Howa 1500 Opinions
- Thread starter JMikeyH
- Start date
xavierdoc
Well-Known Member
They represent good value for money. You aren't paying premium prices and you don't get a premium product.
I have one which I bought as a barrelled-action and bedded it into a Boyd's laminated stock which, at the time, was $99 from the states. It has been accurate and reliable. Cheap shooting.
Erik Hamburger
Well-Known Member
I use the standard Howa 1500 with sporting barrel, .243 W, stainless, and had it for some 10 years, its main use is deer and fox, and it does the job just fine, I see no need to replace it or upgrade. You'll come across some stories about the 'flexible' fore-end touching the barrel and allegedly affecting accuracy - that is not true in my experience, the rifle (with Hogue over-moulded stock) is perfectly accurate and the very small amount of flex doesn't impact. A good value for money working rifle.
sir-lamp-alot
Well-Known Member
a howa wouldnt be my personal choice of a mid/low priced rifle but a very good friend who is a full time keeper has had one for years he had trouble with the fore end so restocked it in a laminate stock and has litterally shoot hundreds and hundreds of foxes with it he treats it like a total dog i dont think its ever seen as much as a oily rag and he keeps saying hes going to scrap it and get a tikka but hes still got it and it still does what he wants
nun_hunter
Well-Known Member
Ihave one and would happily get a second if I needed. It's not as "nice" as a Tikka T3 but its half the cost but still shoots just as well. Only gripe i have is the stainless one i have has got a few rust marks and blemishes on it even though I've not used it in overly wet conditions and have dried it before putting it away.
Bosbuck
Well-Known Member
I have 6.5 creedmoor in 24" varmint barrel. The plastic stock is light and ok for hunting. I will be getting a wooden stock when funds allow for target work. shoots under 1 MOA with cheap s&b target ammo and .5 MOA with home loads.
dauntsey guns had a good offer on for a package.
dauntsey guns had a good offer on for a package.
The Howa 1500 came all round top, including for accuracy in the 2007 Swedish test where the Remington and Winchester blew up from a blocked barrel.
www.testfakta.se
In Swedish...but Google Translate is your friend.
They all work.
Best thing though is to handle it at an RFD, try it at someone like Ivythorne to see if it feels okay for you.
Alan
http://www.testfakta.se/sites/default/files/_BINARY_11457.pdf (2)
Här exploderar älgstudsaren under testet - Testfakta
Fastnar kulan i loppet vill du inte stå med det här vapnet i handen. Två av älgstudsarna klarade inte sprängtestet, när Testfakta lät Försvarets Materielverk prova åtta jaktvapen. I testet som helhet blev det billigaste geväret bäst.
In Swedish...but Google Translate is your friend.
They all work.
Best thing though is to handle it at an RFD, try it at someone like Ivythorne to see if it feels okay for you.
Alan
http://www.testfakta.se/sites/default/files/_BINARY_11457.pdf (2)
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James0586
Well-Known Member
I have one in .22-250 GRS stock cerakoted varmint barrel all the extras you can think (bipod, extra mags, different trigger and Mod) with a Nikko sterling scope in the dream it build it deal they were running for £1100. Accounts for everything around the farm 
I just love it!
I just love it!
Neil/carprover
Well-Known Member
I have one in 243 with varmint barrel and over moulded stock, never had a problem with the flex in stock of bipod sticks and bags, if I had to find fault with it , for me the lop could be an inch longer but I have been told I've got monkey arms. Dose everything asked of it even gives inch groups with cheap ppu ammo
I have one in 223. Have had it for 7-8 years. It's my go to rifle and sees more time out than the 22 lr or 308. The original stock did flex a bit but it was still a sub MOA rifle with home loads.
I bought a Bell & Carlson for it earlier this year. It's still sub MOA but I feel more confident with it now, particularly at longer ranges (300m +).
It's not fancy and is a little less refined than a T3 but they are considerably cheaper, they work and can be very accurate.
Im happy with mine & will not be getting rid of it any time soon.
I bought a Bell & Carlson for it earlier this year. It's still sub MOA but I feel more confident with it now, particularly at longer ranges (300m +).
It's not fancy and is a little less refined than a T3 but they are considerably cheaper, they work and can be very accurate.
Im happy with mine & will not be getting rid of it any time soon.
I have had a .223 and now have a .243.
Both great rifles.
My .243 came from Brock and Norris and had a trigger mod and a modified bolt handle.
I have a Nikon scope and I can’t ask for anything better for the price.
It’s very accurate and a nice rifle. I have changed the stock just because I wanted to. Not because of any problems.
Regards Dan
Both great rifles.
My .243 came from Brock and Norris and had a trigger mod and a modified bolt handle.
I have a Nikon scope and I can’t ask for anything better for the price.
It’s very accurate and a nice rifle. I have changed the stock just because I wanted to. Not because of any problems.
Regards Dan
markyw
Well-Known Member
I have a .308 in heavy barrel and it will outshoot me....and a lot of other people I know 
The cheapest Hogue stock is not much good, apart from being light. The stainless action marks reasonably easily. Other than that, it shoots great and does everything I want from a rifle at a price I was willing to pay. I would have another, in either 6.5x55 or .223 at some point.
Try one for yourself. If you like it, buy it. If not, don’t.
Regards
Mark
The cheapest Hogue stock is not much good, apart from being light. The stainless action marks reasonably easily. Other than that, it shoots great and does everything I want from a rifle at a price I was willing to pay. I would have another, in either 6.5x55 or .223 at some point.
Try one for yourself. If you like it, buy it. If not, don’t.
Regards
Mark
I use one in 223, varmint barrel in the standard stock. Great rifle, accurate and reliable. Trigger is ok from the factory but can be adjusted, shoots well with factory and great home loads, depending on my skill on the day single holes and I know people with them that do the same. I'd buy another, maybe in 6.5x55
I’ve got one for sale in the classifieds section at the moment in .243. It’s a replacement for the one I bought originally.
I’ve only ever shot ten rounds through it, to run it in, but it was grouping nicely with factory Remington 100 grain, thereafter it sat in the cupboard, I just don’t shoot .243 anymore.
The original rifle, now that’s a different story. Suffice to say I did my homework before I bought it and had great expectations, but got completely disillusioned in not being able to get it to group anything like. I went through it all. Eventually, after a couple of years of persevering, it was established that the rifling, just after the throat, had been miss formed from manufacture and the rifle was replaced. Had I, at the time, been a little more confident/knowledgeable, I might have got there a little sooner. Hey ho.
Would I buy another ? The honest answer is probably not, but only because I’m now prepared to spend more money on the rifles I’m using, (probably too much if I’m honest, but don’t tell the wife). However if my budget was limited, all of the reasons I bought the rifle in the first place still stand, it’s a good solid action with some good sensible features, perhaps a little on the heavy side, but the majority of them shoot very well.
Oh, the other thing, mine originally had the Hogue over moulded stock. Certainly with the varmint barrel it was easy to get the barrel to touch the stock, especially when putting a bit of load into a bipod, the forend was just too flexible.
I’ve only ever shot ten rounds through it, to run it in, but it was grouping nicely with factory Remington 100 grain, thereafter it sat in the cupboard, I just don’t shoot .243 anymore.
The original rifle, now that’s a different story. Suffice to say I did my homework before I bought it and had great expectations, but got completely disillusioned in not being able to get it to group anything like. I went through it all. Eventually, after a couple of years of persevering, it was established that the rifling, just after the throat, had been miss formed from manufacture and the rifle was replaced. Had I, at the time, been a little more confident/knowledgeable, I might have got there a little sooner. Hey ho.
Would I buy another ? The honest answer is probably not, but only because I’m now prepared to spend more money on the rifles I’m using, (probably too much if I’m honest, but don’t tell the wife). However if my budget was limited, all of the reasons I bought the rifle in the first place still stand, it’s a good solid action with some good sensible features, perhaps a little on the heavy side, but the majority of them shoot very well.
Oh, the other thing, mine originally had the Hogue over moulded stock. Certainly with the varmint barrel it was easy to get the barrel to touch the stock, especially when putting a bit of load into a bipod, the forend was just too flexible.
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I have a 1500 in .204 Ruger and my shooting buddy uses one in .223Rem. Neither have given a moments problem in all our foxing trips and we are both perfectly happy with them.
North Stalker
Well-Known Member
I’d buy something else, plenty of negative posts on here about them, a good reliable rifle would be a Tikka. No need to bed it, change the stick, change the trigger etc etc. Bang on out the box accuracy.
Better value for money in my humble opinion.
Better value for money in my humble opinion.
Same could be said for remington rifles, a tikka is over a grand where as the howa is say 600 quid or so, they still shoot as well, just not refined. Also, if your a bigger guy you may find the tikka feels like a toy
kennyc
Well-Known Member
lots of posts from people who have never owned one, or have had one and moved on to a more fashionable brand
I have never seen one that couldn't shoot (although I'm sure they exist as with all brands) as a tool they work out of the box and do hat it says on the boxSimilar threads
