The 250th Anniversary of the founding of the United States is just two days away. There will be fireworks and Stars and Stripes decorations around the nation on this special Fourth of July holiday.

Would you like to show your patriotism and honor America with the color scheme of your firearms? Well gun-makers Howa and Citadel now offer bold, patriotic colors for rifles, shotguns, and pistols. A variety of Howa rifles and Citadel guns are offered with handsome red, white, and blue USA Flag patterns. You can choose rimfire or centerfire rifles, shotguns, or handguns — all with a patriotic Stars and Stripes finish.

Howa’s USA Flag pattern firearms line-up includes the APC Steel and Carbon Fiber Flag Chassis rifle, the Mini Action Excl Lite, and the TSP X Chassis rifle. On the Howas and the Citadel Trakr rifles, the flag patterns are a rugged, protective Cerakote finish. Citadel Trakr .22 LR rimfire rifles are also available with USA Flag and Grayscale options for both semi-auto and bolt-action models. And Citadel now offers a very handsome LEVTAC Respect lever-action rifle with Stars and Stripes buttstock and handguard.

The Citadel handgun collection offers the USA Flag pattern in the Citadel .45 ACP full size 1911 pistol, the Citadel CP9 9mm series, and the Citadel 1911-style compact .380 ACP series.

Howa TSP X Chassis Rifle

The Howa TSP X Chassis rifle has a Cerakoted T-6 Aluminum Chassis and excellent adjustable, 2-stage HACT trigger. This rifle comes with a sub-MOA guarantee and Lifetime Warranty. The patriotic TSP X rifle is offered in four chamberings: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .308 Win, and 300 PRC.

CITADEL Stars and Stripes Shotguns

Legacy International offers three different 12ga shotguns with handsome Stars and Stripes stock coverings. The Citadel Boss 25 is a modern mag-fed shotgun with AR-type ergonomics. The Citadel Pup Scout also feeds from a detachable magazine, but located in a rear position behind the hand grip. This allows a more compact OAL even with a proper barrel length. Citadel’s smallest shotgun offering is the 12ga short-barrel pump-gun with 14.75″ barrel and 5+1 capacity.

CITADEL American Flag Pistol Collection

PDF Product Catalog Available
CLICK HERE to view full Howa/Citadel Product Catalog with all patriotic color options. The Citadel Trakr .22 LR Rimfires and Boss 25 shotgun are also available in the USA Flag and Grayscale options. Cerakoted ammo cans in the USA Flag and Grayscale Flag are available with the Citadel handguns.

We’ve been fans of the Howa Mini Action rifles since they were introduced a decade ago. With actions that are nearly an inch shorter than typical “short actions”, these Mini Action rigs work great as a compact “truck gun” or carry-around varminter. Current chamberings are: 22 ARC, .223 Rem, 6MM ARC, 6.5 Grendel, 7.62x39mm, 350 Legend. These feature a 20″ barrel with a 16.5″ option for the 350 Legend.

6.5 Guy Ed Mobley Tests the 7.62×39 Howa Mini Action Rifle

The Howa Mini Action rifles come with the excellent HACT 2-stage trigger and a 5-round or 10-round, synthetic detachable box mag (depending on caliber). The Mini Action’s bolt is 13% shorter than on regular short actions, providing a shorter, faster bolt throw. Weight is also reduced. This makes for a nice, compact (and very shootable) package.

6.5 Guys Test Howa Mini Actions in 6.5 Grendel and 7.62×39

The 6.5 Guys recently secured a pair of Howa Mini Actions, one chambered in 6.5 Grendel and the other in 7.62×39 Russian: “After trying out the Howa Mini Action rifles at SHOT Show 2017, we got a couple of loaners in 6.5 Grendel and 7.62×39 courtesy of Legacy Sports. These rifles are known for their smooth cycling and lightweight actions, as well as some unique chamberings for bolt rifles (6.5 Grendel, 7.62×39). Long story short, we really enjoyed them.” In fact Steve liked his 6.5 Grendel enough that he plans to purchase the gun. Get the full scoop in this VIDEO REVIEW:

The folks at Legacy Sports also conducted extensive accuracy tests of commercial ammunition in 6.5 Grendel and 7.62×39. The most accurate 6.5 Grendel ammo, with a stunning 0.29″ group, was Alexander Arms with Lapua 123gr Scenar; second best (0.56″ group) was Hornady with 123gr A-Max bullet. The most accurate 7.62×39 ammo was Hornady 123gr SST with a 0.62″ group in the 20″ Heavy Barrel version. View Howa’s Test Reports with these links:

6.5 Grendel Factory Ammo Data | 7.62×39mm Factory Ammo Data

Click HERE for full-screen image.

Here is a Howa official video comparing a .223 Rem Mini Action vs. 6.5 Grendel Mini Action:

Our nation’s birthday, the 4th of July, is just two weeks away. You can celebrate this special time by adding a Patriotic Stars and Stripes rifle or pistol to your collection. Legacy Sports offers a USA Flag series with red, white and blue graphics. From pistols to rifles, the USA Flag collection of handsomely Cerakoted firearms will stand out from the crowd.

The Howa flag collection includes the APC Chassis models (steel and carbon barrel versions), the Mini Action EXCL Lite, and the TSP X chassis rifle. The USA Flag APC carbon-wrapped barrel version is the latest model. For rimfire fans, the CITADEL Trakr .22 LR rifles are also available in the USA Flag and Grayscale options for both the semi-auto and bolt-action models.

Flag Collection Rifles

• Howa APC Flag Chassis with Carbon-Wrapped Barrel (NEW) – 6.5 Creedmoor / .308 Win
• Howa APC Flag Chassis Steel Barrel – 6.5 Creedmoor / .308 Win
• Howa Mini EXCL Lite – .223 Rem /6.5 Grendel / 7.62×39 / 6mm ARC / 350 Legend
• Howa TSP X Chassis Rifle – 6.5 Creedmoor / .308 Win
• Citadel Trakr – .22 LRs in Semi-Auto and Bolt-Action

CITADEL Flag Collection Pistols

• 1911 .45 ACP
• 1911 .380 AUTO
• CP9 9mm Series

Howa APC American Flag Version

The American Flag Edition of Howa’s APC rifle features USA flag-theme red, white, and blue Cerakote finish and 3-chamber muzzle brake. This special edition is available with a scope and rings and shipped in a hard case. See VIDEO of Stars and Stripes APC Rifle.

Howa TSP X Chassis Rifle

The Howa TSP X Chassis rifle has a Cerakoted T-6 Aluminum Chassis and excellent adjustable, 2-stage HACT trigger. This rifle comes with a sub-MOA guarantee and Lifetime Warranty. The flat black version is offered in four chamberings: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .308 Win, and 300 PRC.

Howa Sub-MOA Accuracy Guarantee
Howa rifles are guaranteed to deliver sub-MOA performance of 1 inch or less at 100 yards with premium factory ammunition. Guarantee is not transferable. All Howa rifles purchased in the U.S. on or after January 1, 2017 are covered by this offer.

CITADEL Flag Collection Handguns

The CITADEL USA flag pattern handgun collection includes the new 100% USA-made CITADEL CP9 9mm series, the popular CITADEL .45 ACP full-size 1911 (shown above) and the CITADEL 1911 Baby .380 Auto pistols. Cerakoted ammo cans in the USA Flag and Grayscale Flag versions are also available with the CITADEL handgun options.

PDF Product Catalog Available
CLICK HERE to view full Howa/Citadel Product Catalog with all patriotic color options. The Citadel Trakr .22 LR Rimfires and Boss 25 shotgun are also available in the USA Flag and Grayscale options. Cerakoted ammo cans in the USA Flag and Grayscale Flag are available with the Citadel handguns.

Would you like to show your patriotism and honor America with the color scheme of your firearms? Well gun-makers Howa and Citadel now offer patriotic colors for rifles, shotguns, and pistols. A variety of Howa rifles and Citadel guns are offered with a handsome red, white, and blue USA Flag pattern. In addition, there is a grayscale USA flag option for these arms. That grayscale flag is still patriotic, yet less dramatic.

Howa’s USA Flag pattern firearms line-up includes the APC Steel and Carbon Fiber Flag Chassis rifle, the Mini Action Excl Lite, and the TSPX Chassis rifle. On the Howas and the Citadel Trakr rifles, the flag patterns are a rugged, protective Cerakote finish. The Citadel handgun collection offers the USA Flag pattern in the Citadel CP9 9mm series, the Citadel .45 ACP full size 1911, and the Citadel compact .380 Auto 1911. Citadel Trakr .22 LR rimfire rifles are also available with USA Flag and Grayscale options for both semi-auto and bolt-action models.

HOWA Flag Collection

• APC Chassis Series including Steel & Carbon models – 6.5 Creedmoor / .308 Win

• Mini Excl Lite – .223 / 6.5 Grendel / 7.62 x 39 / 6mm ARC / 350 Legend

• TSP X Chassis – 6.5 Creedmoor / .308 Win

CITADEL Flag Collection

• Trakr – .22 LR in Semi Auto & Bolt

• BOSS 25 12-Gauge Shotguns

• 1911 .45 ACP

• 1911 .380 AUTO

• CP9 9mm Series

PDF Product Catalog Available
CLICK HERE to view full Howa/Citadel Product Catalog with all patriotic color options. The Citadel Trakr .22 LR Rimfires and Boss 25 shotgun are also available in the USA Flag and Grayscale options. Cerakoted ammo cans in the USA Flag and Grayscale Flag are available with the Citadel handguns.

We’ve been fans of the Howa Mini Action rifles since they were introduced a few years ago. With actions that are nearly an inch shorter than typical “short actions”, these Mini Action rigs work great as a compact “truck gun” or carry-around varminter. Current chamberings are: .223 Rem, 6.5 Grendel, 7.62x39mm, and .350 Legend. There are 20″ heavy contour and 22″ standard contour barrel options, plus a 16.25″ heavy for the .350 Legend only.

6.5 Guy Ed Mobley Tests the 7.62×39 Howa Mini Action Rifle

The Howa Mini Action rifles come with the excellent HACT 2-stage trigger and a 5-round or 10-round, synthetic detachable box mag (depending on caliber). The Mini Action’s bolt is 13% shorter than on regular short actions, providing a shorter, faster bolt throw. Weight is also reduced. This makes for a nice, compact (and very shootable) package.

6.5 Guys Test Howa Mini Actions in 6.5 Grendel and 7.62×39

The 6.5 Guys recently secured a pair of Howa Mini Actions, one chambered in 6.5 Grendel and the other in 7.62×39 Russian: “After trying out the Howa Mini Action rifles at SHOT Show 2017, we got a couple of loaners in 6.5 Grendel and 7.62×39 courtesy of Legacy Sports. These rifles are known for their smooth cycling and lightweight actions, as well as some unique chamberings for bolt rifles (6.5 Grendel, 7.62×39). Long story short, we really enjoyed them.” In fact Steve liked his 6.5 Grendel enough that he plans to purchase the gun. Get the full scoop in this VIDEO REVIEW:

The folks at Legacy Sports also conducted extensive accuracy tests of commercial ammunition in 6.5 Grendel and 7.62×39. The most accurate 6.5 Grendel ammo, with a stunning 0.29″ group, was Alexander Arms with Lapua 123gr Scenar; second best (0.56″ group) was Hornady with 123gr A-Max bullet. The most accurate 7.62×39 ammo was Hornady 123gr SST with a 0.62″ group in the 20″ Heavy Barrel version. View Howa’s Test Reports with these links:

6.5 Grendel Factory Ammo Data | 7.62×39mm Factory Ammo Data

Click HERE for full-screen image.

Legacy Sports Video compares Mini Action Rifles in .223 Rem and 6.5 Grendel:

Every year our friends Ed and Steve, aka the 6.5 Guys, produce informative SHOT Show videos. These two hard-working dudes visited dozens of product booths during SHOT Show 2019, producing over 40 video interviews for 65Guys.com. Ed and Steve roamed the Expo Center finding the latest and greatest rifles, stocks, optics, and accessories. Here are five 6.5 Guys Videos about new rifles and chassis systems. Next week we’ll feature more 6.5 Guys videos covering new optics. You can see all 42 SHOT Show 2019 videos from Ed and Steve on the 6.5 Guys YouTube Channel.

Modular Driven Technologies

Modular Driven Technologies (MDT) produces impressive chassis systems with innovative features, including modular weights. MDT is now a top choice for the PRS/NRL tactical disciplines. Steve was quite impressed by the new MDT ACC. See more at MDTTac.com.

Accuracy International — Mile High Shooting Accessories

One of the most impressive rifles at SHOT Show 2019 was the massive Accuracy Int’l Advanced Sniper Rifle (ASR) at the Mile High Shooting Accessories booth. The Advanced Sniper Rifle (ASR) will be submitted for SOCOM’s multi-caliber rifle program. It is offered in a $19,544 deployment kit with three barrels: (.308 Win, .300 Norma Mag, and .338 Norma Mag).

Seekins Precision — Complete Rifles and Actions

Seekins Precision showcased some impressive custom actions plus complete rifles for both tactical competitors and long range hunters. We were impressed with the build quality of the Seekins precision rifles. We liked the new Seekins Havak Bravo, and the Seekins action has some interesting features, such as four locking lugs with 90° bolt throw. Full Seekins Havak Bravo Review.

Gunwerks — Long Range Precision Rifles

Gunwerks is more than a builder of expensive (some say over-priced) rifles. It also sells branded electro-optics, and suppressors. Gunwerks also runs shooting clinics, and has hundreds of training and hunting videos on the Gunwerks YouTube channel. We like what Gunwerks is doing in the media space. Here the 6.5 Guys showcase some of the latest rifle and stock options from Gunwerks. Steve said he liked the adjustability and ergonomics on the Gunwerks stocks.

Legacy Sports International (Howa)

Legacy Sports Int’l (LSI) offers a variety of hunting and tactical rifles featuring the smooth-running Howa actions from Japan. At SHOT Show 2019, Legacy previewed a new tactical rig featuring a modular MDT Oryx chassis and Howa 1500 barreled action. The 6.5 Guys got to shoot this rig during media day and were impressed. This will be offered for Howa Short, Long, and Mini Actions.

Here’s important news for tactical shooters. There’s a rival to the Precision Rifle Series (PRS), the National Rifle League (NRL). And now the NRL has a major rifle sponsor — Howa. This Japanese rifle-maker will support the NRL’s 2018 season as Official Factory Rifle Sponsor. Good choice. We’ve shot Howa 1500-series rifles, and we know they offer excellent performance for the price. You can buy a complete Howa tactical rig, such as the KRG Bravo, or get a barreled action and put it into a variety of third-party modular stocks. Plus Criterion Barrels now offers Pre-Fit barrels in a variety of chamberings for Howa 1500 actions.

For 2018, the NRL will host 15 Precision Rifle matches, and the NRL 2018 Championships will be on October 19th – 21st in Idaho. There Howa will provide valuable prizes for top competitors. CLICK HERE for more information on the NRL 2018 match schedule.

National Rifle League Upcoming Spring Matches

Absolute Zero Sniper Match
North Carolina, February 23-25, 2018

Bighorn Steel Classic
Nebraska, March 2-4, 2018

Monster Lake Mayhem
Wyoming, April 6-8, 2018

Owen’s Armory Battle Royale
Arizona, April 27-29, 2018

JC Steel Target Challenge
Washington, May 4-6, 2018

Silent Night by Butch’s
Oklahoma, May 25-26, 2018

Howa 1500 Rifles and Actions — Good Stuff
Howa Machinery has been exporting sporting rifles for more than four decades since its first unit shipped in 1967. The Howa Model 1500 boast a smooth-running action and a fine two-stage HACT trigger (that’s a lot better than the standard trigger in most other factory rifles). For 2018, Howa is moving into the tactical/practical Precision market with a full line of competition ready rifles.

“We are very excited to be a part of the National Rifle League for 2018. We had the opportunity to be a part of a few matches in 2017 and the response was amazing. We view the NRL as an opportunity to connect with precision rifle shooters all around the country and share our passion for bolt-action rifles and the competition camaraderie.” Stated Mathew Hornback of Howa USA.

Travis Ishida, NRL President, noted “how capable these Howa rifles are for our style of shooting. The new Howa competition-ready rifles offer a sub-MOA guarantee out of the box[.] I am truly excited to have Howa supporting the NRL and to see them perform this year.”

GREAT DEAL — Complete Howa Barreled Actions (With Trigger) for $250.00
Howa makes excellent, smooth-running actions, and the Howa HACT 2-stage trigger is WAY better than most domestic factory triggers. Right now you can save big bucks on Howa 1500 barreled actions, complete with HACT trigger and trigger-guard. Pacific Tool & Gauge (PT&G) sourced a truckload of Howa barreled actions, which are now on sale. Available at $250.00 are: .204 Ruger, .223 Rem, .22-250. All these chamberings are offered with either light- or heavy-barrel contours. There is no extra charge for factory camo finishes.

Guys, this is an incredible deal — you can get a complete high-quality barreled action for less than the cost of a custom barrel. If you’re looking to put together a varmint rifle project this is a great option — just add the stock and scope of your choice.

These barreled actions would be great for custom hunting/varmint rifle projects — many have factory camo finishes. Howa barrels typically deliver easy sub-MOA accuracy (and often much better). NOTE: Some of these barreled actions may carry Weatherby or Nosler markings, but they were all made at the Howa factory in Japan.

Howa 1500 Barreled Actions Have Excellent 2-Stage Hact Triggers

PT&G’s Howa 1500 barreled actions feature the very nice Howa HACT trigger. This is an adjustable, two-stage trigger, set for about 3 pounds (combined stages). Crisp and repeatable, this is an excellent trigger for a factory gun. In our opinion, the HACT trigger is clearly superior to the trigger on the Ruger RPR, as well as the Savage AccuTrigger. And there is no annoying Glock-style safety lever in the middle of the trigger blade. The 2-stage design and pull weight range works well for a hunting rifle or a rig for PRS competition.

Writing for the Western Outdoor News, WONews.com, Steve Comus has field-tested the new HACT Trigger. Steve writes: “I always liked two-stage triggers, because of the way I could take-up the slack and then actually know when the rifle was going to go off. The take-up on the [HACT] trigger was fast and easy. The crisp, positive release when pressure was put on during the second stage [reminded me] of some of the target rifles I shot through the years.”

We’ve been fans of the Howa Mini Action rifles since they were introduced a couple years ago. With actions that are nearly an inch shorter than typical “short actions”, these Mini Action rigs work great as a compact “truck gun” or carry-around varminter. Current chamberings are: .204 Ruger, .222 Rem, .223 Rem, 6.5 Grendel, and 7.62×39. There are 20″ lightweight, 20″ heavy contour, and 22″ standard contour barrel options.

6.5 Guy Ed Mobley Tests the 7.62×39 Howa Mini Action Rifle

The Howa Mini Action rifles come with the excellent HACT 2-stage trigger and a 5-round or 10-round, synthetic detachable box mag (depending on caliber). The Mini Action’s bolt is 13% shorter than on regular short actions, providing a shorter, faster bolt throw. Weight is also reduced. This makes for a nice, compact (and very shootable) package.

6.5 Guys Test Howa Mini Actions in 6.5 Grendel and 7.62×39

The 6.5 Guys recently secured a pair of Howa Mini Actions, one chambered in 6.5 Grendel and the other in 7.62×39 Russian: “After trying out the Howa Mini Action rifles at SHOT Show 2017, we got a couple of loaners in 6.5 Grendel and 7.62×39 courtesy of Legacy Sports. These rifles are known for their smooth cycling and lightweight actions, as well as some unique chamberings for bolt rifles (6.5 Grendel, 7.62×39). Long story short, we really enjoyed them.” In fact Steve liked his 6.5 Grendel enough that he plans to purchase the gun. Get the full scoop in this VIDEO REVIEW:

The folks at Legacy Sports also conducted extensive accuracy tests of commercial ammunition in 6.5 Grendel and 7.62×39. The most accurate 6.5 Grendel ammo, with a stunning 0.29″ group, was Alexander Arms with Lapua 123gr Scenar; second best (0.56″ group) was Hornady with 123gr A-Max bullet. The most accurate 7.62×39 ammo was Hornady 123gr SST with a 0.62″ group in the 20″ Heavy Barrel version. View Howa’s Test Reports with these links:

6.5 Grendel Factory Ammo Data | 7.62×39mm Factory Ammo Data

Click HERE for full-screen image.

Planning a new tactical or hunting rifle project? You may want to consider a Howa barreled action for your new rig. Brownells has a large supply of these well-made Howas in a variety of chamberings, including the popular 6.5 Creedmoor. You can just bolt this barreled action into the chassis system of your choice. These barreled actions start at $359.99 complete with two-stage trigger and magazine. The 6.5 Creedmoor barrelled action with 24″ Heavy Barrel is $449.99 blued, $479.99 blued/threaded, or $546.00 Cerakote Gray. Many other chamberings are carried by Brownells, including: .204 Ruger, .222 Rem, .223 Rem, 22-250, 6.5 Grendel (Mini), 7.62×39 (Mini), .243 Win, 7mm-08, .308 Win, .270 Win, .30-06, 7mm Rem Mag, .300 Win Mag, .338 Win Mag and more.

Watch Unboxing of Howa Barreled Action in Video:

Bolt-In to Chassis Systems
Howa barreled actions are ready to drop into stocks or chassis systems for quick, DIY bolt-action rifle builds. These barreled actions are available in a wide selection of calibers, barrel lengths and profiles in both blued finish and grey Cerakote. Some have threaded muzzles for easy attachment of suppressors or other muzzle devices. Actions have factory-installed two-stage HACT Trigger, and internal 5-round box magazines. Detachable-mag bottom metals and extra magazines are also available. Actions are ready to accept scope bases and rails. Brownells currently has more than 75 versions of Howa barreled actions.

HACT 2-Stage Trigger
One of the best features of the Howa barreled actions is the HACT 2-Stage trigger, which is way better than most factory triggers. Set at around 3 pounds, the HACT can be adjusted to about half that pull weight. This is a very nice trigger system, and we like the 2-Stage pull for field applications. Writing for the Western Outdoor News, WONews.com, Steve Comus field-tested the HACT Trigger: “The take-up on the [HACT] trigger was fast and easy. The crisp, positive release when pressure was put on during the second stage [reminded me] of some of the target rifles I shot through the years.”