Howa Superlite 308win Field Evaluation

[Mike 338]

What sort of shitshow company would send out a product for testing without running a QC test, it just shows that they regard customers as imbeciles

I suspect a company that actually believes in their product(s). Cold be, the top dogs at the company are working in an echo chamber, whereby, they feverishly have meetings, change policies and send out memos. In their own minds, they're making improvements but the proof is in the pudding right here. Companies are overflowing with executives with high aptitude but often lack wisdom. Ethics are thought to be a thing for the weak and simple minded. That's often the value of an education (Bud Light lady). If you business is pushing paper or dealing with 1's and 0's, then you might get away with that but when you make and sell a thing, EVERYBODY needs to get their hands a little dirty. That goes for the owner, right down to the janitor.

I wouldn't trust any review with a handpicked example. Glad to see a 2nd example is being sourced, not from the manufacturer.

What's funny is there's guys all over the place that shoot a bow and arrow more accurately that that rifle!

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I can only speak for myself- but I give two flips about free guns or scopes. The vast majority of guns suck and don’t work, almost all scopes are junk and fail. In any case, I get more good guns and scopes that actually work than I can use. I shoot “X” amount of rounds a day/week/month/year- a bunch of sub par guns and scopes just adds time, headache and BS to my life.

The only reason I am doing these Evals is because no one else is.

Headaches and BS aren’t worth it. If you aren’t enjoying it move on and live life.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I absolutely would not lol. It's a lot of work. I load for several rifles of my own and some close buddy's. Legitimately proofing data and problem solving issues is a headache and very time consuming. I try to only use the best, most reliable components, and there is still always some issues to work through or monitor for a long duration in order to get legit info.

I turned down a companies like flagship custom rifle last year that was offered for a sponsorship type thing. I told him I would pass because I didn't believe it was comprised of the best components, and I wouldn't waiver just for a sponsorship. He said he just appreciated me not wasting his time. Which I appreciated that reply as well.

I’m the exact opposite. I was lucky to be sent new gear every few months and I had a blast trying out new stuff. It’s a good way to learn.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

The industry sucks and products don’t work because no one calls out the BS.

Even if you call out their “BS” they mostly just ignore it and keep making junk. You should have seen the look on two Christensen Arms product guys faces when I shot their “Mesa” prototype in 2016.

I basically told them I would never spend my own money on one of these rifles as it sat, and listed some feedback/changes they could make. The rifle came out 6 months later and zero was changed.

It was no skin off my nose but it’s just the world of the shooting industry at its core. They also have sold tens of thousands of them now, so what do I know?

 

[huntnful]

I’m the exact opposite. I was lucky to be sent new gear every few months and I had a blast trying out new stuff. It’s a good way to learn.

I guess it is personality dependent as well. But getting junk rifles to “test” when there is absolutely no way they’ll hold a candle to your personal rifles, doesn’t sound fun to me hahaha. Maybe clothes or a tent or something would be different. I’d be open to trying stuff like that for sure. But rifles and optics, not so much. The only factory rifle I’ve ever been genuinely been impressed with is a tikka. But they kick like a MF lol. And optics, a lot are impressive visually, but very few are impressively functionally and durability wise.

 

[DJL2]

You have a real gift for getting horrible examples of these products that need work out of the box. I was excited until the problems started.

He may just have a gift for actually subjecting the products to hard use rather than gently fondling it in his living room and firing a box of single fed ammo on a flat range before proclaiming that it has "excellent fit and finish and accuracy that is more than good enough for hunting."

 

[SloppyJ]

He may just have a gift for actually subjecting the products to hard use rather than gently fondling it in his living room and firing a box of single fed ammo on a flat range before proclaiming that it has "excellent fit and finish and accuracy that is more than good enough for hunting."

Well no shit. I'm specifically talking about this one and the CRF 308 that had the bedding issues. Both problems and the root of my post has to do with rifles that came from the factory with issues out of the box.

 

[MallardSX2]

Picked one of these up for my wife for Christmas.

Luckily, we are not having the problems the OP is having.

7MM-08.

100 yard group in a howling wind left to right.

Gona take it out there and shoot it again in normal conditions to see what it can do. Recoil was very mild with the factory muzzle brake.

The magazine fits in there like his does but the bolt does not ride over the shell.

 

[sndmn11]

@Formidilosus I'll be interested to see if the issues are action related or stock related regarding the 1/8" movement and the bolt override.

A few of our vanguards are in @Stockys VG without feeding issues or action shift. On paper, I like the Howa/Stockys marriage. My vanguard came from the factory with Howa's plastic bottom and magazines, and I think it lasted a year before it broke and they sent me an AL floor plate.

 

[mtwarden]

A 4.5lb rifle that works would be slick.

Agreed

 

[PsRpOiGrRiAtM]

This made me pull my 1500 short action out of the safe to try to replicate this. I ran the bolt as hard as I could 40 times and did not get a single case where the trigger malfunctioned. Can’t say that I ran it that near hard during break-in, but it’s not something I’ve ever noticed with a normal length Howa. Is this a mini or superlite specific issue?

I tried the same thing and couldn't replicate it. Not to say that it can't happen. Mine was snug to one side of the barrel, which was annoying, so I sanded it. That's definitely not the first time I've had to do some trimming to float a barrel, so I dismissed it as a minor annoyance. As far as accuracy, I'm pleased with mine and the groups it is printing. So far nothing over an inch with 136gr factory Scenar ammo, but I'm also just shooting 3-5 round groups; not the 10-20-30rd groups that would be considered statistically viable.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

That co

I can only speak for myself- but I give two flips about free guns or scopes. The vast majority of guns suck and don’t work, almost all scopes are junk and fail. In any case, I get more good guns and scopes that actually work than I can use. I shoot “X” amount of rounds a day/week/month/year- a bunch of sub par guns and scopes just adds time, headache and BS to my life.

The only reason I am doing these Evals is because no one else is.

That Could be because no one has sent me anything to review. Lol

I actually enjoy reading your reviews because it seems legit. I know what you say is most likely the the truth because it isn’t all rainbows and pots of gold.

 

[Kurts86]

I would like to know if Howa is assembling these in Japan or if legacy sports international is assembling these from barreled action in the US?

 

[Mike 338]

If someone sent you free guns to shoot and scopes to try out, you’d make the time. You aren’t too busy to have some fun and enjoy a hobby/provide insight to folks. Nobody on this forum who posts semi regularly is that busy.

Ehhhh, feel free not to send me anything free. It's isn't that I'm too busy. I just have my own interests and if a dude gives me something, then I have to talk to him and chances are, he's not my friend anyway so it's more like work than play.

 

[Castle Rock]

I would like to know if Howa is assembling these in Japan or if legacy sports international is assembling these from barreled action in the US?

Pretty sure that is how it works

 

[Riflman]

Bu

What sort of shitshow company would send out a product for testing without running a QC test, it just shows that they regard customers as imbeciles

Bud Light

But now even bud light is paying off Kid Rock, Joe Rogan and Don Trump Jr. to start promoting it again, with bible quotes on forgiveness and sh!t. Thank God the company didn't endorse a tranny, but still, the marketing guy should be fired.

I actually applied for Chief Executive Officer there a few months ago. SWFA was my baby as was the SS line of scopes, all the way back to 2001. FOXPRO too. I built that brand and many of my ideas went into the calls, but of course, many of the people running the companies and doing the marketing don't have a clue now. It's all data analytics and lipsyncs and hot girls without actually making sure that the simple things, like making sure if you send a rifle out to an influencer, the best shooting F^%king rifle in the place goes out. And have a rack full of equally good shooters ready to go for same. And yes, hopefully having a good quality product to begin with, but still taking great pains to ensure that when a product is in the limelight, it's well tested before it goes out the door.

 

[Bert01]

Bu

Bud Light

But now even bud light is paying off Kid Rock, Joe Rogan and Don Trump Jr. to start promoting it again, with bible quotes on forgiveness and sh!t. Thank God the company didn't endorse a tranny, but still, the marketing guy should be fired.

I actually applied for Director of Marketing there a few months ago. Would have meant a big pay cut but would have been fun to be back in the gun space. I guess I'm way overqualified. Never heard a peep. SWFA was my baby as was the SS line of scopes, all the way back to 2001. FOXPRO too. I built that brand and many of my ideas went into the calls, but of course, many of the people running the companies and doing the marketing don't have a clue now. It's all data analytics and lipsyncs and hot girls without actually making sure that the simple things, like making sure if you send a rifle out to an influencer, the best shooting F^%king rifle in the place goes out. And have a rack full of equally good shooters ready to go for same. And yes, hopefully having a good quality product to begin with, but still taking great pains to ensure that when a product is in the limelight, it's well tested before it goes out the door.

I haven’t seen any hot girls at SWFA or FoxPro, did I miss it?

 

[Riflman]

I haven’t seen any hot girls at SWFA or FoxPro, did I miss it?

I wasn't bashing SWFA or FOXPRO. Quite the contrary. But too many companies, even gun and hunting companies these days have become commercialized and acquired and in many cases are out of touch. Just like other industries. I mean how did bud light end up like it did? They got so big they completely forgot who their demographic was, and let idiots run the marketing and in one fell swoop, lost billions in market cap. This thread will live forever online, and will do permanent damage to the Superlite line, which was new and exciting. Won't kill it, but does not help. This thread should never have happened and a tested rifle that shot super well should have been sent. Kids that were eating tide pods a few years ago are running marketing now for gun and hunting companies. Death from within. And it's bad leaders running these companies, that are hiring them in the first place. Now more than ever, branding and marketing is most important. Even more so than having a good product. You can sell a ton of crap product with good branding and marketing, but you can't sell the best product with crappy branding and marketing. That's a fact proven over 30 years of experience.

 

[Formidilosus]

This thread should never have happened and a tested rifle that shot super well should have been sent.

Yes- cherry pick a rifle and lie to your customers- great “leadership”.

Or you could just make a quality product and have it actually evaluated with no BS.

 

[Riflman]

Yes- cherry pick a rifle and lie to your customers- great “leadership”.

Or you could just make a quality product and have it actually evaluated with no BS.

Did you miss the part where I said exactly that? But still, if sending a rifle out, it’s a good idea to make sure it shoots. I had a rifle built custom by a reputable builder. He didn’t test fire it before shipped and when I got it, it didn’t feed. It had to go back. The guy builds world record setting rifles, but this one had a hiccup that should not have happened. I’m sure it very rarely does, but even the best companies make mistakes or have issues with products occasionally. That’s just business. But still, if sending something out, you should ensure that it performs. And yes, that’s how business (and leadership) works.