info on howa rifles

[bcd]

I'm trying to find some info on Howa rifles before I buy one and the only thing that I can find links me to a Jap. machine shop, or a site discussing the Weatherby Vanmark which is built by Howa to Weatherby specs.

 

[2ndtimer]

You might want to check here http://www.legacysports.com/
I recently purchased one of their Lightning models in 6.5x55. It seems to be reasonably smooth and feeds reliably. The trigger is better than my Model 70 Super Shadow in .270WSM. However, its' accuracy has not been that impressive so far. Most groups run around 2 inches for 3 shots at 100 yards. I believe the synthetic stock is not providing good bedding for the action. I plan to glass bed the action after hunting season to see if it improves. I may also try a pressure point near the tip of the forend to see if that helps. The barrel is free floated as it came from the factory. I reserve final judgment until after we have tweaked it a bit...

 

[Paul Barnard]

I'm a forum junkie of sorts. While I have never shot a Howa, the forum reports on them are generally quite favorable in all respects. Howa makes a number of different guns. They made some of Mossberg's centerfire rifles and they made Smith and Wessons too. I owned one of the Mossbergs in 308. It was a fine rifle.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

I have owned 2 of them, and am currently waiting to pick up a Weatherby Vanguard (made by Howa) in .270 WSM. The first one was a S&W 1500 Deluxe and was the first rifle I owned to shoot under an inch with factory ammo. (.30-06 and Remington 150 gr Corelokts.) I also own a Howa synthetic in .270 Win, that has been a challenge to get to group under an inch. It seems to want to group two together with a flyer about 1 1/2 inches away. The original synthetic stock contacted the barrel on the left side, so I replaced the stock as the forend seemed flimsy.

I think they are as good as anything anyone else makes for the money, except possibly the new Tikka T3.

 

[AggieDog]

I just purchased the Stainless Weatherby Vanguard in 257 Wby mag. From most posts from people who have owned them, they are a nice shooting hunting rifle. The bolt is said to be one of the best, and in the weatherbys, probably all of them, they have 3 gas ports for a catastropic event, which is an important feature if you are a handloader.

The weatherby vanguards now seem to be fully supported by weatherby and they have quite a few aftermarket stocks you can purchase to upgrade it at a later date. See their website. Personally, I am excited they are finally releasing wby cartridges in the vanguard so some of us more common types can enjoy the weatherby rounds. I am a reloader, so I will load for mine.

I really think it is a very good value for the price. :lol:

 

[John Eldridge]

Howa and the vanguard are the same. howa has made the vanguard from the beginning. i have howa 1500 varmiter 22-250 and it shoots .5"groups at 100 yds. ive had it next to a vanguard and only difference was in the stocks. ihaven't worked ahand load up yet so i know i can tighten the group up . big john

 

[AK hunter]

Yes ,the Vanguard is a Howa. I just bought a stainless Vangard in .338. I had heard from others that have owned Vangards, Howas and/or S&W 1500's that these were great out of the box rifles. Well my .338 is driving me crazy. I cannot get it to group less than 2" with any loads. I have owned and loaded for seven .338's over the last 20 years. I am a huge fan, but this one appears to be a dud. Every other .338 I own or have owned has shot consistant 5 shot 100 yard groups under an inch with little effort. I have also tried 225 and 210 grain partitions as well as a couple other brands.
My gunsmith says he can get it to group well with some work. But I don't think it's worth spending a lot of money to get it to shoot.

This gun will probably find a new owner at the next gun show!!

 

[2ndtimer]

Yes ,the Vanguard is a Howa. I just bought a stainless Vangard in .338. I had heard from others that have owned Vangards, Howas and/or S&W 1500's that these were great out of the box rifles. Well my .338 is driving me crazy. I cannot get it to group less than 2" with any loads. I have owned and loaded for seven .338's over the last 20 years. I am a huge fan, but this one appears to be a dud. Every other .338 I own or have owned has shot consistant 5 shot 100 yard groups under an inch with little effort. I have also tried 225 and 210 grain partitions as well as a couple other brands.
My gunsmith says he can get it to group well with some work. But I don't think it's worth spending a lot of money to get it to shoot.

This gun will probably find a new owner at the next gun show!!

Just curious, is your Vanguard a plastic stock version? My 6.5x55 Howa Lightning came with the plastic Butler Creek stock and shot groups very similar to yours. I replaced the plastic stock with a Boyd's Laminated wood stock, floated the barrel and glass bedded the recoil lug and it shoots much better now. The next time I go to the range, I am going to try the old stock again with my best handloads and see how it groups. My bet is that the Howa/Vanguards with the plastic stocks tend to come with major bedding issues resulting in mediocre accuracy in most cases. (A lot of shooters won't even realize it unless they try it from a benchrest)

 

[Blaine]

I bought a Vanguard in 300 Win mag last year. It shoots consistent .75 MOA all day long with premium factory loads. I haven't started hand loading for it yet(too busy with other calibers), but I expect it will do even better. The action is one of the smoothest and easiest I've seen.

Blaine