Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

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Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by Kelsey Cooter » 27 Mar 2018, 8:12 am

Whats everyones thoughts on a howa 1500 sporter walnut stock in 308?

I have a howa 223 and its bloody great, as everyone on here says about howa 223s. Can i expect the same value for money and sub moa groups from a howa 308?

The weight isnt a problem, mostly used for shooting out of the ute or tractor
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by in2anity » 27 Mar 2018, 9:07 am

Kelsey Cooter wrote:Whats everyones thoughts on a howa 1500 sporter walnut stock in 308?

I have a howa 223 and its bloody great, as everyone on here says about howa 223s. Can i expect the same value for money and sub moa groups from a howa 308?

The weight isnt a problem, mostly used for shooting out of the ute or tractor


Hey Kelsey, sorry no experience with Howas, but I am legitimately curious about your intended use (no malice intended). You say it'll generally be from a vehicle; how come you want to step up from the 223 for this purpose? Is it because of the better mid-range performance the 308 offers (over the 223)? Are you operating in fairly flat, open country? Just a thought, if you're not trekking with it, perhaps a heavy-barrel rifle may be the go :huh: ?
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by Supaduke » 27 Mar 2018, 9:51 am

I have one in a Boyd's hunter stock. Shoots well. Quality and accuracy is on par with the .223
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by Kelsey Cooter » 27 Mar 2018, 11:09 am

Hey Kelsey, sorry no experience with Howas, but I am legitimately curious about your intended use (no malice intended). You say it'll generally be from a vehicle; how come you want to step up from the 223 for this purpose? Is it because of the better mid-range performance the 308 offers (over the 223)? Are you operating in fairly flat, open country? Just a thought, if you're not trekking with it, perhaps a heavy-barrel rifle may be the go :huh: ?[/quote]

Yeah mate fairly open and flat so just for a bit more hitting power on pigs aye, while harvesting we can end up seeing pigs 300m or 500m away. Im actually replacing an old 308. Reason I'm interested in the howa is because its a pretty rough life in the tractors and cane harvester so i can't justify beating up an expensive rifle, and my howa has been 100% reliable so it has me thinking howa 308 would be a good way to go
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by sungazer » 27 Mar 2018, 11:35 am

The howa 6.5c I have is really good although not a lot of use yet. The 223 I am still trying hard to get the Super Roos shooting they are just under 1 MOA at 100 I was hoping for a bit better. haven't gone on to more expensive loads with it as yet as it was meant to be a cheap rifle. for the money I think they are a good rifle.
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by in2anity » 27 Mar 2018, 11:46 am

Kelsey Cooter wrote:Yeah mate fairly open and flat so just for a bit more hitting power on pigs aye, while harvesting we can end up seeing pigs 300m or 500m away. Im actually replacing an old 308. Reason I'm interested in the howa is because its a pretty rough life in the tractors and cane harvester so i can't justify beating up an expensive rifle, and my howa has been 100% reliable so it has me thinking howa 308 would be a good way to go


That's super cool - i grew up on a cropping farm (but now live in the big smoke) - it always gives me a sense of nostalgia thinking back to when my dad used to ping game from the cabs of his vehicles. I'm sure the Howa will do great; but FWIW, i was all jeed up to pick up a Howa 308w (for high-power MS), but then at the last second, I handled the Tikka CTR and instantly fell in love; picked it cheap due to the new incoming t3x's. The CTR is a handy little 20" with an intermediate-profile barrel and hard poly stock, so it absolutely drives tacks even for those long strings of shots.

Just one thought, if your shooting without a spotter, just remember you're pretty much guaranteed to lose your target due to the recoil of the 308w (which leaves you guessing where the bullet may have gone if you miss); not so great if there's a crosswind over those longer distances. This is where the 6.5CM shines; the short-action cartridge combined with a lighter, super-high BC projectile (and preferably a muzzle break) means much lower recoil so you can often see the round impact (and make the necessary corrections for a follow-up shot).

Then again, the 308w will be cheaper to run/reload with a lot more projectile choices (which is why I chose the 308w over the 6.5CM). That and you have the luxury of someone calling your shots during MS!

Food for thought. :drinks:
Last edited by in2anity on 27 Mar 2018, 12:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by MJW380 » 27 Mar 2018, 12:19 pm

Last time I ducked over to our LGS I picked up a couple of boxes of Federal 6.5 Creedmoor 140 grain softpoints for $32 a box, kicking myself I didn’t get more...
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by Kelsey Cooter » 27 Mar 2018, 12:52 pm

Yeah I keep looking at the tikka t3x hunter, but iv used a mates t3 and i just can't stand the feel and look of the plastic trigger guard and I hate the idea of not being able to top fill the magazine aye
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by Cooper » 27 Mar 2018, 12:57 pm

MJW380 wrote:Last time I ducked over to our LGS I picked up a couple of boxes of Federal 6.5 Creedmoor 140 grain softpoints for $32 a box, kicking myself I didn’t get more...



That's cheap for Federal Creedmoor ammo. My local used to have the Hornady whitetail stuff 129sp stuff. $35. Gone up to $39 now.

Back to the Howa. I don't think you can go wrong. If your going to be shooting out the window or off the tractor what about a 243? But nothing wrong with the 308 though.
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by MJW380 » 27 Mar 2018, 7:05 pm

Hey mate, would you want a walnut stock if it’s going to live a rough life? I’d be more inclined to go the plastic stock, hate seeing timber beat up....
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by Norton » 29 Mar 2018, 9:55 am

Nothing a bit of sand paper and stain can't remedy now and then.

Work tools are for working, not looking pretty :)
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by southwest shooter » 29 Mar 2018, 10:48 am

Buy now .
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by pete1 » 31 Mar 2018, 9:13 am

I've got a Howa 1500 stainless in 308 with Houge stock, awesome gun pretty accurate for the money. was smacking pests at 250m with a $19 box of ammo. can't complain there.

A plus is you have choice of internal magazine or external 5 round or 10 round.
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by SCJ429 » 31 Mar 2018, 5:04 pm

Hi Pete, is that PPU ammo for 19 dollars a box? How does it shoot accuracy wise at 100?
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by pete1 » 31 Mar 2018, 7:58 pm

Yeh PPU got it on special, in my gun personally i can get about 25mm group at 100m. Hornaby gets about 10mm at 100m
In my 223 PPU gets about 40mm at 100m vs OSA i get a nice group, i cant remember the a measurement of top of my head..
I've found other peoples guns don't shoot to well with PPU and some do, but its cheap so cant complain.
PMC is another cheap one i had success with in 223, but OSA is probably best for my gun.
Know a bloke buys PPU shoots it then reloads all the brass and says it's good brass.
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Re: Thoughts on howa 308 sporter

Post by AZZA'S HJ47 » 31 Mar 2018, 10:23 pm

Enjoying my howa 308 took a little bit of messing around but have the stainless howa is singing now and grouping well with the Hornaday zmax 168gr out to 200m. May have found the odd one, though wont chamber ppu without force being applied to the bolt so now have 2 boxes of unused ppu 308 lol.
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