How 1500 Alpine Mountain Rifle Review & Hunt

[InternationalShootingSupp]

Hello All,

In an earlier thread regarding new Howa inventory coming into the store we mentioned we would be posting a review of the Howa 1500 Alpine Mountain Rifle. As an amateur videographer (as in just learning) I can only say that putting together 5 minutes worth of video for this purpose is a lot more work than I expected. But thanks to a lot of help from my 15 year old son (thank God for kids!) we finally got it done! Hopefully this will be the start of a lot more of these types of things and hopefully we'll get better at it as time goes on.

At any rate, here's the video review of the rifle and scope package complete with a bit of footage from our 'youth' season mule deer hunt.



We used the Prostaff 5 scope from Nikon in the FFP because I thought it would compliment their BDC system. Nikon makes an extremely easy to use BDC system for their scopes. You can download the app from the web to your phone for free then all you need to do is input your scope model and ammunition choice. I chose a 100 yard zero to keep it simple. I suspect this system is not perfect and will vary somewhat depending on elevation and temperature but it is nonetheless a very easy and simple system to use as a frame of reference. Remember - BDC reticules are no substitute for trigger time.

[InternationalShootingSupp]

Bump!

[ryanthony]

Awesome video can't wait till the next review.

[InternationalShootingSupp]

Awesome video can't wait till the next review.

Working on it now - a varmint package and some 'yote hunting are coming next....

[Huntin' Gun]

I think it should be stated, for those looking at purchasing one of these Alpine rifles, that the weights quoted are intentionally misleading. Howa quotes the weight as 5.7 lbs. The rifle I received last night in the mail actually weighs 6.1 lbs. This is confirmed on two separate digital scales. The rifle I received does not have the DBM, but rather only has the floor plate. On a different chat site it was pointed out to me that the quoted weight is only referring to the rifle with the DBM setup, not for the one with the hinged floor plate. However, earlier in the same thread it was pointed out that 5.7lbs only applies if the magazine is NOT inserted. So the advertised weight of 5.7 lbs isn't really realistic, since it will weigh more when all the necessary parts of the rifle itself are included. I'm actually kind of surprised that Howa didn't just quote the weight of the rifle without the bolt inserted. That would make it a lot lighter to quote in the advertisements, and just as far from reality as what they're currently doing!

[sgt.rock]

^^^^LOL, Huntin' gun , I think you are on to something. I love my Howa 1500 almost as much as my kid, and I've said many nice things about it, but lightweight was never one of those things...................
I dislike dishonesty in advertising. Just say it's weight and be done with it. If you , as a company , are too embarrassed to say the true weight of your rifle, go back to the drawing board, and make it lighter. Don't lie, or tell me what the partial rifle weighs. When I bought my Ford F150, they didn't tel me the curb weight sans engine.........

[vancouverbc]

I think it should be stated, for those looking at purchasing one of these Alpine rifles, that the weights quoted are intentionally misleading. Howa quotes the weight as 5.7 lbs. The rifle I received last night in the mail actually weighs 6.1 lbs. This is confirmed on two separate digital scales. The rifle I received does not have the DBM, but rather only has the floor plate. On a different chat site it was pointed out to me that the quoted weight is only referring to the rifle with the DBM setup, not for the one with the hinged floor plate. However, earlier in the same thread it was pointed out that 5.7lbs only applies if the magazine is NOT inserted. So the advertised weight of 5.7 lbs isn't really realistic, since it will weigh more when all the necessary parts of the rifle itself are included. I'm actually kind of surprised that Howa didn't just quote the weight of the rifle without the bolt inserted. That would make it a lot lighter to quote in the advertisements, and just as far from reality as what they're currently doing!

lol. Good one and I appreciate the info

[InternationalShootingSupp]

I think it should be stated, for those looking at purchasing one of these Alpine rifles, that the weights quoted are intentionally misleading. Howa quotes the weight as 5.7 lbs. The rifle I received last night in the mail actually weighs 6.1 lbs. This is confirmed on two separate digital scales. The rifle I received does not have the DBM, but rather only has the floor plate. On a different chat site it was pointed out to me that the quoted weight is only referring to the rifle with the DBM setup, not for the one with the hinged floor plate. However, earlier in the same thread it was pointed out that 5.7lbs only applies if the magazine is NOT inserted. So the advertised weight of 5.7 lbs isn't really realistic, since it will weigh more when all the necessary parts of the rifle itself are included. I'm actually kind of surprised that Howa didn't just quote the weight of the rifle without the bolt inserted. That would make it a lot lighter to quote in the advertisements, and just as far from reality as what they're currently doing!

Hi Huntin,

Sorry but we took their word for it too - never thought I'd have to weigh this thing myself to check ounces - and you are right - it is misleading - they should have specified it was weighed with the plastic DBM system without the mag inserted. I'm going to send them a copy of your post - not the sort of thing any of us appreciate as it ends up upsetting customers and making the rest of us look bad. That being said - not sure exactly how much the rings weighed attached to the rifle - certainly not five or six ounces for Talleys but that would account for a couple ounces of the discrepancy assuming you weighed the rifle with them still attached?? That being said - the rifle shoots pretty well. Hope it serves you as well s it did us and you get good use out of it.

Scott

[Huntin' Gun]

Hi Huntin,

Sorry but we took their word for it too - never thought I'd have to weigh this thing myself to check ounces - and you are right - it is misleading - they should have specified it was weighed with the plastic DBM system without the mag inserted. I'm going to send them a copy of your post - not the sort of thing any of us appreciate as it ends up upsetting customers and making the rest of us look bad. That being said - not sure exactly how much the rings weighed attached to the rifle - certainly not five or six ounces for Talleys but that would account for a couple ounces of the discrepancy assuming you weighed the rifle with them still attached?? That being said - the rifle shoots pretty well. Hope it serves you as well s it did us and you get good use out of it.

Scott

The rifle with the Talleys weighed 6lbs 5.1 oz.

I hope it shoots well too. I'm hoping I have time tomorrow to give'er a try. I'll have my Chrony out as well to see what that 20" bbl can do with a 130 gr speer. My Remington Mountain Rifle in .280 sends those 130 Speers at 3040fps. I'm hoping the Howa can send them at least 2850 fps.

[InternationalShootingSupp]

The rifle with the Talleys weighed 6lbs 5.1 oz.

I hope it shoots well too. I'm hoping I have time tomorrow to give'er a try. I'll have my Chrony out as well to see what that 20" bbl can do with a 130 gr speer. My Remington Mountain Rifle in .280 sends those 130 Speers at 3040fps. I'm hoping the Howa can send them at least 2850 fps.

Hunt'n

Good luck. It liked the Hornady SST's best for us. Shot sub 1" @ 100 consistently for me as we shot it a bit more off video before our hunt.

Also sent Legacy's export department an email regarding their creative listing of weights. They responded immediately and copied marketing. Will see what happens.... hopefully they correct it.

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