Hunting

Howa HS Precision Rifle

For testing, I mounted a Trijicon AccuPoint 4-16x50mm scope on the rifle using lightweight Talley rings. The rifle comes with a sub-MOA accuracy guarantee, and I was anxious to see if it could deliver on that promise. Experience told me to expect the rifle to show a preference for one bullet weight over another, but I was pleasantly surprised when the best-performing loads turned out to be a couple using bullet weights of 168 gr. and 150 gr., respectively.

For testing, the author opted for the higher magnification provided by a Trijicon AccuPoint 4-16×50 scope. Anchored with Talley lightweight rings, this made for an ideal setup for both hunting and range work. Putting the rifle to the test, the author found that the rifle shot sub-MOA groups with three of five tested factory loads on a day when the wind made things challenging.

The best 200-yard performance was with Winchester’s 168-gr. Match load at 0.81 inches for three shots, but a hunting round, the Hornady American Whitetail load with a 150-gr. Interlock bullet, was nipping at its heels at 0.88 inches, underscoring the rifle’s versatility. Both loads produced one-inch or better average groups and sub-MOA best groups. Another good hunting load, the Barnes Vor-TX 168-gr. round, averaged just slightly over an inch with a sub-MOA best group. I consider that to be very good accuracy on a day when the wind often changed direction and gusted to 12 mph, and I would happily go hunting with any of the three hunting loads tested. Functionally, the rifle was flawless. I experienced no issues with feeding, extraction or ejection. Pricing for the HS Precision rifle ranges from $1,099 to $1,299 depending on configuration and caliber.

The Howa HS made good on its sub-MOA accuracy guarantee with a couple of loads the author tested—the best of it being a 168-gr Winchester Match load, printing this 0.81-inch three-shot group at 100-yards

For more information on the 2018 Editors’ Choice Award winning Howa HS Precision Rifle, contact Legacy Sports International, Dept. OT; Tel.: (800) 5-LEGACY; Web: www.legacyspsorts.com