Sweet, thanks for the info. I believe it is the Precision model. I’m gonna get some hands on it this weekend.
Howa Superlite - my experience
- Thread starter Justabirdwatcher
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Sweet, thanks for the info. I believe it is the Precision model. I’m gonna get some hands on it this weekend.
Justabirdwatcher
Well-known member
That's a very nice stock. Heavier than I like, but it's the only stock I'd buy a brand new 1500 in these days.
Justabirdwatcher
Well-known member
Now that I have the stock how I want it, I am finding one other annoying thing about this platform - mounting a scope. I loathe picatinny rails so I set the one that came with the barreled action aside first thing (at least it came with one though) and ordered Talley one piece rings, which is what all my hunting rifles wear. This isn't so much a Howa issue as it is a Talley issue, but the rear ring is so far back that it is hard to mount a scope forward enough to get it in the correct position. The LOP on this stock is a hair short (13 1/4") but that actually works pretty good when you have hunting clothes on, especially in cold weather. But at that length of pull, with the Talley rings rising directly up from the rear action screws (no extended version), you really can't move the scope as far forward as it needs to go.
So not wanting to go to the pic rail, I'm on the lookout for a different scope - a fixed 6x Weaver with a short rear bell and slightly shorter eye relief. That should solve the problem. Maybe Talley will make some extended rings eventually. It doesn't need much. Just 1/2" or so. And maybe that would interfere with the ejection. I don't know. But limited scope mounting positions is an unfortunate consequence of this action length. Same was true of the Remington model Seven.
So not wanting to go to the pic rail, I'm on the lookout for a different scope - a fixed 6x Weaver with a short rear bell and slightly shorter eye relief. That should solve the problem. Maybe Talley will make some extended rings eventually. It doesn't need much. Just 1/2" or so. And maybe that would interfere with the ejection. I don't know. But limited scope mounting positions is an unfortunate consequence of this action length. Same was true of the Remington model Seven.
morgaj1
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Why do you dislike the pic rail?
Justabirdwatcher
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Bedded the action this morning. Hopefully it pops out of the stock tomorrow morning! 
(they always do, but some come out easier than others!). I've bedded every Howa I've owned, and it always makes a difference. That darn "teeter-totter" movement of the action in the stock always results in vertical stringing unless you either bed it, or have a stock that doesn't require bedding (HS Precision, maybe?). I do wish this wood stock had a little longer LOP, but it will fit well when I'm wearing hunting clothing or a pack. In a t-shirt, it's too short. Would make a great youth/ladies stock at this LOP though.
(they always do, but some come out easier than others!). I've bedded every Howa I've owned, and it always makes a difference. That darn "teeter-totter" movement of the action in the stock always results in vertical stringing unless you either bed it, or have a stock that doesn't require bedding (HS Precision, maybe?). I do wish this wood stock had a little longer LOP, but it will fit well when I'm wearing hunting clothing or a pack. In a t-shirt, it's too short. Would make a great youth/ladies stock at this LOP though.
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Justabirdwatcher
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Dumb reason really. I like to be able to fit my fingers between the scope and rifle when I'm carrying it. Old habit from carrying my Win 94 for so long, I suppose. Same reason I sold my Tikka rifles. That closed-top action doesn't leave room for your fingers. Just personal to me. But also I like the one-piece Talleys because that is one fewer thing to come loose.
Justabirdwatcher
Well-known member
Tomorrow is a big day for this gun. After church I'll take the action out of the stock, clean up any residue/epoxy that isn't where it belongs, reassemble it, give the action screws proper torque and head for the range. I have four preliminary loads prepped and ready, and the barrel has already been broken in. Hoping to see some sub-MOA groups or I will be pretty disappointed. I hate load development, and feel like a good rifle doesn't need much. The best rifles I've owned (Savage, Tikka) have shot everything pretty well. If this bedding job doesn't clean things up, I'm not sure what's next for this gun. At this point I have about $1k into it, so there is a lot on the line here. Too much for a loaner/kid's gun IMO.
Wind Gypsy
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You hold the rifle by the scope or upside down with your fingers in that gap?
Even with the heavier scopes I tend to use, I wouldn’t want to hold the rifle by the scope much due to concerns with zero retention.
Nice work on the stock sir.
Justabirdwatcher
Well-known member
Both. Never had a single issue with zero retention and I've done this for decades. I think the concerns about zero retention are unwarranted. I've had scopes on some rifles for years and years that have survived hundreds of hard mountain miles and hundreds of rounds of ammo and have never lost zero. But if you mention doing this among most rifle people, they flip out. LOL So I rarely mention it anymore. Just the idea of someone carrying their rifle by the scope is enough to send the hordes searching for their pitchforks, I've learned.
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Justabirdwatcher
Well-known member
Finally made it to the range today, although in 22 degrees and blowing snow! Rifle definitely shot better after being bedded. 130 Speers were right at an inch in a nice, round group. 139 LRX, which I've found are tempermental, were 1.2" and the puzzle of the day was the 140 E-Tips which printed a three-shot 0.4" group (with shots 2 and 3 almost in the same hole) before throwing the 4th about 2" away. I'll have to go back to that load and try it again. With such a light rifle and especially under those conditions, that could easily have been my fault. But the fact is it's showing potential now that I have bedded the action. The Speer load is a mild one, so I'll bump that up a bit and re-try the E-tips this weekend. I'll also try a different powder, since the 6.5 StaBall is also a hit-or-miss powder in my experience. I want it to work, but powders like H4350, Varget and IMR 4166 seem to be much more consistent and predictable for me. I would love to have a great 139 LRX load, but in all the rifles I've tried them in, they are always hit or miss. One trip they will shoot 3/4" and the next trip they shoot 1.5". Strange acting bullet if you ask me.
Aside from accuracy, the stock looks great in the rack and the hinged floorplate functions perfectly. And the ammo is feeding and ejecting perfectly. So if I can find the right load, this one will be a go.
Aside from accuracy, the stock looks great in the rack and the hinged floorplate functions perfectly. And the ammo is feeding and ejecting perfectly. So if I can find the right load, this one will be a go.
Justabirdwatcher
Well-known member
I sure had a smile on my face for a minute when that third E-Tip went into the second hole. Thought for sure I'd just found my hunting load. But then the 4th was 2" away and I thought it was a good shot. Of course, I couldn't feel my hands and the wind was blowing about 15-20, so I need to try it again another day. Sure would be nice if those E-Tips group well seeing as I have 150 of them on hand. If not, I'll just work up a load with those 130 Speers. Those are always good shooting bullets in any 7mm-08 I've owned.
Shoot Iv got the 6.5
Justabirdwatcher
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Why do you say that?
Justabirdwatcher
Well-known member
Another range trip this morning. Bedding job is definitely helping, but I'm still getting the first two shots touching and then the third an inch away. Might just be me. It was 28 degrees and I let the rifle cool for a good 5 mins between shots. E-Tips show good promise and anything 120-130 grain cup and core is landing in predictable, round 1" groups.
Try and take that distance out to 3-400 yards and see how it does.
Justabirdwatcher
Well-known member
Man, I'd love to but I don't have that available to me right now.
Antique0lc
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I’ve been waiting to see some feedback on this rifle as well. I definitely wouldn’t mind picking one up. Is this rifle not available yet? Or? Haven’t seen it in stores yet.
Antique0lc
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I’ve been waiting to see some feedback on this rifle as well. I definitely wouldn’t mind picking one up. Is this rifle not available yet? Or? Haven’t seen it in stores yet.
Justabirdwatcher
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Been available for a while now. They are starting to show up in stores. We don't have the best gun stores around here, and yet each of the two I frequent have had at least one in stock. Brownells sells whole rifles, barreled actions and stocks. I bought a barreled action from them and had them ship it to my local hardware store, who is an FFL. Then I had them ship a stock directly to my house. Couldn't have been easier really. Brownells even has an FFL lookup on their website and you just click on the one you want them to send it to. So long as they have a record of that FFL's license on file (and the number they have really surprised me), you don't have to do anything else. Just go pick up your rifle or barreled action when it comes in, and pay the FFL's transfer fee.
I was extremely disappointed with the Stocky's/Howa/Legacy carbon fiber stock that I received from Brownells (broken sling stud that had been glued back in, no fire indicator where it should have been, poor fit around the action and floor plate, questionable finish that is already known for coming off...) so I sent it back for a refund and Brownells took it back no questions asked. I'm going to try again with a factory 2nd stock directly from Stocky's that is $250 less than the one I got from Brownells. I prefer a textured paint sponge camo finish anyway, so I figure why not save $250 and get something I'd rather have in the process. I'll post up here how that goes when it comes in. Should be a few more days.'
In the meantime, I ordered a walnut stock directly from Legacy Sports and they shipped it to me pretty quickly. The fit of the action and floor plate in the walnut stock was quite good, and the checkering and wood finish was not great but okay. I could have run with it as it came if I had wanted to. But the front action pillar was a bit proud of the wood, and the lug recess wasn't deep enough, so there was a teeter-totter effect between the barrel and rear tang. This would cause the action to flex as I tightened down the front action screw, eventually bringing the barrel in contact with the wood. To resolve that, I trimmed down the aluminum pillar under the lug, then gouged out the wood and epoxy bedded the front lug area and first inch of the barrel. I also bedded around the rear tang at the same time. No more teeter totter and I can torque down the action to spec and the barrel doesn't move. The walnut stock was entirely too heavy and "fat" for such a slender action and barrel, and the whole rifle was very butt heavy, so I also took a wood rasp to it and worked down the massive grip area and forend. Then I drilled out holes in the butt stock to reduce weight and help the balance. After that I refinished the wood with tung oil and furniture wax. Looks great and balances perfectly now. In all, I took about 6 ounces off that wood stock that desperately needed to be removed.
I'll bed the CF stock when it comes in, then sponge paint it and head to the range. Shooting these ultra light rifles is presenting a bit of a test on the bench and offhand. It's making me wonder how light is too light. I'm used to a 7 lb. all-in rifle for hunting. A sub-6 lb. all-in rifle might be a treat to carry, but the jury is still out on how it will effect my confident range in the field.
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