Howa Rifle Review

bought my son a Howa 1500 compact for Christmas. seemed to be a solid little rifle although I had no experience with that brand.

the more and more he uses and carries it, the more and more I like it. solid little gun, not a lot of frills but a hell of a lot more solid than a lot of "base" level rifles I've handled.


his is in 7mm-08 and using hornady custom light ammo its a game killing machine

Yes, I like my Howa 1500 in 270 Win. It's a good shooter.

I think what Howa does better than anyone is make "cool" looking rifles. Have you seen the Howa Blackhawk Axiom??? Probably the best looking hunting rig I've seen. They also have plenty of rifles in cool camo patterns like Multicam and Kryptek.

I haven't shot one though. I really don't see many of them at the big box stores.

That's good to hear. Bought one last Saturday in .223 It'll get put thru the paces this weekend.

Got one in 22-250. Good little gun

Howa and wby vanguard are pretty much the same gun. I really like my vanguard.

the two stage trigger threw me a little at first but its a crisp, clean trigger job.


I really can't find one thing I dislike about the gun. I can't say its something I would buy for myself but I'm very pleased with how solid a rifle it is.

I've got one in .308. Its the sporter barrel and hogue stock. My now wife bought it for me for Christmas 5 years ago. That was prior to their change to the two stage trigger. I just swapped in a Timney trigger today.

It's a dang good shooter for the cost. I'm hoping it tightens up a little more with the better trigger.

I have a Howa 7 mag with a Hogue stock. Shoots my Nosler 160gr Accubond loads in about a 0.600" group. I traded a stoeger O/U shotgun for it when it was brand new to mess around with. It now has supplanted many of my more expensive hunting guns, it is a bit heavy but so far everything it hits goes down within steps of where it was shot.

I have made a pact with myself not to hunt with it this season, some of my other rifles were getting jealous.

The Howa 1500 has been around for a long time. Back in about 1984 I bought a Smith & Wesson model 1500 in 7mm Rem Mag that was built on a Howa 1500 action.

As previously mentioned, Howa produces the Weatherby Vanguard actions. It seems that now they're producing and marketing more and more under their own brand rather than contracting for others.

Always good to see positive reviews on a another option for hunters/ shooters.

I would really like to get my hands on a How's chambered in 6.5 Grendel.

ME too!

I'm probably in the minority because I do not feel they are the same gun. They share the same action but have different barrels, stocks and triggers.

Howa makes rifles to order for outfits like Weatherby, to the customers specification. They've been doing this for a long time.

If you take a close look at the pricey Nosler rifle line for example, you will get a good clue as to where the actions are manufactured.

My favorite Howa-made rifle by far is the Webley & Scott "Empire" rifle, marketed through Legacy Sports. The metal finish is nice, the Walnut stock is excellent, and I like the flush-fitting detachable steel magazine. The price is good too, for what you get. - Slightly less than a Deluxe Vanguard.



I'd take a pass on the scope and mount that they offer in the package deal though, and just order the rifle. Remington mounts work on this action.

Have you looked at the Black Friday deals from Brownells? They've got Howa barreled actions on sale. I think I saw a 6.5 Grendel listed the other day.

Saw that too, but I think the stock options for the how mini action its chambered in are pretty limited.

Sad but true. I offered to send a new barreled action to Boyds last week, and have not heard back from them.

Cabelas has the how mini action in 223 in stock for $399... if they had one in 6.5 Grendel I think I would be cashing in some points!

I like the Webley & Scott too. Remington 700 two piece bases work on Howa. They use a different one piece base because the spacing between the front set of screws and back set is different.

I have a wby vanguard with a leupold one piece base for a Rem 700 on it. May be different for different models, but I was told bases for a rem 700 work.

One of the first rifles I ever owned was a Smith & Wesson .270 which I bought in 1980 and was made by HOWA. I still have the rifle, and it is a tack driver! I also owned a HOWA 7mm 08 with the NIKKO-STERLING scope that is the standard Legacy set up and which also was an accurate rifle, but it was stolen about 6 months ago. I now have a Weatherby Vanguard .308, and it too is a very accurate rifle.

So I would say that HOWA definitely makes a very accurate rifle!

Two piece bases are the same, one piece bases are different. The distance between the front mount holes and rear mount holes is slightly longer on a Howa/Vanguard than a Remington 700. It is definitely not a good fit. Is your Leupold base one of the older ones that uses three screws instead of four?

It is more expensive than the Boyds will be when they finally get it out but there is an LSS chassis made for the Mini Howa barreled action, uses an AR buttstock so you can pick the one or ones you like. Brownells has the LSS stocks

Is the Compact and Mini Action the same? Is the stock shorter on the mini action? Would it be a good youth gun?

Brownells lists the Mini, heavy barrel in 6.5 Grendel for $439.

I have told Legacy Sports they need to make a youth gun with a shorter length of pull for the mini action and they said it might be coming in the future but right now I think they are just working on keeping up with production to meet demand of their current models.

The Mini action is shorter than the short action and is designed around 223 length cartridges. Boyds has said in emails that someone started with them they will be making stocks for the mini action, not sure when they will be available.

With the light weight of the Howa and a youth sized stock I think it would make for a fantastic youth rifle. If CZ would just make their little 527 carbine in the Grendel it would make for a great little youth gun, know some that use it in the 7.62X39 that it comes in for youth rifles.

With the Grendel you get a legit 400 yard hunting rifle with noticeably less recoil than a 243 with less muzzle blast.

They do and a nice stock option for 399. Light weight aluminum chassis that can use an adjustable AR stock and grip Link

To be honest I couldn't tell you. I bought the gun new in 2008. Took it to cabelas and bought a scope and had it mounted and bore sighted. I was looking for bases and rings and couldn't find anything for a wby vanguard and the guy behind the counter said oh its the same as a Remington, grabed a leupold 1 piece base for a rem 700 long action and that's whats on it. Appears to fit great, never had any trouble out of it.

The price sure is right!

I don't know what to say.