideration the impression that is made on a young person. If Mossberg were my company I would make sure that those demonstrator guns were the best I could make because I would want the students to use them and be impressed enough with the guns that they'd ask their parent's for one like they used in the class.

Back when I could use my personal firearms for the class and live fire I used a 1962 mfg rem 700 .308. I've had chance meetings with several parents after those classes and was told that their son/daughter wanted a rifle "just like the one in the class". We've been using the Mossbergs for about five years now and I've yet to have a parent say anything complimentary about them.

Maybe if Mossberg supplied a centerfire bolt action model it would separate itself from the others. Maybe the actual firing models have more care put into their assembly, design and finish. What I am saying is that based on my experience with the seven that I have worked with, before I bought one, I would want to hold it and cycle a few rounds through it. There's more to a rifle than the ability to make cloverleafs. Sorry if that offends you.

 

[Shawn.54]

To offend me is not that easy I just took notice that it was a copy and paste reply from another thread. I will not try to defend the quality of the non firing set and will say that they should operate properly and without trouble. I'm willing to say that these guns are put together from the reject pile and not shown the time to fit parts together but I do not know.
I have been on this site for a short time and realize that I'm by no means a firearms genius and I am here to learn from those who have more wisdom. And I just try to give my opinion of what I have experienced.
Shawn

 

[Ray B]

It just seems strange marketing to me. If I want to sell something and I give samples of it to prospective customers, would I want to push off poor quality left-overs on them? Considering that the new hunter is a significant sector of the gun market they deserve better than Mossberg is providing as samples.

 

[Shawn.54]

Is this a new market to them that was entered without thought of future sales? They may need to rethink.
As for their Patriot model I figured it didn't look like a standard Mossberg rifle had decent reviews and came in a cartridge that had gained my interest at a price that was within reason for buying a cartridge/rifle that was really not needed to hunt where I hunt.
I went into this with low expectations hoping to get under 1.5" groups which is acceptable for most of my hunting. That being said I was surprised after fixing problems that were my fault that it does so well. Then a friend decided to get the 7mm-8 because of the how mine did. We used ammo for it that I had put together for a Savage Axis and it did better than the Savage. So we ether both got lucky or Mossberg is on to something. My 375 is the Marinecote finish which made the action a little gritty feeling at first a little oil and a little use smoothed it out in a short time this coating has a fine sandblasted texture to it. I was unsure of the trigger but it works well a little creep but acceptable. Feeding is great if you don't try to hold it down in front of you and work the bolt as fast as a auto loader I could get it to hang up occasionally that way but when working it from the shoulder it never missed a step no matter how hard I tried. Would it be my first choice on dangerous game maybe not if it was my only choice would it make me want to cancel the trip no way the two Mossberg Patriots I have worked with are functional rifles that will hold their own at the bench. If I sounded defensive I'm sorry I guess something that is working well for me may not work for others. But if you get a chance try one. You may find that you can get 2 for the price of one.
Shawn

 

[Ray B]

Shawn, thanks for the info. As noted, the packages purchased by the game dept didn't include the centerfire rifle, so we don't have an example for the students to use. But now I can relate to the students that I have heard from actual owners of Mossberg rifles and they are please with them. thanks again for your input, I'll be going to the various sporting goods stores to check them out personally, so that I can have a broader base of information for the discussion of guns with students.

 

[Rob404]

I had a Mossberg Patriot in 6.5 Creedmoor and sold it after owning it for less than 6 months, I didn't care for the action or the plastic magazine,
The rifle shot ok but it just felt cheap to me