308-HOWA Hogue 1500 or Bergara B14 Wilderness Ridge?

[BCD]

I was just about to buy the wilderness ridge (Cerakote finish with muzzle brake and 20 inch barrel for $850) when a friend of mine asked if I would be interested in a new HOWA that his dad won at a banquet years ago that has been just sitting in the box( 2012 model blued with no threaded muzzle and 22 inch barrel). A similar HOWA today retails for $600 and he is selling this one for $400.

Any thoughts on this? I may just buy the HOWA and if I'm not crazy about it for longer range (up to 500 yards), I'm sure it would work well for whitetail hunting in WI for one of my boys.

Thanks!!

 

[zeroforhire]

Howa is hard to beat for the price.

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[fmyth]

I have new in the box Howa 1500 in 6.5C with the Hogue stock. I bought it and then after handling it decided it was too heavy for what I wanted to do with it. It was $429 at sportsmans.

 

[BCD]

I have new in the box Howa 1500 in 6.5C with the Hogue stock. I bought it and then after handling it decided it was too heavy for what I wanted to do with it. It was $429 at sportsmans.

I see some priced around $400 and some around $600 and I'm not sure how they are different.....

 

[rkcdvm]

I can only comment on the wilderness ridge. I have one in 300 wm. It's a great rifle. I also hear the howa makes a great rifle. For 500 yards, either will work. My son has a walmart special Savage axis that shoots lights out at 500. He may have just gotten a good one though.

 

[Jimbee]

Can anyone tell me the difference between the Howa Gamepro 2 vs the Howa Hogue rifle? The Gamepro come with a scope and seems to be the exact same rifle but is considerably less expensive. What am I missing?

 

[nobody]

Can anyone tell me the difference between the Howa Gamepro 2 vs the Howa Hogue rifle? The Gamepro come with a scope and seems to be the exact same rifle but is considerably less expensive. What am I missing?

The Gamepro is a "ready to hunt" package. But trust me, after a season, you'll be junking the scope and spending the money to buy a decent optic. You're literally throwing money away with the package. Same stock and everything. But the base rifle is awesome, you'd be happy with the base model for around $400. But at $600, stretch and buy the Bergara.

 

[Jimbee]

The Gamepro is a "ready to hunt" package. But trust me, after a season, you'll be junking the scope and spending the money to buy a decent optic. You're literally throwing money away with the package. Same stock and everything. But the base rifle is awesome, you'd be happy with the base model for around $400. But at $600, stretch and buy the Bergara.

Thank you for the reply, I'm not sure what you mean. Are you telling me the two Howa rifles are different, or I should buy a Bergara rifle?

 

[nobody]

Thank you for the reply, I'm not sure what you mean. Are you telling me the two Howa rifles are different, or I should buy a Bergara rifle?

I'm saying that the Hogue and the Gamepro are the SAME rifle, same stock (different colors), same bedding, same trigger, same action, same barrels, same everything. The difference is you're paying extra for a garbage scope that you'll throw away anyways.

Think of it like this:

Howa Hogue: Great buy, decent accuracy, tough as nails, good deal at about $400 retail. I would recommend picking it up.

Howa Gamepro 2: Same as the Hogue, but with a scope. You're paying about $200 more to have a $50 scope installed on the gun. In other words, you're getting ripped off and paying about $150 more than all the components are worth individually. You're basically being cheated out of $150.

Bergara B14: This rifle isn't even in the same ballpark as the Howa's. The Howa is a great rifle, but the B14 is THE BEST factory rifle on the market today, period.


What I was getting at is the "upgrades" for paying for the Howa Gamepro are not worth it, and if you're gonna spend about $600, spend another $150 and get the Bergara. If you're wanting bang for your buck, buy the Howa Hogue, put the extra money towards a better optic and mounting system, and never look back.

Simplified:

Howa Hogue: Best Deal
Bergara B14: Best Quality
Howa Gamepro: Best Ripoff

 

[Jimbee]

I'm saying that the Hogue and the Gamepro are the SAME rifle, same stock (different colors), same bedding, same trigger, same action, same barrels, same everything. The difference is you're paying extra for a garbage scope that you'll throw away anyways.

Think of it like this:

Howa Hogue: Great buy, decent accuracy, tough as nails, good deal at about $400 retail. I would recommend picking it up.

Howa Gamepro 2: Same as the Hogue, but with a scope. You're paying about $200 more to have a $50 scope installed on the gun. In other words, you're getting ripped off and paying about $150 more than all the components are worth individually. You're basically being cheated out of $150.

Bergara B14: This rifle isn't even in the same ballpark as the Howa's. The Howa is a great rifle, but the B14 is THE BEST factory rifle on the market today, period.


What I was getting at is the "upgrades" for paying for the Howa Gamepro are not worth it, and if you're gonna spend about $600, spend another $150 and get the Bergara. If you're wanting bang for your buck, buy the Howa Hogue, put the extra money towards a better optic and mounting system, and never look back.

Simplified:

Howa Hogue: Best Deal
Bergara B14: Best Quality
Howa Gamepro: Best Ripoff

The Gamepro with scope is way cheaper.....I know the scope is garbage, but why is it cheaper with the scope included. It's at least $100 cheaper WITH scope.

 

[nobody]

The Gamepro with scope is way cheaper.....I know the scope is garbage, but why is it cheaper with the scope included. It's at least $100 cheaper WITH scope.

That is extremely odd. Everyone that I have seen has been close to $600 locally. Maybe they are starting to clearance them? Still, that means the game pro is like $300? How cheap are you seeing the regular hogue stock models?

 

[Jimbee]

That is extremely odd. Everyone that I have seen has been close to $600 locally. Maybe they are starting to clearance them? Still, that means the game pro is like $300? How cheap are you seeing the regular hogue stock models?