All Howa Models
Howa Machinery of Japan builds the M1500 bolt-action rifle in standard, Mini Action, carbon and chassis versions plus the M1100 rimfire, all imported to the US by Legacy Sports International. This page compares caliber, capacity, barrel length and the lowest current price for each line across US retailers.
Showing 3 model lines
| Photo | Model | Action | Caliber | Capacity | Barrel | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centerfire bolt-action rifles 2 models All Howa Rifles → | ||||||
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Howa M1500 Exported since 1979: hammer-forged barrel, HACT 2-stage trigger, 3-position safety; Hogue, HS Precision, Carbon, Superlite, Walnut and APC chassis. 6.5 CM, .308 Win, .243 Win, 6.5 PRC, .300 Win Mag and more · Bolt action · 16.25–24" |
Bolt action | 6.5 CM, .308 Win, .243 Win, 6.5 PRC, .300 Win Mag and more | 16.25–24" | from $420 1,190 offers · 18 stores Compare prices |
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Howa Mini Action M1500 action about 12% shorter than a short action (2015) with detachable magazines; Mini Action, Walnut Hunter and Excl Lite stocks. 22 ARC, 6mm ARC, .223 Rem, 6.5 Grendel, 7.62x39, .350 Legend · Bolt action (mini) · 5 / 10 · 16.25–22" |
Bolt action (mini) | 22 ARC, 6mm ARC, .223 Rem, 6.5 Grendel, 7.62x39, .350 Legend | 5 / 10 | 16.25–22" | from $485 309 offers · 18 stores Compare prices |
| Rimfire rifles 1 model | ||||||
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Howa M1100 Rimfire bolt rifle with an 18" threaded #4 barrel, in black, green, walnut and Kryptek Obskura stocks. .22 LR, .22 WMR, .17 HMR · Rimfire bolt action · 10 (9 in .17 HMR) · 18" |
Rimfire bolt action | .22 LR, .22 WMR, .17 HMR | 10 (9 in .17 HMR) | 18" | from $314 12 offers · 4 stores Compare prices |
More Howa pages
More variants
Howa 6.5 Creedmoor68 in stockHowa Walnut Hunter46 in stockHowa .30840 in stockHowa 6mm Arc19 in stockHowa .24318 in stockHowa 300 Win Mag12 in stockHowa 6.5 Grendel12 in stockHowa 7mm Rem Mag12 in stockHowa .22311 in stockHowa 7.62 X3911 in stockHowa 7mm-0810 in stockHowa .2709 in stockHowa 350 Legend9 in stockHowa 30-068 in stockHowa 22 Arc7 in stockHowa 7mm Prc7 in stockHowa Stainless6 in stockHowa 25 Creedmoor4 in stockHowa 300 Prc4 in stock
Classic Howa models
Historic Howa rifles and milestones. Howa Machinery was founded in 1907 as Toyoda’s Loom Works and is based in Kiyosu, Aichi, Japan; Legacy Sports International of Reno, Nevada imports its rifles.
- 1960
- Model 300 Hunting carbine
Howa calls it the first mass-produced Japanese hunting rifle. - 1964
- Type 64 Military rifle
Service rifle adopted by the Japan Defense Agency. - 1967–1979
- Golden Bear Bolt action
Howa’s first export sporting rifle, shown in Chicago in 1967; the M1500 was developed from it. - early 1970s
- AR-18 Licensed production
Howa built the ArmaLite AR-18 under license. - 1970s–1980s
- Smith & Wesson Model 1000 Semi-auto shotgun
Designed and manufactured by Howa for Smith & Wesson. - 1979
- M1500 export Bolt action
Howa began exporting the M1500; it also supplies barreled actions for the Weatherby Vanguard. - 1989
- Type 89 Military rifle
Service rifle adopted by the Japan Defense Agency. - 2011
- HACT trigger Trigger
Two-stage trigger introduced on the M1500.
Howa model names explained
- M1500
- Howa’s centerfire bolt action, exported since 1979 and developed from the 1967 Golden Bear rifle.
- Mini Action
- M1500 action developed in 2015 for small cartridges, about 12% shorter than Howa’s short action.
- HACT
- Howa’s two-stage trigger, fitted to the M1500 since 2011.
- Sub-MOA guarantee
- Legacy Sports guarantees M1500 rifles to group 3 shots at or under 1 inch at 100 yards with premium ammunition.
- HS Precision
- M1500 in an H-S Precision stock molded from Kevlar, fiberglass and carbon fiber with an aluminum bedding block.
- Superlite
- Lightweight M1500 starting at 4 lb 7 oz; the Superlite Short has a 16.25" barrel and starts at 4 lb 3 oz.
- Carbon Elevate / Carbon Stalker
- M1500 in a carbon-fiber stock; the Elevate adds a carbon-wrapped threaded barrel.
- APC
- Howa’s aluminum chassis rifle with a Luth-AR adjustable stock.
- Excl Lite
- Mini Action in a Luth-AR adjustable stock (12–15" length of pull).
- Gamepro
- Rifle sold as a package with a Nikko Stirling Gamepro scope.
