This rifle was one of two I purchased when a friend of Tommy Thomas (of Murray Manor Sporting Goods) called to tell me I should come down and buy one. I bought two. $95 each. What a deal.
Dickson-Howa was a San Francisco/Japan business that had approached Sako about using their design for rifles. They especially liked the bolt and extractor. Well they took the liberty of building a Japanese copy of the Sako Deluxe, which at tha time was selling for around $750. The barrels were 4 groove and the action was identical to the Sako except not quite as tight in closure.
I shot both of them, and traded one to Sam Fowler for a Ruger 44 Magnum. Those were going for $125 at the time, so I made out on the deal, and kept the Sako scope rings that I got with it.
I had a great time with the Golden Bear, but later purchased a Sako from Grant Boys and so having two 30-06's became a problem with sizing cases. The Sako got shot more and the Howa sat. I had done a lot of reading and learned how great the 284 diameter bullet would do. It seemed balistically superior to the 30 cal. So while a member of the Santiago Rifle and Revolver club I bought a new Douglas Supreme Heavy Sporter barrel in 7mm. I must have carried that barrel around for 20 years before the opportunity and funds would be available to get it chambered and build that 7mm/06 or .280Rem. After moving to Sacramento in 1986 I discovered that Huntington's was only an hour away. Fred Huntington (RCBS) had a custom shop and a legendary gunsmith Tommy who did all of Fred's custom work. That became my plan. $269 later (aprox 1990) I had the barrel on, polished and blued, glass bedded, and this became the most accurate rifle in my collection. I can't remember what the barrel cost me, but it wasn't much... maybe $40-$50.
Dickson-Howa Golden Bear Deluxe .30-06
This seldom seen rifle is a nearly exact copy of a pre-1972 Sako Finnbear L61R, right down to the third locking lug on the bolt. Even the bolts will exchange between this rifle and a genuine Sako. Made by Howa of Japan in the 1960's, these rifles quickly disappeared from the market, presumably due to a patent suit by Sako. This is the "Deluxe" version of the Golden Bear with many features mimicking the Sako Deluxe like skipline checkering and contrasting fore end and grip cap. The bolt is factory jeweled, unlike a Sako, and there is a plastic buttplate instead of a butt pad. The bottom metal is alloy, whereas a Sako is steel, but in all other respects, including the 24.4" barrel and Sako-copy trigger, the rifle is virtual duplicate. The construction is high-quality with deep bluing and excellent stock finish, and these rifles usually exhibit very good accuracy.
