Howa Rifles...my new .223?

[nick703 447]

I’ve got a Howa 223 ,very accurate rifle with 53g hornady supperformance 

[Born Hunter 17,775]

Looks like a precision piece of kit. Sort of thing I might consider if I was a hill keeper or routinely taking >300yrd shots. But I'm not so wood/poly sporter/TH for me tar.

Looks like a tarted up Howa and a Howa ain't a bad base to use for that, imo.

[Longstrider 3]

My shooting mate and I are both using Howa rifles for our foxing. Mine is in .204 Ruger and his is in .223 Rem. Both of us consider ourselves to be pretty competent shots, but we know that the rifles can out-perform us any day. Niether rifle has ever given a moments trouble, and accuracy is beyond what we can deliver as the 'soft fleshy bits' of the equation.

[M0SAD 89]

7 hours ago, nick703 said:

I’ve got a Howa 223 ,very accurate rifle with 53g hornady supperformance 

Will look into getting some of those and giving them a go... thanks.

[M0SAD 89]

6 hours ago, Longstrider said:

My shooting mate and I are both using Howa rifles for our foxing. Mine is in .204 Ruger and his is in .223 Rem. Both of us consider ourselves to be pretty competent shots, but we know that the rifles can out-perform us any day. Niether rifle has ever given a moments trouble, and accuracy is beyond what we can deliver as the 'soft fleshy bits' of the equation.

That's reassuring to hear, not heard anything bad about them from anyone...looking forward to getting it very much, thanks mate

[ianm 2,594]

7 hours ago, nick703 said:

I’ve got a Howa 223 ,very accurate rifle with 53g hornady supperformance 

Funnily enough when i had a 223 (Tikka T3)  these where terrible in it, they used to keyhole. I stopped using them and went on to 40grn federal premium which where much better.

[M0SAD 89]

I looked at the Tikka T3, may go for that in .243 cal in a month or so. Heard nothing but good things about them. So, the 40grn fed prems grouped well did they ianm?

[ianm 2,594]

6 minutes ago, M0SAD said:

That's reassuring to hear, not heard anything bad about them from anyone...looking forward to getting it very much, thanks mate

If you are intent on buying a Howa, when you go to pick it up get them to bore scope it and show you the inside of the barrel before you pay or put it on your ticket. Especially if it is a blued barrel but stainless ones aren't exempt from the red/brown stuff either. I know the bloke who ceracotes all the Howas and some are a right state to begin with.

[M0SAD 89]

1 minute ago, ianm said:

If you are intent on buying a Howa, when you go to pick it up get them to bore scope it and show you the inside of the barrel before you pay or put it on your ticket. Especially if it is a blued barrel but stainless ones aren't exempt from the red/brown stuff either. I know the bloke who ceracotes all the Howas and some are a right state to begin with.

Thanks for the advice mate, I will do exactly that yes...thanks again.

[ianm 2,594]

3 minutes ago, M0SAD said:

I looked at the Tikka T3, may go for that in .243 cal in a month or so. Heard nothing but good things about them. So, the 40grn fed prems grouped well did they ianm?

Yes the 40grn federals grouped nicely but where expensive at £29 a box and that was seven years ago. My Tikka .243 grouped really well with 58grn Norma untill i went on homeloaded 55grn vmax.

[nick703 447]

19 hours ago, ianm said:

If you are intent on buying a Howa, when you go to pick it up get them to bore scope it and show you the inside of the barrel before you pay or put it on your ticket. Especially if it is a blued barrel but stainless ones aren't exempt from the red/brown stuff either. I know the bloke who ceracotes all the Howas and some are a right state to begin with.

Would this be the reason mine didn’t group very well to start with? But plenty of cleaning an shooting was all it needed 

[Sausagedog 7,381]

Any new barrel should be cleaned from out the box. All sorts of packing grease could be down there!

[ianm 2,594]

5 hours ago, nick703 said:

Would this be the reason mine didn’t group very well to start with? But plenty of cleaning an shooting was all it needed 

Could well be, Howas have to go to the proof house in this country who don't clean them after being shot. They are then boxed back up and put on the shelf at the importers for who knows how long. Before being sold to gunshops/retailers who have them on shelves for who knows how long. First job should be a thorough clean but as i stated earlier i wouldn't buy one without seeing the bore, infact i wouldn't buy one at all.  

[nick703 447]

37 minutes ago, ianm said:

Could well be, Howas have to go to the proof house in this country who don't clean them after being shot. They are then boxed back up and put on the shelf at the importers for who knows how long. Before being sold to gunshops/retailers who have them on shelves for who knows how long. First job should be a thorough clean but as i stated earlier i wouldn't buy one without seeing the bore, infact i wouldn't buy one at all.  

I’m happy with how it performs now but I bet I put 100 rounds through it  an loads of cleaning before it grouped properly , I’ve got a 243 to purchase so might look at a tikka , there not much more money than a stainless howa 

[andyf 144]

Hi:

The Howa rifles are like  'Land Rover vs Isuzu'; Land Rover cars are actually fairly 'crap' but adored by many and Isuzu maybe seen as 'Jap' crap but are actually so very good but

still classified as an 'eastern rim' 'bean tin', but would outlast and out perform a Land Rover all day forever.

The fact is and 'we' have to acknowledge this is that Japanese engineering is really MUCH better than ours (even the 'kin Germans have to concede), So Howa rifles

are very excellent (I have tried a few but don't own one).

Anyway after 50+ years of Browning, Ruger, Sako and BRNO, my next fullbore will be a a Howa. (For what that's worth).

AndyF

Anyone for Pigeon Decoying on Corn Stubbles, Oh no I forgot BASC let that one get past them, but Grouse moors are OK for the moment????