Howa 1500 30-06

[justgoto]

Tomorrow, hopefully, I will be buying a Howa 1500 30-06. I have been emailing the gun shops around my area and this is the best rifle I can find for the money. It will come with a scope and I asked for a 24" barrel but I bet when I get there it will be a 22"; (I don't see that rifle anywhere with a 24" barrel.)

I could get a Weatherby online, but I would have to jump through a lot of hoops like I did with the Weatherby 300 Magnum I tried to get a few months ago. (Good thing I didn't get that one because I have never found any large rifle magnum primers.)

I plan to modify it in the future and wanted to make a post in here to see if anyone had any problems modifying the Howa 1500; and to get any feed-back at all anyone might have.

 

[fj40mojo]

I can't speak for the .30-'06 Howa, I have 3 .30-'06s and they are all fine rifles. The cartridge is underpowered with factory loads due to all the 100+ year old rifles that are hanging around, but with handloads and a modern strong action the real potential of the cartridge can be realized. My hunting load is a 180grn Nosler Partition with 62grns of H4831, this is a max load so approach with caution, and I get close to 2900fps with a 22 inch barrel Ruger 77 MII. I do have a Howa 1500 in .223 which I purchased as a barreled action and put in a Fajen stock. It will shoot sub MOA at 100 yards with 55grn Vmaxs and 28grns of BLC2. The only problem I have with the rifle is the fact that it has a long throat, so long that when bullets are seated out to .005 off the lands they won't feed from the magazine, heck they won't even fit in a standard 50rnd flip top Midway ammo box, but it shoots fine.

 

[justgoto]

It has a 22" barrel and a 3X9 X 42 30mm NikkoStirling Diamond illuminated scope.

but with handloads and a modern strong action the real potential of the cartridge can be realized. My hunting load is a 180grn Nosler Partition with 62grns of H4831, this is a max load so approach with caution, and I get close to 2900fps with a 22 inch barrel Ruger 77 MII.

Going load some for ladder testing tomorrow using, 180gr Sierra Pro-Hunters with IMR 4064 starting around 45gr.

when bullets are seated out to .005 off the lands they won't feed from the magazine,

If I use A-Maxes in my 30-30 I load then to the lands getting really good results, but I have to load one at a time and unload by fiddling with the extractor.

Thanks for the info!

 

[fj40mojo]

I like it! How do you like the Hogue overmolded stock? Is it free floated?

 

[justgoto]

I like it! How do you like the Hogue overmolded stock? Is it free floated?

I love the grip it gives me, and yes it is free floated. I really like this rifle so far!

 

[fj40mojo]

I'd be interested in seeing how accurate it is after you get her broke in and some load development done. What contour is the barrel? I'm curious cuz I've considered buying one of those Hogue stocks for mine instead of the Fajen factory second that I got for $50 and dropped it in. Not counting glass I have less than $200 invested in the rig.

 

[justgoto]

I'd be interested in seeing how accurate it is after you get her broke in and some load development done. What contour is the barrel? I'm curious cuz I've considered buying one of those Hogue stocks for mine instead of the Fajen factory second that I got for $50 and dropped it in. Not counting glass I have less than $200 invested in the rig.

The rifle did it's job wonderfully despite the 5 to 15mph winds. I had ladder testing loads and had one 3/4 inch 3 shot group.

I basically sighted in my scope, broke it in and got the feel of it. I have never broke-in a barrel before and was pleased to see that copper fouling appears to be greatly reduced. I'm amazed really.

The glass in the scope doesn't seem as good as my Bushnell, but the correction I dialed in was right on the dot. I have only owned and used 2 scopes before, neither of them track as they are supposed to.

They call it a "sporter contour" if I am correct, but I don't know the # if that is what you are asking. I know nothing about barrel contour except "bull barrel".

But I like the stock a lot, especially the buttpad. I don't know if it would be too soft with higher powered rifles, taking eye relief into consideration.

 

[Frogman77]

I have a custom Howa 1500 in .30-06 Built by Losok that is a tack driver. He did an outstanding job and it's pushing 208 AMax bullets right around 2730fps .25-.5 Moa groups with quite a number of sub .25 Moa groups..It's a great platform to build on, with the exception that there's some limitation to custom stocks. The hogue works, but a manners would do nicely. Congrats on your shooter!