6mm arc build Howa Mini or buy complete

[bigbuckdj]

Okay, had to try my hand at a LW 6 ARC build on the Howa Mini platform too.
7.5 twist factory sporter barrel chopped and threaded to 16.25”. Action and barrel Sniper Grey Cerakoted.
All done by my buddy Nathan Maddox, owner of Madman Muzzle Works in W TX.
Bedded it into a Stockys CF stock and bolted up a JO hinged floor plate bottom metal.
Factory trigger is breaking at about 1.5” lbs and came that way. May increase it a tad.
Scythe Ti can with a Weka sleeve. Tried the brakeless .22 cal cap others have reported working fine with 6mm but accuracy was horrible. Switched to the braked .30 cal cap and everything tightened up and became very consistent . Trying out a Japanese made Vixen 2-8x32 scope. Glass is very nice, has a simple BDC reticle, and weighs in just over 11 oz. Goin with Talleys for now being that it’s a very LW scope and rifle combo. Hopin they live but have DNZs waiting in the wings lol. Slingin factory 105 Hornady Blacks and 108 ELD Ms both about 2500. Barrel seems a bit heat sensitive. Will group 3 just fine when cold but tends to open up just a bit if shooting fairly rapidly on 4/5. Good enough for me, mild compromise. Weights in pics are loaded mag with and without can.
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same thing is happening with my sporter barrel though mine is still 22”. It’ll shoot 4 in nearly the same hole and then it goes to crap after that. I need to experiment some more but I think the barrel just may not be properly stress relieved. I just got a factory seconds mdt lss for it, my cheap howa mini keeps getting more expensive. I’ll ignore the heat issue if I can’t figure it out.

 

[PC356]

same thing is happening with my sporter barrel though mine is still 22”. It’ll shoot 4 in nearly the same hole and then it goes to crap after that. I need to experiment some more but I think the barrel just may not be properly stress relieved. I just got a factory seconds mdt lss for it, my cheap howa mini keeps getting more expensive. I’ll ignore the heat issue if I can’t figure it out.

Interesting to read it’s not just me lol. Way I see it if I can make 2 follow up shots without a significant poi shift it’ll be alright. Even then the poi just shifts maybe 1.5” from the previous 3 or so shots at 100.
Very possibly a barrel stress relief scenario.

 

[Tanner]

Anybody care to comment on the barrel diameter at 16-18” on the steel barreled 6 ARCs? Is it wispy or more like a heavy sporter ?

 

[PC356]

Anybody care to comment on the barrel diameter at 16-18” on the steel barreled 6 ARCs? Is it wispy or more like a heavy sporter ?

Believe Brownells offers both heavy and sporter barrel options in their barreled actions for 6 ARC.

 

[bigbuckdj]

Anybody care to comment on the barrel diameter at 16-18” on the steel barreled 6 ARCs? Is it wispy or more like a heavy sporter ?

Which barrel? The heavy 20” or sporter 22”?

 

[Tanner]

Ahhh I missed that they were different contours.

Curious on the heavier 20”, if anybody has one to pull a few measurements on.

 

[waspocrew]

Ahhh I missed that they were different contours.

Curious on the heavier 20”, if anybody has one to pull a few measurements on.

Heavy 20” barrel version.

Right behind thread cap: 0.732”

18” : 0.745”

16” : 0.758”

 

[Tanner]

Heavy 20” barrel version.

Right behind thread cap: 0.732”

18” : 0.745”

16” : 0.758”

Thanks a bunch. Seems about like the Bartlein #19 I have. Good spot to be in

 

[SwampThing0331]

20” with factory 108s killed two whitetails this season. Both dropped dead within 5 yards of the shot.

No complaints other than the action and barrel rusting like crazy after a day in the snow. I’m thinking about sending it off to get chopped and cerakoted.

 

[TimberHunter]

Extra 15% off at brownells so I order a 20” HB. Was the consensus on the scope bases/rail? Any specific manufacturer?

 

[BasicUtahrd95]

Extra 15% off at brownells so I order a 20” HB. Was the consensus on the scope bases/rail? Any specific manufacturer?

I went with the outer impact 20 MOA rail and night force lightweight rings. Not sure I need the 20 MOA rail and might switch to just rings with bases. I swapped the magazine for a Jefferson outdoors floor plate, and that tiny chamber is a real pain in the a** to load with the rail on top.

 

[Qholum37]

I went with the outer impact 20 MOA rail and night force lightweight rings. Not sure I need the 20 MOA rail and might switch to just rings with bases. I swapped the magazine for a Jefferson outdoors floor plate, and that tiny chamber is a real pain in the a** to load with the rail on top.

I thought about getting the hinged floor plate but was worried about that being an issue.

 

[waspocrew]

The hinged floorplate and a rail is difficult to load. Not sure if I’ll keep mine set up that way or not, since I’ve only used it at the range like that once.

 

[General RE LEE]

If anyone has the factory Howa Mini bottom plastic and won’t be using it, I’m interested.

 

[BasicUtahrd95]

Just to clarify a bit, loading one round directly into the chamber is a fine, but fully loading the extra 4 rounds is super annoying. It’s not an issue for general hunting use, but overall ease of use kinda sucks.

 

[General RE LEE]

I researched the Oregon Gun Smith bottom metal hinged floor plate and difficulty to load was a recurring theme. I decided to stick with the mag.

 

[KY_coop]

Just to clarify a bit, loading one round directly into the chamber is a fine, but fully loading the extra 4 rounds is super annoying. It’s not an issue for general hunting use, but overall ease of use kinda sucks.

I bought the same bottom metal, from what I read on a 65 Grendel page the easiest/ best way to load it is to drop the hinged plate and load it while it's open then click it back up

 

[BasicUtahrd95]

Oh interesting. I’ll give that a try and report back if someone doesn’t beat me to it. I’m out of town for work for another week or so.

 

[KY_coop]

Oh interesting. I’ll give that a try and report back if someone doesn’t beat me to it. I’m out of town for work for another week or so.

My stockys vg was supposed to show up today but the snow delayed it til tomorrow. Hoping to shoot it this weekend and give it a try myself.