Howa
Encyclopedia
) is a Japan
ese machinery manufacturer. The company is known internationally for their production of military and civilian firearms. However, they also manufacture civilian products such as industrial tools, construction
vehicles and window
s and door
s.
Howa was involved in manufacturing the famous Arisaka
Rifle
series.
for the Japanese Self Defense Forces
during the early days of the Cold war, with the following manufactured for JGSDF use:
During the early 1970s, Howa produced the AR-18 and AR-180 5.56mm assault rifle as a license from Armalite Inc. of Costa Mesa, California, which marketed the rifle to various military forces. Japanese government restrictions on the sales of military small arms to foreign countries eventually forced Howa to cease production of the AR-18/AR-180, moving production back to Armalite.
and Weatherby
.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese machinery manufacturer. The company is known internationally for their production of military and civilian firearms. However, they also manufacture civilian products such as industrial tools, construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
vehicles and window
Window
A window is a transparent or translucent opening in a wall or door that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material like float glass. Windows are held in place by frames, which...
s and door
Door
A door is a movable structure used to open and close off an entrance, typically consisting of a panel that swings on hinges or that slides or rotates inside of a space....
s.
WWII Military
Since 1940 Howa has been heavily involved in the Japanese armaments industry. Many of their WWII-era weapons are highly sought after collector's items.Howa was involved in manufacturing the famous Arisaka
Arisaka
Arisaka is a family of Japanese military bolt action rifles, in production from approximately 1898, when it replaced the Murata rifle, until the end of World War II in 1945...
Rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
series.
Post WWII Military
Howa created a copy of the US M1 Garand and the M1 carbineM1 Carbine
The M1 carbine is a lightweight, easy to use semi-automatic carbine that became a standard firearm for the U.S. military during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and was produced in several variants. It was widely used by U.S...
for the Japanese Self Defense Forces
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
during the early days of the Cold war, with the following manufactured for JGSDF use:
- Howa Type 64Howa Type 64The , is a Japanese battle rifle used exclusively by the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the Japanese Coast Guard. It is a gas-operated, selective fire weapon which is chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO round and uses a detachable 20-round box magazine. The Type 64 was never exported outside of Japan...
- Howa Type 89Howa Type 89The , referred to as the , is a Japanese assault rifle used by the Japan Self-Defense Forces, the Japan Coast Guard's Special Security Team units, and the Special Assault Team. It was never exported outside of Japan due to its strict anti-hardware export laws...
- AR-18AR-18The AR-18 is a gas operated, selective fire assault rifle chambered for 5.56x45mm ammunition. The AR-18 was designed at ArmaLite in California by Arthur Miller, George Sullivan, and Charles Dorchester in 1963 as an improved alternative to the AR-15 design, which had just been selected by the U.S....
(licensed production for Armalite Inc.) - Howa Type 96Howa Type 96The , is a Japanese automatic grenade launcher made by Howa since 1996.-History:With the need of a heavy fire support weapon in Japan Self-Defense Forces service aside from the use of the Sumitomo Type 62 GPMG and the Sumitomo M2HB machine gun, Howa first created and produced the weapon in...
- Howa 84mm Recoilless RifleCarl Gustav recoilless rifleThe Carl Gustav is the common name for the 84 mm man-portable reusable multi-role recoilless rifle produced by Saab Bofors Dynamics in Sweden...
(licensed copy of the Swedish Carl Gustaf 84 mm Recoilless Rifle)
During the early 1970s, Howa produced the AR-18 and AR-180 5.56mm assault rifle as a license from Armalite Inc. of Costa Mesa, California, which marketed the rifle to various military forces. Japanese government restrictions on the sales of military small arms to foreign countries eventually forced Howa to cease production of the AR-18/AR-180, moving production back to Armalite.
Civilian Rifles
Howa has produced a long line of civilian hunting and target practice rifles in a range of calibers. Howa manufactures components for other firearm companies such as MossbergMossberg
- Firearms :* O.F. Mossberg & Sons, a US firearms manufacturerFirearms manufactured by O.F. Mossberg & Sons:* Mossberg 183, a .410-bore bolt-action shotgun* Mossberg 185, a 20-gauge bolt-action shotgun* Mossberg 930, a semi-automatic shotgun...
and Weatherby
Weatherby
Weatherby, Inc. is an American gun manufacturer founded in 1945 by Roy Weatherby. The company is best known for its high-powered magnum cartridges, such as the .257 Weatherby Magnum and the .460 Weatherby Magnum...
.
- Howa M1500Howa M1500The is a bolt-action centerfire rifle produced in Japan by Howa Machinery.-Description:The M1500 is a full-model change of the hunting rifles that Howa Machinery previously produced. The original blueprints were drawn up with reference to the Wetherby Mk. 5...
Bolt action rifle in sportingSportingSporting may refer to:*Sport, recreational games and play.It may also refer to a sporting club:*Sporting Clube de Portugal, a sports club from Lisbon, Portugal.*Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut, a sports club from Beirut, Lebanon.*A.O...
, varmint and heavy barrelHeavy Barrelis a 1987 overhead run and gun arcade game by Data East.-Gameplay:thumb|left|Arcade ScreenshotTerrorists have seized the underground control complex of a nuclear missile site, and it is up to the player to infiltrate the base and kill the enemy leader. Players begin armed with a laser gun with...
configurations. Howa rifles are available in the U.S. from Legacy Sports International.