Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Which .308 to buy? t/c icon weathershield or howa 1500 ss?

i have narrowed it down to the above mentioned rifles. the icon is about a $250 premium. i know the howa is reliable and durable, but i like the idea of a weatherproof coating and moa accuracy guarantee of the icon. my only hangup on the icon is not hearing enough opinions. which is a better rifle?

rusty75,
I think the ICON is an ok rifle but,the HOWAS I've shot were very accurate.Weather Shield is Stainless CeraKote.It is also Midnight Purple CeraKote. We have a new product that will give the same level of protection and can be applied by you right over the factory bluing.It's called Ultra Gun Shield. You apply it using a clean cotton rag or cleaning patch. Three coats at 20 min. between coats. If it gets dinged just reapply over the spot with a rag and your good to go. It dosen't change the looks. The best part is you can get enough to coat 5 rifles for $30.00 including shipping. That leaves you $220.00 for brass and bullets or gas.

Rusty, if it were me, I would go with with the Howa. I have heard nothing but good things as far as accuracy in reference to the Howa, and most, if not all, of the the issues with the stock and trigger can be cured with the leftover money.

Were it me, My money would definitely lay on the Howa.

The Icon seems to be a great rifle, but I only know one friend who has purchased one. Hasn't even fired it yet.
The HOWA I bought for a friend has been a very reliable, accurate gun.
I would spend the extra $ on a nicer scope or binoculars from Doug!

stumpy

I definately recomend Howa.

Here is the reveiw of my experiences with a Howa rifle in .308
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/2412733/page/0/fpart/1

And here are the pictures.
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...&topic=0&Search=true#Post2415496

I would go T/C Icon...but that would be expected of me. The weathershield coating is a plus for a rifle that can be used hard and put up wet.

Doc

I'd be curious to hear what led you to narrow your choices to these two rifles.

I've owned a couple of Howa rifles, and while they are not my cup of tea, they were well-made, accurate and reliable. I have not fired an Icon, but have handled them and find nothing to like about them. They are heavy, awkward, clumsy, and homely -- in my opinion. Others values vary, of course. I certainly could not see paying $250 more for one, and frankly would not personally consider one if they were $250 cheaper than another choice.

The only real advice I can give you is to buy the one that feels the best in your hands. I suspect either will be more accurate than most of us can shoot, and "weatherguarding" with many compounds is pretty easy to achieve -- even car wax, if you want.

But then, I shoot Rugers, Remingtons, Winchesters, Mausers and Mannlicher-Schoenauers -- so I may not be the right guy to answer your question .

Dennis

I like the idea of the integral scope base, and the action bedded pretty solid in three different areas on the Icon. There was some thought put into this rifle. My vote would be the Icon.

If you change your mind on your choices, get a Tikka T3 Lite. You just can't go wrong.

Howa or Weatherby Vanguard. Icon feels/handles like poop IMO.....

Only way I'd hold an Icon is if Greg Ritz put one in my hands and invited me along on a hunt. I can be easily had.....

It would have to be a really good hunt...

Dennis

Lol. Yep.....

*LMAO*

were it me, i'd get the icon.

Does the HOWA have the ability to be unloaded while on safe?
I have handled an icon, very nice no doubt.
Here's my thought. If you are a hopeless tinkerer get the Howa, its like a Chevy 350, you can do all kinds of things with it (not that you need to)and parts are not an issue. If you want to purchase the rifle and DO NOTHING TO IT,get the icon.

Me too.

i was leaning towards the howa cause it feels better in the hands, so it sounds like thats the way to go. i am also sick of seeing t/c guns on every hunting show on t.v.

250 bucks buys a lot of neat stuff, can't convince me an Icon is a better rifle, much less 250 dollars better. Howa and forget about the rest.

Howa and a leupold. BMT

Good thinking. Nothing else matters if a rifle doesn't feel right in your hands.

Dennis