H-S Precision Sporter Light Rifle

Wringing Out a Semi-Custom.308 Winchester

- John Haviland

H -S Precision started business in 1978, when Tom Houghton Sr. bought the Atkinson Barrel Works barrel-making business in Arizona. It used traditional cut rifling that would eventually be utilized on H-S Precision’s 10X barrels. Houghton always looked forward and was one of the first to develop fiberglass stocks. He took that development to the next level with Kevlar/graphite-reinforced stocks with an aluminum bedding block frame. These stocks were chosen by the U.S. Army for its M24 Sniper Weapon System and by Remington and other original equipment manufacturers. In 1990 Houghton moved his company to Rapid City, South Dakota, and began making his own line of rifles that included parts made by Remington and other companies.

In 1998 Houghton decided H-S needed to become more independent and began producing its Pro-Series 2000 bolt action machined of 416R stainless steel. H-S (www.hsprecision.com) designs and manufactures every part that goes into its rifles based on the Pro-Series action. The line has grown to include 13 models of competition, hunting, tactical and takedown rifles.

These rifles are semi-custom, so customers can order a rifle tailored to their taste. The hunting SPL (Sporter Light) is H-S’s most popular rifle. In either a right- or left hand 2000 action, it is chambered in cartridges from the .204 Ruger to the .338 Winchester Magnum. Kent Wince, H-S’s technical support man, said the 7mm Remington Magnum and .300 Winchester Magnum are continually favorite cartridges. “However, the 6.5 Creedmoor has become real popular over the last six months,” he said. Some less-popular cartridges chambered in the SPL include the .240 Weatherby Magnum, .25 Winchester Super Short Magnum, .264 Winchester and .30-378 Weatherby Magnum.