HELP ME MAKE MY MIND UP.

the scudd

Well-Known Member
after alot of looking around i have decided to go for either anew howa 1500 .270 or a second hand styer prohunter mark2 both are synthetic.
just not sure if i should go for the new gun or would the styer be a better buy,anyone got any wise words for me.cheers the scudd
 
Hi Scudd
I vote for the Steyr because I have a pro hunter mountain synthetic in .223 - no experience of Howa's so I am biased.
I also have a sako 75 syn SS in .243, nice gun but I like the steyr better. The SBS system is great - safe bolt system. The magazine has twin release lugs so there is no chance of it dropping out by mistake. The magazine can also be dropped about 5mm without removing, you can then extract a bullet with the bolt and close w/o chambering another round - I always check on this just in case! It came with a set trigger as standard, screw cut for a mod and a twist rate of 1:9. The sako does have a much nicer stock.
Do you buy a brand new fiesta or a second hand merc?
 
Hi Scudd
I vote for the Steyr because I have a pro hunter mountain synthetic in .223 - no experience of Howa's so I am biased.
I also have a sako 75 syn SS in .243, nice gun but I like the steyr better. The SBS system is great - safe bolt system. The magazine has twin release lugs so there is no chance of it dropping out by mistake. The magazine can also be dropped about 5mm without removing, you can then extract a bullet with the bolt and close w/o chambering another round - I always check on this just in case! It came with a set trigger as standard, screw cut for a mod and a twist rate of 1:9. The sako does have a much nicer stock.
Do you buy a brand new fiesta or a second hand merc?
 
Hello Scudd,

Go for the Steyr.

Super smooth action, set trigger and an excellent safety with the Safe Bolt System. Comes threaded and I would have it just because of the detachable mag. Then again I am biased as I have two already a 243 and 30-06.
 
i had a pro hunter mk2 .sold it and bought a tikka with a set trigger 5 shot mag if you use a bipod the styer might not be the gun for you.
 
Worth finding out why the Steyr is being sold - some of the Mk2s are still having problems with the fore end contacting the barrels, especially when using a bipod & mod, and need rebedding. I've heard nothing but good about Howas, but as far as I know no models come with a detachable magazine if this is important to you.
 
i had a pro hunter MK2 fpr about 18 month spent a fortune on glass bedding the action filled all the fore end with resin tried everything you could imagine to sort out the problem of shifting zero a bipod and T8 on the end was a disaster could not hit a mountain let alone a deer . With out both of these you could shoot one hole groups at 100 yds . T8 on its own no bypod not bad groups , the other problem i had was take mod of to clean put back on next morning zero had moved . So i got rid purchased a 20 year old sako that had only fired 40 shots spot on no problems now matches the other 4 i have , 3 of witch are nearly 30 year old and two have been rebareled one with a sako barrel the other a border barrel all will shoot one hole groups with home loads so that will do me . Perhaps i just had a bad one i dont know other people seem happy with theirs . I do know people with HOWAS they say they are very good for the money good luck in your choice of rifle MUDDY
 
I think most rifles are good to shoot an inch group.
The weak link is the stock, which is either of such bad quality that it alters the shot because it flexes and changes pressure on the barrel if on or off a bipod. Or the stock is fitted so badly that similar things happen.
I prefer a cheap rifle with a well fitted and well fitting aftermarket stock to any snazy euro rifle for which I can't even get a decent aftermarket stock.

edi
 
I wouldn't compare a Howa to a Fiesta!
If you had a good look at one you would see that the build quality is amazing for the money. Some of the lesser known rifle smiths have been known to take the action out of a Remmy 700 when blue printing, chuck it away, then stick a new Howa one in!
Apart from that, a new Fiesta is more likely to get you to work on time than a 'clapped out' Merc! ;)
You have to ask yourself - if a rifle is that good, why is it up for sale? :confused:
 
bobt said:
Wasnt it Howa who sold a load of sniper rifles to the other side in Iraq?

No, it was allegedly a batch of Steyr HS-50 rifle that were exported from Austria to Iran, and then allegedly found their way over the border to Iraq.

However US and British troops have yet to recover an example of such a weapon, putting paid to the sh*t-storm whipped up by the British press.
 
As far as I know, howa is very sensitive about their rifles being used for anything military. Even if a gunsmith adds a custom sniper stock, howa prefers that their name is removed.
edi
 
howa are they not weatherby rifles .. back to the styer mine was 25-06 a five shot group was a normal 30 mm, but i got too many flyers lost all interest in the rifle .
also had a 243 model l with a double set trigger lovely gun same problem .also had a 270 professional mk 1 the one with the green stock same problem great groups ,but i would get a flyer for no reason .
bought a sako 75 and a tikka no more problems .
pound for pound tikka punches above its weight.
there 900 euro at my local dealer now, while stocks last as there going up 20 percent
 
The story about Steyr rifles finding their way to Iran and across to Iraq is false. It has been bouncing around the net for some time and various papers, etc have been forced to apologise to Steyr.

Interestingly, Brazil had placed a large order for SSG69's P2's with matching scopes for their police SWAT teams. They heard about the story and dropped the order. Steyr were not pleased :mad:

I've owned a pro-hunter 2. An excellent rifle that is spoiled by a nasty stock. I tried everything to re-inforce and strengthen the forend of the stock without success which meant that i couldn't use a bipod. The point of aim would shift significantly when rested on a bipod.

The last straw was when attending a 600yd shoot at Bisley i deliberately left the gun out in the sun. I measured the clearance down each side of the barrel before and after an hour in the sun. The stock had shifted noticably . Also consider the fact that it's quite hard to source an aftermarket stock and i'd opt for the Howa.

I also found the Steyr ammo fussy. I'm not putting Steyr down; i've owned a scout, pro hunter and wouldn't part with my SSG69 but the Pro Hunter has flaws which i and my cheque book couldn't solve meaning that i didn't have complete confidence in it.

Howa have actually been around for some time. The Japanese company has made rifles for quite a few companies including Weatherby (hence the confusion about them being the same). The are very similar but essentially the Howa is a Remington 700 clone (some argue with a better trigger than Remington). You won't have any probs getting aftermarket parts for the Howa.
 
scotgun ..the pro mk1 was a lovely rifle at the time ,old style safety, hate sbs , for the us market ..
if styer went back to the old saftey put a bit more meat into the barrel and got mc millian to make the stock .i would buy one again .
 
The comparison of a Howa to a Fiesta is not a fair one, the Howa should be compared with a Lexus or Toyota HiLux, made in Japan and totally reliably but may be not flash. The receiver is almost a straight copy of an early Sako the bolt is a copy of a Remm’y 700 with a decent extractor fitted.

My mate has a Steyr pro-hunter classic, as mentioned earlier talk about ammo fussy the best it would group with factory ammo was 1-1/4” groups. With careful hand loading we eventually got a load that would hold a 1”.

My Howa Heavy barrelled varmint was printing ¼” groups with cheap federal factory.

Both will kill deer equally as well and if you want a Steyr then buy one but do not delude yourself that you are buying a more accurate/better rifle because their will be a good chance that you will not.

Oh Howa’s can come with a detachable mag’ fitted ;) just like mine below. Both these Howa’s are being used in inhospitable country were above all you need a reliable accurate rifle.

P1010042.jpg


Best rgds

Tahr
 
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