MDT Mention - Impact Shooting: Magazine Mod for a Howa Barreled Action

MDT Mention - Impact Shooting: Magazine Mod for a Howa Barreled Action

Impact Shooting, owned by Pieter Malan, creates some fantastic content specific to long-range shooting. Pieter, a former Pro Cyclist, got into the shooting sports in 2017 and spends his time creating photos and video, teaching precision rifle, and running the Impact Proshop, which carries high-quality shooting gear and accessories.

Pieter has an extensive catalog of shooting content on his YouTube channel, and one we would like to highlight talks about how to get AICS-style magazines to properly work with the Howa 1500 series of rifles. The Howa 1500 has a small lip that does not allow an AICS style magazine to seat correctly. The fix? Remove a small section of metal from your magazine with a grinder or a file.

An AICS magazine with this modification will still work with other action types like Remington and Savage.

The modification requires a small bit of metal to be removed from the magazine. This will not prohibit the magazine from being used with other action types.

The modification requires a small bit of metal to be removed from the magazine. This will not prohibit the magazine from being used with other action types.

Applying some bluing to protect the metal.

Applying some bluing to protect the metal.

THE HOWA 1500

Author's Note: The Howa 1500 rifle, manufactured in Japan, is available in 3 action sizes Mini, Short Action, and Long Action. MDT makes Chassis Systems for all three. "Howa 1500" is synonymous with accuracy, and a barreled action from Brownells paired with an MDT Chassis System is a very accurate rifle system.

Author's personal Howa 1500 in an MDT ESS Chassis System. This rifle is set up for ballistic studies past 1,800 yards.

Author's personal Howa 1500 in an MDT ESS Chassis System. This rifle is set up for ballistic studies past 1,800 yards.

The Twins. Author’s class rifles. Howa 1500 chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. TRACT optics. MDT ACC Chassis System.

The Twins. Author’s class rifles. Howa 1500 chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. TRACT optics. MDT ACC Chassis System.

I assembled a fleet of heavy barrel Howa 1500 chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor for all my precision rifle classes. The guns are all mated to an MDT Chassis System and are some of the most accurate rifles I have ever used. Regarding magazines, I have a bucket full of AICS style magazines from Accurate Mag, Accuracy International, Magpul, and MDT, and I had to modify all of the magazines to work in these rifles. I modified most with a grinder or a simple hand file, then covered the bare metal with spray paint. The modification does not affect the structural integrity of the magazine, and we have had zero issues with these rifles or the magazines.


Make sure to check out Impact Shooting and the Impact PROSHOP! Click here to shop our wide selection of AICS magazines.

Related Posts

Fieldcraft: Three Tips for Predator Hunting

Many of you already know predator hunting is my passion. After 19 years of doing it, I've made a lot of mistakes. I don't...
Post by MDT Sporting Goods
Oct 15 2026

Long-Range Shooting Isn’t About Skill—It’s About Processes

I often enjoy the debate over what makes someone a good shooter. People assign plenty of metrics. Certain drills should be shot, scenarios completed,...
Post by MDT Sporting Goods
Oct 14 2026

Coyote Clint: 22 ARC Ruger American Ranch Field Stock Build

The Ruger American Ranch Gen 2 in 22 ARC delivers surprising accuracy, as shown in Coyote Clint's latest video. Clint shows that good fundamentals,...
Post by MDT Sporting Goods
Oct 13 2026

I Was Wrong About .22 Creedmoor

Not long ago, I wrote an article comparing .22 Creedmoor and 6mm Creedmoor. As a huge fan of 6mm Creedmoor, I saw little reason...
Post by MDT Sporting Goods
Oct 08 2026

Hunt Fish Shoot - NEW Bergara Competition Elite! The Ultimate PRS Production Rifle?

The new Bergara Competition Elite gives PRS shooters a competition-ready rifle straight from the factory, pairing Bergara's Premier Action and barrel with an MDT...
Post by MDT Sporting Goods
Oct 07 2026

Modern Day Sniper: The Real 6 Principles of Marksmanship

While access to a long range matters, you don't need to develop the skills to become a proficient marksman. In a recent video, Caylen...
Post by MDT Sporting Goods
Oct 06 2026

HOW TO ZERO A CLIP-ON THERMAL IN THREE SHOTS

Sighting in a thermal can be frustrating, especially for shooters unfamiliar with how a clip-on system works. It’s easy to burn through ammunition making...
Post by MDT Sporting Goods
Oct 01 2026

Long Range Only Shakes Out The MDT CRBN Rifle Stock!

The MDT CRBN has taken the world by storm. I've heard rumors that it is the best carbon fiber stock on the market (so...
Post by MDT Sporting Goods
Sep 30 2026