Got my Howa Alpine together finally!

[Newtosavage]

Super excited about this rifle. I was needing something short and light for my whitetail hunting where I'm sometimes in a ladder stand or box blind or slipping through brush. I also wanted a rifle with a stock that could take a beating but still deliver great accuracy and be lightweight.

Picked up the barreled action here, then the Bansner stock from another member, added a polymer DBM setup, chopped down the magazine to make it fit flush, and topped it with Talley rings and an 11 oz. Leupold American Marksman 3-9x40 with the excellent long range wind plex reticle. Total weight as you see it is 6 lbs. 11 oz. Magazine holds 3 and feeds smooth as silk.

These modded howa detachable magazines, when done correctly, actually feed smoother than the regular bottom metal with the hinged floorplate. As with my Mini, I trimmed the magazine release lever so it won't accidentally snag on anything, leaving just enough for me to trip it with my fingertip to release the magazine.

So far, she's done well on the range but today is a big day since she'll be going head-to-head with my 6 lb. 14 oz. stainless Tikka T3 (also 7mm-08). It will be interesting to see which one delivers the best groups. Any bets on which one will win? I'll post pics when I get done.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Nice rig and nice build!

The best groups depend more on the shooter than the rifle. Both of those rifles have the potential to shoot very well! Good luck.

 

[Kbhillhunter]

how'd you trim down the mag?

 

[Newtosavage]

how'd you trim down the mag?

Same way I trimmed the mag on my Howa Mini - by removing the floor plate and taking a hacksaw to it. There is a 2nd lip midway on the mag that you can use to catch the floorplate. It's not a perfect fit, so there is quite a bit of filing you have to do to get it to fit correctly, but it's all simple hand tool work and easy to do so long as you're patient (I am not, but I manage).

There is a bit of filing at the catch on the mag, and below the catch at the front of the mag so the floorplate will fully seat. I'll try posting some pictures so you can get the idea.

 

[Newtosavage]

Okay, here are some pics. Hope they help.

 

[Kbhillhunter]

thanks for sharing! that was my biggest hangup with the howa kits, how much they hung out of the stock at a spot i normally like to grip when its not slung on my shoulder. The jump in price for something thats flush fitting for me isn't worth $300 so good to know there might be a work around with the howa kit.

 

[Mtslackcountry]

I’m betting tikka bests the howa

 

[westsloper]

That's an awesome setup! I like Howa rifles a lot.

How much thinner is the barrel on the Alpine than the Tikka?

 

[Newtosavage]

That's an awesome setup! I like Howa rifles a lot.

How much thinner is the barrel on the Alpine than the Tikka?

It's pretty thin, but not as thin as say, a Ruger lightweight 16.5" barrel. This is the #1 contour for Howa. The standard sporter is a #2.

 

[Newtosavage]

I didn't go down to get my targets today because I was in a hurry and there were other folks still shooting, but the little Howa did real well. 1" groups with 120 grain Barnes TTSX and 1/2 to 3/4" groups with the 140 grainers. If one of the two was going to be better, I wanted it to be the 140's, so I'm a happy camper.

Didn't have time to run the Tikka side-by-side, but I will soon and I'll be sure to post pics.

 

[OXN939]

Looks familiar...



Mine is in 6mm-08 (also known by poors as the .243 Winchester). Great little rifle. Bedded the stock, cut about 3/4 of a turn out of the trigger spring, and she shoots dependably at MOA. Above is zero verification before a recent whitetail trip.

 

[Newtosavage]

I like that sling. Looks like you got the package with the Vortex Viper scope. How do you like it?

 

[Mtslackcountry]

I didn't go down to get my targets today because I was in a hurry and there were other folks still shooting, but the little Howa did real well. 1" groups with 120 grain Barnes TTSX and 1/2 to 3/4" groups with the 140 grainers. If one of the two was going to be better, I wanted it to be the 140's, so I'm a happy camper.

Didn't have time to run the Tikka side-by-side, but I will soon and I'll be sure to post pics.

Well which gun was more accurate?

 

[Newtosavage]

Well which gun was more accurate?

Day in and day out, the Tikka. The Howa had it's moments, but at the end of the day it didn't shoot 140-class bullets well, and that's the bread and butter of a 7mm-08.