Window Shopping / Good Deal ??

[Tornado1979 145]

Howa are superb rifles mate, I should know I have one, well Weatherby vanguard (same rifle) spot on Jap engineering, and spit accurate, also dont discount a good CZ 527 also a very nice rifle in .223, just drop the popgun idea and dont bother

Im off to check them out tomorrow, I really want the tikka t3 varmint stainless but would not be able to afford scope cheapest I can get it for is £990 then tikka mounts etc £150 and wildcat Mod £190 way out if my budget but might be worth the wait...

 

Or the £900 for full Howa set up, I'm sure once I see them in flesh I'll decide.

[Deker 3,453]

 

Howa are superb rifles mate, I should know I have one, well Weatherby vanguard (same rifle) spot on Jap engineering, and spit accurate, also dont discount a good CZ 527 also a very nice rifle in .223, just drop the popgun idea and dont bother

Im off to check them out tomorrow, I really want the tikka t3 varmint stainless but would not be able to afford scope cheapest I can get it for is £990 then tikka mounts etc £150 and wildcat Mod £190 way out if my budget but might be worth the wait...

 

Or the £900 for full Howa set up, I'm sure once I see them in flesh I'll decide.

 

 

Out of curiosity why a Varmint and why stainless?

 

You don't have to spend anything like £150 on Tikka mounts, look around, and check out Sportsmatch...

 

I got the Optilock first and then the Sportsmatch, NEVER again will I waste unnecessary money on Optilock, there has been no difference in the performance and Sportsmatch (about £20-25) are a lot easier to mount! Warne work fine as well!(about £50).

 

There is nothing wrong with the Howas and some of the package deals offer good value for money, but it is a package, and watch out which scope they chuck in!

 

Perhaps you should take a step back, work out what best suits you (rimfire or Centerfire) and then spend some time searching the web for the right prices/products.

[Tornado1979 145]

 

 

 

Howa are superb rifles mate, I should know I have one, well Weatherby vanguard (same rifle) spot on Jap engineering, and spit accurate, also dont discount a good CZ 527 also a very nice rifle in .223, just drop the popgun idea and dont bother

Im off to check them out tomorrow, I really want the tikka t3 varmint stainless but would not be able to afford scope cheapest I can get it for is £990 then tikka mounts etc £150 and wildcat Mod £190 way out if my budget but might be worth the wait...

 

Or the £900 for full Howa set up, I'm sure once I see them in flesh I'll decide.

Out of curiosity why a Varmint and why stainless?

 

You don't have to spend anything like £150 on Tikka mounts, look around, and check out Sportsmatch...

CentrefireSet 002cccaEdit.jpg

 

I got the Optilock first and then the Sportsmatch, NEVER again will I waste unnecessary money on Optilock, there has been no difference in the performance and Sportsmatch (about £20-25) are a lot easier to mount! Warne work fine as well!(about £50).

 

There is nothing wrong with the Howas and some of the package deals offer good value for money, but it is a package, and watch out which scope they chuck in!

 

Perhaps you should take a step back, work out what best suits you (rimfire or Centerfire) and then spend some time searching the web for the right prices/products.

No real reason just from the reviews I've read online with regards to varmint / Stainless, it was gent in shop who advised that tikka mounts would be needed so it's good to know about other options.

 

Thanks for advise, I prob do need to chill out a bit and do some more research.

 

Yours are looking well mate :-)

[charlie caller 3,654]

Tikkas are nice rifles mate, but I will tell you this the build quality is no better than Howa, the super close tolerance engineering that the Japs are obsessed with does show through, the Tikka trigger is a little better but not much and you can always have the Howa trigger re worked or drop an aftermarket unit in, mine is super accurate, it will shoot near one hole groups with my homeloads and easily half inch groups with factory stuff, and is not ammo fussy, shoots to point of aim clean or dirty, have you not had a look at CZ mate? They make some very nice rifles, the 527 heavy barrel is a cracking varmint rifle, if it dont take your fancy get the Howa you wont go wrong, and you can always save up for a better scope if you want.

[Tornado1979 145]

Tikkas are nice rifles mate, but I will tell you this the build quality is no better than Howa, the super close tolerance engineering that the Japs are obsessed with does show through, the Tikka trigger is a little better but not much and you can always have the Howa trigger re worked or drop an aftermarket unit in, mine is super accurate, it will shoot near one hole groups with my homeloads and easily half inch groups with factory stuff, and is not ammo fussy, shoots to point of aim clean or dirty, have you not had a look at CZ mate? They make some very nice rifles, the 527 heavy barrel is a cracking varmint rifle, if it dont take your fancy get the Howa you wont go wrong, and you can always save up for a better scope if you want.

I'll check the CZ 527 out later mate, I'm after any decent solid rifle to be honest around £1000 price bracket.

 

Appreciate all your advice, the Howa package does interest me I just thought if the quality was much better on the tikka I wouldnt of minded waiting till more funds were available.

 

I'll let you know what a end up with mate but ill defo check the CZ out :-)

[charlie caller 3,654]

The quality is not better mate, dont let anyone tell you it is, just the trigger that is a little better, if it was me I would be looking at a good second hand combo, no need to buy new, there are some cracking second hand rifles out there, but its your choice mate.

[hutchey 147]

Go try putting a few up to your cheeks and get a feel, I tried a few and like you had same constraints on funds. I went down the howa route but not as a package, although maybe I should have as my old scope was sh!t3.

I'm happy with my howa, good groups and for what I think I'll be using it for it's not too heavy.

Tikka was nice and if I'd had a few extra hundred quid then I might have opted for that just on looks.

 

Mind you, my howa has the dark fluted barrel instead of the stainless fluted at that's certainly better gorgeous me when I attach a lamp to the top

[Tornado1979 145]

Go try putting a few up to your cheeks and get a feel, I tried a few and like you had same constraints on funds. I went down the howa route but not as a package, although maybe I should have as my old scope was sh!t3.

I'm happy with my howa, good groups and for what I think I'll be using it for it's not too heavy.

Tikka was nice and if I'd had a few extra hundred quid then I might have opted for that just on looks.

 

Mind you, my howa has the dark fluted barrel instead of the stainless fluted at that's certainly better gorgeous me when I attach a lamp to the top

 

 

I'm on late shift tomorrow mate so I'm going to go and check the howa range out in the flesh at local shop and see if there's any 2nd hand bargains knocking about, browsing the internet there doesn't seem to be many .223's for sale second hand.

 

I'm like a little kid at christmas, once the ticket comes I'll be grabbing first one I see lol, it's why I want to try and plan before it comes, i'd love to be putting tikka into my gun safe but it would then be sat there for 3 month waiting for scopes and mod, or I could cancel christmas this year, i'm sure the wife and kids would understand

[GEOFF.223 83]

No matter what you get in the end get stainless cause our country sucks ass for weather.

 

Wish I had waited and save a extra £100 for a stainless model sick of cleaning worrying about them rusting and they do rust fast it you don't dry and oil them.

 

The howa package is hard to beat and its available in .204 ruger

Edited November 6, 2013 by GEOFF.223

[charlie caller 3,654]

No need for stainless if you look after your equipment properly, if your rifle gets wet, dry it properly and oil it, having a stainless rifle is no excuse for proper maintenance

[Deker 3,453]

No need for stainless if you look after your equipment properly, if your rifle gets wet, dry it properly and oil it, having a stainless rifle is no excuse for proper maintenance

 

Can't argue with that, I cut my teeth in competition work as a teenager and looking after equipment was drummed into you.

 

I have a couple of stainless rifles but the majority of mine are not...there is no difference in the condition of any, they are all Better than the day they came out of the factory!

[Alsone 789]

I'd say go stainless laminate.

 

Not only does wood look nice but laminate is as stable as a synthetic stock without the scratching risk (and if it ever does get scratched it can be polished and refinished), and with stainless you have less maintenance worries plus a very hard wearing barrel.

Edited November 6, 2013 by Alsone

[charlie caller 3,654]

right just had a look on guntrader for you, Howa 1500, .223 Hogue stock, wildcat mod, nikko diamond 3-12x56 scope described as new £695 what more do you want mate? Or a CZ 527 varmint synthetic stock, in Derby for £539 brand new. BUY THE HOWA.

Edited November 6, 2013 by charlie caller

[Deker 3,453]

Ha ha, get what you like, there is life out there other than Howa, some cracking Remington deals as well, etc., etc.

 

Also get what you fancy weight wise and stock wise, everyone has the best rifle and many are happy to tell you, I'm sure you have noticed that, personally I'd say there is little between most of them.

 

What is important is you get what you want/need, I have no particular interest in Stainless.....(BOTH my stainless rifles were financial incentives, I didn't go looking for them) and I have no interest in Heavy rifles, complete waste of time, money and energy out in the field for me!

[Alsone 789]

Ha ha, get what you like,

 

Yeah I think everyone has an opinion / preference as to stock / barrel material. That said, get a good gun and it will be a good gun irrespective of materials.