Rifle review: Made for tough hunts, Howa’s Superlite is impressively accurate

There is light, then there is crazy light. In 2022, Howa released the Superlite, a production centrefire hunting rifle that may well fit that latter description. Easy-to-carry, lightweight rifles can make lung-piercing climbs and belly-crawl stalks less arduous. While such featherweights are a joy to carry, their pencil-thin barrels and associated bedding issues have historically led to questionable accuracy. Not so with the Japanese-made Superlite, which comes with a three-shot group, sub-MOA accuracy guarantee when using premium ammunition.

Imported and marketed by Legacy Sports, the Superlite is crazy light indeed, weighing in at four pounds seven ounces. Mechanically, it is based on a hybrid Howa Model 1500 action, which Howa refers to as a cross between its Mini Action and the standard Short Action. The 20-inch chrome-moly steel barrel is cold-hammer forged, tapered and threaded 1/2×28—a thread pitch normally found on calibres of less than 6mm, but necessitated by the Superlite’s small barrel diameter.

Other mechanical features include a machined receiver, tool-less firing pin removal, large integral front barrel lug, and reliable M-16 style extractor/ejector. There are also stringent headspace specifications, opposing dual locking lugs, and a bolt with an integral bolt handle and pressure vent holes. The bolt face is also true and square to the chamber.

The aesthetically pleasing carbon-fibre stock is made by Stocky, and nicely finished in either Kryptek Altitude or Kryptek Obskura Transitional camo, or the new option of Kings Camo XK7, which came on my test model (pictured above). The stock also includes a Limbsaver recoil pad. Other notable features include a flush detachable magazine, three-position safety and one-piece Picatinny rail, which was not included on my test rifle.

I should note that Howa also now makes an even lighter model, the Superlite Short Barrel, which shaves off an additional four ounces owing to its 16.5-inch barrel. Both it and the Superlite are said to be the lightest production centrefire rifles now on the market.

TEST RESULTS

Out of the box, my Superlite test model tipped my postal scale at four pounds 10 ounces. While that exceeded the advertised weight by three ounces, the featherweight difference was not a deal breaker. After mounting a Hawke Vantage scope using medium-high Talley mounts, the combo weighed in at five pounds 12 ounces—a very pleasant weight to carry into the high country.

Premium triggers are a must on ultralight rifles, since the slightest inconsistency can lead to an errant shot. In this case, the Superlite utilizes a two-stage Howa Actuator Controlled Trigger that provided pull weights of between two pounds 14 ounces and two pounds 16 ounces on my test rifle. Of immediate note was the amount of take-up required to engage the second stage, which I measured at 5mm. With no creep, this length of trigger pull engagement quickly became second nature.

Overall, I found the rifle nimble in hand, making it unquestionably ideal for tight spots or mountainous terrain. Still, a couple of factors need to be considered. Namely, ultralights are more difficult to steady when shooting, and their shorter barrels bleed off velocities. Most test barrels are 26 inches long, and for every inch they’re made shorter, there’s a loss of 30 fps. That means a 20-inch barrel would have a loss of 180 fps. This held true with the Superlite. For example, Norma’s Whitetail 140-grain ammo lists its muzzle velocity at 2,657 fps, but the Superlite’s 20-inch barrel delivered 2,461 fps—a loss of a little more than 180 fps. Such lower velocities and the associated loss of foot-pounds energy are something to bear in mind when considering long-range shots.

Surprisingly, the Superlite fit me well, and despite it being muzzle light, it balanced reasonably well. It also cycled without any hang-ups, and I liked the three-position safety, something not always found on value-priced rifles. As for the Vantage scope, the optical quality for the price point was a pleasant reminder of what I’ve come to expect from Hawke optics. It was bright and sharp, and I appreciated the no-frills mil-dot illuminated reticle—simply good optics for the money (also see “Hawke Vantage,” below).

On the range, I tested 13 factory hunting loads, three match loads and four handloads that respectively averaged groups of 1.196, 0.912 and 1.202 inches. While there’s little question the Superlite had is likes and dislikes, it did provide six sub-MOA factory hunting load groups. For a featherweight rifle, that is very decent accuracy. To hunt big game, Winchester’s 142-grain Expedition Big Game Long Range AccuBond would top my list, followed by any of the other sub-MOA hunting loads. While I was not expecting varmint-type accuracy, this rifle defied the odds and delivered as advertised.

THE RIFLE SPECS

• Calibre: 6.5 Creedmoor
• Total length: 39″
• Barrel length: 20″
• Weight: 4 pounds 7 oz
• Rate of twist: 1 in 8″
• Magazine capacity: 3 rounds
• Length of pull: 13¼” (measured)
• Drop at comb: 0.676″

From complete test range results, go to www.outdoorcanada.ca/slitetest.

HAWKE VANTAGE

Since keeping the weight down was my priority for this range test, I aimed for a maximum combined weight of six pounds for the rifle, scope and mounts. I also wanted a scope that was reasonably priced, while still offering quality glass, durable construction and a simple, uncluttered, illuminated reticle. My search ended with Hawke’s Vantage IR 4-12×50 scope (above). For less than $400, it features H2 optics, 11-layer fully multi-coated lenses, a one-inch mono tube chassis, a fast-focus eyebell and low-profile capped turrets. It also has a mil-dot precision glass-etched reticle with multi-stage illumination in both red and green. To top it all off, the nitrogen-purged scope is shock-, fog- and waterproof, and it comes with a Hawke Lifetime Warranty for the original owner.

THE SCOPE SPECS

• Magnification: 4-12x
• Objective lens: 50mm
• Tube diameter: 1″
• Length: 13.4″
• Weight: 17.5 oz
• Eye relief: 3.5″
• Field of view @100 yards: 4x-26.2′ to 12x-8.7′
• Parallax setting: Fixed @100 yards