texashuntingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
TraeMartin, Beatixre, MooseSteed, Trappernewt, casyoo
71987 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
dogcatcher 110,788
bill oxner 91,416
SnakeWrangler 65,416
stxranchman 60,296
Gravytrain 46,950
RKHarm24 44,585
rifleman 44,461
Stub 43,769
Forum Statistics
Forums46
Topics537,009
Posts9,719,403
Members86,987
Most Online25,604
Feb 12th, 2024
Print Thread
Howa/Weatherby DM conversion #6155559 01/26/16 05:18 PM
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,499
C
charlesb Offline OP
Pro Tracker
OP Offline
Pro Tracker
C
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,499
Many of us have heard of the detachable magazine conversion kit sold by Legacy sports and Weatherby. This replaces the original bottom metal with a polymer bottom that accepts proprietary magazines sold by Legacy Sports.

For less than 100 bucks you can do this drop-in conversion, and it includes either a 5 round or a 10 round magazine. Extra magazines are around 40 bucks.

Legacy Sports conversion

Many have commented that the plastic replacement for the trigger-guard and bottom metal is less than delightful, and wish it were made of metal instead. There are also comments stating that standard AR magazines would be much preferable to the proprietary ones offered by Legacy Sports.

Pacific Tool and Gauge makes a DM conversion kit for the SA Howa that features a trigger guard/bottom metal made of CNC milled aluminum, finished in black. 308 magazines are metal, the 223 magazine offered is polymer. These cost about 50 bucks more than the Legacy Sports conversion. They share the drawback of requiring proprietary magazines though.

PTG conversion

I was on the phone with PTG today, and was informed that a new DM conversion for the Howa action is in the works that will accept standard AR magazines, but that there is no firm date on when it will be on the market.

In the mean-time, the PTG conversion with real metal on the bottom metal seems like the best current alternative. They want 158.00 bucks for the model with the 10-round .223 polymer magazine.

I have decided to skip the plastic Legacy Sports conversion and go with the metal PTG model instead - but now I'm thinking that it might be smartest to wait until the version that takes standard AR magazines comes out.

Dang it!

FYI: I was just looking at Howa short action conversions, because that is what I am looking for. Both outfits make conversion kits for long action too, and PTG offers conversions for Remington in addition to Howa/Weatherby actions.

Last edited by charlesb; 01/26/16 05:22 PM.

Kind regards, charlesb


Re: Howa/Weatherby DM conversion [Re: charlesb] #6155777 01/26/16 06:53 PM
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 447
S
Strongbad Offline
Bird Dog
Offline
Bird Dog
S
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 447
CDI Precision offers a DBM setup for the Howa's as well. Both short and long action are available.

Re: Howa/Weatherby DM conversion [Re: charlesb] #6156550 01/27/16 12:57 AM
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,499
C
charlesb Offline OP
Pro Tracker
OP Offline
Pro Tracker
C
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,499
I've looked at the CDI Precision version and I have noticed that it looks suspiciously like the one manufactured by PTG, and even uses the same proprietary magazines.

- But it costs 40 bucks more.

Just saying...


Kind regards, charlesb


Re: Howa/Weatherby DM conversion [Re: charlesb] #6156701 01/27/16 01:42 AM
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,176
K
Korean Redneck Offline
Extreme Tracker
Offline
Extreme Tracker
K
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,176
Originally Posted By: charlesb
I've looked at the CDI Precision version and I have noticed that it looks suspiciously like the one manufactured by PTG, and even uses the same proprietary magazines.

- But it costs 40 bucks more.

Just saying...


I'll defend them a bit because I have one on my savage. They will inlet and cut screws to length for free if u send them your rifle. Which could save u over a hundred.


I'm a dude who likes long barrels!
Re: Howa/Weatherby DM conversion [Re: charlesb] #6156801 01/27/16 02:16 AM
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,499
C
charlesb Offline OP
Pro Tracker
OP Offline
Pro Tracker
C
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,499
Good service is important. I dunno if it would be worth an extra 40 bucks to me though as I am a gunsmith, and so is my son.

PTG will ship the conversion kit to you - but after that you are strictly on your own. For me that's the better deal, as I can buy a nice sized jug of Jack Black with the extra forty bucks.

Last edited by charlesb; 01/27/16 02:19 AM.

Kind regards, charlesb


Re: Howa/Weatherby DM conversion [Re: charlesb] #6157075 01/27/16 04:36 AM
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 985
westexhunt Online Content
Tracker
Online Content
Tracker
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 985
CDI charged me $60 to inlet a stock for the bottom metal I bought from them. It's nice but it wasn't free.

Re: Howa/Weatherby DM conversion [Re: charlesb] #6157446 01/27/16 03:11 PM
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,176
K
Korean Redneck Offline
Extreme Tracker
Offline
Extreme Tracker
K
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,176
Originally Posted By: charlesb
Good service is important. I dunno if it would be worth an extra 40 bucks to me though as I am a gunsmith, and so is my son.

PTG will ship the conversion kit to you - but after that you are strictly on your own. For me that's the better deal, as I can buy a nice sized jug of Jack Black with the extra forty bucks.


Good for u, and I don't mean that sarcastically either. I wish I had that sort of capabilities. Unfortunately I lack in two minor things; access to properly tooling and skills.

I can't speak for CDI but my experience with them was very pleasant. And they may have started the whole free inletting only recently. Mine was a complete blind mag originally and every other smith quoted me in excess of $140 if they'd do it at all. So for me even $40-60 would have been a savings.

Regardless, if you had either a fully aluminum bedded stock or a pillar bedded stock, do u think having this plastic replacement will theoretically compromise accuracy of the screws can be tightened to the bedded spec?


I'm a dude who likes long barrels!
Re: Howa/Weatherby DM conversion [Re: Korean Redneck] #6157569 01/27/16 04:32 PM
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,499
C
charlesb Offline OP
Pro Tracker
OP Offline
Pro Tracker
C
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,499
Originally Posted By: Korean Redneck
Originally Posted By: charlesb
Good service is important. I dunno if it would be worth an extra 40 bucks to me though as I am a gunsmith, and so is my son.

PTG will ship the conversion kit to you - but after that you are strictly on your own. For me that's the better deal, as I can buy a nice sized jug of Jack Black with the extra forty bucks.


Good for u, and I don't mean that sarcastically either. I wish I had that sort of capabilities. Unfortunately I lack in two minor things; access to properly tooling and skills.

I can't speak for CDI but my experience with them was very pleasant. And they may have started the whole free inletting only recently. Mine was a complete blind mag originally and every other smith quoted me in excess of $140 if they'd do it at all. So for me even $40-60 would have been a savings.

Regardless, if you had either a fully aluminum bedded stock or a pillar bedded stock, do u think having this plastic replacement will theoretically compromise accuracy of the screws can be tightened to the bedded spec?


I think Howa is recommending 50 inch-pounds maximum for the plastic bottom 'metal'. That sounds reasonable to me, as tightening it any further could squish the plastic and maybe damage it. If the action fits the stock well, that ought to be plenty of torque for holding it all together.

40-60 bucks for opening up a blind magazine stock and inletting it for the floorplate sounds good to me. They probably have special tooling that allows them to do the job quickly and accurately. Things like that go a long way in keeping the price down.

I have an aftermarket stock on my Howa. One of the accuracy issues with Howas in aftermarket stocks in that sometimes the stock inletting does not allow enough room for the magazine box, so the action winds up teetering on the magazine box rather than settling down into the bedding when you tighten up the action screws. Shooters who run across this and do not realize what's up have fits trying to get the gun to shoot like it should. - The fix for this is to grind or file a little off of the bottom of the magazine box if necessary...

A better fix is to install a detachable magazine conversion!


Kind regards, charlesb


Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 2004-2024 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3