Build a 30BR on a Howa action?

[Dan877]

I've been kicking around the idea of building a 30BR from a Rem. 700/.308 that I have and never shoot. But, I also own several Weatherby Vanguard and Howa 1500's, all of which I really like, in fact, of the 30 odd rifles I own my Vanguard Classic 22-250 is my favorite. Just looking at the action, with its big, flat bottom and integral lug, it would seem that it would be heavier and stiffer than the 700 action. So I got to wondering, is there any particular reason one wouldn't consider building a 30BR,or any custom rig for that matter) on a Howa action?

 

[rayjay]

Where you going to get a 1.5 oz trigger for the Howa ?

 

[Dan877]

To be honest, I don't really want a 1.5oz trigger.

Several years ago I figured out how to get the stock trigger to break crisply around 8oz., and maybe less if I want, but 8oz. or so suits me fine for what I want to do. Timney also make a trigger for it, though I think it only goes down to 1.5lb.

I'm not looking to build a 1000 yard bench gun, just a fun to shoot varmint/casual target gun that's more accurate than I can be, relatively economical and easy to load for, and especially something a lot more interesting than a factory rifle chambered in a "standard" chambering. As I said, I've got around 30 of those already.

So other than the trigger, is there another reason to exclude the Howa action from thought?

 

[Ogre6br]

Yep it will work fine- you being already happy with the howa/weatherby action is half the battle.

There are a lot of people that believe that accurate guns can ONLY be built on R700's, clones of R700's or full blown custom rifles- and they preach this to all and sundry that will listen to them.

But the way I see it you really have 2 options- esp that you are considering a 30 BR.

option 1:
Plenty of accurate rifles have been built on other actions- and the Howas are a strong modern action that can and have been built into tack holing rifles.
There was a trigger listed in the daily bulletin of this site a few months back,maybe late last year) as a quality adjustable replacement trigger for the Howa action- I don't have a link but it shouldn't be too hard to do a search.
or you can uses your proven 8 OZ method- I cannot use a 1.5 OZ trigger a 6 OZ is about as light as I have ever been able to use- and that wasn't on a hunting rifle.
I'd go with the 8OZ system that you know.

Mate has a Howa in 6BR and it feeds fine so a 30 BR will work as well
I'm building mine on a Tikka action
another mate has a 7BR on a Sako action

So building one on a R700 is not the be all and end all.

If you aren't going to ever use the R700 in 308 it might make a great candidate to trade it in to the gunsmith to pay for the work of making the howa into a 30 BR- R700's are easy to sell for a G-smith

For a fun gun/plinker in 30BR you might want to consider a faster twist than the 1:17 or 1:18 that full blown comp guns seem to use.
I'm using a full bore barrel of approx 1:13 twist so I have a greater range of projectiles that I can use in mine. I plan using either 110 V-max or 125 TNT for most of my vermin/predator hunting- but having a couple of 165's in my pocket "in case" something larger turns up is a good thing.

Getting a full bore/ f-class barrel is quite easy as they are a usually on the shelf item for barrel makers because of demand. cuts down your waiting time.

There is neck turning required for a 30 BR to get rid of the shoulder donut created during the necking up process-- someone here might know of a way of forming 30BR brass without making the donut--
Here might be the best place to ask or do a search in the archive. if you find any info on it please post the link to it as I'd like to not have to turn my brass IF it can be helped.

I am getting a .334 neck cut on mine so all I need to do is skim off the actual donut bit and not loose much of the neck. I will turn to .330 giving me a 4 thou clearance - about double more than a competition gun but a lot less than a standard hunting rifle- I have added the extra 2 thou for a safety margin in case anything happens while out hunting and things get dirty or such. also so that mine can function as a repeater and can have the bolt cycled as quick as needed.
My raw necked up brass forms at 3315-332 with a 125 TNT seated so I could shoot it in the .334 chamber without turning if required.

I'd go to your gunsmith of choice and say I'll trade in this R700 308 for this Howa rebuilt with EG: a basic action true up and put everything on the same centerline, fitting a Pac-Nor S/S match, or whichever barrel maker you choose), f-class twist and a .334 neck throated with a free bore that allows everything from 110 V-max to 165 hunting projectiles and enough left to be able to chase the lands when the throat wears and bedding into your stock.
In my mind thats about $300-350 for the barrel and the $250-300 for the machining/accurising work.
A good condition R700 308 is worth $600 to most everybody.

OR
option 2

Take you R700 in 308 to a gunsmith and ask him to cut and shut the factory barrel along with a basic action true up and put everything on the same centerline, a .334 neck throated with a free bore that allows everything from 110 V-max to 165 hunting projectiles and enough left to be able to chase the lands when the throat wears, smooth the trigger up and bedding into your stock.
Then take it out and shoot if for anything from between 5000 and 8000 rounds to wear out the factory barrel- 30 BR's are not hard on barrels at all.
During those 5000 rounds you will fall in love with the rifle and not want to sell it and then in a few years you will get another match S/S barrel fitted and get close to 10,000 rounds of plinking and hunting out of it.


Sorry if this is a bit long- but it's just the way my mind works and I see many possibilities in one idea

For loading data look here on this site and also in precision shooting magazines in the back at equipment lists for shoots- gives you powders that work in the 30 BR and an idea where to start with load weights.

HTH

later
p

 

[tightneck]

Here's one reason: Since the Howa's are made in Japan, the receivers are metric threaded. Many gunsmiths in the US won't do metric work due to the hassle of changing lathe gears, some that do charge more for the work. I've no experience with the actions so I can't give an opinion on their initial quality. ALL factory actions need truing to bring them up to snuff, at least the kind of accuracy that's represented on this site. I've only trued up a few different makers and some are definitely truer than others. The thing that gives 700's so much appeal is the abundance of aftermarket parts and the fact that pretty much every accuracy minded gunsmith work with them on a regular basis. Now talk to a dangerous game gunsmith and you'll get a very strong opinion against the 700's. But then he's not interested in minute of prairie dog, but rather, minute of cape buffalo.