I was thinking of getting a Howa 1500 as a cheap knock about rifle, and just wondered as to the safety of them gas handling wise ,a gun writer here ago was a bit vague when he said ,'' evidently the engineers decided to let the gases go rather than try to hold them '' [ in the event of a primer letting go etc.]Getting older im more concerned about safety than i used to be .
and or how strong the action is ?
Thankyou in advance

Same action as the Wheatherby Vanguard. I would use them pretty much for anything that would fit.

Great actions; last one I had I wanted to re-barrel. Original barrel was on so tight that I cut it off. Any modern action handles gas better than some old designs, but then, our modern brass is 1000 times better so no one ever blows one up unless you really do something, well, stupid. Like the TWO Rem 700s I saw at the local gun shop a couple of years ago; both 243s. A guy fired one, bolt was locked, so instead of stopping, he proceeded to fire the other one with the same results. He was using a case full of 2400. Shooter did not even know anything bad had happened but the bolts were expanded into the barrels and the brass was melted. Anyway, Howas are very good and strong and safe actions.

I've had one for 10 or so years. They're nice with one exception, the bolt release. The screw that holds the bolt release in is really weak and I have broken it before. I was able to get the sheared off part out of the action and replace it, but I would want a thicker screw installed to reinforce it before I would feel comfortable taking it hunting far from home.

What's the bolt shroud like? Must say I've never even picked up a Howa but their bolt shroud looks from the RH side like the old Sako ones and I have a very low opinion of them. (Maybe Finnish primers are stronger than everyone else's - not only did Sako not bother to cover the left lug runway but, in the early 75, had the gas porting vent into it.)

Personally, I think the Howa 1500 is one of the best actions available. The new ones being produced are even better than the ones being produced just a few years ago. They have an improved trigger (two stage target), a three position safety and I believe they're polished to a better finish. Not to mention a Sako style extractor and some nice aftermarket goodies being made by PT&G.

What I think they mean by "letting the gasses go" is the fact that in case of a ruptured primer, the gases escape through vent holes in the side of the bolt body, like Weatherby does with their bolts. I would consider it to be a safe way of dealing with a potential problem that you will probably never see, I think it's a good thing.

I'd put the quality of the Howa rifles up there with any of the big manufactures. The action is very similar to an older Sako (which I like) and it's refreshing to see a gun company actually improving the quality of their guns. Right now, I would take a Howa over anything being made by the Freedom Group. They may be less expensive but it doesn't mean they're cheap!

My older brother had one in 22-250 with that cheesy huge rubber coated stock. I Never liked that crap. He was having trouble sighting it in wouldn't get off his lazy butt to actually check the target. he had those shoot and see things. Well they don't work to well with a high speed .22

after I got behind the gun and sighted it in for him. or at least got it closer then he was then forced him to finish the sight in correctly. he then had a rifle that would print a 3/4" group with $30 a box ammo. then he tried some better stuff and the group shrank more.

Those rifles are very under rated. I didn't care for the stock he had bury I also know thats not all they offer.

They only thing bad about a Howa??? The name but with the way Winchester is going right now it's got to be better then those guy's. I would not hesitate to own one.

Always remember that gunwriters are, today, college trained journalists first. Most of them don't know their hole from an ass in the ground.

I would think product liability would keep the unsafe junk out of the market.

Unless you were over pressure or using worn out cases when was the last time you lost a primer or have a case separate?

quote:

Originally posted by pennfly:
Always remember that gunwriters are, today, college trained journalists first. Most of them don't know their hole from an ass in the ground.

An paid by the ad's that the manufactures buy.

100% direct conflict of intrest

I had rather have the Howa than most other actions out there right now. Built my 300RUM on a Vanguard action. Shoots great. Make sure you or your gunsmith can cut metric threads.

God Bless, Louis

Most of the gas handling hypochondriacs read Frank de Haas's Bolt Action Rifles too many times. He talked about gas handling way more than the subject deserves.

Anybody else see the irony of questioning the strength and safety of a modern rifle made by a company that has been manufacturing since 1907, with modern materials, methods, probably state of the art equipment and legendary Japanese engineering and attention to details.......

in a forum.....

Mostly about military guns that were made up to 115 years ago, with less than modern materials, metallurgy and engineering.
Some produced with slave labor.
Many of which are worn, rusted, poorly heat treated, have been since drilled in structural areas, drilled again, and some been drilled even more, ground down in outside diameter, filed on, welded on, soldered on, maybe heat treated again and then chambered for cartridges and pressures they never were designed for.

quote:

Originally posted by Doug W:
Anybody else see the irony of questioning the strength and safety of a modern rifle made by a company that has been manufacturing since 1907, with modern materials, methods, probably state of the art equipment and legendary Japanese engineering and attention to details.......

in a forum.....

Mostly about military guns that were made up to 115 years ago, with less than modern materials, metallurgy and engineering.
Some produced with slave labor.
Many of which are worn, rusted, poorly heat treated, have been since drilled in structural areas, drilled again, and some been drilled even more, ground down in outside diameter, filed on, welded on, soldered on, maybe heat treated again and then chambered for cartridges and pressures they never were designed for.

ironic indeed.

The Howa action is better in fit,finish and overall quality than most American made bolt actions.

The design borrows a lot from the Sako L61R which is directly related to the fact that Howa was building parts for Sako at one time.

Thanks for the safety recommendation, guys.

Perhaps my concern comes down to whether you can see that left lug runway as you aim. In my mind a rifle should not only be safe but be seen to be safe. Some of those old Mausers may indeed be dodgy but at least the design shielded that exit and, if all else failed, there's the third lug, venting to the magazine and the thumb cutout to save the day.

The L61R has been my favourite rifle for 35 years but it offends me that they did not spare another quarter ounce for a wider shroud.

quote:

Perhaps my concern comes down to whether you can see that left lug runway as you aim. In my mind a rifle should not only be safe but be seen to be safe. Some of those old Mausers may indeed be dodgy but at least the design shielded that exit and, if all else failed, there's the third lug, venting to the magazine and the thumb cutout to save the day.

I think the bottom line is if a shooter doesn't feel the action is safe and isn't comfortable touching off 65,000psi next to their face then they shouldn't buy one.

The last Howa I owned was one I got for nothing...won it in a door-prize drawing at an AZ Big Horn Sheep Society dinner.

In those days the actions were used on at least four labels of commercial rifles, Vanguard, Howa, Mossberg 1500, and S&W 1500. The one I won was either a Mossberg or an S&W chambered for .30-06...I think an S&W, but I am not positive my recollection is correct as to the brand name.

Anyway, it shot very well for an inexpensive rifle and no doubt would have shot much better had the commercial OE stocks been at all hand-fitted or glass-bedded. They did have very good user-adjustable triggers in those days, which helped a lot.

I sold my "big horn sheep dinner" rifle after a year or two because I already had 9 or 10 .30'06s, and the Howa/S&W was the most plain-Jane of them all.

I, like others here, would not hesitate to use one for any cartridge with the right head size and length.