Howa 1500

About the Howa 1500

The Howa 1500 is a bolt-action hunting rifle manufactured by Howa Machinery in Japan, renowned for exceptional accuracy and build quality at its price point. The action features a forged one-piece bolt with two locking lugs, a cold hammer-forged barrel, and Howa's HACT (Howa Actuator Controlled Trigger) two-stage trigger system. The 1500 action has been the basis for numerous collaborations with stock makers and distributors, including Weatherby (Vanguard), and is available through OSA Australia in Carbon Elevate (carbon fiber stock), Carbon Stalker (carbon fiber-wrapped barrel), and Super Lite (ultralight) configurations. The Howa 1500 is one of the best-selling bolt-action rifles in Australia.

The Howa 1500 action has been called the best-kept secret in bolt-action rifles - its forged one-piece bolt and cold hammer-forged barrel deliver accuracy that regularly embarrasses rifles costing three times as much. The action's reputation for reliability in harsh conditions made it one of the most popular hunting rifles in Australia, where the outback puts equipment to tests that few other environments can match.

Howa 1500 specifications

The Howa 1500 has been in production since 1979, making it one of the longest-running production bolt-action actions. The same action is sold as the Weatherby Vanguard in the US market. Weight varies significantly by configuration: 3400g (standard), ~2700g (Super Lite), ~3000g (Carbon Elevate). The HACT trigger is adjustable and provides a clean two-stage pull. The Carbon Elevate features a carbon fiber stock for weight reduction. The Carbon Stalker features a carbon fiber-wrapped barrel. The Super Lite achieves very low weight through a combination of lightweight barrel profile and stock. Extremely popular in Australia and New Zealand for hunting.