Howa Superlite Rifle Review: Ready for Backcountry Hunting

Howa's Superlite rifle tips the scales at about 4.5 pounds, and it's the perfect backcountry hunting companion when portability counts.

February 18, 2025 By Keith Wood

Thanks, no doubt, to the obsession with all things long range, rifles seem to be getting longer and longer these days. Add a suppressor and they’re longer still. This is fine when you’re in the great wide-open, but how about when climbing in and out of a pickup or on and off a horse? How about in a tree stand or in thick timber? What about when backcountry hunting?

The reality is that there are times when a compact rifle or carbine is a far superior choice than a cumbersome long-range rig. For such an occasion, the Howa Superlite is hard to beat. Weighing well under 4.5 pounds and only 35.25 inches long, this bolt action is about as light and portable as it gets.

The Superlite is currently available in .243 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 and .308 Win. My test sample was chambered in the latter. While dimensionally the compact Superlite would make an ideal youth rifle, the cartridge-to-weight ratio means that recoil, without a suppressor installed, would likely make it impractical for this role. But it’s a small rifle capable of doing big things.

Howa Machinery has been producing firearms in Japan since 1940. The company has produced M1 Garands for Japan’s own defense forces, AR-18s under contract for Armalite, and various other arms for military use. On the civilian side, Howa has produced firearms and components for several U.S. companies.

Legacy

The Superlite is built on Howa’s excellent 1500 action, and it weighs less than five pounds bare and just 6.5 pounds even with a relatively large optic aboard. (Photo courtesy of Keith Wood)

Ironically, some of Howa’s best-known firearms never bore the company’s name. Whether engraved with the Howa logo or that of another firm, the firm’s firearms have a reputation for excellent quality. Japan may not have a gun culture of its own, but that doesn’t stop it from producing great guns for ours.

The Superlite starts with the proven Howa 1500 short action. This two-lug push-feed action is perhaps best known for serving as the basis for the Weatherby Vanguard. The 1500’s receiver is machined from a forging that includes an integral recoil lug with a tapered front face. The bottom of the action is flat, which provides a solid bedding surface.

The bolt is designed with safety in mind; the case head is supported by a recessed bolt face in the style of the Remington 700. Additionally, three gas vent holes are cut through the bolt body so propellant gases are vented downward and away from the shooter’s face in the event of a case failure or blown primer. The bolt handle is integrally forged to the body.

The 1500 uses an M16-style extractor and a plunger-style ejector. The trigger is a two-stage that is adjustable for pull weight. Mine came from the factory tuned to break at a very crisp 2.5 pounds.

Features

rilfe action from underneath — The Howa Superlite’s 1500 flat-bottom action has an integral recoil lug. The trigger is excellent, breaking at 2.5 pounds. (Photo courtesy of Keith Wood)

The safety is a three-position lever located on the right side of the tang. In the forward position the rifle is ready to fire. The middle position is Safe but allows for the bolt to be cycled, while the rearmost position is Safe and locks the bolt. The bolt stop is opposite the safety lever on the left side of the tang.

The Superlite feeds from Howa’s own detachable box magazine, which fits nearly flush with the one-piece polymer trigger guard assembly. The magazine latch sits just forward of the box and is released with a rearward pull.

The magazine itself is simple and rigid while also made from polymer. The box holds three rounds, and an additional cartridge can be loaded into the chamber for a capacity of four. My sample fed, fired and ejected reliably.

The Superlite is available with either a 16.5- or 20-inch cold-hammer-forged barrel. Although both are threaded, the former is preferable when maintaining the compact overall length with a suppressor is important. My test rifle came with the shorter 16.5-inch barrel, which is threaded 1/2x28. Both the barrel and action are finished in a satin blue.

This 1/2x28 is a thread pattern usually reserved for smaller cartridges like .223 and .22 rimfires. The reason for using this pattern on the Superlite comes down to weight. A 5/8x24 thread would require a barrel contour at least 0.125 inch heavier than the 0.600-inch muzzle diameter required for the 1/2x28. With the light barrel contour on the Superlite, the smaller thread pattern was the only way to go.

With a modular suppressor such as a SilencerCo Omega, Hybrid or Scythe, simply choosing the proper thread adapter plate will make a 5/8x24 suppressor compatible with the Superlite. The threads are covered with a thread protector when not in use.

The stock on the Superlite is produced by Stocky’s Stocks. This carbon-fiber lay-up stock is built specifically for the Howa 1500. The petite stock complements the metal work nicely and weighs just 17 ounces.

Despite being light, it is extremely rigid, which is a welcome change from many of the unstable Tupperware-style stocks on the market these days. Underneath the carbon shell is Stocky’s AccuBlock, a patented system that provides a stable bedding platform for the barreled action.

Ergonomics and Mounting Options

rifle stock inletting — The Superlight uses a rigid carbon-fiber stock made by Stocky’s, and its AccuBlock feature provides a rock-solid bedding platform without adding undue weight. (Photo courtesy of Keith Wood)

The sporter-style design has a straight comb with no cheekpiece. The fore-end is slim and tapered. Two sling swivel studs are installed, and there is a LimbSaver pad installed at the butt. The camo pattern on mine was mottled gray and green over exposed carbon fiber with black webbing. The stock’s textured finish provides a non-slick surface that is easy to grip. A wood-stocked version is also available.

The Superlite comes with a Picatinny rail installed, but it can be removed if you want a different mounting solution. Two-piece bases designed for the Remington 700 are compatible with the Howa 1500. I mounted an Arken EPL-4 4-16x44mm optic directly to the rail in Arken titanium rings.

This is a relatively large scope for such a tiny rifle, but that is the direction that consumers are going. With the optic mounted, the total weight was six pounds, 7.2 ounces. A big scope on a light rifle can be a recipe for trashing the erector system under recoil but, despite being a relatively inexpensive optic, this one held up just fine.

While I’m on the topic of recoil, recoil on a 6.5-pound .308 rig is a little snappy, as you would expect. It’s not obscene, but it’s not a rifle you should hand to an inexperienced shooter. A suppressor would help a lot, but I did not have a 1/2x28 adapter on hand.

At the Range

accuracy results — (Chart provided by the author)

Extremely light rifles can be very finicky to shoot from the bench and often require a great deal of consistency in technique to group well. Instead of using my left hand to hold the rear bag, I held the rifle at the fore-end and wrapped my hand almost completely around the barrel, both to control recoil and because I’ve found that to work well with light rifles.

In my experience, the Howa Superlite seemed less temperamental than other flyweights when it came to shooting it well. I credit the stock design, which made repeatable holds very doable. Accuracy was excellent with two of the three loads I tested.

Several years ago, I went through a phase where I sought out the lightest rifle possible. I built two with that goal in mind, going to extreme measures to cut weight. Those rifles were fantastic for carrying in the backcountry but, when it came time to shoot them at game, I realized that there was a real trade-off when it came to practical shootability.

I still value lightweight rifles, but experience has taught me that they are not ideal for every application. When used with a grain of common sense, the Superlite could be a very useful tool. Where I live, most hunting is done in tree stands, often climbers. Carrying a large rifle in such a situation can be a real albatross. The Superlite would be just the ticket and is chambered in cartridges with plenty of power to get things done.

The Skinny

the underside of rifle — The Superlite uses a detachable box magazine that sits nearly flush with the polymer trigger guard assembly. (Photo courtesy of Keith Wood)

The Howa Superlite is one of the most compact and lightweight bolt-action centerfire rifles on the market. If there is a lighter production bolt-action .308 out there, I’m not aware of it. One could spend many thousands of dollars on a custom ultra-light rifle and most likely walk away with a heavier rifle than this one.

If sheer portability is your aim, there really is no substitute for the Howa Superlite. This rifle is more than simply light and compact, though. It is well-built and capable of great performance. For situations where an extremely lightweight rifle is practical, the Superlite is ideal.