Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Bolt action rifles, lever action, pump action, self loading rifles and other miscellaneous longarms.

Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by Acamm » 11 Dec 2022, 2:16 pm

Hey everyone, just purchased a 2nd hand Howa 1500 and discovered the safety cannot be engaged. I opened it all up and had a look at the trigger mechanism.

There is a black pin, designed to stop the safety from going to far forward or back and slipping. This pin appears to not be long enough. It only reaches through the entire gun when the safety is at the off position. When pin is in the safety position cannot be changed?

How do I fix this?
Acamm
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 1
Victoria

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by bigpete » 11 Dec 2022, 6:16 pm

Remove the safety lol.
I joke but seriously I ended up doing that to my weatherby vanguard last year.
bigpete
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3577
South Australia

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by Finniss » 11 Dec 2022, 6:49 pm

Safety can stop working if trigger adjusted too light.
Finniss
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 1
Victoria

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by bladeracer » 11 Dec 2022, 7:06 pm

Acamm wrote:Hey everyone, just purchased a 2nd hand Howa 1500 and discovered the safety cannot be engaged. I opened it all up and had a look at the trigger mechanism.

There is a black pin, designed to stop the safety from going to far forward or back and slipping. This pin appears to not be long enough. It only reaches through the entire gun when the safety is at the off position. When pin is in the safety position cannot be changed?

How do I fix this?


I'm not intimate with the Howa but is the bolt cocked? The safety probably won't engage if the striker is down.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
User avatar
bladeracer
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 12656
Victoria

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by deye243 » 11 Dec 2022, 7:10 pm

I do not use so-called safeties at all have not for more than 30 years in fact most my rifles don't even have one installed.
Now my first question is this an older power or is it the later model with the hact trigger if it is the older model increase spring pressure and will more than likely fix you a problem
User avatar
deye243
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
 
Posts: 2209
Victoria

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by bladeracer » 11 Dec 2022, 7:33 pm

deye243 wrote:I do not use so-called safeties at all have not for more than 30 years in fact most my rifles don't even have one installed.


Same here, safeties are for handguns.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
User avatar
bladeracer
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 12656
Victoria

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by deye243 » 11 Dec 2022, 8:33 pm

bladeracer wrote:
deye243 wrote:I do not use so-called safeties at all have not for more than 30 years in fact most my rifles don't even have one installed.


Same here, safeties are for handguns.

Yes out of all the handguns I've owned the one I miss the most is my springfield-armory 1911 A1 .
User avatar
deye243
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
 
Posts: 2209
Victoria

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by dnedative » 11 Dec 2022, 10:24 pm

bladeracer wrote:
deye243 wrote:I do not use so-called safeties at all have not for more than 30 years in fact most my rifles don't even have one installed.


Same here, safeties are for handguns.


Nah, they are just another thing to go wrong designed to appease idiots and government agencies who cant afford to train their staff or who have that little faith that they require them.

I've had a Akkar shotgun that would fire a barrel if you flicked the safety lever a little too hard, that was a recipe for disaster. I reckon a lot of people have been killed by firearm safety's over the years, either failures or people being conditioned to pull triggers thinking things are safe when they have forgotten they are not on - Plenty of people flick them on and straight away test them which is a very human response but not ideal and without a doubt plenty of folk have pulled triggers on loaded guns with them off not remembering that 6 hours ago they turned it off for a shot that might of happened but didnt and in the heat of the moment they forgot etc.

Its the only things the French and Glock got right.
dnedative
Corporal
Corporal
 
Posts: 258
New South Wales

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by bladeracer » 11 Dec 2022, 10:52 pm

dnedative wrote:Nah, they are just another thing to go wrong designed to appease idiots and government agencies who cant afford to train their staff or who have that little faith that they require them.

I've had a Akkar shotgun that would fire a barrel if you flicked the safety lever a little too hard, that was a recipe for disaster. I reckon a lot of people have been killed by firearm safety's over the years, either failures or people being conditioned to pull triggers thinking things are safe when they have forgotten they are not on - Plenty of people flick them on and straight away test them which is a very human response but not ideal and without a doubt plenty of folk have pulled triggers on loaded guns with them off not remembering that 6 hours ago they turned it off for a shot that might of happened but didnt and in the heat of the moment they forgot etc.

Its the only things the French and Glock got right.


The best safety is to not put a round in the chamber until you actually need it.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
User avatar
bladeracer
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 12656
Victoria

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by deye243 » 11 Dec 2022, 11:36 pm

I always have a round chambered but that bolt handle doesn't go down until I'm on target meat or steel
User avatar
deye243
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
 
Posts: 2209
Victoria

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by Diamond Jim » 11 Dec 2022, 11:50 pm

bigpete wrote:Remove the safety lol.
I joke but seriously I ended up doing that to my weatherby vanguard last year.


I don't rely on safeties on any firearm but removing it would very likely see you prosecuted in WA and possibly (probably) lose your firearms licence as well.

If you can't figure it out to ensure it is working 100% as intended by the factory, take it to a gunsmith. Then never rely on it.
Listing your firearms is as good as a fingerprint.
User avatar
Diamond Jim
Corporal
Corporal
 
Posts: 389
Western Australia

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by bigpete » 12 Dec 2022, 12:20 am

Diamond Jim wrote:
bigpete wrote:Remove the safety lol.
I joke but seriously I ended up doing that to my weatherby vanguard last year.


I don't rely on safeties on any firearm but removing it would very likely see you prosecuted in WA and possibly (probably) lose your firearms licence as well.

If you can't figure it out to ensure it is working 100% as intended by the factory, take it to a gunsmith. Then never rely on it.


Lucky im not in WA !
bigpete
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3577
South Australia

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by Bravs » 12 Dec 2022, 6:27 pm

deye243 wrote:I always have a round chambered but that bolt handle doesn't go down until I'm on target meat or steel


I do this as well. I reckon safer than engaging the safety.
Bravs
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 29
Victoria

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by bladeracer » 12 Dec 2022, 7:01 pm

deye243 wrote:I always have a round chambered but that bolt handle doesn't go down until I'm on target meat or steel


I don't chamber a round until I'm ready, then I'll leave the bolt unlocked until I have a shot.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
User avatar
bladeracer
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 12656
Victoria

Re: Howa 1500 Safety Won't Engage

Post by JohnV » 12 Dec 2022, 7:11 pm

Someone may have lightened the trigger release weight too much . To be on the safe side take it to a gunsmith and get it checked out they can fit new springs etc. Once you get it fixed test it by making sure the chamber and mag is empty then cock and close the bolt . Apply the safety then pull the trigger a few times . Then let the safety off . If the firing pin drops when taking the safety off it's no good . Also give the stock butt a few bumps on the ground . If the firing pin drops it's no good .
JohnV
Warrant Officer C2
Warrant Officer C2
 
Posts: 1161
Other


Back to top
 
Return to Centerfire rifles