Howa varmint 308 20" at 200 yds. W/ bulk ammo

[mancheechee]

So I have to say that I am quite satisfied with my simple Howa setup.
20 varmint barrel with hogue alum pillar stock, with Nikon monarch 5-20x.

I was shooting Georgia Arms 168gr 308 win ammo supplied by Zane here in the foru (aka md resident cheap***).

Started out with bore sighting.
Used a Harris 6-9 bench bipod.

100yd zeroed, grouped it tight.

And then at 200yds, using bipod and resting the stock with a sand bag, I got one on the target inside red bullseye 6oclock position, 2nd shot at 4oclock position about .5inches from 1st, third shot was only .25in from 2nd shot!

Not bad from bulk ammo and the not so well known Howa.

One thing I am bummed about is the tiny creep on that trigger. I have tried to tighten it up, but the safety doesn't work when I try to tighten up the sear. Maybe one of e members know how to properly tune a Howa trigger.

My weatherby 22-250 varmint has a nice crisp trigger...which is same trigger system as the Howa...I think.

 

[BradMacc82]

Someone had to do it.

 

[mancheechee]

I knew someone would post that...so, I did take a pic of the target and will up load when I get home that's on my camera...and a pic of the rifle as well.

 

[mbz300sdl]

Thank you for the shout out.

 

[boss66tcode]

I don't own one of these, but a friend of mine does ( in .270 ) and his too was very accurate out of box. A nice set up.

 

[Russ D]

If there were more of an aftermarket for these I would build a nice .243 for F class on one.

 

[JSW]

My weatherby 22-250 varmint has a nice crisp trigger...which is same trigger system as the Howa...I think.[/QUOTE]


the reason they may seem alike is because Howa makes the Weatherby vanguards from the pick of their lots.

 

[Speed3]

If there were more of an aftermarket for these I would build a nice .243 for F class on one.

You would have to shoot open class against all the 6br's, that makes it kinda tough.

Sweet rifle for sure!

 

[Russ D]

You would have to shoot open class against all the 6br's, that makes it kinda tough.

Sweet rifle for sure!

.243 is not at that much of a disadvantage there if any at all. You have to get a fast twist barrel and load them hot, but it performs. Some of the new high BC projectiles out now make it a super performer.

 

[zoostation]

So I have to say that I am quite satisfied with my simple Howa setup.
20 varmint barrel with hogue alum pillar stock, with Nikon monarch 5-20x.

I was shooting Georgia Arms 168gr 308 win ammo supplied by Zane here in the foru (aka md resident cheap***).

Started out with bore sighting.
Used a Harris 6-9 bench bipod.

100yd zeroed, grouped it tight.

And then at 200yds, using bipod and resting the stock with a sand bag, I got one on the target inside red bullseye 6oclock position, 2nd shot at 4oclock position about .5inches from 1st, third shot was only .25in from 2nd shot!

Not bad from bulk ammo and the not so well known Howa.

One thing I am bummed about is the tiny creep on that trigger. I have tried to tighten it up, but the safety doesn't work when I try to tighten up the sear. Maybe one of e members know how to properly tune a Howa trigger.

My weatherby 22-250 varmint has a nice crisp trigger...which is same trigger system as the Howa...I think.

Wow, impressive. Was the stock a factory setup or aftermarket?

 

[mancheechee]

Everything is stock on that rifle. I am hoping that I may be able work on the trigger due to the fact that it is adjustable...it's the only thing that is annoying. It does break at about 3.5lbs...I hear it's reducible though I probably won't mess with that part. Just that tiny creep....

 

[Speed3]

You have to get a fast twist barrel and load them hot, but it performs. Some of the new high BC projectiles out now make it a super performer.

The 107gr Sierra match kings seem great, but when you load them hot you decrease the already short barrel life on the 243. 1500 rounds is roughly 20 fclass matches when you can get 5,000 pr spout of the 6br.

Don't get me wrong I have a tikka in 243, love it actually, but choose to shoot 308 in fclass.

 

[Russ D]

The 107gr Sierra match kings seem great, but when you load them hot you decrease the already short barrel life on the 243. 1500 rounds is roughly 20 fclass matches when you can get 5,000 pr spout of the 6br.

Don't get me wrong I have a tikka in 243, love it actually, but choose to shoot 308 in fclass.

Yep, but the recoil is nice, barrels are consumable. They run 115 Dtacs these days out of the .243

 

[mancheechee]

So I'm seriously thinking of a silencer so that I can shoot it as much as I can without driving the neighbor nuts...but that will have to be the next buy after a 1911.

 

[Russ D]

So I'm seriously thinking of a silencer so that I can shoot it as much as I can without driving the neighbor nuts...but that will have to be the next buy after a 1911.

No reason not to do that. Personally if I was going to add one I would have the barrel shortened to make it a little easier to handle.

 

[mancheechee]

It's already 20 inches...shorter than that?

 

[Russ D]

18" would be ideal, but if it's already threaded then 2" isn't worth the effort.

 

[smores]

If there were more of an aftermarket for these I would build a nice .243 for F class on one.

Why not have a gunsmith buy a barreled action and build it from the ground up? That's what I did with mine. Got a 1500 .308, pulled the factory barrel and turned down/chambered my own Kreiger barrel for it. Inletted/shaped/finished my own stock as well. All it needs is glass.

Howa 1500s are some of the most underrated/underground rifles out there. Much like Savage they a lot for what you pay for vs. the Remington 700.

 

[mancheechee]

18" would be ideal, but if it's already threaded then 2" isn't worth the effort.

Not threaded yet.
So 18" Including threaded? Doesnt it effect accuracy having shorter barrel?

 

[Russ D]

Not threaded yet.
So 18" Including threaded? Doesnt it effect accuracy having shorter barrel?

Nope, it effects velocity a little but unless you are going to shoot it past 800 it really is not a problem. Theoretically accuracy is better because the shorter barrel is stiffer. When talking about these small differences though it's not really an issue. Having perfectly concentric cut threads and a perfect crown is 1000 times more important.