Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)

Shooting Forum - Firearms licencing information


Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

HOWA 1500 .223 Best Ammo?

  • 07-01-2023 10:22pm
    #1
    Steel rain
    Registered Users Posts: 169 ✭✭


    I'm after buying a Howa 1500 sporter in .223 and am wondering what ammunition is most accurate through these rifles?



Comments

  • #2
    sniperman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,960 ✭✭✭sniperman


    you gotta try a few brands to see what suits it,all guns are different,what may shoot good in an exact same rifle as yours may not be good in yours,i have a remington 223,and hornady 55 grain set at 1 inch high at 100 yards,takes the head off rabbits at 200 yards with dead on aim,foxes just fold,out to 250 yards



  • #3
    Steel rain
    Registered Users Posts: 169 ✭✭Steel rain


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120079930#Comment_120079930

    Thanks for the info,just trying to narrow it down to a couple of brands and bullet weights that are working out good with these rifles.



  • #4
    alanmc
    Registered Users Posts: 1,132 ✭✭✭alanmc


    Kinda depends on the barrel twist rate as well. I think the Howa 1500 .223 is a 1 in 8 (not sure though). If you can get your hands on some Fiocchi 69g Sierra Match King, they're worth a try. They're pricey enough, but there's a good chance that they'll be very good indeed in a 1 in 8 twist. Lakelands outside Mullingar would be your best bet to get them.

    With the 1:8, I'd be trying some of the heavier weights. Up to and including 75g. 75g might be pushing it a bit stability wise, but as sniperman said, they might work in your rifle quite well.

    The 55g EPN from Fiocchi seem to be the goto round for .223 though. It's what I use n my .223.


    Let us know how you get on.



  • #5
    Cass
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 28,453 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cass


    My Howa 1500 is 1:12.

    I run everything from 40gr to 55 gr through it. It'll chew then up fine but excels with the 53gr v-max or similar.

    When I say excels I mean it'll give half inch groups at 100 yards with most ammo, but will cloverleaf the 54 gr. It does really well with 40 gr stuff but that was/is hard as hen's teeth to find so I stuck with 53gr.

    When it gets scare I rely on Fiocchi 50gr v-max stuff.

    Drop from 100 yds to 200 goes from just over an inch with 40gr to 2.25 inches with 55gr and out to 300 about 10moa (iirc). Group sizes remain at half moa or less so well up there in performance.

    Frankly the rifle is so good you need to work to have poor results. 😁

    Forum Charter - Useful Information - Photo thread: Hardware - Ranges by County - Hunting Laws/Important threads - Upcoming Events - RFDs by County

    If you see a problem post use the report post function. Click on the three dots on the post, select "FLAG" & let a Moderator deal with it.

    Moderators - Cass otmmyboy2 , CatMod - Shamboc , Admins - Beasty , mickeroo



  • #6
    Steel rain
    Registered Users Posts: 169 ✭✭Steel rain


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120080543#Comment_120080543

    Will definitely give the fiocchi epn rounds a go when I pick up the rifle Alan and report back. Thanks



  • Advertisement
  • #7
    Steel rain
    Registered Users Posts: 169 ✭✭Steel rain


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120080561#Comment_120080561

    That's Great Cass just the info I was looking for,I know every barrel is different but that gives me a good indication of what rounds to buy to get me going out of the box. Does your howa seem to prefer ballistic tips over say hp or sp bullets? I forgot to ask the dealer what twist rate the barrel is,its the light barrel sporter model in black hogue stock.



  • #8
    Cass
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 28,453 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cass


    Yes, it prefers ballistic tips or match grade ammo. Doesn't like hp and never use sp in any rifle.

    If you want to be 100% sure take your cleaning rod, mark about 15 or 16 inch markers on it. Push the rod into the chamber until one of the markers line up with the action and the Jag is in the rifling. Then slowly push the rod into the rifle until the rod does one full revolution. Remove and do this about three times, each time recording the number of markers the rod uses to do one revolution.

    That will be your twist rate. As said do this three times to discount errors and get a mean number.

    Forum Charter - Useful Information - Photo thread: Hardware - Ranges by County - Hunting Laws/Important threads - Upcoming Events - RFDs by County

    If you see a problem post use the report post function. Click on the three dots on the post, select "FLAG" & let a Moderator deal with it.

    Moderators - Cass otmmyboy2 , CatMod - Shamboc , Admins - Beasty , mickeroo



  • #9
    Steel rain
    Registered Users Posts: 169 ✭✭Steel rain


    Dead on Cass,I have the licence app just in so ill report back when i pick it up with a small field review. Hopefully it will perform as well as the tikkas I'm used to.



Advertisement