Howa 1500 308...Any experience?

Bulldog26

Bulldog26

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So I just bought a Howa Hogue 1500 in 308. It was a rushed decision. I'm going to be hunting moose in sept, and was planning on using my old 303....but then the guy i'm hunting with sent me pics of the area we'll be hunting in. Looks like there is potential for a longer distance shot than i am comfortable with using the 303 irons. (might have used that as an excuse to buy a new rifle)

Anyways, I didn't have much money....was hoping for a Tikka or Bergara, but couldn't afford the gun plus a scope. Cabella's had a Howa 1500 with a scope and bipod, so with some cash and a couple of gift cards, I got it for $1200.

Anyone have any experience using them? will it be a decent rifle for moose and a rifle I can build upon later? I have no experience with a 308.

As always, your thoughts are appreciated.
 
I was printing sub MOA groups consistently all winter long with mine. Match grade ammo and a decent scope. Lots of aftermarket stuff for these guys too. Hard to go wrong with them, they’re just not flashy and hip.
 
I imagine it'll do the trick. Upgrade the scope when you have a few more shekels.

Picked up a Howa in 300wm for a stupid price. It's accurate, light, feeds reliably, bolt is SOLID and easy to strip for cleaning, trigger is pretty good.

I did have an issue with the chamber being cut a bit too short and having a hard time extracting some ammo but I suspect that's why it was being sold so cheap. After a cleanup with a reamer via warranty it's been great.
 
Bulldog26 said:
Yeah, the scope is a Diamond lr 30mm 4-16x50.... so not very high end, but it should do the job. The bipod i will likely remove for the hunt, but will keep for the range.
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The scope on your rifle isn't and never was intended for match shooting.

It was purpose designed and intended to cover several different types of hunting, and mounted on several different firearms designed for the same purpose.

It will be an excellent choice for your rifle/scope combination.

I have a couple of older Nikon variable scopes, and like both of them.

My scopes don't have such a large ocular lens and have lower magnifications, but they do have parallax/focus turrets.

I don't find a need for the parallax/focus turret, unless I'm shooting out to 300yds, which is seldom and only make the adjustment on 6X, which is where I set the power for most hunting I do with the rifles.

I have "one" Howa 1500 rifle left and it's the "Mini" model, with detachable mag.

I sold off the 308 version a few years ago. It liked "some" premium ammunition, but not all brands or types.

When it comes to factory produced ammunition, it's luck of the draw with most off the shelf rifles. I only tried the different factory ammunition in my rifle because I had several partially filled boxes on hand, so being curious, shot them at the same point of aim on identical targets to see if any of them shot well.

Almost all of the ammunition shot around two inches at 100yds. Didn't matter if it was premium or regular stuff or which brand.

My rifle shot Federal Fusion, Norma Whitetail, and Federal Premium best, all just over 1moa out to 200 yds, Winchester White Box shot almost as well.

The hand loads I worked up for the rifle, with Hornady Interlock, 165 grain bullets, 2700fps, over a charge of BLC2/CCI250 primers, shot just over 1moa consistently for years.

This rifle wore one of the Nikon scopes mentioned above, while I used it.

There isn't much reason to use lighter bullets or monometal bullets in the 308Winchester, if you're going to hunt Moose with it.

Maybe if you can guarantee your shots to be under 100yds???????????

The 308 Winchester will do anything your 303 British will do, and depending on how accurate your 303Brit is, it will likely be more accurate.

Bullet performance and drop will be as close to equal at all ranges, with bullets of similar weights, as schitt is to swearing.

Keep your shots in the boiler room, and you should put meat in the freezer.
 
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bearhunter said:
The scope on your rifle isn't and never was intended for match shooting.

It was purpose designed and intended to cover several different types of hunting, and mounted on several different firearms designed for the same purpose.

It will be an excellent choice for your rifle/scope combination.

I have a couple of older Nikon variable scopes, and like both of them.

My scopes don't have such a large ocular lens and have lower magnifications, but they do have parallax/focus turrets.

I don't find a need for the parallax/focus turret, unless I'm shooting out to 300yds, which is seldom and only make the adjustment on 6X, which is where I set the power for most hunting I do with the rifles.

I have "one" Howa 1500 rifle left and it's the "Mini" model, with detachable mag.

I sold off the 308 version a few years ago. I liked "some" premium ammunition, but not all brands or types.

When it comes to factory produced ammunition, it's luck of the draw with most off the shelf rifles. I only tried the different factory ammunition in my rifle because I had several partially filled boxes on hand, so being curious, shot them at the same point of aim on identical targets to see if any of them shot well.

Almost all of the ammunition shot around two inches at 100yds. Didn't matter if it was premium or regular stuff or which brand.

My rifle shot Federal Fusion, Norma Whitetail, and Federal Premium best, all just over 1moa out to 200 yds, Winchester White Box shot almost as well.

The hand loads I worked up for the rifle, with Hornady Interlock, 165 grain bullets, 2700fps, over a charge of BLC2/CCI250 primers, shot just over 1moa consistently for years.

This rifle wore one of the Nikon scopes mentioned above, while I used it.

There isn't much reason to use lighter bullets or monometal bullets in the 308Winchester, if you're going to hunt Moose with it.

Maybe if you can guarantee your shots to be under 100yds???????????

The 308 Winchester will do anything your 303 British will do, and depending on how accurate your 303Brit is, it will likely be more accurate.

Bullet performance and drop will be as close to equal at all ranges, with bullets of similar weights, as schitt is to swearing.

Keep your shots in the boiler room, and you should put meat in the freezer.
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Great info! Appreciate the details
 
Congrats! They are a fine rifle. I love that trigger. Keep in mind that the Weatherby Vanguard is built by Howa so most accessories will fit both. I like my Vanguard better than I like my Tikka.

308 is pretty versatile and available. There are plenty of ammo options suitable for moose.

My wife has a Diamondback 4-16x50 on her 243. It is certainly better than a Crossfire. While it is no match for her Zeiss, in a pinch I would not hesitate to "borrow" it for a hunt.

Good Luck and have fun!
 
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My go to hunting rifle was a Weatherby vanguard (Howa action) for probably 12-14 years. Never did that rifle give me a lick of trouble. Very smooth. Almost bought another but tried a tikka instead.

Lots of used stocks available if you want something different. Triggers are excellent, mine was anyway.
 
Nikko Diamond scopes, company info...
"Using premium grade lenses featuring the latest in optical coatings combined with a 30mm aircraft grade aluminium tube ensure maximum light transmission and clarity."

thats a pretty tall claim
but I know of one that the owner is 'bang it til it breaks', going into his third hunting season
 
One of the best value for money rifles. My 20” varmint .308 was outstandingly accurate. Triggers often need a small tweak but they are solid, accurate rifles. You made a good choice.
 
Sell that scope on it, put a better one on, and drive on. Nice rifle. One piece bolt/handle, nice ejector and extractor, solid construction. They remind me of much older guns (in the sense that the design wasn't changed/cheapened). I was never able to get one consistenly sub MOA but they came close at times. Good enough for the girls I go out with.
 
Bulldog26 said:
So I just bought a Howa Hogue 1500 in 308. It was a rushed decision. I'm going to be hunting moose in sept, and was planning on using my old 303....but then the guy i'm hunting with sent me pics of the area we'll be hunting in. Looks like there is potential for a longer distance shot than i am comfortable with using the 303 irons. (might have used that as an excuse to buy a new rifle)

Anyways, I didn't have much money....was hoping for a Tikka or Bergara, but couldn't afford the gun plus a scope. Cabella's had a Howa 1500 with a scope and bipod, so with some cash and a couple of gift cards, I got it for $1200.

Anyone have any experience using them? will it be a decent rifle for moose and a rifle I can build upon later? I have no experience with a 308.

As always, your thoughts are appreciated.
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Doesnt sound like too bad a value
 
I have a Smith and Wesson 1500...... probably made in the early 1980's, by Howa. 30-06. took it out this weekend and still got 0.8" group at 100 yards with my handloads. Probably 1000+ rounds through it. It has a Bushnell Elite 3-9x40 scope. has been my "go to" hunting rifle for everything for the past 30 years.
 
I bought a recent howa in 30-06. Threw an old bushnell elite on it and with Barnes TTSX 150gr at 3000 fps I got under one inch in short order.

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I had a Howa 1500 in 30-06. Great gun for the money, and in general. Smooth, beefy bolt, 3-pos safety, and a Hogue overmolded stock. The stock felt a bit hollow, but was rigid enough. It had a really nice butt pad. As in all package guns, the scope was a crappy Nikko Stirling, but good enough for hunting and range fun.

However, I ended up selling it when I bought a Husqvarna 1640 in the same caliber (and then ended up buying 2 more in different calibers. They're like potato chips).
 
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