Ok so after shopping around and looking at off the shelf equipment for my first setup I have put together a rig on paper. These choices were driven by price/performance and of course industry deals I could score. The rifle is already ordered but nothing else. Delivery of the gun is going to be in upward of 4 months so I have all that time to second guess. The purpose of this rig is almost exclusively long range target shooting. Although there may be some tactical-patrol-overwatch scenarios in training settings. So after all the qualifications and explanations, here it is. Howa 1500 6.5 creed oryx 24” (26” no longer available) with Nightforce NXS 8-32x56 MOAR (still considering the 5.5-20 as well) and NF mounting hardware. Not sure what brake if any. What do you experts think. As I said the rifle is ordered so that is a given. What haven’t I thought of? Other accessories?
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First long range rig
- Thread starter longshot.kh
- Start date
Howa is a good Remington clone, but I think if you can swing the little difference in money you'd be better off with one of the Tikkas. Get one with a brake already on it. If not, it's easy enough to add yourself. Any of those scopes would be good.
I would love a Tikka problem is that the store I work for is a howa stocking dealer and Legacy give employees of dealers 20% off dealer cost. That makes the difference in price very significant.
I can second the get the tikka if you can swing the little bit more money, either scope will work great. Although there are a few other scopes in that price range that are just as solid and few smoking deals on stuff currently from bushnell through GA Precision.
I love my PVA Jet Blast brakes and the prices are less than most others. I also like the Howa actions that I have, but hate the tiny bolt knobs. If you are handy then grind the knob off and thread it for something better. Going to run a bipod? Get a Mlok Arca plate and an Atlas bipod with a 419 or RRS head. I have several Oryx chassis and they are very solid. If you don't like the OEM grip you then the MDT adjustable one is good.
Wow, that makes it a bargain. Well you can always get a Tikka or something else later. Like a lays potato chip you can't stop at just one!
Lol that is why I called this my “First” long range rig. I know myself too well to think I will have just one!
I tried the buy just one rifle and that quickly went out the window after shooting PRS. Now I’ve got two customs, a few factory rifles and want to build something else now.
Howa is not a Remington clone, at all. No idea where you got that from.
Your choice is perfectly fine, just choose the stock or chassis that you like best. If possible try and get your hands on as many different chassis/stock to get an idea what you like.
Scope is fine choice too
You're probably going to want a brake right from the jump, even if it's only for helping with self-spotting impacts/misses... Almost any that's not total garbage will do really, lots of guys dig the PVA Jet Blast and/or Area419 Hellfire, APA Bastards, but if you're on a budget and want to spend a bit less, I've been shooting a VG6 Gamma 7.62 that was like $40 on sale somewhere and it works great and isn't too obnoxious.
Pick a good bipod, don't let the sticker-shock scare you too much: I run a Harris BRMS like a lot of guys and mainly chose it because the Atlas CAL's price tag seemed a little high, but after adding a Pod-Loc (pretty much mandatory with the Harris, already comes equipped on a CAL) and an $70 ADM adapter/mount (the Harris thumb-screw getting loose on you gets old quick) I'm just about at what a CAL costs so...
I think the Howa is a great choice and not just because that's what I have right now: I've honestly been researching ways to shrink my bank account and put together a "better" rifle, but all the 700-pattern actions most of the cool kids run around here are pretty much pointless unless I add a $300 TriggerTech Diamond or else they're not really going to do much for me no matter how fancy they are when my lowly Howa is shooting .3" at 100 and ~1" at 400.
Most gunsmiths won't even bother/offer to bluprint/true a Howa 1500 action because they're usually already machined well enough where it's not worth doing. Order a Gunbloke trigger-spring off eBay for a few bucks to lower the trigger-pull to ~1lb (takes a few weeks coming from Australia), and work up some loads and you'll probably be surprised what your "cheap rifle" can do lol.
IMHO the 2 best things you can do for your rifle is order the ~$10 spring to transform the trigger, and then add weight where you want/need to in order to steady the rifle. Which is why if there's anyway you can cancel the Oryx chassis, you might want to, because while they're nice, they don't give you much for options on adding weight...
Don't underestimate what dialed ammo, a light/crisp trigger, and a heavy/steady rifle can do for you: I was shooting the other day a few bays down from a guy with a ~$4Kish Defiance/Manners setup and he had a pretty shitty look on his face when he asked me what I payed for my lowly Howa/Bravo setup hahaha...
Pick a good bipod, don't let the sticker-shock scare you too much: I run a Harris BRMS like a lot of guys and mainly chose it because the Atlas CAL's price tag seemed a little high, but after adding a Pod-Loc (pretty much mandatory with the Harris, already comes equipped on a CAL) and an $70 ADM adapter/mount (the Harris thumb-screw getting loose on you gets old quick) I'm just about at what a CAL costs so...
I think the Howa is a great choice and not just because that's what I have right now: I've honestly been researching ways to shrink my bank account and put together a "better" rifle, but all the 700-pattern actions most of the cool kids run around here are pretty much pointless unless I add a $300 TriggerTech Diamond or else they're not really going to do much for me no matter how fancy they are when my lowly Howa is shooting .3" at 100 and ~1" at 400.
Most gunsmiths won't even bother/offer to bluprint/true a Howa 1500 action because they're usually already machined well enough where it's not worth doing. Order a Gunbloke trigger-spring off eBay for a few bucks to lower the trigger-pull to ~1lb (takes a few weeks coming from Australia), and work up some loads and you'll probably be surprised what your "cheap rifle" can do lol.
IMHO the 2 best things you can do for your rifle is order the ~$10 spring to transform the trigger, and then add weight where you want/need to in order to steady the rifle. Which is why if there's anyway you can cancel the Oryx chassis, you might want to, because while they're nice, they don't give you much for options on adding weight...
Don't underestimate what dialed ammo, a light/crisp trigger, and a heavy/steady rifle can do for you: I was shooting the other day a few bays down from a guy with a ~$4Kish Defiance/Manners setup and he had a pretty shitty look on his face when he asked me what I payed for my lowly Howa/Bravo setup hahaha...
Howa Bravo is a fantastic combination and the HACT trigger is the best out of the box IMO.
Get good matched precision rings and any NF will make you happy.
Enjoy, the gun won't hold you back.
Get good matched precision rings and any NF will make you happy.
Enjoy, the gun won't hold you back.
Looks like you're getting a great deal, and that rig will do you very well... if that's a main driver for you, then that's cool. Congrats for getting started. It's easy to feel pressured to buy something "better" or "like I have".
I always try to purchase skill instead of developing it! It has never worked.. guitars... pistols... tactical rifles.. now long range.. doesn’t seem to matter how much money I throw at the latest Gucci gadget. Seems sad that the only way I buy skill is to purchase ammo then shoot it... good lord do I wish I was naturally good at something other than whining!
How the fuck is a howa like a Remington???
OP, it seems like you have most of it well thought out. As for a muzzle device, look into the most popular brands, they will all work very well...
Muzzle brakes & more
APA
PVA
Area 419
As for glass, I'm not sure why you're going with what you're going. Have you considered something like an Athlon Cronus BTR?
I actually have a very good reasons for my glass choice. In the end it comes down to cost. I can get a very good deal on the above 2 optics.
I do very much appreciate all of the input and even if I may not take particular recommendations, I like to hear the why’s behind them as I have a lot to learn. The people here have proven very knowledgeable as I have searched an referenced this forum for years before I joined. I am looking to glean from that. Even when it is why I should not buy what I am buying. I honestly am wide open on the other accessories. The rifle as I said is already ordered, the optics?? Again I am getting an industry deal that make these scopes attainable for a lowly gun store counterman. I may be settling on the Howa, but I don’t feel I am settling with the NF brand. I am actually open to being wrong however. Lol I just likely don’t have the money to discover how wrong I am. I just hope I don’t meet a well meaning one of you that lets me shoot his full custom 6k rig. I would be hosed... and likely divorced. On the plus side I could be the first man ever bludgeoned to death with a top tier optic.. hehe
I know I’m a noob here and you will likely tell me to stay in my lane but the gotchas on how much a howa is like a a R700 or not are making me want hunt a safe space with cocoa and a puppy.
Nothing wrong with howa, I have one in 6.5c, just not a R700 clone. Rifles are vastly different. The howa trigger is nice, you can lighten it or get a timey for about $150.
Howa is a great rifle. One of my favs.
not the best factory stocks imo, but that’s easily remedied.
If the Howa is similar to a Remington in the sense that they are both bolt guns and shoot fast moving pointy things, then sure, they are the same. Other than that.....
not the best factory stocks imo, but that’s easily remedied.
If the Howa is similar to a Remington in the sense that they are both bolt guns and shoot fast moving pointy things, then sure, they are the same. Other than that.....
Good to know. Well then, you pretty much have most of it figured out. You are not settling on the Howa. They are amazing shooters. I'll post mine below. I've shot out to 1000 yards with it.
24" 6.5CM
Howa = Winchester receiver mashed up with a Remingtion bolt and trigger like assembly...That surprisingly works! 
What you have listed Longshot would definitely let you what you are looking to do. The only changes I would make are, KRG Bravo chassis over the Oryx and NXS 5-20 over the 8-32. I would also look at adding a Hellfire Break from Area 419 on it.
Oh, Stick with the Metal AICS type mags, they allow an longer COL round.
What you have listed Longshot would definitely let you what you are looking to do. The only changes I would make are, KRG Bravo chassis over the Oryx and NXS 5-20 over the 8-32. I would also look at adding a Hellfire Break from Area 419 on it.
Oh, Stick with the Metal AICS type mags, they allow an longer COL round.
My bad, it's not a Remington clone... Flat bottom, built in recoil lug.... Don't know what came over me. Must have been that damn crack my hoe was feeding me.
At any rate, it does have a round top and takes remington bases
Tough crowd here.
You're not entirely correct...
2 piece bases will work but not one piece bases...
And who uses 2 piece bases these days? Very few do, certainly not the majority...
Is there a best AICS metal mag? A customer of mine switched to Magpul because the metal mag included had feeding issues. Thank you all for the input on the brakes as well. Looking at them all.
