Howa XL Lite Chassis Rifle

Shooting a New .223 Remington

- Patrick Meitin

Howa’s lightweight .223 Remington chassis rifle is ideal for serious varmint and predator hunting off the beaten track. Japanese manufactured Howa sporting rifles have developed a reputation for quality craftsmanship at reasonable prices. This should come as no surprise. Japanese automobiles have dominated the market for decades. Today, many of the best sporting optics have roots in “The Land of the Rising Sun.” Howa Machinery, Ltd., has been producing military and civilian firearms since 1940, including World War II Type 99 Arisaka rifles and parts for Type 38 rifles. In the early 1970s, Howa produced AR-18 and AR-180 5.56mm rifles on license from Armalite of Costa Mesa, California. (The Japanese government eventually forced Howa to cease production.) In 1979, Howa’s Model 1500 appeared, followed by the 1500 Mini Action introduced in 2015. Weatherby’s Vanguard is built by Howa on 1500 actions, and Sako L61 and L579 rifles were Howa creations.

Japan’s adoption of strict industrial quality control following World War II and a culture steeped in meticulous craftsmanship, means every aspect of Howa rifles are carefully designed, machined and fitted to exacting tolerances. Howa’s advanced technical features include cold hammer-forged barrels constructed from pre-hardened steel, and innovations such as the HACT Trigger featuring a light, creep-free trigger pull with consistent let off, a three-position safety that allows unloading the rifle while on “safe” and machined receivers and forged bolts.