Contessa Picatinny Rail for Howa 1500 Short

About Picatinny Rail

The Picatinny rail system features slots spaced at precise 5.23 mm intervals, enabling consistent and versatile use along its entire length. This system is designed for ease of mounting and is universally compatible; accessories designed for a Picatinny rail will fit seamlessly, irrespective of the manufacturer or the date of production. Known for its affordability, durability, and reliability, the Picatinny rail is a popular choice among professionals and military personnel, making it a dominant player in the scope mounts market in recent years.
The Picatinny design marks a significant advancement over the older Weaver standard. Unlike the Weaver system, which offers only a few predetermined slots, the Picatinny rail boasts continuous slots across its surface. This feature provides the flexibility to mount devices at any preferred location. Additionally, the slots on a Weaver rail are narrower, at 3.8 mm, allowing mounts designed for Weaver rails to fit on a Picatinny rail. However, mounts specifically made for Picatinny rails do not fit on Weaver rails due to the size difference of recoil stoppers. This compatibility and versatility make the Picatinny rail a superior mounting solution in various applications.

About the Contessa

Contessa, an Italian manufacturer renowned for its high-quality scope mounts, combines decades of experience with advanced 3D technology and precision handcrafting. Recognized internationally, its mounts are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing, featuring soft, rounded edges. Contessa Picatinny rails are machined to strict tolerances, and  feature one of the best fit and finish. Each rail bears the distinctive golden Contessa logo, symbolizing quality and craftsmanship.

About the Howa

Howa Machinery Ltd., known as Howa, is a versatile Japanese manufacturing company established in 1907. Initially focusing on looms, Howa diversified into weapons production in 1936, manufacturing items like rifles and machine parts during the war. After a post-war shift back to looms, they resumed arms production during the Korean War, producing rifles like the Howa 1500, introduced in 1979 as a budget precision rifle. 

About the 1500 SA

The Howa 1500 SA is a centerfire push-feed bolt-action rifle. Introduced in 1979, it features a Mauser-type action with a cold hammer-forged barrel and a forged-steel receiver. The Howa 1500 SA is equipped with a basic two-stage trigger and a three-position safety mechanism. This model comes with four tapped holes in the receiver, making it suitable for straightforward scope mounting. It also offers a choice of a fixed or detachable box magazine, accommodating 3-5 rounds depending on the configuration​​.

Calibres

Howa 1500 SA is chambered for the following calibers:

• .204 Ruger
• .223 Rem.
• .22-250 Rem.
• .308 Win.

Design of the Rail

The Contessa Picatinny Rail for Howa 1500 Short is constructed from steel, known for its superior hardness and durability compared to aluminum, ensures a higher degree of repeatability with less wear over time. The picatinny rail features 15 slots and 4 mounting holes, all secured with 6-48 threading. A distinct central canal on the rail allows for the concurrent use of the rifle's iron sights, offering a reliable backup sighting solution without the need to remove the picatinny rail when there is nothing mounted on it. This picatinny rail is attached to the rifle with four screws.

Mounting Dimensions

• A=21.9mm
• B=98.6mm
• C=15.3mm
• BHU=3.0mm
• R1=60mm
• R2=17mm

This rail can also be mounted on:

Usually, a Picatinny rail can be mounted on multiple different rifles if they share the same mounting surface, which we commonly refer to as the mounting standard. The Contessa Picatinny Rail for Howa 1500 Short can be mounted on the following rifles, which share the same mounting standard:

• BRNO Scandinavian
• CZ 550 Scandinavia
• Smith & Wesson 1500 SA
• Weatherby Vanguard SA

Mounting Instructions

Remove all the stains (grease, oil etc.) from the rifle's receiver with a cleaning fluid (acetone). Once the surface is clean and dry, check whether the screws match the rail and the holes on the receiver. Before mounting the rail permanently, apply a minimal amount of thread-locking fluid 278 or 648 on screws. Be careful not to get the fluid in or near the mounting holes. Carefully clean the remaining excess fluid around the rail with a cleaning fluid. Using a torque driver, screw the screws appropriately (up to 3 Nm/26.5 in-lbs).
If you require any mounting tools, you can find them on our Rifle Scope Mounting Tools page.

What's in the box?

Each package comes complete with one steel rail, a sturdy wrench for easy installation, and four screws to securely attach the rail to your firearm.

Warranty

This product comes with a 30-year warranty.