Howa 1500 ammo selection

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Howa 1500 ammo selection

Post by firstguns » 18 Dec 2019, 11:09 am

So I've just bought a Howa 1500 in .223, with the Sporter barrel.

Wondering what experience people have with ammo selection for these. I was planning on just picking up a couple smaller boxes of ammo when I pick it up, and seeing what happened, but obviously they're a more expensive option.
I'm a new shooter, and as such will probably spend plenty of time practicing with this, so a cheaper round would be preferred.
I'm not aiming to be a target champion or anything, and will probably spend a couple months practicing before getting out after small game.

Is it worth getting one of the Costco-size tins with hundreds of rounds of something like 55 grain Power Shock? Think they're a soft-point round, so will probably suit me when I start after small game/pests?
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Re: Howa 1500 ammo selection

Post by flutch » 18 Dec 2019, 11:25 am

Mine isnt fussy at all... sure some stuff groups better than other stuff but honestly everything is within 1.5moa.... my handloads are tighter than a fish's ass, and factory rounds from hornady and ppu all go down to .5moa

I think you will find that your local will likely give you a better deal on something like PPU if you buy in bulk, however I did buy 1000 hornady rounds for $595 which isnt too shabby for WA. especially considering the same round per pack is $23, so I saved nearly half, but yeah do what you originally decided and buy a few types first.
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Re: Howa 1500 ammo selection

Post by Bill » 18 Dec 2019, 11:34 am

I tried the OSA bulk stuff and it shot pretty good in my howa but the the Fiochhi 223 SP was ridiculously accurate, try a few boxes before commiting to buying large amounts.

A do the trigger spring upgrade, https://www.gunbloke.com/ecommerce/inde ... duct_id=71

I run the 1.5lb spring kit in my HB Howa and the 2lb in the Howa sporter
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Re: Howa 1500 ammo selection

Post by Potatoes » 18 Dec 2019, 11:40 am

I have the howa 223 sporter with a stainless barrel and a 1 in 9 twist. The only two types of factory ammo i used are the hornady TAP 60gr vmaxs and osa Ammo with 55 gr game kings. Both of these i found to be 1-2moa (at 100) on ave about 1.5. Mine likes 70gr hand loads and shoots less than 0.5 groups with care to pace shots to not overheat the barrel.

I also put in a 1.5 pound trigger spring from a howa trigger spring guru off ebay and bedded the rifle into the hogue stock as per the method of gunblue490 on youtube. These made good differences i feel. If you have a hogue stock, there is no need to try and stiffen it as many people suggest.
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Re: Howa 1500 ammo selection

Post by flutch » 18 Dec 2019, 12:09 pm

Depends how hairy you want the trigger, but I completely removed one of the springs from my HACT trigger, polished up all the parts with some 3000 grit paint finishing wet n dry, and put a weaker spring in mine
safety works, doesn't bump fire and, trigger is so sharp and crisp its not even fair lol. also its only a new ounces in weight haha.
Guns:
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Lanber U/O 12 gauge
Adler B220PG 12 gauge
Ruger 22lr
Remington 270 win
Howa 223
Weatherby 300 Winmag

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G5 Quest Drive
G5 Prime Defy
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Re: Howa 1500 ammo selection

Post by in2anity » 18 Dec 2019, 12:19 pm

Potatoes wrote:Both of these i found to be 1-2moa (at 100) on ave about 1.5. Mine likes 70gr hand loads and shoots less than 0.5 groups with care to pace shots to not overheat the barrel.


That's the key to managing your expectations w.r.t a HOWA sporter - probably on average about a 1 minute gun with most ammo when the barrel is kept cool. Just don't expect to be shooting speedy 5 or 10 shot groups and clustering under a minute... that's what a heavy contour barrel is for.
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Re: Howa 1500 ammo selection

Post by firstguns » 18 Dec 2019, 12:28 pm

in2anity wrote: that's what a heavy contour barrel is for.


That's what I originally wanted, but couldn't find one in my price/condition etc. Figured at the end of the day I'm unlikely to be firing off 5 or 10 round groups any time soon anyway, and so the thing I needed most was a gun, and to spend a little less time/effort on making it the perfect, do everything, no compromises kind.

I've shot a friend's light Steyr, and didn't really have any problems with barrel heat at the kind of speed I was shooting, so imagine it'll probably be fine for me for some time yet.
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Re: Howa 1500 ammo selection

Post by firstguns » 18 Dec 2019, 12:40 pm

Wow, thanks crew for all the advice, really good (and so quick).

Think I'll stick with the plan - a couple of small boxes of various stuff (whatever my LGS has available), with a view to getting something bigger once I've figured out what I like.

Also now looking at trigger and glass bedding... thanks for opening that rabbit hole
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Re: Howa 1500 ammo selection

Post by in2anity » 18 Dec 2019, 12:42 pm

firstguns wrote:That's what I originally wanted, but couldn't find one in my price/condition etc. Figured at the end of the day I'm unlikely to be firing off 5 or 10 round groups any time soon anyway, and so the thing I needed most was a gun, and to spend a little less time/effort on making it the perfect, do everything, no compromises kind.

I've shot a friend's light Steyr, and didn't really have any problems with barrel heat at the kind of speed I was shooting, so imagine it'll probably be fine for me for some time yet.


Of course you can still shoot 5 or 10 shot speedy groups mate - just expect say 2 or 3 minutes instead of 1. Yet such accuracy is still beyond the capabilities of the vast majority shooters from unsupported positions. It's generally only fully supported, static postiions where you can consistently realise a minute of angle accuracy (or better).

I have a well sub-moa gun and a 1.5 minute gun, and I shoot exactly the same sized groups with both off the elbows (and all other offhand stances)... that's my point. Horses for courses.
Last edited by in2anity on 18 Dec 2019, 1:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Howa 1500 ammo selection

Post by in2anity » 18 Dec 2019, 1:15 pm

IMG_0749.JPEG
Glass bedded HOWA 1500 walnut
IMG_0749.JPEG (612.58 KiB) Viewed 4890 times


IMG_0751.JPEG
Lucky 13 HOWA conversion kit, Lothar-Lothar varmint contour
IMG_0751.JPEG (999.97 KiB) Viewed 4890 times


I put a JARD trigger in this, with a heavier release spring than the 8oz one it shipped with. Benchrest triggers terrify me. Nonetheless I prefer a Timney over a JARD tbh. Timneys are amazingly crisp, single-stage triggers - I have one in a Ruger and it's my favorite trigger. They are hard to get for HOWAs at times though...
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Re: Howa 1500 ammo selection

Post by Col » 18 Dec 2019, 4:22 pm

FWIW I have found in my varmint barrel 223, the Buffalo River (OSA) 55gn sierra Blitzking shoot like a laser. The added bonus is good quality brass if you ever want to reload.
The best way is to suck it and see with different brnds etc and find one your rifle likes. If you find a good one you might as well buy a few hundred rounds and then you will end up with some brass that is fireformed for your rifle. No worries.
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Re: Howa 1500 ammo selection

Post by sungazer » 19 Dec 2019, 1:43 pm

The Blitzkings shoot as well as I can make handloads in my Howa. They are on the fast side.
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