RE: HOWA rifles
I have a heavy barrelled .223 Howa that I am very happy with, and I've owned a couple others that were fine rifles as well (.270 and 7mm Magnum). My .223 has been on a couple of prairie dog shoots, and is holding up well under the strain, which is considerable, under those circumstances. Excellent rifles. Howa made great shotguns, too, copying the Remington 870 to the point of bettering it, in my opinion. Howa made Weatherby rifles for several years, and stillmake the Vanguard, and make the rifle the Japanese Defense Forces still use.