New Member saying HI!

R

RubenX

New member
Merry Christmas to you all.

It's been like 2 weeks since I bought my first rifle, a HOWA 1500 in 30-06 caliber. I've only taken this baby to the range twice, but I'm already placing 10 round groups inside a 3 inch circle @ 50 yards (I never thought I could do it so quick).

Previous gun experience was going to the range with gun-owning friends and shooting with their guns and/or renting guns at the range. I shoot 9mm, .40s and .45s but never a rifle.

After reading *MANY* "first rifle recommendation" threads, I was in between the Remington 700 and the Remington 700. I went to the store to see them both and after using the bolt a few times, decided that the 770 was to cheap and wanted to go with the 700.

It was just by chance that they didn't had in stock any Remington 700s in 30-06 which is the caliber I wanted (thinking on hunting deer next season with my in-laws up north). I didn't wanted a 300 win, too big, nor a .223, too small. The salesman suggested I take a look at other rifles, similar to the Remington 700s price range. One of those was the HOWA 1500. I really liked it since the first time I hold it and used the bolt. So I bought it and here I am.

I like the fact that (unlike the 700) it can hold 5 rounds in it's non-detachable magazine-box. I hate the fact that the magazine-box (unlike the 770) is not detachable. I've been looking for replacements but the choices on 30-06 caliber are not many (that I could find).

My immediate plans are to add a bi-pod (after I properly research the topic) and a sling. And of course, keep going to the range to get more familiar with the weapon and get more accurate with it.
 
Hellooo and welcome! Dont worry about the detachable mags! Theyre for tactical junkies and can get snagged and even compromise the rigidity of the rifle
 
I hate the fact that the magazine-box (unlike the 770) is not detachable.
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It's designed as a hunting rifle. I'm not really sure what the attraction is for detachable box magazines.

You are very unlikely to need 5 shots when hunting...

If it's accurate and reliable, you did well.

Regarding a bipod, it is going to make the rifle heavy to carry when hunting, and there are better alternatives for shooting from a bench.

Sling = good. Get an adjustable one so you can practice position shooting.

(I have a couple of bipods, and they collect dust in a closet...)
 
I haven't seen the need for a detachable mag on a hunting rifle, these last sixty years of centerfire. :) I've never had any need for a bipod, either. They just add weight when doing the walking/stalking sneaky-snake thing. Granted, I've never hunted where the grass or brush was low enough that I could lie down for a shot. I guess most of my killing was from either off-hand or from sitting...
 
I hate the fact that the magazine-box (unlike the 770) is not detachable.
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A detachable magazine on a hunting rifle, especially for a new hunter, is just one more thing to forget to bring with you ..... I did it the first year I hunted deer, and my niece did it once this year.... makes your bolt gun into a difficult to load single shot, it does......
 
THX for the comments guys. I'm glad I found a place with experienced people. I guess that being a computer guy, I have this techie spirit inside that tries to justify every single kind of attachment out there.

Is like the last time I went to the range. Guy next to me was playing with his new & shiny range finder. After a couple of minutes he finally learn to use it and said "oh yeah, fifty yards!". Then I realized, duh, we are on the 50 yard lanes. I still went to the store afterwards, it was on sale. But then I thought "I'm gonna forget this thing" and "It's gonna run out of battery" and worst yet "I'll never learn to judge yardage on my own" so I left it there and bought ammo instead.

Thinking about the mag, well, the rifle already holds 5 shots. If I need more than that to take a deer then I'm not ready for the woods. I want to place the head on my living room, not use it as a watering can for my garden.

At the range I shot from a bench with a sandbag. But sometimes there are not enough sandbags... that was the justification for the bipod... meh, I can get my own sandbag I guess.... but the techie inside says "bipod looks cool, bipod looks cool, bipod looks cool...".

...and thanks God I don't have the money for those thermal scopes because...oh boy oh boy oh boy!
 
"I'll never learn to judge yardage on my own"
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Not at all: you can, while sitting on stand (or walking in the park, for that matter), make guestimates to various points with your eyeballs, and then check your estimate with the range finder....... I find this game is fun with the kids..... Eldest shot one of her deer last month at "150 yards or so" and we ranged the distance from where it fell to the round bale she was sitting on when she fired ....... 148 yards.

but the techie inside says "bipod looks cool, bipod looks cool, bipod looks cool...".
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and the hunter in me sez, "It'll catch on everything in creation when it is not needed, and won't be extended when it is."

Try learning to use this:

http://carnival.saysuncle.com/001086.html

Used correctly, it is as good as a bipod, much faster, and always there.

Used in combination with shooting sticks, it as steady for me as sandbags.
 
+1 on external mags and bi-pods not being important and getting a sling.

There are scads of different types of .30-06 deer rounds. Maybe not at you're local gun shop.

Buy a box of 5 different types and find out what shoots best out of your gun.
Lots of people have good luck with Remington Corlokts.

Once you've got your ammo picked out, zero in your scope and get off the bench.

Practice off hand, kneeling, sitting and prone.

Most importantly take some classes. You'll be surprised by how much you improve after a NRA basic rifle course.

The heart lung target on a deer is about the size of a basketball. You want to get comfortable hitting that target 100% of the time with your first shot.

Range isn't as important as you might think. As long as your shots are under 300 yards, bullet drop doesn't really come into play.
So all you have to know is whether a target is under or over 300yds. That's three football fields. Familiarize yourself with what things look like at that distance and you're on your way.

You should also familiarize yourself with where your going to hunt. Learn how far it is from point A to point B. That's pretty much it for range.
The good news is that most of the deer you see will be under 100yds.
 
The ONLY reason I can see for having a detachable magazine is to make unloading quick and easy... and it's just not that difficult to cycle the rounds out of the rifle. Many internal box magazines have hinged floorplates that will allow you to drop all the cartridges at once. Other than that, detachable magazines are just another thing that can "go wrong". Avoid 'em. :cool:

As stated before, a rangefinder is a GOOD way to train yourself how to judge distances. It's also handy if you are hunting from a blind for the first time.. figuring out how far it is to that bush, or that group of trees, etc...

I've never owned a bipod. I see no practical use for one, unless I'm shooting a 28" barreled 40# rifle. Even then I think I'd rather use a natural rest. Avoid 'em. :cool:

Is your rifle scoped? If so, you should be able to put all your shots within 2" at 100yds easily. If you can't achieve that pretty quickly, you should evaluate your shooting technique, steady rest, slow deep breathing techniques, learning to control the "wobble", steady trigger SQEEZE, not a "jerk", etc.... Lots of things go into being a good shooter. Mostly it's correct, frequent practice.
I think you made a great choice on your rifle. Howa's are nice.

Welcome to the forum! :D
 
Hi there! Congrats on your new rifle. In no time at all you'll be shooting like an old hand. None of my hunting rifles have a detachable magazine. It's another thing that can go wrong.

I agree that bipods are cool, but I can't imagine using a bipod on a hunting rifle. Where I hunt, the grass is taller than I am prone, so laying down just wouldn't work. For hunting, learn to use your sling. Practice with it and become comfortable in how it works. I hunt from a stand most of the time, so I'm hunting from a chair with a nice padded shooting rail. However, when I'm out scouting I find that I can quickly kneel and get set-up for a shot fairly quickly. It's all in what you practice.

Welcome to the forum and don't forget to share your success stories.
 
Familiarize yourself with what things look like at that distance and you're on your way.
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You can also use your scope or front sight post as a sort of range finder .... IIRC, a buck's depth of chest does not change much.... it's about 18-20 inches from the top of his back to the bottom of his chest, measured behind the shoulders ..... this does not change much as the buck matures- his neck gets thicker, his belly begins to sag, his shoulders broaden, but the height of his chest immediately behind his legs remains pretty much the same...... figure out what 18" looks like at varying (known) ranges compared to the fine section of the vertical crosshair of your scope at the lowest magnification ..... or do the same with your front sight post if you don't have a scope ....... the distance between a relaxed deer's ears is also fairly constant at 15" .....
 
THX again. Yes, the HOWA came with a scope (Nikko Stirling) and yes, the bottom plate opens for quick unloading. I need some more range time to familiarize with the scope adjustments a little more.
 
I have to say I applaud your choice of caliber. In this day of over-enginering it's good that some people still have some common sense. The 30-06 will work well for any N.American game and has taken every game animal on the planet. The ammo is very affordable and easy to find in any sporting goods shop. I'd say you did your homework!
 
I'd add my congratulations on choice of caliber, but you might think I'm biased...

At any rate, here is a suggestion for a rear bag

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/735047/caldwell-universal-deluxe-rear-shooting-rest-bag-nylon-and-leather-filled

and a shooting rest

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/682659/caldwell-rock-jr-rifle-front-shooting-rest

These things will last forever, but if $60 is too much, you can make your own. Then you're not dependent on what's available at the range.

A while ago, I built a plywood box that held thin plywood squares, to support a simple U-shaped pad for an adjustable front rest. (Add/subtract plywood under the pad until the height was right.) I used a small "rabbit ear" rest for supporting the stock. I still have this box, and it works well.

I've read about shooters making shooting rests by sewing the legs from an old pair of jeans up, too.
 
Sandbags are easy to make. Zipper bank bags, for instance. Sleeves from old shirts, or even the legs from a worn-out pair of pants. Fill with sand or sawdust. Or vermiculite. You can even use styrofoam balls or bubble-wrap. On my bench rest at home, I've used a piece of 4x4 as a base for my front sandbag.
 
When unloading my 700 ADL after hunting, I open the bolt and remove the chambered cartridge, by cradling the rifle with my left forearm and using my left hand to reach around the bottom of the rifle and over the ejection port, intercepting the round as it is ejected, so it doesn't hit the ground.

Subsequent rounds are unloaded with the muzzle upward at an angle and only pushing the bolt forward until the round is stripped from the magazine, but not chambered, then pull the bolt back and tip the rifle to let the round fall into your left hand. Repeat for the other cartridges. It's simple, safer than chambering rounds, and a little easier on cartridges.

It's much simpler to do it than to say it, but the bottom line is that you don't have to chamber each round to unload a push-feeder like your Remington SPS or ADL.
 
You are very unlikely to need 5 shots when hunting...
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Try hunting in Florida, where the bag limit on deer is TWO per DAY, and one Hog per day.

Line it up right, and you can get 'em all in less than a minute on Eglin AFB's hunting area!
Love hunting near streams...easy pickins!!
 
Welcome to TFL!

I agree with using a shooters sling. I am not a fan of bi-pods attached to the stock. You need to make that first shot count, so having a five round capacity is not an issue. Bench shooting can be helpful to learn the fundamentals of shooting, but also practice the type of shooting you will be doing while hunting. If you will be shooting off-hand for hunting, practice shooting off-hand at the range if it is allowed.

The 30-06 is a good all around hunting caliber. One thing you may want to consider is getting a rifle in .22 Long Rifle in a bolt action (take a look at Savage) and scope (does not need to be expensive scope - lower line Bushnell) - same setup as your 30-06 - bolt action and scope. Using a .22 Long Rifle will allow you to shoot and work on your shooting form and accuracy a lot more for a lot less ammo cost. The ammo savings will eventually pay for the .22LR rifle and lower cost scope.

Here is a video link to the six fundamentals of shooting a rifle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGs_GuPiDbI
 
I'm not a huge fan of that caliber, especially for deer. I like .243 because it still does more than enough damage to kill but isn't excessive. Have you sighted in your gun? That needs to be done. Don't even think about a bipod, that's for the guys that think they are cool at the range laying down in the mud and grass. Get a sling, I prefer padded ones made from leather. But only use it when you have to. Having your gun on your shoulder is an easy way to miss a shot at a deer. Shouldering your gun is only best when going up a steep hill where you gotta pull your self up and need both hands. And I suggest if you're just shooting at the range, don't shoot with a rest of any kind. Are you gonna have a bench and sandbags with you while you are hunting? And I don't like regular targets for practice shooting. Get a 1 gallon jug and aim for the center of it at 100 yards. How many deer have a bulls eye over their heart? And you need to practice at many different distances, but at the very least 50 yards and 100. You need to know where your gun hits at all distances. If the scope is sighted in for 100 yards, and you put your cross hairs where you want at 20 yards, you're gonna hit low. Instead of a dead deer, you'll have a 3 legged deer. I suggest soft tipped 150 grain Winchester. Hollow points will do too much damage and are not good for thick brush. If there is a small branch between you and that deer, a hollow point probably won't go through it, but a soft point will. And don't forget the absolute most important part of hunting, it's for food. It's not to have bragging rights or to be cool. It's not a sport either like some claim. And do your best to only take a kill shot. And also remember, you're taking a life when you pull that trigger, so don't waste the meat. Shooting it in the back or something isn't gonna kill it and will only waste meat and that's if you can track it down. Good luck with your new gun.
 
If the scope is sighted in for 100 yards, and you put your cross hairs where you want at 20 yards, you're gonna hit low. Instead of a dead deer, you'll have a 3 legged deer.
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Like an inch and a half low ...... if you are aiming within an inch and a half of the deers leg, such that a bullet going through the leg won't also go through the chest ........ you don't know much about deer antomy or practical shooting... sighted in for 100 yards with a 30-06, you can put the crosshairs on the center of the deer's chest and expect to hit it out to at least 200 yards, more if you have an efficient bullet ....... a 150gr flat based spitzer bullet started at 2800f/sec will drop 5" below POA with a 100 yard zero. Last I checked, an adult deer's chest was more than three times that deep, top to bottom ......
 
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