www.mcrgo.org/news_story.asp?key=721

Rifle Product Recall
Submitted on: January 6, 2002  

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE MODEL 1500, 1550 AND 1700LS SERIES RIFLES BY HOWA MACHINERY LTD. Product Upgrade Registration

Howa Machinery, Ltd. of Japan, is performing a safety upgrade on all Model 1500, 1550 and 1700LS series rifles manufactured between 1970 and 1993. The affected rifles bear serial numbers from one of the following series on the receiver: PN00010 through PN87159, LS00001 through LS05150, M000001 through M020422, LS10001 through LS10309, B000001 through B028450. The safety upgrade will replace the bolt sleeve to prevent misassembly of the bolt, which might occur on the affected rifles. Such misassembly might result in a hazardous condition in which the rifle can be accidentally discharged without the bolt being fully engaged, causing severe injury. These rifles were distributed by Smith & Wesson, O.F. Mossberg & Sons and Interarms. These rifles may bear the distributor trademark. WARNING: If you own a Howa Model 1500, 1550, or 1700LS series rifle with a serial number from one of the serial number series referred to above: USE OF YOUR RIFLE MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT AND SEVERE INJURY. STOP USING YOUR RIFLE IMMEDIATELY and go to http://regcen.com/howa/index.html or call Howa at 800-456-5131 to receive a Bolt Return Kit. Only the bolt sleeve is being upgraded. Your bolt will be returned to you after the upgrade.

NO OTHER HOWA RIFLES ARE AFFECTED. CHECK YOUR SERIAL NUMBER.

The affected rifles were originally sold through licensed gun dealers nationwide, and some of them may have been resold by the original owners through retail gun dealers, trade shows or privately. If you have sold, traded or given away an affected Model 1500, 1550 or 1700LS series by Howa Machinery Ltd. rifle, it is important for you to forward this Safety Notice to the current owner. Howa Machinery Ltd. apologizes for any inconvenience to its customers resulting from this safety upgrade program, but it is important that owners of affected rifles take advantage of this free upgrade program and do not use an affected rifle before it has been upgraded. All work will be done at no charge. Return the bolt only, not the entire rifle. Please do not return your Model 1500, 1550, or 1700LS series by Howa Machinery Ltd. bolt before contacting us through http://regcen.com/howa/index.html or 800-456-5131 for your Bolt Return Kit.

BTT in the event somebody didn't catch it.