Howa Rifle

[Yaseen]

Wanting to get myself a Howa 22-250 for Varmint.
Any advice with regards to the howa brand. Thank you

 

[stug]

In my experience Howa are good value for money. They are essentially a copy of the earlier Sako models. Their main negative is the poor factory stocks they come with, especially the Hogue stock. With a good stiff stock and bedding they shoot very well.

 

[Areaonereal]

Weatherby has a one inch or less guarantee...basically a Howa with a Weatherby name....very good triggers, just flimsy stocks....would not hesitate one minute to use one, I own a Vanguard in 300 Weatherby, it does shoot under one inch, but kicks like a Missouri mule

 

[jacques smith]

Used one in 308 in the Waterburg mountains last April. Not very impressed and bad safety setup
Best of luck

 

[Hunting Sailor]

I’ve used Howa 1500 in .30-06 and 300WM for a few animals. I thought both of them to be heavy (both had suppressors), probably great for Varmint, but maybe not necessary for light recoiling rifles.
They’ve shot better than I can do, so no issues with the accuracy. They are as you know inexpensive back home, but seems to be great value for the Rand if you want to change stocks or add suppressors etc to fit your needs.
Humansdorp Co-op typically have the lowest price for Howa that I see advertised and they sell a lot (7-800) rifles each year, which I presume is one of their reasons for the reasonable prices. Riaan is great to work with as well.
Good luck.

 

[leslie hetrick]

I have a howa 1500 varmite in .223 imported by S&W and its a very good rifle with a dark walnut checkered stock. and late last year Walmart closed out their weatherbe vanguards at 249.00 dollars and I bought two, a .270 win and a 3006 for Christmas gifts this year.

 

[crs]

I gave my grandson a Howa 1500 in 7mm-08 and it is very accurate in the Hogue youth stock. He has taken a lot of game with it using 140 grain bullets.
He has now outgrown the youth stock with a slip on extender pad, so we will soon move the barreled action to the adult stock and see how that works.

 

[JakeH]

I gave my grandson a Howa 1500 in 7mm-08 and it is very accurate in the Hogue youth stock. He has taken a lot of game with it using 140 grain bullets.
He has now outgrown the youth stock with a slip on extender pad, so we will soon move the barreled action to the adult stock and see how that works.

Randy Newberg has killed plenty of public land elk with a Howa 1500 chambered in 7mm-08.

I’ve never personally owned one but Weatherby has them branded as the Vanguard and they seem pretty popular and well thought of around these parts.

 

[slam8031]

Another vote for the 1500. My son has one in 25-06. The rifle has been to Africa twice and taken impala, blesbok, warthog, and hartebeest while taking multiple white tail deer. We shoot with a suppressor so my daughters are comfortable shooting it. The only issue we’ve experienced is it “loved” to rust—so it now has a cerakote finish! Very accurate rifle platform for my son and daughters!

 

[curtism1234]

It's a decent rifle for the money. I'd probably get a Savage before Howa though.

Personally I think the older Howa rifles are better. If I was to get a new one, I would replace the safety and trigger with aftermarket for $100 or so. It would get you a single stage trigger (which I like but is completely up to you) and a higher quality safety (which is the flimsiest part of the new rifles). Just something to consider.

 

[Shootist43]

Leslie I mean Santa, do you need my address? At $249.00 apiece you should be jailed for highway robbery. Now, if you were to give me one of those Howa(s), I'd be happy to speak up in your defense.

 

[leslie hetrick]

Walmart had about 20 of them, I got in on the last two. I went to pick up two or three of the small flash lights and walked thru the firearm section and saw the yellow tags on then and ask the clerk if that was the price and how many did they have and he said 249.00 was the price and he only had two left. its crazy how they lower the price on firearms several times a year.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

In my experience Howa are good value for money. They are essentially a copy of the earlier Sako models. Their main negative is the poor factory stocks they come with, especially the Hogue stock. With a good stiff stock and bedding they shoot very well.

@stug
My son loves the hogue stock on his Howa, the barrel is free floating and nothing has been done to the rifle. I loves a handload of cfe223 and 150grain accubonds in 308. Shoot a itty bitty groups.
Bob