Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Just bought a Howa 1500 in 7mm Rem Mag, tell me about the 1500

I bought my first non-Tikka in a long time yesterday and I’m looking for info. I know Howa makes the Vanguard line for Weatherby but I don’t know much else. Here’s the ad:

“Up for sale, my "semi-custom", stainless, Howa model 1500 in 7mm Remington Magnum. I customized this to be my "one rifle for anything in Oregon gun". I ditched the Tupperware stock for a Boyd's Micro-Lam. The barrel is free floated and the action is bedded from just in front of the recoil lug to the rear tang. The action locks up smoothly (lapped lugs) and feels (and sounds) solid as a bank vault. The Boyd's factory recoil pad was swapped out for a limbsaver. I then covered the entire stock in a textured epoxy paint. I also installed a Timney trigger which is set at about 2.5 lbs. It wears a Leupold Vari-XIIc, 3-9x40, in matte stainless with Butler Creek Flip up caps; standard plex reticle. It also has QD studs. 24" standard contour barrel, 1-9.5" twist.

I will include a Rhino-Plate soft padded case, a padded strap AND my personal "pet" load data, RCBS dies, brass (quite a lot), specific Lee case trim tool and all the 7mm bullets in my stock (hundreds). It shoots 175 gr. Sierra Game Kings at a bit under 3000 fps very accurately.”

The rifle looks great, as advertised. So tell me about the Howa 1500.




P

Watching this thread with interest as I have thought about one myself. What does the rifle weigh, either bare rifle or with the scope?

I don't have firsthand experience shooting the 1500, but they have always felt solid when I've looked at them.

My concern about that ad is the "lapped lugs." It's my understanding that lugs must be lapped BEFORE the barrel is installed/chambered. Otherwise it could create excessive headspace. It sounds like he lapped the lugs with the factory barrel. I'd be very careful about that rifle.

I have 2 of them. Solid, reliable and reasonably accurate. Never had a bolt handle fall off.

It will be heavier than Tikka. They shoot pretty well. I have 3 Vanguards. I have put Timneys in 2 of them. I like them as well as anything else in their price range. And a lot better than some.

WTH I thought you were just going to get rid of a 7mm Mag for a 280. Rationalize your irrational behavior lol

Pushfeed done well. Drop forged receiver, flawless extractor, one piece bolt , great gas handling, heavy recoil lug which is part of the action.

I’m thinking about turning my 7mm Rem Mag Tikka into something else.



P

I bought a Howa 1500 Hogue in .223 some months back. It was purchased to replace a Steven 200 .223 which I have never cared for. Fit, finish, feeding, extraction and the trigger were reasons for replacing the Stevens 200. The Tikka is everything a Remington should have been and at a very reasonable price. One-piece bolt, forged receiver, BDL setup on even their cheap model and more recent models have the HACT 2-stage trigger. The trigger isn't a Tikka trigger but it's decent and came from the factory set at 3 lbs. Feeding is so smooth that I can't feel a .223 shell being fed into the chamber. I've had to visually verify and sure enough, it feeds every time positively much like the Tikka. Howas are not lightweight guns like the Tikka. However, I rate them second to Tikka with Tikka being first. That lineup includes Remington, Winchester, Ruger, Savage and CZ. Bottom line, it feeds and ejects smoothly, has a good trigger and shows promise in the accuracy department.

Pharm, I've had 3 S&W, aka Howa 1500s.
.223, .270, & 30-06

The 270 & 30-06 were 2 of the best looking rifles I've ever owned. The 223 was a lighter color but not blonde.

I hunted and killed deer with both of the larger cals. As long as I owned the 223 they were NOT legal for deer.
I had no problems with accuracy from any of them.

The problem I had with the 270 & 06 was they were so 'purdy' I was afraid of marring the stocks.

A friend still has the 270 and last year HE took these pics and sent them to me.







Jerry

You won't be disappointed, they're very nice rifles. The original Howa's, the Golden Bear, are exact copies of a Sako. In fact, Sako sued Howa for patent infringements over it. So if you ever find a Howa Golden Bear, it's a Sako.

I'm a big Howa fan, but any time you buy a rifle that's been futzed with by someone, there's some risk involved. This one has a silver scope, not a plus to me, and it's a you-know-what to boot. Unless th price is really good, I'd look at a SS Vanguard and skip the potential issues.

Gunbroker has a bunch of new SS Synthetic Vanguard 2s in 7mm RM for under $700. One was $634.

The price was very right.



P

In that case, congrats!

Older Leupold scope installed in unspecified rings and base(s).

Heavier laminated Boyds stock.

No indication of what the asking price is.

Hard to opine if it is a potentially good buy or not.

My 7mm RM is a CLR and maybe a little on the light side, but I don't have any need for a 7mm RM, so it is a hanger queen.

I have several Howa 1500s and V2s and like them. They tend to be a little on the heavy side, more than I want to carry in steep terrain and/or at low oxygen high altitudes, but I'm in my 60's and not in mountain goat like physical condition.

Tweren’t askin’ if’n it were a good deal.

Just want’n to know more ‘bout ‘em.

As evidenced by the original post.




P

'Didn't intend to offend you, but if I did, oh well.

Heck no, I’m not offended. Just looking for feedback on the rifle. Already pulled the scope.



P

Oh yea, ditch the trigger and replace it with a Timney.

Yeah, replace the Timney that's in it with a Timney. Makes sense.