Howa 1500 Mini Action
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Barrel
- 508 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.90 kg
- Introduced
- 2017
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Howa 1500 Mini Action is a compact bolt-action rifle built on a shortened version of the proven Howa 1500 action, designed specifically for smaller intermediate cartridges including 6.5 Grendel, .223 Remington, and 7.62x39mm. The miniaturized action is approximately 14% shorter and lighter than the standard Howa 1500 short action, resulting in a rifle that is notably more compact and better balanced. The HACT (Howa Actuator Controlled Trigger) two-stage trigger provides a crisp, adjustable pull. Available with 20-inch or 22-inch barrels in standard, heavy, or lightweight contours, the Mini Action offers versatility from varmint hunting to medium-game applications with the efficiency of the 6.5 Grendel cartridge.
The Howa Mini Action was developed in response to the growing popularity of the 6.5 Grendel cartridge among AR-15 shooters who wanted a bolt-action platform properly sized for the round, rather than fitting the compact cartridge into an oversized short-action receiver.
The Mini Action was developed to properly size the action to the cartridges it chambers, rather than using an oversized short action. This results in smoother feeding, lighter weight, and a shorter bolt throw. The forged one-piece bolt features two locking lugs and a Howa M16-style extractor. Barrel threads are 1/2-28 for .223 and 5/8-24 for 6.5 Grendel and 7.62x39. Distributed in the US by Legacy Sports International.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Howa Machinery
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Country
- Japan
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2017
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 508 mm
- Overall length
- 1003 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.90 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 3.10 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Striker fired
- Trigger
- Two stage
- Trigger pull
- 15.0 N
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Matte blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 790 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 2528 J
- Effective range
- 700 m
- Maximum range
- 2500 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Mini action
Threaded muzzle
Hact two stage trigger
Forged one piece bolt
Compact design
Heavy barrel option- Lightweight
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 430 sniper rifles | 2.90 kg | 5.40 kg | Among the lightest tenth |
| Overall lengthAmong 429 sniper rifles | 1003 mm | 1150 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 434 sniper rifles | 508 mm | 620 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 434 sniper rifles | 5 | 6 | Holds fewer rounds than about 70% |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Howa 1500 Mini Action
How much does the Howa 1500 Mini Action weigh?
The Howa 1500 Mini Action weighs 2.90 kg (6.39 lb) empty and 3.10 kg (6.83 lb) loaded. It is the 10th lightest of 430 sniper rifles in the catalogue.
What caliber is the Howa 1500 Mini Action?
The Howa 1500 Mini Action is chambered in 6.5mm Grendel, .223 Remington, and 7.62x39mm.
How many rounds does the Howa 1500 Mini Action hold?
The Howa 1500 Mini Action holds 5 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Howa 1500 Mini Action?
The Howa 1500 Mini Action is 1003 mm (39.5 in) long overall, with a 508 mm (20.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Howa 1500 Mini Action?
The Howa 1500 Mini Action is made by Howa Machinery (Japan).
When was the Howa 1500 Mini Action introduced?
The Howa 1500 Mini Action was introduced in 2017.
How does the Howa 1500 Mini Action operate?
The Howa 1500 Mini Action uses a bolt action, and its firing mechanism is striker fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- U.S. Civilian Hunters
- 2017
- Australian Civilian Shooters
- 2017
Provenance
Confidence in this record
82%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/howa-1500-mini-action' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "howa-1500-mini-action", "name": "Howa 1500 Mini Action", "manufacturer": { "id": "howa", "name": "Howa Machinery", "countryCode": "JP", "foundedYear": 1907, "website": "https://www.howa.co.jp", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "92a63959c6eadbabe566297f6ef96a1554d837fd5792be753c7906ecdbc12361" }, "category": { "id": "sniper-rifle", "name": "Sniper Rifle", "description": "Precision rifles optimized for long-range accuracy" }, "country_of_origin": "JP", "year_introduced": 2017, "barrel_length_mm": 508, "weight_empty_g": 2900, "action_type": "bolt_action"}