Howa M1500 Hogue 25 Creedmoor 24" 5rd Heavy Barrel Rifle

Howa's 1500 has been the quiet answer to the question of which bolt gun to buy for a long time, and this is the version most people end up with: black Hogue overmolded stock, heavy 24" barrel, and nothing else in the way. The stock is pillar bedded, the rubber overmold covers the whole grip area, and the forend is stiff enough to ride a bipod without contacting the barrel. Chambering is 25 Creedmoor, which sends quarter bore bullets flat and fast on a case most reloaders already have components for.

Inside, the receiver is machined rather than cast, the bolt is forged, and the extractor and ejector follow the M16 pattern that has proven hard to break. A three position safety lets the bolt be worked with the firing pin blocked, which matters more in the field than on a bench. The trigger is Howa's HACT two stage. The muzzle is threaded for a brake or a suppressor, the receiver is drilled and tapped for bases, and sling swivel studs are already in place. Magazine capacity is five. Howa backs the barrelled action with a sub MOA three shot guarantee using premium factory ammunition, which is a rare thing at this end of the rack.