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The Everyday Sniper Interview with MDT and Howa

The part of this podcast that grabbed my interest was when they mentioned a complete rifle. My affection for my AIs was cemented in the SYSTEM part of things. I have shot a lot of custom rigs in trued 700s, and a variety of custom actions. I have shot MPA, XLR, Orias, McCree, PDC, AICS, etc chassis with these customs and gotten solid results. My first AI I ended up selling because I just couldn't get along with the trigger. After a few rough years of trigger failures in 700 clone setups and action screws coming loose, folders loosening up, etc etc. I went back to a AI and have never looked back.

What does this have to do with MDT / HOWA?

They mentioned a complete system and THAT is what I liked to hear. The biggest problem I see/have with the custom rigs is they are a sum of multiple manufactures parts. The nightmare that is magazine interface and feeding is the biggest flaw. Yes you can get some or most to run great. But you have to tweak and test and get other parts, and mess with things. The AI runs amazing with the AWs because it was designed from the start to be that way. Yah you can try to make a 2 lug action run AWs with special cuts but it is hit and miss. So run center feed mags? Sure ... then when you touch the mag on something and can't run the bolt forward because the feed lips are in the way. Can you fix this? Yep, is it always a problem? No. But when the whole system is designed at one shop, these things are usually avoided.

This is where the reply of …

I have a Defiance and it runs AWs great even in a dasher with a mag insert XYZ in a Chassis GPX and I win matches!

GREAT! AWESOME! Glad that works and your wreckin with it! A lot of innovating mods made that happen! Cool shit!

I don't want cool mods - I want designed and engineered bullet proof shit from the start!

I hope MDT / HOWA/ Legacy etc make that happen!

Simple and properly designed with the least amount of possible points of failure. Sign me up ...
 
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MDT is taking the chassis game to anther level. I like that they have so many options.

The new Oryx sounds like the perfect option for a guy like me looking for an economical hunting chassis option. With two kids in daycare funds can get a little tight. I don't shoot matches but do enjoy shooting as much as I can. I can drop a Tikka CTR in one of these and be rolling in 5 mins.

I'll be ordering one as soon as funds allow! Thanks Guys!
Houston
 
Glad to see Howa/LSI getting in the game. I remember when no one had ever heard of them, much less the price of their barreled actions (which usually were tough to order, even through an FFL). But every one I ever had shot, shot like a mammer jammer (one was an honest 1/4 MOA Shooter; about pooped myself the first time I shot it with 5, 5 shot groups). Glad to see they are listening more to the userbase these days, as it bodes very well for them, since they already make a damned solid product (it was unavailable twist rates and lack of chassis that led me away from them 10-15 years ago). Glad to see them being aggressive at getting into this game.
 
I haven't heard this episode yet, did Howa mention putting a faster twist barrel on the mini action? Love my S&W gun, but the twist is glacial and heavy bullets are not on the menu.
 
No, we didn't talk twist rates, but since Matt is shooting matches and stuff he would probably make sure it was good.

I don't know what they are, but their site should say
 
Ive built 5 rifles on Howa barreled actions over the last 8 years. They have all shot fantastic (last two 6.5 creeds averaged 1/2 MOA +-)!

But there are three things wish Howa would consider changing:
  1. Machine the feed ramp slightly deeper/shallower to allow 2.900+ OAL catridges to feed from AICS mags without binder plate.
  2. Threaded bolt knob so we aren't stuck with the shorty metal blob.
  3. Work with more stock/chassis builders to create inlet patterns for higher end chassis systems.
In all other respects, the 1500 is a great platform and I'm really happy to see more support from aftermarket companies.

...And maybe chamber one of your factory actions in 224V so we can all start tinkering with 224 Valkyrie bolt guns easily! ? #Howa224VShotShow2019????
 
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...And maybe chamber one of your factory actions in 224V so we can all start tinkering with 224 Valkyrie bolt guns easily! ? #Howa224VShotShow2019????

I'd wager that the redesign of the Mini action and magazine is being driven (partly) by the 224V. It'd seem a perfect match to the action size if they could get the magazine working (always the toughest part).
 
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Curious to see what they have in mind coming up! It’s encouraging to see Matt really engaged on here and social media and what that will translate to in future products
 
Curious to see what they have in mind coming up! It’s encouraging to see Matt really engaged on here and social media and what that will translate to in future products
im a shooter and i enjoy getting feedback on products. getting those ideas to the finish line is an arduous process however.
 
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Reaalllly hoping that @Matt @ LSI can help me with this "hypothetical" question: if a guy wanted to buy/build a .224V Bolt gun in the next month or two using a factory barreled action or even complete rifle, is there a good reason to wait until after SHOT Show to make decision?

I'm a fan of the 1500 action for builds but I am super close to pulling proverbial trigger on an MPA because no one other than them (and Mossberg) make a 224V bolt action ready to go off shelf.

???

Hoping there is a LSI reason to wait....
 
Why is SHOT right after Christmas? I have no money, it should be after tax day!
 
Can't "buy" anything there anyways. It's an industry trade show.

Deals can (and are) made, but money doesn't directly change hands, and deals are for annual orders (mostly). I'm pretty sure it's in January/Feb to allow industry to makes deals and then project annual profit numbers, and/or assess production items they need to either ignore or focus on (based on the market trends that show up at SHOT).

If you go to SHOT, put personal interest of firearms aside, and just look at it purely from a business perspective, SHOT is a really interesting microcosm to view. One that is large and actually quite straight forward, and yet small enough to see the currents of politics and personal networks (per se their impacts) ripple across the industry.

As a friend of mine says "It's good to be a student of people."; watching the interactions (and their results) are always fascinating. Especially in such a (relatively) small, close knit industry.
 
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Can't "buy" anything there anyways. It's an industry trade show.

Deals can (and are) made, but money doesn't directly change hands, and deals are for annual orders (mostly). I'm pretty sure it's in January/Feb to allow industry to makes deals and then project annual profit numbers, and/or assess production items they need to either ignore or focus on (based on the market trends that show up at SHOT).

If you go to SHOT, put personal interest of firearms aside, and just look at it purely from a business perspective, SHOT is a really interesting microcosm to view. One that is large and actually quite straight forward, and yet small enough to see the currents of politics and personal networks (per se their impacts) ripple across the industry.

As a friend of mine says "It's good to be a student of people."; watching the interactions (and their results) are always fascinating. Especially in such a (relatively) small, close knit industry.
Yes I know, I've been several times for my department. It's always a place where I find things I want though.
 
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I’m in the group waiting for the 224V barreled action to drop. Hoping for it in the 1500 action though, so you gain a lot of mag room, but I won’t complain about any 224V offering from LSI.
 
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Just wanted to jump in on this thread and address an earlier comment about fully built rifles. I get the need for a complete system, and whilst that is an awesome idea, we love working with companies like LSI, Savage, Remington, Mossberg, Weatherby, Anschutz and more, so there is no chance of us creating a turnkey system unfortunately. Also, when you already have a factory action that needs a facelift, you know who to ask ;)