Howa M1500 Alpine Mountain
Howa Machinery · Rifle · In Production · 2018
Also known as: Howa Alpine, Howa Alpine Mountain Rifle, Howa AMR, Howa 1500 Alpine
Overview
The Howa M1500 Alpine Mountain is a lightweight bolt-action mountain rifle built on Howa Machinery's M1500 barreled action in Japan and configured for backcountry stalking and hunting. Chambered primarily in .308 Winchester (with 7mm-08 Remington and .243 Winchester also offered), it pairs a 20-inch free-floated, threaded barrel with a slimmed, hand-wrapped pillar-bedded fiberglass stock to keep bare weight down to roughly 5.75 lb. The action uses Howa's forged one-piece bolt with twin locking lugs and a three-position safety, and it wears a Cerakote finish over the action and barrel for weather resistance in exposed alpine conditions. It feeds from a five-round internal magazine with a hinged floorplate and breaks with the adjustable two-stage HACT (Howa Actuator Controlled Trigger), and Howa guarantees sub-MOA accuracy from the glass-bedded, free-floated setup.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 2608 g (92.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1022 mm (40.24") |
| Barrel Length | 508 mm (20.00") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Two Stage |
| Trigger Pull | 13 N (2.9 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 800 m/s (2625 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3110 J (2294 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Fiberglass |
| Finish | Cerakote |
Calibers
- .308 Winchester · primary · 7.62x51mm NATO — also known as 7.62x51mm, 7.62 NATO, .308 Win
- 7mm-08 Remington — also known as 7mm-08
- .243 Winchester — also known as .243 Win
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Internal Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Three Position Safety
- Features: Lightweight Mountain Configuration, Hand Wrapped Pillar Bedded Fiberglass Stock, Free Floated Barrel, Glass Bedded Action, Cerakote Finish, Threaded Muzzle, Hact Two Stage Trigger, Forged One Piece Bolt, Hinged Floorplate, Sub Moa Accuracy Guarantee, Recoil Pad
Base model
Production
Production years: 2018-present
Commercial civilian hunting rifle; production totals not published.
Origin
Country of origin: Japan
Notes
Sold in Europe and the UK as the Howa Alpine (distributed by Highland Outdoors) and in North America as the Howa M1500 Alpine Mountain Rifle through Legacy Sports International, sometimes packaged with a Vortex Viper scope. The lightweight fiberglass stock has been associated with Bansner/Legendary Arms Works production. The underlying M1500 barreled action is the same platform sold internationally as the Weatherby Vanguard.
Background
Named for the alpine hunting it was built for, Howa's Alpine trims its already sub-MOA M1500 action into a sub-6-pound mountain rifle by wrapping it in a hand-laid fiberglass stock and Cerakote armor - the same barreled action that underpins the Weatherby Vanguard.