Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Howa 6.5x55 Reviews

Hi everyone!
New guy here that finally decided to post up after lurking for a while. There is a thread about factory rifles in the 6.5 swede. I found a NIB Howa Hogue in 6.5x55 here. I researched it quite a bit online and the reviews were less than stellar. All the reviews were from several years ago though. Wanted to see if anyone here had any personal experience with the Howa in 6.5 or Howa rifles in general.
Thanks
4B

I cannot tell you about the 6.5x55 swede, but I have experience with three Weatherby Vanguards (which is a Howa action) and two of the three are wonderfully accurate, and the third one is a youth 7mm-08 that is about a 1 1/2" gun. All three have great workmanship, if fact I just purchase a remington youth 700 rifle for a grandson and I think the Vanguard / Howa is a much better fitted rifle.

This is worth what you paid for it!

I've had several Howa rifles, and I like them a lot. Good rifles, although I can't comment on the 6.5 version. I've had two .270s, a .223, and a 7mm Mag. All shot quite well.

I've never owned a Howa but have heard good things about them for years.

Have a Howa 1500 in 243....sure wouldn't mind owning a 6.5x55 one.

Had a Howa in .243. Nice rifle, but a tad heavy. Workmanship was better than Remington IMO. I have heard that they used a 1 in 9 twist with a long throat in the 6.5. That combo may result in lessened accuracy, although I can't confirm or deny such. I would buy one.

Think I'm going to but it. Not looking for a precision rifle, just want a decent deer/hog rifle. Plus I can always upgrade the stocks and the barrel. It seems Howa fixed the problem by using an 8" twist and the one I am looking at has the two stage trigger like my Weatherby vanguard

Fact: 6.5x55 is a stellar round in regards to reputation for accuracy.

Fact: Howa reps told me directly at the SHOT show a few years ago they could never get their 6.5x55s to shoot well, and could not figure out why.

Next, twist rates have changed IIRC over time with Howa, whatever that may have helped or not is unknown to me, but I do know an 8 twist is common, preferred, and I believe what is in their latest rifles for Howa.

I have considered MANY times a 6.5x55 but never had enough confidence to pull the trigger on one b/c I could not find enough reports supporting my buying one.

I have owned several Howa's, as above, well mfg rifles, and mine were all good shooters, a youth as above - in 7/08 was also a 1.5 moa gun for the ltd shooting I did with it before selling. Never worked loads or played with bedding, etc. so not sure if it had more potential. I did have a 223 and 22-250 - both sporters that shot 5/8" routinely, NO issues in quality.

I think odds are high that a current 8 twist Swede will give good hunting accuracy. That said, I'd EXPECT a decent bolt in Swede to shoot under MOA, and who knows you might get that with a Howa. Tikka's are known to shoot 1/2 MOA and better, in sporters, and their Heavy bbl shot a record in Britain at 1,000 yds, in Swede, for a 10 shot group as I recall, 1999 British Long-Range Benchrest Championship was won by a Tikka Continental in 6.5x55. Group size was an almost unbelievable 10 rounds into 4.4 inches at 1,000 yards.

Now that the twist is correct, let's hope the chamber specs i.e. leade is good to go, and you should be fine. Any doubt just buy a 270 or 308 in a Howa.

FYI,

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Finnish+rifle+with+flair%3A+Tikka's+M595+Continental+Varminter.-a095680073

I prefer to build on Remington 700 actions because there are so many after-market parts available and my old Delta lathe cuts all kinds of inch threads, but I haven't figured out how to cut the metric threads that rebarreling a Howa action would require.

I have one rifle with a Howa 1500 action, a deluxe grade S&W and the only reason that I keep it around is because of the unique SN, PN11111.

65,
Glad you replied. After reading about the Swede and my experience with Weatherby Vanguard, I really think I might have a good combo. I think most guys complained about the accuracy due to the old 1:9" twist rate. I don't think it was the long throat issue. If I can get 1 to 1.5 moa I will be happy. The older howas were also in a different stock. Who knows. I plan on trying the Fusion 140 grains and found a box of Nosler Custom with the 130 Accubonds. I think I can get 1 to 1.5 between the rifle, ammo, the cartridge itself, better Leuopold rings bases and a VX2 that's been a safe queen.

I tried one 5 or 6 years ago. Wasn't impressed, trigger was rough, balance was off and several different loads hovered around 2".

It went byebye pretty quick.

I have been happy with mine (got it new in 2011), but I am certainly not a rifle expert. It has the 1:8 barrel, but not the newer 2-stage trigger.
I did not like the flexibility of the Hogue stock, so I switched it with a Boyd's laminate. Overall, the thing is heavier (and less beautiful) than many would like, but it is fine for me as my only centerfire. I just wanted something for hunting and it has performed fine for that (one shot each for a mule deer and two antelope so far).
At 100 yards from a bipod I am usually at about 1" for 3 shots and I feel like most of the spread is probably due more to my modest shooting ability than to the inaccuracy of the rifle. My guess is you will like the one you're looking at.

Re: throating of the Swede, recall that the original Swede mausers had a gradual taper, albeit long - allowing good accuracy w/many bullets. A buddy had a 'Kimberized' model, 22", and that OEM cut rifled barrel even shot 85 HPs around MOA, not bad for a stubby bullet with alot of jump.

The target above might be a good indicator as to what to expect, nothing Benchrest, but entirely usable for a hunting rifle. Overall the Howa and Weatherby Vanguard represent a good value in my opinion. That said, if a Ruger or Tikka comes along, or Sako for that matter don't hesitate to jump on one for a good price. Steyr mades some good ones, CZ has mfg them also, and others. A Swede in any quality rifle is often going to be a decent shooter, they just want to please re: accuracy IME.