Howa 1500 Safety issues?

buymore · September 12, 2011, 03:45 PM

I recently purchased a USED Howa 1500 300 Win Mag rifle. The safety engages MOST of the time, but not all of the time. It seems to work for other people just fine, just seems to not engage for me?

If I rack the bolt hard like I do my military rifles it wont engage, wont even budge. If I rack the bolt nice and smooth it will work just fine. I noticed that if I open the bolt and engage the safety, then close the bolt it is fine too. It appears to me that the trigger is lightened quite a bit, as soon as I find instructions on how to adjust the trigger, I will put a little more back on it. I started to think that the sear engagement is too light and that may be affecting the safety engagement?

When it engages, it works 100%.....no questiosn there. Also, I cannot get the safety to malfunction either. I see no signs of filing or removal of metal on any of the trigger parts. I may also clean the heck out of the trigger module, thinking maybe it's just gummed up inside.

Any other ideas greatly appreciated.

GURU1911 · September 12, 2011, 08:42 PM

I agree with you on the first step:

1. Remove trigger & safety group from the receiver.
2. Submerge entire unit in a bath of simple green & diluted with h2o @ a 1 to 3 part mix. Let sit & soak for 30 minutes.
3. Use old toothbrush, cotton swabs, & pipe cleaners to remove as much crud as you are able.
4. Rinse with hot water & towel dry. Use compressed air & blow out as much water as possible.
5. Use hair dryer on "high" setting to finish drying unit.
6. Lube with your fav gun lube & move safety lever & trigger to distribute in trigger.
7. Install trigger group back on receiver & function check for proper function of safety & trigger pull.

While you are at it, clean the bolt assembly the same way. If the mechanism requires adjusting, "pm" me & i will tell you how to do it.

Guru1911

September 12, 2011, 03:45 PM	#1
buymore Senior Member Join Date: February 3, 2007 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 257	Howa 1500 Safety issues? I recently purchased a USED Howa 1500 300 Win Mag rifle. The safety engages MOST of the time, but not all of the time. It seems to work for other people just fine, just seems to not engage for me? If I rack the bolt hard like I do my military rifles it wont engage, wont even budge. If I rack the bolt nice and smooth it will work just fine. I noticed that if I open the bolt and engage the safety, then close the bolt it is fine too. It appears to me that the trigger is lightened quite a bit, as soon as I find instructions on how to adjust the trigger, I will put a little more back on it. I started to think that the sear engagement is too light and that may be affecting the safety engagement? When it engages, it works 100%.....no questiosn there. Also, I cannot get the safety to malfunction either. I see no signs of filing or removal of metal on any of the trigger parts. I may also clean the heck out of the trigger module, thinking maybe it's just gummed up inside. Any other ideas greatly appreciated.

September 12, 2011, 08:42 PM	#2
GURU1911 Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2010 Location: SEALY, THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS Posts: 501	Howa trigger & safety mechanism I agree with you on the first step: 1. Remove trigger & safety group from the receiver. 2. Submerge entire unit in a bath of simple green & diluted with h2o @ a 1 to 3 part mix. Let sit & soak for 30 minutes. 3. Use old toothbrush, cotton swabs, & pipe cleaners to remove as much crud as you are able. 4. Rinse with hot water & towel dry. Use compressed air & blow out as much water as possible. 5. Use hair dryer on "high" setting to finish drying unit. 6. Lube with your fav gun lube & move safety lever & trigger to distribute in trigger. 7. Install trigger group back on receiver & function check for proper function of safety & trigger pull. While you are at it, clean the bolt assembly the same way. If the mechanism requires adjusting, "pm" me & i will tell you how to do it. Guru1911 __________________ NRA LIFE MEMBER (1984) & PRESIDENT: S.W. LA. R&P CLUB, LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA (1994-1999) METALLIC CARTRIDGE RELOADER (1977) & GENTILE CHRISTIAN ZIONIST INFIDEL !!! "THERE AIN'T TOO MANY THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T FIX, WITH $500 DOLLARS OR A .30-06"