Howa 1500 barrel removal

Howa 1500 barrel removal

I’ve been asked by quite a few different shooters if Howa factory barrels are difficult to remove- the short answer is, no, they aren’t.  You don’t even need specialized equipment to do it.  In this quick post, I’ll show you how I remove factory Howa 1500 barrels.

But first, the disclaimer….

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Any modifications made to a firearm should be made by a licensed gunsmith. Failure to do so may void warranties and result in an unsafe firearm and may cause injury or death.

Modifications to a firearm may result in personal injury or death, cause the firearm to not function properly, or malfunction, and cause the firearm to become unsafe.

You don’t need a specialized action wrench for a Howa 1500.  The top of the receiver is a nominal 1.35″ and the bottom is flat.  This means your Mauser style wrench for a Remington 700 will work- I like the one shown from Brownells.  Simply use the top half against the flat bottom and tighten it down.

Next, you need to secure the barrel in a vise, I like this bushing model from Brownells.  It uses a set of interchangeable aluminum bushings (1.175″) that grab the barrel.  I like to coat the barrel in Rosin to prevent anything from slipping.

Now all you need to do is unscrew the barrel.  Check out the video below, this is a factory barrel on a factory action that has never been removed.

You’ll notice I used an aluminum “cheater pipe” on the action wrench handle and the action broke free instantly.

That’s it.  EASY!

To learn more about Howa rifles, check out their importer, Legacy Sports International.

To buy a Howa action or the tools to remove the barrel from one, check out Brownells.

To learn how I built a custom Howa rifle, click here.