INSTRUCTION SAFETY MANUAL - PDF document

1 INSTRUCTION & SAFETY MANUAL READ CAREFUL
INSTRUCTION & SAFETY MANUAL READ CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS FIREARMHOWA SERIES 1500 SPORTING RIFLES IMPORTANT! Do not discard!Keep this manual with your rifle.It should accompany the rifle toany new owner. ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY THE FIRST STEPThe first step in the safe handling of any firearmis to know how to CLEAR it.The Howa rifle is considered CLEAR whenthere is no ammunition in the chamber or in themagazine, the bolt is open and the safety is "on".To clear the rifle:Point the muzzle in a safe direction. lift the bolthandle and pull the bolt full

2 y to the rear. This shouldeject any cart
y to the rear. This shouldeject any cartridge that may be present in thechamber, but LOOK in the chamber anyway to besure it is empty. The magazine also is now exposed.If it con-tains any cartridges, remove them (seepage 17). Leave the bolt open and put the safetyAlways clear your rifle before handing it toanother person. If someone hands a firearm to you,person-ally determine whether it is clear before anyfurther handling.Never assume any firearm to be unloaded, anddon't accept anyone's assurance. LOOK inside ityour-self. When entering or leaving a r

3 ange orhunting area, or when showing the
ange orhunting area, or when showing the rifle to others,make sure the bolt is open, the safety is "on", andall ammunition has been removed. That way otherscan see, without need to operate its mechanism,that the rifle is clear.THESE WARNINGS ARE IMPORTANTare lethal weapons. By understanding the dangersinherent in the use of any firearm, and by takingproper precautions, you can enjoy complete safetyin the use of your firearm. Failure to heed any ofthese warnings may result in accidental death orserious injury to you or others, as well as severedamage t

4 o the firearm or other property.NOT JUST
o the firearm or other property.NOT JUST FOR BEGINNERSEven if you are familiar with other firearms,don't assume there is no need to study this manual.Accidents happen to experienced shooters aswell as beginners. Most of them could have beenavoided if the shooter had read and followed theinstructions and observed the basic rules of gunsafety.IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITYHaving a firearm in your possession is likebeing the captain of a ship: it's a seriousresponsibility, and yours alone. It's up to you toKNOW how to keep and use your firearm safely,and up to

5 you to always TAKE the necessaryprecaut
you to always TAKE the necessaryprecautions - all of them. If you fail to do so, and 3 1.Muzzle of barrel2.Barrel3.Floor plate4.Floor plate catch5.Trigger guard6.Trigger7.Stock8.Sling swivel stud9.Butt end of stock10.Bolt handle11.Cocking Piece(with firing pin)12.Bolt sleeve13.Bolt14.Receiver15.Safety16.Red dot indicator17.Bolt stop18.Magazine19.Chamber endof barrelImportant Terms Which Are Not Individual Parts:Bore:The enlarged rear portion of the bore into which a cartridge is seatedThe front face of the barrel from which the bullet emerges.The spa

6 ce inside the rifle where cartridges are
ce inside the rifle where cartridges are stored to be fed intothe chamber. Left, Right, Front, and Rear refer to the rifle as seen by ashooter holding it in the firing position. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONSType andMagazineBarrelOverallRate ofCaliberCapacityLengthLengthTwist.223 Rem522"42.0"1:12.22-250 Rem522"42.0Ó1:14.243 Win522"42.0"1:106.5x55522Ó42.5Ó1:9.25-06522Ó42.5Ó1:10270 Win522"42.5"1:10.30-06522"42.5"1:10.308 Win522"42.0"1:12Varmint.223 Ram524"44.0"1:12.22-250 Rem524Ó44.0"1:14.308 Win524"44.0"1:12Big Game Magnum7mm Rem Mag324"44.5"1:9.5.300 Win Ma

7 g324"44.5"1:10.338 Win Mag324"44.5"1:10.
g324"44.5"1:10.338 Win Mag324"44.5"1:10.243520Ó40.0Ó1:10.308520Ó40.0Ó1:12.7mm-08520Ó40.0Ó1:9.5SIGHTSSince most users wish to select a particulartelescopic sight and mount combination thatsatisfies their individual preferences andrequirements, your Howa rifle I. delivered from thefactory without sights. Mounting holes are factorydrilled and tapped to accommodate many popularmakes and models of telescopic lights and mounts.Follow the manufacturerÕs instructions for proper 4 WARNING!LEAD EXPOSUREpoorly ventilated areas, cleaning firearms, orhandling ammu

8 nition may result in exposure tolead and
nition may result in exposure tolead and other substances known to the state ofCalifornia to cause birth defects, reproductiveharm, and other serious physical injury. Haveadequate ventilation at all times. Wash handsthoroughly after exposure. SHOOTING ORCLEANING GUNS MAY EXPOSE YOU TO AMMUNITION1. Use only high quality, original factory-manufactured ammunition. Do not use cartridgesthat are dirty, wet, corroded, bent, or damaged.Use only ammunition of the caliber for which yourfirearm is chambered. The proper caliber ispermanently engraved on your fir

9 earm; neverattempt to use ammunition of
earm; neverattempt to use ammunition of any other caliber.Do not oil cartridges, or spray aerosollubricants, preservatives or cleaners directly ontocartridges or where excess spray might come intocontact with them. Highly penetrative lubricants canprimer and/or propellant powder. Either a misfire ora failure of the powder to ignite may result. If onlythe primer ignites, there is danger that the bulletmay not exit the barrel, and obstruct the bore.Store ammunition in a cool, dry place, awayfrom sources of heat. Heat shortens the shelf life ofdecomposit

10 ion of primer and propellant.Make a habi
ion of primer and propellant.Make a habit of regularly examining your firedcartridge cases, particularly when trying differentammunition. Watch for abnormalities: punctured,loose, or excessively flattened primers; split,deformed or partially separated cases; rough orcratered firing pin indents, torn rims, etc. "Reading"the cases can reveal a lot about the quality of theammunition and the condition of the rifle, allowingcorrective steps to be taken before something uglyDon't mix up ammunition. Keep cartridges intheir original box until you are ready to

11 load them.When afield, carry only one c
load them.When afield, carry only one caliber of ammunition inyour pockets. At the range, put only the ammunitionfor the firearm you are currently using on theshooting bench. Don't put ammunition of differentcalibers or loads in the same box or loose in arange bag. It is too easy to pick up and load thewrong cartridge, with potentially disastrous results. 6 WARNING ON RELOADED AMMUNITIONThe use of reloaded (or "handloaded","remanufactured", or other non-standard)cause of dangerous malfunctions and blown upReloading is a complex science whichunfortuna

12 tely is not as fully understood by many
tely is not as fully understood by many ofits practitioners as it deserves to be. It also requiresa high order of quality assurance which many haveneither the specialized knowledge nor theequipment to establish and maintain.A reloaded cartridge is no better than theknowledge, skill and care of the person who madeit. The process is endless of seemingly minordetails that, if not gotten right, can produce a majordisaster. A cartridge that is improperly resized,primed, charged or assembled, or made from thewrong, defective or outdated components, can beex

13 tremely dangerous in many ways. It can s
tremely dangerous in many ways. It can slam-fire,cause a bore obstruction, produce a malfunctionthat sets the stage for an accidental discharge,inflict progressive damage to the gun, or suddenlySuch problems seldom arise from originalfactory-made ammunition from major manufacturerswho have the experience and facilities to produce it correctly. It is much safer to use only originalfactory-made cartridges, and you are emphaticallyurged to do so.use reloaded ammunition. They should understandthat they are embracing an extra and potentiallylethal risk, an

14 d must accept full responsibility ifHOWA
d must accept full responsibility ifHOWA AND LEGACY SPORTSINTERNATIONAL WILL ACCEPT NORESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FORANY PERSONAL INJURY OR DAMAGETO THE RIFLE OR OTHER PROPERTYARISING FROM THE USE OFRELOADED AMMUNITION. 8 BORE OBSTRUCTIONS (continued)If a bullet is in the bore, DO NOT try to shoot itout by using another cartridge, or by blowing it outwith a cartridge from which the bullet has beenremoved, or with a blank cartridge. Unburnedpowder trapped in the bore behind the stuck bulletcan detonate in the confined airspace withOften a bullet lodged i

15 n the barrel can beremoved by gently tap
n the barrel can beremoved by gently tapping it out with a Rat-tippedbrass rod that closely Fits the bore diameter. Don'tuse a cleaning rod, as it is likely to bend or deformand become jammed in the bore. Unburned powderand other fouling probably will be left in the bore. Itis imperative that the bore, chamber, and receiverbe thoroughly cleaned to remove all such residuebefore shooting is resumed.If the bullet cannot be readily dislodged, takethe firearm and the ammunition to a gunsmith. Donot use any more ammunition from that lot until bothhave been

16 examined and the cause of theSoil, mud,
examined and the cause of theSoil, mud, snow, water, ice, vegetation,mudwasp nests, etc. are all dangerous inside a gunbarrel. If the muzzle of your riRe comes into contactwith the ground, or you have reason to suspect thatsomething has gotten into the barrel, unload the rifleand look through the bore. It's not enough to justlook at the muzzle; debris can slide some distanceinside where it can't easily be seen. If anything isthere, clean it out with a rod. Never attempt toshoot it out; the barrel may burst and you could be 10 While loading (and at all

17 times!) make sure themuzzle is pointed
times!) make sure themuzzle is pointed in a safe direction!Risk of an accident is greatly increased whenany firearm, no matter how safely designed, iscarried with the cartridge in the chamber. Unlessthe firearm must be ready for immediate firing,leave the chamber empty. Load the chamber onlywhen you are ready to actually shoot.Always point the muzzle in a safe direction whenmanually operating the action to load the firstcartridge from the magazine into the chamber.Malfunctions which allow the gun to fire as the boltis closed without the trigger being

18 pulled are rarebut can happen.Never att
pulled are rarebut can happen.Never attempt to load or unload any firearminside a vehicle, building or other confined space(except a properly constructed shooting range). Enclosed areas frequently offer no completely safedirection to point the firearm; if an accidentaldischarge occurs, there is great risk of injury orBefore loading, always clean all grease, oil,solvent, etc. from the bore and chamber. When abullet is fired, an accumulation in the bore orchamber of any lubricant or other incompressiblefluid (including, for example, rainwater) can caus

19 e abulge or burst barrel or other damage
e abulge or burst barrel or other damage to the rifleand result in serious injury to the shooter or toothers nearby. In addition, any coating of lubricantin the chamber interferes with the adhesionbetween cartridge case and chamber wall that isnecessary for safe firing, and subjects the rifle tostress similar to that imposed by excessive LOADINGWARNING! FIRINGWARNING! Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, thesafety "on", and your finger away from the triggeruntil you are ready to fire.Never carry about or leave unattended anyfirearm which is co

20 cked and ready to fire! Whencocked and w
cked and ready to fire! Whencocked and with the safety off, it can easily fire ifthe trigger is pressed. An accidental dischargecould result if you fall or drop the firearm, or ifsome external object contacts the trigger.If while shooting, your firearm develops anymechanical malfunction or binding, or "spits"powder gas, or if a cartridge primer is puncturedor a cartridge case is bulged or ruptured, or if thereport on firing does not sound quite right, stopshooting immediately! It may be dangerous tocontinue. Unload the firearm - do not try "one moresh

21 ot to see if it does it again". (It prob
ot to see if it does it again". (It probably will, butworse. It is amazing how often serious accidentsare preceded by warning signs that are ignored).Take the firearm and the ammunition to a gunsmith4.Never uncock the rifle with a cartridge in thechamber. This is an unsafe condition, as the firingpin would then be in direct contact with the primerof the chambered cartridge. An impact on the boltcould then cause the rifle to fire accidentallywithout the trigger being pulled.Do not allow other persons to stand beside youwhere they might be struck by an

22 ejected cartridgecase. The case is hot,
ejected cartridgecase. The case is hot, and may be ejected withsufficient force to cause a burn or cut or injure an 23 BOLT DISASSEMBLY 1 BOLT DISASSEMBLY 24 REASSEMBLY1. To install bolt in rifleIf any cartridge is in the chamber or the magazine,remove it first! Orient the bolt with the handlepointed up and to the right. Align the locking lugson the bolt with their races in the receiver. Viewedfrom the rear, the rectangular projection of thecocking piece must be pointing straight down (at 6o'clock, as shown in Fig. 41. Push the bolt forwardgently into

23 the receiver until the bolt stop snaps
the receiver until the bolt stop snaps inplace behind it. Close the bolt and turn the handledown to its locked position.2. To replace stock:Insert magazine box into receiver, open end to therear and notched end first. Place barreled actionassembly carefully into stock. Be certain triggerguard is seated properly in stock. The longertakedown screw goes behind the trigger guard.Tighten the two takedown screws alternately untilboth are snug, then tighten front screw Firmly;finally, tighten rear screw.WARNING!Any time the bolt is removed and reinstalled,d

24 o not load any ammunition into the riRe
o not load any ammunition into the riRe until thePush the safety "off". Press the trigger. Thefiring pin should snap forward ("dry-Fire').Operate the bolt again a full cycle. It shouldclose smoothly and turn down to lock easily,without impediment. If either does not, the boltAttempting to reinstall an incorrectlyassembled bolt with a cartridge in the rifle may,unusual conditions, cause the cartridge tofire accidentally as the bolt is being closed,without the trigger being pressed. Serious injuryto the shooter could result. TRANSPORT AND STORAGEWhen tr

25 ansporting your firearm to and fromshoot
ansporting your firearm to and fromshooting activities, keep it unloaded for your safetyand for the safety of others.When storing your firearm, keep it separatedfrom ammunition, under lock and key and out of thereach of children and other inexperienced orYour stored rifle can be rendered inoperable inmany ways. The simplest is to remove the bolt andkeep it in a locked drawer. Trigger locks are widelyavailable. Alternatively, with the bolt and floorplateboth opened, a simple cable lock (or even a bicyclelock) passed through the magazine well will keept

26 he bolt from being closed. Also, if the
he bolt from being closed. Also, if the bolt isremoved an ordinary padlock can be affixed throughthe rear receiver ring to prevent the bolt from beingreinstalled. Wrap the lock with electrical tape toprevent scarring the rifles finish.PARTSIt is the responsibility of the purchaser to beabsolutely certain that any parts ordered from LSIare of the correct type and are properly fitted andinstalled by a competent person. This firearm is aparts or improper mechanical adjustment may resultin a dangerous malfunction, damage to the firearm,and possible seriou

27 s injury to the shooter or toothers. The
s injury to the shooter or toothers. Therefore, the purchaser and/or installer ofparts must accept full responsibility for the correctadjustment of and function of the firearm after suchinstallation has been made or attempted.Even though most gunsmiths have theknowledge, training and ability to make thenecessary repairs to your firearm, the skill andworkmanship of any particular gunsmith is totallybeyond our control. Should your firearm everrequire service, we strongly recommend that youreturn it to LSI. 27 EXPLODED VIEWHOWA SERIES 1500 SERVICETo expe

28 dite service on any firearm returned to
dite service on any firearm returned to usfor adjustment or repair, please follow theseFederal law permits you to send a rifle orshotgun to LSI for service via the U.S. Mail(handguns are not mailable except by federallicensees). You also can send it through commoncarriers such as United Parcel Service (UPS).However, state and local firearms laws vary greatly;you should consult your local prosecuting attorneyregarding any restrictive laws in your jurisdictionregarding your receipt of the return shipment.With the above in mind, it is strongly recommende

29 dthat any firearm sent to us for repair
dthat any firearm sent to us for repair be sentthrough a Federally licensed dealer.All firearms must be shipped to us prepaid. Wewill not accept collect shipmentsBe sure to enclose a i.e"letter referencing theserial number and caliber of your firearm. Also statethe nature of trouble experienced or work required.Merely stating "defective" or "repair as necessary"is inadequate information. Please be specific andenclose copies of any previous correspondence.The firearm must be shipped unloaded. Double-Please do not send telescopic sights, customstocks, s

30 lings, bipods or other accessories with
lings, bipods or other accessories with anyfirearm shipped to us. Remove them beforeshipment. We cannot be responsible for loss ordamage to non-standard items. WARNING!MODIFICATIONS AND REPAIRSDo not attempt to make modifications orrepairs to your rifle unless you have thenecessary knowledge, training, skill andequipment, and are prepared to take fullresponsibility for the consequences.Modifications or repairs that are unwiselyundertaken or improperly performed can rendera rifle unsafe, and lead to someone's death orinjury.Howa and LSI will not be res

31 ponsible for anymalfunction, injury or d
ponsible for anymalfunction, injury or damage resulting from thealteration or substitution of any part of this rifle orfor any repair performed by anyone other than WHY NO WARRANTY CARD HAS BEEN PACKAGED WITH THIS HOWA RIFLEThe Magnuson-Moss Act (Public Law 93-637) does not require any manufacturer or seller of a consumerproduct to give a written warranty. It does provide that if a written warranty is given, it must be designated as"limited" or "full" and sets minimum standards for a "full" warranty. Rather than to attempt to comply with theprovisions

32 of the Magnuson-Moss Act and the regula
of the Magnuson-Moss Act and the regulations issued thereunder, Howa and LSI have electednot to provide any written warranty. Thus, NO WRITTEN WARRANTY, EITHER "FULL" OR "LIMITED", ISGIVEN WITH THIS PRODUCT.Unless excluded in writing, certain implied (unwritten) warranties also arise under state law with respect tosales of consumer goods. Because the extent and interpretation of these implied warranties varies from stateto state, HOWA and LSI HEREWITH EXCLUDE ALL SUCH IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUTNOT LIMITED TO THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS

33 FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.HOWA AND LSI F
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.HOWA AND LSI FURTHER EXCLUDE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIALDAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT, SUCH AS LOSS OF USE OFPROPERTY, COMMERCIAL LOSS OR LOSS OF EARNINGS OR PROFITS.Some states restrict the exclusion of implied warranties or of incidental or consequential damages, so theabove exclusions may not apply to you.HOWA and LSI wish nonetheless to assure our customers of our continued interest in providing service toowners of Howa rifles. For Howa's authorized U.S. Service Center, contact LSI