Thread: Ruger American/Redfield or Howa lite package?

Originally Posted by cambo

Only problem I have with the Howa, is the absolute rubbish Hogue stock. It has more flex in it than soggy spaghetti.
The action etc is flawless and I really like the 3 position safety as well. It is far more smoother to use than both the Savage and the Marlin. Just the stock lets it down big time. It is a shame because the stock feels so nice to hold, even when wet.

Do Howa use a 3-position safety now too? Is it on the tang like the Savage 3-posn or on the side? I've used an older Howa-actioned Weatherby which had an awkward clunky 2-pos safety that my thumb could barely reach. Sloppy clunky bolt too, didn't get on with it at all.

I looked at a Howa in the shop and could push the floppy hogue stock against the barrel with one finger - the surface may feel nicer/more upmarket than a basic synthetic version Savage etc but I'd rather the Savage for actually shooting (mine is a nice wooden one anyway, but aside from that). Then there is the accustock Weather Warrior, if you're flexing one of those you're doing something wrong.

Originally Posted by GravelBen

Do Howa use a 3-position safety now too? Is it on the tang like the Savage 3-posn or on the side? I've used an older Howa-actioned Weatherby which had an awkward clunky 2-pos safety that my thumb could barely reach. Sloppy clunky bolt too, didn't get on with it at all.

I looked at a Howa in the shop and could push the floppy hogue stock against the barrel with one finger - the surface may feel nicer/more upmarket than a basic synthetic version Savage etc but I'd rather the Savage for actually shooting (mine is a nice wooden one anyway, but aside from that). Then there is the accustock Weather Warrior, if you're flexing one of those you're doing something wrong.

Howa's safety is on the side very easy to reach with thumb. Very nice 3 position safety. Really like that function on it.
bolt is very smooth and much nicer to use in comparison to the Savage Axis or Marlin X7 imo. But they are only entry level bang sticks.
Stock is the only downside on the Howa.