Rifle ice/snow freeze eval 2025

[JCMCUBIC]

These eval's are very interesting. Thanks for sharing these.

If a future test is done, I'd be interested in seeing how a Howa mini with factory trigger would do. If a mini isn't available for the test, I'll send one in for the beating.

If this has been done with a mini I'd appreciate a pointer to the eval. Thanks again.

 

[Formidilosus]

These eval's are very interesting. Thanks for sharing these.

If a future test is done, I'd be interested in seeing how a Howa mini with factory trigger would do. If a mini isn't available for the test, I'll send one in for the beating.

If this has been done with a mini I'd appreciate a pointer to the eval. Thanks again.

It had been done. They behave identically to the 1500, and fail in the same way.


1500 in here-

Thread 'Ice/snow comparison between rifles'

Dec 22, 2022

I have been asked by multiple people to do an ice and snow reliability eval between rifles/actions/triggers. Tthis is not a “test”, it is just a view at what generally happens. Doing a legitimate test requires more rifles and consistent conditions than I have. So…


The rifles:

1). Tikka T3 in KRG Bravo chassis

2). Sauer 100 factory

3). Howa 1500 Alpine factory

4). Remington M7 with TT trigger and Bansner stock

5). Winchester Pre 64 M70 factory

6). Tikka T3 factory

7). Sako TRG 42 factory





This will be done in multiple steps, worst case working back back to easy...

• Formidilosus
• Replies: 314
• Forum: Firearms

• 

 

[Formidilosus]

Thanks again for sharing this test form. Initially before seeing some of these tests on Rokslide in the last year, I was skeptical of the practicality of this testing, but I am a full believer after reading some of theses threads capped off by having a rifle fail. I was rooting for the x bolt but had to face facts over my wish to have it work well.

My brother and I went on a January Montana cow hunt with an x bolt 300wsm and old tikka t3 6.5 x55 with some shooting at various ranges before the hunt. Conditions were not nearly as cold as your tests with lows only in the 20s, but snowing with winds 20-40mph blowing snow and dust into everything. The actions were not as egregious as being stuffed full of snow, but nothing was dry and clean. The Tikka, even with a warm load of n560, cycled and fired like it was a perfect day at the range and the x bolt had some issues cycling and the magazines were rendered to basically a single feed. The little Swede went on to take 3 elk with no issues in some less than ideal hunting conditions.

If I only shot these guns on nice days at the local range this would not be discovered, but shooting and practicing year round now has helped identify myriad of problems. When I got back home the x bolt was promptly sold and replaced with a tikka in 6.5 PRC. I loved that Xbolt and put a ton of time and money into it, but a potential botched hunt was not worth it for me.

Thank you for the information.

 

[Bluumoon]

Saw Defiance has a new CRF action, but… used the Remington 700 trigger. Curiosity ended w that and the price. Figured function would still follow a basic Rem 700 in test like this. MRC function and price point seems in comparison.

 

[ElPollo]

It had been done. They behave identically to the 1500, and fail in the same way.


1500 in here-

Thread 'Ice/snow comparison between rifles'

Dec 22, 2022

I have been asked by multiple people to do an ice and snow reliability eval between rifles/actions/triggers. Tthis is not a “test”, it is just a view at what generally happens. Doing a legitimate test requires more rifles and consistent conditions than I have. So…


The rifles:

1). Tikka T3 in KRG Bravo chassis

2). Sauer 100 factory

3). Howa 1500 Alpine factory

4). Remington M7 with TT trigger and Bansner stock

5). Winchester Pre 64 M70 factory

6). Tikka T3 factory

7). Sako TRG 42 factory





This will be done in multiple steps, worst case working back back to easy...

• Formidilosus
• Replies: 314
• Forum: Firearms

• 

My issue with Howas is the multiple entry points for water, ice/snow and debris into the action. The safety, bolt release, and ejection ports all have substantial openings to allow crap to get in where you don’t want it. In comparison, a tikka has less pathways for stuff to get in and cause failures. The bolt release is horizontal and is relatively sealed, the safety selector largely covers the pathway into the trigger around the safety lever, and there won’t be much of anything getting into the ejection port unless the bolt is open. As much as I want to like a Howa mini, I will take a longer, heavier action that functions and feeds when I need it to over a shorter, lighter one that might not when the chips are down.

 

[ElPollo]

My issue with Howas is the multiple entry points for water, ice/snow and debris into the action. The safety, bolt release, and ejection ports all have substantial openings to allow crap to get in where you don’t want it. In comparison, a tikka has less pathways for stuff to get in and cause failures. The bolt release is horizontal and is relatively sealed, the safety selector largely covers the pathway into the trigger around the safety lever, and there won’t be much of anything getting into the ejection port unless the bolt is open. As much as I want to like a Howa mini, I will take a longer, heavier action that functions and feeds when I need it to over a shorter, lighter one that might not when the chips are down.

My response should have gone to @JCMCUBIC.

 

[Castle Rock]

My issue with Howas is the multiple entry points for water, ice/snow and debris into the action. The safety, bolt release, and ejection ports all have substantial openings to allow crap to get in where you don’t want it. In comparison, a tikka has less pathways for stuff to get in and cause failures. The bolt release is horizontal and is relatively sealed, the safety selector largely covers the pathway into the trigger around the safety lever, and there won’t be much of anything getting into the ejection port unless the bolt is open. As much as I want to like a Howa mini, I will take a longer, heavier action that functions and feeds when I need it to over a shorter, lighter one that might not when the chips are down.

Yep, Howa took all the worst features from every rifle design and combined them into one package