How many people are happy with their Howa Mini?

[KyleR1985]

How do you like your VG stock?

I'm not a gun nerd, yet. This is the second aftermarket stock to make it's way into my house.

This is a present for my wife - her first rifle.

I spent an hour with it at the range. It's awesome as far as I'm concerned. But I don't have much to compare it to, other than 42" long 7mm and .30 cals I had typically used for hunting. a 36" long 6.5lb scoped rifle that I watch holes appear in paper and gongs swing is a completely new experience for me.

It's got a lot of crossover with AR for what I do, but assuming no boogiemans pop up as she puts it through the paces, I'm going to build a similar one in 6 or 22 ARC. And if she hates it, I'll start carrying it in the woods tomorrow.

 

[Marshfly]

I am not a chassis guy but has anyone tried the excel lite stocked version?
View attachment 804170

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Looks like they are 6 lbs 12 oz rifle and stock according to guns magazine that actually weighed one. That's almost 2 pounds more than one with a VG.

 

[PC356]

So you’re the reason I can’t get a stainless action

Sorry man, in my defense only picked up 3 of em before they dried up

 

[Ferrulewax]

Sorry man, in my defense only picked up 3 of em before they dried up

I was stupid and just assumed that would be a normal offering from now on. Of course now they’ll probably never be available again.

 

[Lentuk]

Well thank you everyone, just ordered a barreled action from Brownells.

 

[Deli]

Hypothetical here and looking for opinions. If I had +/- $800 to spend on a low recoil rifle, would I be better off with a one of the howa actions and get a caliber I’m interested in like a 6 cm or 6 arc and a nice carbon stock from stockys or just buy a tikka 223 or 243 and have what people say is a better action and trigger but a less modern cartridge and an inferior stock? I don’t currently own either brand right now but looking to try something new and get in the low recoil using match bullets game contest it out for myself.


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[hereinaz]

I would get a 6 arc mini action in a Stocky’s, but I am biased. The Tikka Mafia will tell you Tikka, and I won’t argue with them about the awesomeness.

Handle a Howa and Tikka at the gun store and make a choice.

Unless you reload, the 243 is limiting. You can go .223 in Tikka or Howa, but I would rather go 22 arc when Howa drops that.

Is having a compact easy running rifle in your priorities?

Is having a smooth running bolt high?

 

[KyleR1985]

Hypothetical here and looking for opinions. If I had +/- $800 to spend on a low recoil rifle, would I be better off with a one of the howa actions and get a caliber I’m interested in like a 6 cm or 6 arc and a nice carbon stock from stockys or just buy a tikka 223 or 243 and have what people say is a better action and trigger but a less modern cartridge and an inferior stock? I don’t currently own either brand right now but looking to try something new and get in the low recoil using match bullets game contest it out for myself.


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How many of your shots, practicing or hunting, by percentage and quantity, will be past 300 yards?

Do you hunt in a caliber restricted state?

Do you reload?

 

[BBob]

Hypothetical here and looking for opinions. If I had +/- $800 to spend on a low recoil rifle, would I be better off with a one of the howa actions and get a caliber I’m interested in like a 6 cm or 6 arc and a nice carbon stock from stockys or just buy a tikka 223 or 243 and have what people say is a better action and trigger but a less modern cartridge and an inferior stock?

In my mind the Mini and a Tikka are in two different categories altogether. Sure they're both guns but they are quite different. The Mini is a little lightweight thing that serves the purpose of wanting something small, compact and light none of which the Tikka really is. The Tikka is a full sized rifle where the Mini is a reduced size compact little thing. Maybe it's hard to get that until you have handled both. If you just want a regular low recoil gun to shoot, practice or hunt with I'd steer you to the Tikka. If you want a small almost toy like thing to throw in your truck or pack get a Mini, they're a great little gun to have but most of the time I'm hunting with a regular sized rifle.

 

[Deli]

How many of your shots, practicing or hunting, by percentage and quantity, will be past 300 yards?

Do you hunt in a caliber restricted state?

Do you reload?

I practice to about 500 and occasionally reach out to 800 yards just to see how I do. Hunting, my limit is 400 yards to be honest with myself since I can’t practice as much as I’d like. I’ve never needed to shoot past 300 yet on an animal. No restrictions on states and I have bigger calibers I can use if I ever draw those tags. I don’t reload but would like to since all my buddies do it. Just don’t have time with your kids right now.


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[hereinaz]

In my mind the Mini and a Tikka are in two different categories altogether. Sure they're both guns but they are quite different. The Mini is a little lightweight thing that serves the purpose of wanting something small, compact and light none of which the Tikka really is. The Tikka is a full sized rifle where the Mini is a reduced size compact little thing. Maybe it's hard to get that until you have handled both. If you just want a regular low recoil gun to shoot, practice or hunt with I'd steer you to the Tikka. If you want a small almost toy like thing to throw in your truck or pack get a Mini, they're a great little gun to have but most of the time I'm hunting with a regular sized rifle.

This, two different things. What do you want from the gun? Decision tree with two sides. That makes your decision.

 

[Deli]

I would get a 6 arc mini action in a Stocky’s, but I am biased. The Tikka Mafia will tell you Tikka, and I won’t argue with them about the awesomeness.

Handle a Howa and Tikka at the gun store and make a choice.

Unless you reload, the 243 is limiting. You can go .223 in Tikka or Howa, but I would rather go 22 arc when Howa drops that.

Is having a compact easy running rifle in your priorities?

Is having a smooth running bolt high?

I’ve handled a tikka before and it was nice but I didn’t love the stock. Never touched a howa and stumbled on this thread which has me interested. I sadly don’t reload (yet) so can’t count on taking advantage of a 1:8 twist 243. A compact light rifle sounds great since all my hunting is either in a tight stand hunting whitetail or putting on hiking miles out west. Bolt throw doesn’t need to be butter smooth as long as I have no issues with feeding and it’s consistent.

Side note that I can’t get a suppressor because I live in NJ but all my family is in WI so trying to figure out if I can get on a trust since all my rifle hunting is in states where it’s legal. If I can, then a shorter barrel that’s threaded moves up on my priority list making a compact and light rifle even more intriguing.


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