Howa VS Tikka

[TaperPin]

I know of a gunsmith who bought a barreled action from brownells for a personal rifle, and went to go through the action to square it up and true it and he said he didn't need to touch it.

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

The only downside to the factory barrel is it probably won’t be a great shooter. You will really spoil yourself with a custom barrel.

 

[grfox92]

I'll out myself here as being a 700 fan. Lots of aftermarket support. You can also get a barreled action for cheap, put it in a stock, replace the trigger with a Timney, and have an incredible rifle for not too much money.

Who has 700 barreled actions?

Edit, besides brownells Christensen.

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

 

[grfox92]

The only downside to the factory barrel is it probably won’t be a great shooter. You will really spoil yourself with a custom barrel.

My guess is it's about 50/50. Some are tack drivers, some are so so.

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

 

[Nhenry]

Who has 700 barreled actions?

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

Well, I was thinking about PTG whenever I posted that and they appear to be out at first glance. However, you can get a fairly inexpensive donor rifle nowadays with updated twists and truer receivers from current Remarms. You'd still be under a fancy Tikka

 

[kennon.reynolds]

Tikka all day long


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hnthrdr]

The mini action howas intrigue me for sure, but by the time I “need” another rifle my guess is tikka will be putting out a 6cm or 6arc

 

[Wapiti1]

There is nothing wrong with a Howa or Vanguard. The feed fine and have a longer mag box in the long action version. I have one sitting on the bench, it is a .270, and the stock mag is 3.5" long. It's getting rebarreled to 25-284.

I'm not sure where the barrel comment comes from on being not stress relieved. I have never run into that with a Howa.

The only knock that I have on them is the action is heavy compared to some others. Otherwise, it's a Sako clone and been around for a long time.

Jeremy

 

[Maverick1]

Seems silly to spend hundreds on a piece of machinery only to bring it home and have to polish it with sandpaper for it to work smoothly.

 

[Nhenry]

Seems silly to spend hundreds on a piece of machinery only to bring it home and have to polish it with sandpaper for it to work smoothly.

Isn't that exactly what barrel break in is, just sans the sandpaper? Everything new has to be broken in to some extent.

 

[4cMuley]

Man, if there was an option to do a blind magazine or hinged floorplate on a tikka I’d own an entire safe full of them. Great shooting rifles with decent aftermarket support. I’m in a similar decision making process and the only reason I’m considering a howa mini is the ability to ditch the detachable mag in favor of a floor plate

 

[grfox92]

Seems silly to spend hundreds on a piece of machinery only to bring it home and have to polish it with sandpaper for it to work smoothly.

You don't "have to" do it. They function just fine out of the box. It's more of an upgrade to your rifle to get a smoother action.

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

 

[Axel1939]

My vote for tikka.

 

[stealthgoat]

I have a 70s Era M70 pushfeed in .308 and was wondering if the bolt face could be opened up to accommodate magnum and maybe do a 7saum. Pretty sure the mag box can accommodate the COAL for book OAL according to load data....

Edit, I have been toying with having it rebarreled to 7mm08 and having UM do the work and +P it. With the right powders I think I could be damn near magnum velocities.

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

That era of Model 70 should be a long action, as they didn't have a true short action until mid-80s, so OAL wouldn't be an issue.

 

[grfox92]

That era of Model 70 should be a long action, as they didn't have a true short action until mid-80s, so OAL wouldn't be an issue.

I think the bolts were different though? Maybe I'm wrong about that. Don't know if the length of the bolt might be a limiter.

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

 

[ElPollo]

I never weight the actions alone, but the Howas also seem sorta chonky. My T3x with is an ‘06 length and the barrel action is lighter than the Howas I’ve owned.

 

[stealthgoat]

I think the bolts were different though? Maybe I'm wrong about that. Don't know if the length of the bolt might be a limiter.

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

To clarify, I believe M70 long action push feed bolt used a different bolt stop and box for shorter cartridges, but bolt itself is same 308 vs 30-06 etc.
In your case going from 308 to 7-08 shouldn't take any adjustments. (of course changing to magnum means opening up bolt face or changing bolt. )
However I don't have one on hand right now to confirm and take pictures.

 

[grfox92]

To clarify, I believe M70 long action push feed bolt used a different bolt stop and box for shorter cartridges, but bolt itself is same 308 vs 30-06 etc.
In your case going from 308 to 7-08 shouldn't take any adjustments. (of course changing to magnum means opening up bolt face or changing bolt. )
However I don't have one on hand right now to confirm and take pictures.

Do you known if the bolt stop is something that can be changed? To accommodate a longer COAL?

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

 

[100 others]

I've owned 3. Two stamped Wby with sporter barrels (7rm and 22-250) and a Howa heavy barrel 6mm creed. They're all great shooters and I have zero complaints about smoothness of the short actions but the long action is just middle of the road, not budget cheap or custom action buttery. The aftermarket stock options are pretty good now though. Not sure how the Tikka stacks up there.

 

[bow_dozer]

Last year I did a Howa carbon barreled action and Stockys VG2 with a SHV 4-14. It’s right at 8.5 lbs and shoots as good as I can. 6.5 prc and shooting 156’s.
For $1800 all in, not a lot to complain about.
Action is pretty smooth out of the box.
That being said, this gun sits in the safe as I have 2 Tikkas that get shot the most.

 

[100 others]

Last year I did a Howa carbon barreled action and Stockys VG2 with a SHV 4-14. It’s right at 8.5 lbs and shoots as good as I can. 6.5 prc and shooting 156’s.
For $1800 all in, not a lot to complain about.
Action is pretty smooth out of the box.
That being said, this gun sits in the safe as I have 2 Tikkas that get shot the most.

How do you like that VG2? I’ve been kicking that option around for a bit.