ColbyBruce
Member
IIRC, there was a heavy barrel model 1600, offered in .222, .223, and .22/250. Were these ever made in .243 and .308, and were there stainless steel barrel versions? Thank you.
The Howa built bolt guns
- Thread starter ColbyBruce
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
The only heavy barrel .308 that S&W offered was one with a parkerized finish in an oiled stock. I searched for a long time before I was finally able to add one to my collection.
KO
KO
KO
Howa 1500 Hunter - For Sale - New :: Guns.com
Not sure what is currently available but about 3 years ago I bought a new Howa Hunter with walnut stock in 6.5 Creedmor for under 500 bucks on line. I absolutely love the rifle! It's very well made with a sweet trigger, great looking wood, and is quite accurate. I would consider it a bargain even if it cost a lot more.
Not sure what is currently available but about 3 years ago I bought a new Howa Hunter with walnut stock in 6.5 Creedmor for under 500 bucks on line. I absolutely love the rifle! It's very well made with a sweet trigger, great looking wood, and is quite accurate. I would consider it a bargain even if it cost a lot more.
I have a Howa 1500 .223 heavy barrel. I'm not familiar with a 1600.
1500 is their short action and they made a lot of those chambered for many different cartridges including .243. Never have I seen a .243 HB but that doesn't mean they never made one. Howa also builds barreled actions for some Weatherby rifles.
Brownell's is the exclusive dealer for Howa barreled actions. Not sure what they are selling these days.
1500 is their short action and they made a lot of those chambered for many different cartridges including .243. Never have I seen a .243 HB but that doesn't mean they never made one. Howa also builds barreled actions for some Weatherby rifles.
Brownell's is the exclusive dealer for Howa barreled actions. Not sure what they are selling these days.
Last edited:
Howa used to be the best deal around for an entry level rifle. I purchased two, still have one.
OP
ColbyBruce
Member
Thank you, I did not recall a .243 version. I have to drive to SC to look at it and didn’t want to pursue the purchase of it were not a real factory gun.
LoboGunLeather
US Veteran
In addition to Smith & Wesson, others imported the Howa 1500 series rifles under their own trade names. Those included the Weatherby Vanguard series, Mossberg, and several others.
Several years ago the American Rifleman magazine rated the Howa 1500 model as the most consistently accurate "out of the box" factory rifle available in the US.
Howa also offers tractors, farm implements, and industrial machinery, just in case there are other needs to be met.
Several years ago the American Rifleman magazine rated the Howa 1500 model as the most consistently accurate "out of the box" factory rifle available in the US.
Howa also offers tractors, farm implements, and industrial machinery, just in case there are other needs to be met.
OP
ColbyBruce
Member
Thank you all for the replies. I got some photos of it a few hours ago. It is a re-barreled rifle with no paper trail to provide info about it.
The page from the 1984 S&W catalog I posted above lists all the "Deluxe" models as a Model 1600.
All the receivers of the four Deluxe models that I own are still marked "Model 1500". I've never seen one marked as a "Model 1600".
The Model 1700LS is marked 1700LS.
KO
My first Howa 1500 is a deluxe model in 30-06. So as to not hurt the beautiful walnut stock, I restocked it with a Hogue rubber overmolded stock. I was so impressed with the quality of the rifle, I bought a used .223 in some sort of moon light camo stock. Standard barrel, but a tack driver. Next came the .243, camo stock with cerakote metal. I hunted with it this year. Very accurate. About the same time I purchased a 6.5x55 Swede caliber with the overmolded stock. It and the .243 were on sale at Sportsman's Warehouse. Last I got is a 7mm-08 with the overmolded stock. Got it from a walk around at Reno gunshow a few years back. Again, accurate and is my antelope rifle. I guess one can say that I like the Howa rifles.
Patrick L
Member
I too am a fan. I shot NRA Highpower with cast bullets in a modified O3A3 Springfield for about 20 years. Then around 2015 I was just hankering for something different. I picked up a used Howa 1500 in .223 and turned it into a bolt action match gun. I put an aperture rear and globe front sights, added weight to all of the hollow space in the synthetic stock's forend (about 3/4 lb) and sort if jury rigged a stripper clip adapter. I've been shooting cast out of that and it is one heck of a shooter!
Model 15-4ever
Member
I had a 1500 Police in .223 Rem with 24" heavy barrel parkerized finish in an oiled walnut stock. Fully bedded action and barrel, no free-float at all. What a tack driver! Killed a truck load of prairie dogs with it.
In 1980 when my wife and I were young and poor for that Christmas she got a new electric range and I got a S&W model 1500 with a 3x9 scope attached from our local gun shop. That stove is long, long gone but that 1500 still brings home either elk, antelope or deer depending on that years tags. Everyone is 100% right that 7 mm mag is a tack driver 43 years ago and now.
I have a Howa made Weatherby Vanguard in 7mm Rem Mag that my wife bought me as a surprise when we were visiting the Weatherby store in South Gate. She arranged to have it shipped. I was busy fondling all the rifles in the racks on the sales floor and never noticed what she was up to. They moved from there after the Watts riots. I used it when I deer hunted in PA and had opportunities for long shots. I should put a better scope on it. A no frills very reliable and accurate rifle. Mostly use a .270 now.
Exmilcop
Member
I have a Howa mini-action in 7.62X39 and it's a very accurate light rifle with my handloads as well as a crackerjack bush rifle for deer. My one complaint is the very light mag release. The spring is too light in tension making it very easy to accidentally drop the mag out of the stock. Target was at 100 yds.
Attachments
Similar threads
