Description

An ideal hunter or target rifle in a very capable and up and coming caliber. The M1500 was a fully new rifle, following the Howa Golden Bear hunting rifle that Howa Industries manufactured previously. When designing the M1500, Howa used the Weatherby Mark V - which was manufactured by Howa Industries on an OEM basis - as the reference. However, whereas Mark V's bolt opening / closing angle is 54 degrees narrow, the M1500 uses the more general 90 degree opening / closing angle. At present, the M1500 is one of three large-calibre bolt-action rifle platforms produced in Japan, and is sold as Howa's representative rifle not only in Japan, but throughout the world. The others are the Browning AB3 and X-Bolt platforms, produced by Miroku, located in Kochi, Japan.[2] In terms of the mechanism as a bolt action, it is classified as a Mauser type one-piece structure, cock-on opening. The trigger is a two-stage trigger that enhances precision shooting. In 2011, a new two-stage trigger system called HACT (Howa Actuator Controlled Trigger) was introduced. The safety device is a relatively rudimentary in design, that locks the trigger, but it uses a US patented[3] three-position system that has a safety position where only the trigger is locked and a safety position where the bolt is locked at the same time as the trigger. The internal magazine can hold 3–5 rounds, loaded through the open action, similar to the Type 38 infantry rifle.For models sold overseas, there is option for removable box magazine system for Model 1500 as well. These magazines come with 5- and 10-round capacity