Howa Rifles: Now Dressed In Wood

Legacy Sports has announced that many of their Howa rifles will now come offered with walnut furniture! 

From rimfire rifles in .22 LR up to Long Action Howa M1500 Magnums, a wide range of their products will feature walnut stocks.

With no mention of grades offered, we assume that one grade fits all when it comes to the quality of the wood used.

While not innovative or new, it’s nice to see a retro offering for those purists among us that like that kind of thing.

Not sure if walnut is right for you? Back in the day, walnut and other woods were the standard furniture used in firearms. Before polymer and aluminum were cheap, wood was the go-to material for an inexpensive and strong stock.

Since advancements in plastics and aluminum become the default for something inexpensive and lightweight, wood has fallen out of favor. Wood, while renewable and easy to work with, has some disadvantages. Wood stocks require more care to prevent them from drying out, cracking, or otherwise decaying over time. They are also susceptible to the environment. Changes in temperature and humidity can cause the wood to swell or shrink and may affect the rifle’s accuracy, especially in older designs where the barrel wasn’t free-floated.

While wood still suffers from these drawbacks, it is also a classic that never goes out of style. Wood is warm to the touch when it’s cold out, wood is beautiful to look at, and modern sealants make wood easier to care for.

Howa’s complete list of rifles now available with walnut:

• Howa Walnut Rimfires – .22 LR, 17HMR, .22 Win Mag. MSRP Starting at $599
• Howa Walnut Mini Actions Calibers – .223, 7.62 x39, 6.5 Grendel, 6mm ARC and 350 Legend. MSRP Starting at $699
• Howa Walnut Short & Long Action Calibers – Std & Magnum offerings. MSRP Starting at $699
• Howa Walnut SUPERLITE calibers – 6.5 Creedmoor, .308, 7mm-08 and .243 coming soon. MSRP Starting at $699